Bible Study 1 - Empowering Leaders - The Business by the Book Bible Study: Sessions 1: Building Excellent Leaders

Introduction: The First Step in Excellent Management is Excellent Leadership

?A friend once told me, "The more you need your Boss, Supervisor or Customer the less they need you."?? He then went on to say, “But the Ones who Don’t Want to Bother You, Really End Up Bothering You!”

• John Maxwell has a series of must have books on management and leadership. In The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, Law number 20 of his irrefutable laws of leadership is “The Law of Explosive Growth.” To add growth in your company, lead good followers. To multiply growth in your company, lead leaders. (Maxwell, 2002) Leading Leaders is all about empowering people to lead.

Excellent leadership is not just for the top of an organization; it is a trait worth developing in everyone. The Bible supports the idea that leadership and responsibility are for all, not just a few, as seen in passages like 1 Peter 4:10, "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms." Leadership is about stewardship and service.

Scripture teaches us that all individuals, whether at the top or at the bottom, have responsibilities that require leadership. If someone cannot lead in the tasks they have been given, it is a sign they may need further development. Proverbs 16:3 reminds us, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.” This highlights the principle that leadership is rooted in purpose and intentionality, which applies to every level of an organization.

Empowerment: How to Create a Company of Leaders

The word most often used and sometimes abused is “Empowerment.”? "Empowerment" is a popular concept in management, but it also has a biblical parallel. Jesus, in John 14:12, empowered His disciples when He said, "Whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these." Empowerment in business, much like in our spiritual lives, is about acknowledging others’ abilities, granting them trust, and equipping them for success.

Empowerment is not an act of granting power but is a process of preparing individuals to lead. Once prepared, empowerment acknowledges the employees’ skills and demonstrates management’s trust in employees. As a result, management can confidently grant authority to employees, which results in employees’ greater sense of self-confidence and increased motivation.

Empowerment builds confidence, and confidence in turn motivates. James 1:22 tells us, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” This is a call to action. Similarly, empowerment requires action from both leaders and employees; it is not passive.

Empowered employees are liberated to enjoy more meaningful jobs and to pull the company with them to success. The people of an organization are the only true power of an organization to meet its goals.

Empowerment: “Been There, Done That”

• In the words of John Maxwell. Irrefutable Law Number 3 is “The Law of Empowerment, Only Secure Leaders Give Power to Others.”

When I speak on empowerment, often managers claim they have tried that and found it ineffective. But empowerment is not a single event. It is a process, just as our spiritual growth is a process. Philippians 2:12-13 says, "Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose." Empowerment, like spiritual growth, must be continually nurtured.

The Process of Empowering has Two Phases - Phase One: It is All About People

Empowering people takes two phases of growth. It begins with understanding and dealing with others, much like how Jesus led His disciples with both grace and truth. Ephesians 4:29 advises, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs.” Building others up is foundational to effective empowerment. We start by helping the person we want to empower understand the Soft Side of Leadership.

Step 1 - Commitment: Empowerment begins with commitment. Just as no one can be saved (or be considered a Christian) unless they commit to Christ (Romans 10:9-10), no one can be empowered in business unless there is mutual commitment. Leaders must commit to empowering their people, and employees must commit to growth and excellence.

• ?Maxwell’s Irrefutable Law Number 18 is “The Law of Sacrifice - A Leader Must Give Up to Go Up.” (Maxwell, 2002)
• “All we have at the end of the day is personal Effort and Commitment.” Fred Smith, Founder of Federal Express Corporation quoted in, Forbes Great Minds of Business tape series.

?Steps 2 and 3 - Understanding Builds Sensitivity: ?Proverbs 20:5 tells us, “The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.” Understanding people involves getting to know their motivations, strengths, and weaknesses. True empowerment means being sensitive to these nuances, much like how Jesus empathized with His followers’ struggles.

• Maxwell’s Irrefutable Law Number 10 is “The Law of Connection, Leaders touch the Heart, Before They Ask for a Hand”. (Maxwell, 2002)
• Someone ones said, “No one cares what you have to say, until they know you care.”

Step 4 and 5 - Respect Leads to Patience: Romans 12:10 encourages, “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” Empowerment requires respecting the dignity of each person which leads to being patient with their growth process. Disrespect or impatience can undermine empowerment, just as unresolved conflict can undermine unity in the body of Christ.

Warning Respect has Two Sides - disrespect also comes from understanding and sensitivity to those things we know are wrong. Respect the person and expect performance. I am reminded of the manager who always drank too much at parties and became sexually forward with his employees. He was the talk of the water cooler, and never in a positive way. Soon he lost his career because of disrespectful habits. Do not expect respect in return unless you are also building on your softer skills. Likewise, if you have habits that reinforce disrespect, do not anticipate respect from others.? ???????????????????????? ?

• Maxwell’s Irrefutable Law Number 7,? “The Law of Respect, People naturally follow leaders stronger than themselves.”? (Maxwell, 2002)

The Process of Empowering has Two Phases - Phase Two: It is All About Results

This phase is all about getting results. In business, like in our walk with God, the goal is not just to be busy but to bear fruit (John 15:5). The second phase of empowerment shifts the focus from relationships to results, ensuring that leadership leads to productivity.

Step 1 – Leadership – The Leader is ready only after they master the People Skills from Phase 1: Leadership is influence. As Proverbs 27:17 puts it, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” A good leader sharpens others, guiding them to grow, lead, and produce results. Leadership rooted in empowerment calls for the leader to first model the behavior they want to see, much like Jesus modeled servanthood.

• Maxwell’s Irrefutable Law Number 19, “The Law of Timing. When to lead is as important as what to do and where to go.” (Maxwell, 2002)

Step 2 - Communication of Information, Goals, and Expectations: Clear communication is essential for success, as seen in Habakkuk 2:2, “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.” Similarly, empowerment requires leaders to clearly communicate the goals and expectations. Without clarity, employees may struggle to achieve results.

• Maxwell’s Irrefutable Law Number 5, “The Law of E.F. Hutton. When the real leader speaks, people listen.” (Maxwell, 2002)

?Why? The real leader is sharing ideas, information, goals, and expectations. Eleanor Roosevelt once said, ”Small people talk about other people. Average people talk about things. Great people talk about ideas.” Talk about Information, Goals, and Expectations and leave the gossip and other “things” talk out. Then people will listen.

Step 3 – Build Trust: Trust is the foundation of any strong relationship, including within an organization. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” Trust must be mutual - leaders trusting their employees and employees trusting their leaders. This requires us to master Step 2.

• Maxwell’s Irrefutable Law Number 6, “The Law of Solid Ground. Trust is the Foundation of Leadership.” (Maxwell, 2002)

Step 4 - Education and Training: As Proverbs 1:5 encourages, “Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance.” Leaders should equip employees with the knowledge and tools they need, just as God equips His people for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17). People only willing to learn from those they Trust.

• Maxwell’s Irrefutable Law Number 3 is “The Law of Process, Leadership develops daily, not in a day” (Maxwell, 2002)

Step 5 - Ownership and Cooperation: True empowerment is when employees take ownership of their roles. 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 explains how we are all part of one body, each with a unique role. In the same way, empowered employees should take ownership of their part in the larger organizational goals, contributing fully to the success of the team. This is when Empowerment starts.

• Maxwell’s Irrefutable Law Number 21 is “The Law of Legacy - A Leader’s Lasting Value is Measured by Succession.” (Maxwell, 2002)

Step 6 - Evaluation before Recognition: Jesus often acknowledged His disciples when they acted faithfully, as in Matthew 25:23 where He says, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" Recognition is crucial in empowerment, not just to boost morale, but to affirm the value of a job well done.

• Maxwell’s Irrefutable Law Number 8 is “The Law of Intuition - Leaders Evaluate Everything with a Leadership Bias”
• Maxwell’s Irrefutable Law Number 17 is “The Law of Priorities - Leaders Understand That Activity Is Not Necessarily Accomplishment.”?

The Bottom Line: Empowerment in Light of Scripture

Empowerment is a biblical principle. It leads to increased motivation, which in turn improves productivity and profitability—just as faith in action leads to spiritual growth and fruitfulness (James 2:17). Empowering employees, like empowering believers, reduces stress, increases fulfillment, and builds a stronger, more effective organization.

Christian managers should embrace the biblical model of leadership and empowerment. They should be stewards of the talents, gifts, and resources God has entrusted to them, including their employees. Just as Matthew 25:14-30 teaches us about using our “talents” wisely, managers are called to develop and empower their teams for the glory of God and the success of the business.

Reflection Questions for the Bible Study:

1. How does Jesus’ model of leadership influence your view of empowerment in the workplace?
2. What are some areas where you can improve in empowering others, both in business and personal life?
3. How can trust, respect, and communication improve within your team or organization?
4. In what ways can you better model Christ-like leadership for those you are responsible for?

Example - Closing Prayer: Lord, thank You for the opportunities You have given us to lead and empower others. Help us to be wise stewards of the people and resources entrusted to us. May we lead with integrity, compassion, and strength, following the example of Christ in all we do. Empower us so that we can empower others and let everything we do bring glory to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen

?References:

1. The Bible (Various Versions)
2. John C. Maxwell; The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, Workbook, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2002
3. Calvin Pepper and Craig Stevens, “Project management –Maintaining Quality by Communicating, “Third International Waste Management Conference, ASQC, Las Vegas, Nevada, 1992.
4. Stevens, C.A.,? “Step 3: Using the Westbrook Attributes For “Quality Management” to Understand and Maximize Organizational Change Effectiveness and Efficiency,” American Society of Engineering Management, 21st National Conference Proceedings, October 4-7, 2000.

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