Strength in Leadership

True leadership, yes Biblical leadership, is tested and proved in crises and displays itself in strength.

The real leader is the one who can handle stress, solve problems, bear burdens, find solutions, and win victories when everyone else is confounded. Spiritual leadership in the church also means “fighting the beasts of Ephesus” (I Cor. 15:32), resisting heretics, exposing wolves, rebuking swine, and administering church discipline. Even Jesus displayed this kind of confrontation strength when He cleansed the temple by overturning tables and driving certain people out with a whip (John 2:13-15).

What about humility? Yes, humility has a place in spiritual leadership too. However, humility does not mean passivity or being a pacifist. Biblical humility means surrender to God, not to carnal people or troublemakers in the church.

Somewhere along the way, people have gotten the notion that spiritual leadership and/or pastoring means being some kind of “Mr. Rogers” type of character who is good at holding babies, is elegant and genteel, wears cardigan sweaters, is passive, and avoids conflict at all costs.

But was Jesus like that? Were the apostles? No. They were humble when the situation called for it, and they took the bull by the horns and slapped him across the face when the situation called for it.

Spiritual leadership is not about one over the other. It’s about ALL the attributes contained in Jesus Christ - such as trust, courage, taking charge, having influence, possessing strength, humility, sacrifice, selflessness, loyalty, decisiveness, courage, discipline, meekness, and a willingness to be misunderstood by the people for the sake of God’s kingdom.

Spiritual leaders are not one dimensional.