Three Truths of Godly Leadership

Three Truths of Godly Leadership

Godly leadership is sorely needed in our current culture. From Bible times until today, God has put people in leadership roles in order to accomplish His purposes. Romans 12:3-7 addresses our various roles in God’s family on earth, including leaders: “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them.” The characteristics of humility, function and purpose, servanthood and individual gifts and talents are addressed. Godly leaders aren’t those who are arrogant and desire to exercise power. Rather they possess sober judgment and a measure of faith.

Many leaders today aren’t Christ-followers, and so their leadership might be helpful or positive, but not God-driven. But even Christian many leaders fail to practice godly leadership, leaving their faith at the door to their office and separating what they believe in their heart from what they practice at their desk. Scripture shows this to be poor stewardship of work and position. In a general sense we can lead without the impact of faith or morality, making decisions in our own interest or our organization’s interest, but missing out on the key facets of why God would allow us to lead. A godly leader is one who is driven by biblical mandate, using biblical methods and living by biblical character. Consider three truths you will see as evidence of a godly leader:

Godly leaders are people-centered. Leadership is foremost about how we influence people in a meaningful way. A leader may prioritize controlling costs, a successful deal, or a strong quarterly statement. A godly leader will always consider how he is leading people toward faith, and encouraging them to grow in faith and as a person. There is no higher calling in leadership than to genuinely care for people. Jesus Himself reminds us in Matthew 20:28, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” A godly leader sees his role as not to be in charge but to serve others.

How to be people-centered:

  • Spend time daily investing in relationships, at work, home and in the community.
  • Pray regularly for people in your sphere of influence.
  • Consider work projects and processes as means to meet new people.
  • Ensure your personal and professional goals include people as a primary component.

Godly leaders are wisdom-focused. Wisdom is knowledge and experience that can be shared for the benefit of others. We all need wisdom because it helps us make better decisions, manage relationships, handle money, face adversity, find direction and so much more. Godly wisdom is to see situations, circumstances, problems and opportunities through a biblical lens. A godly leader wants to share insights that will help people lead better lives by doing things that God desires and avoiding things that He does not.

Ephesians 5:15-17 reminds us, “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” A godly leader is wisely walking through his own life and leading those in his sphere of influence to follow.

??????????? How to be wisdom-focused:

  • Share your experiences, good and bad, with those around you, so that they may repeat your successes and avoid your failures.
  • Look at challenges and adversity as opportunities to learn and grow, both in faith and wisdom.
  • Think carefully about decisions—don’t make them haphazardly, but take your time and consider on which path God may be directing you.
  • Develop a listening ear, ready to take in knowledge and experience from those in your sphere who know things that you don’t and have been places that you haven’t.

Godly leaders are Spirit-led. A Christ-follower is filled with the Holy Spirit. When l leader is following the Spirit of God, they will exhibit behaviors that are representative of Jesus. The Apostle Paul details that “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23, NLT). By saying these are the fruit of the Spirit, Paul is reminding us that these are not characteristics that we can simply summon with enough willpower. Rather it will require the Spirit of God to see these elements as a regular facet of our lives. ?

Notice too that the fruit is plural—a faith-centered leader won’t exhibit just one of these traits, but all of them, in some way. A godly leader’s relationships will flourish when they are loving, joyful, peaceful, kind, good, faithful, gentle and self-controlled. These traits flow from a person who is putting others first and desiring their best, personally, professionally and spiritually.

??????????? How to be Spirit-led:

  • Focus daily on your own character being a reflection of the character of Christ. What actions and attitudes can you improve on?
  • Pray regularly for the Spirit of God to influence your interactions with coworkers, family, friends, clients. Ask God to reveal ways others can see Christ in you.
  • Read Galatians 5:22-23. Pray about characteristics on this list that you can grow more fully in your own life and work.

Jody McManus

[email protected] Radio Station Manager at WRTW 90.5 thekeyfm.com Hammond, IN

1 年

Congratulations on your excellent article about the importance of godly leadership in our current culture. Your message resonates deeply with me, and I appreciate your emphasis on the Biblical foundation of leadership. As you mentioned, many leaders today prioritize personal gain over serving others and following God's plan. A godly leader, on the other hand, seeks to serve and support their team members while embodying Biblical wisdom and living a life guided by the Holy Spirit. Your three key points on how to be a godly leader were especially insightful. Being people-centered, wisdom-focused, and Spirit-led are crucial traits for leaders to develop in order to serve their team members, make wise decisions, and reflect Christ's character. Your suggestions for how to cultivate these traits - investing in relationships, seeking wisdom, and focusing on Christ's character - were practical and inspiring. Thank you for sharing your expertise and reminding us of the importance of godly leadership in all areas of our lives. Once again, congratulations on a fantastic article, and I look forward to reading more of your work in the future. Best regards,

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Victoria Gann

Founder, Author, Teacher, Counselor, and Service provider at Victoria's Love4love Ministry

1 年

First, Godly people are Centered on God, His Son, and the Holy Spirit of Truth. They do not live for people, and they are not people-centered. Godly people are centered on God just as Jesus was centered on His Heavenly Father, and what He desires; if God's children are people-centered, then they will be crushed by the suffering of humanity and grow tired and weary. That is why Jesus said, "The world must learn that I love the Father." (John 14:31) Second) We share what God has taught us through our experiences. Anyone can grow and learn from their experiences but learning through what Jesus and His Holy Spirit teaches through our experiences is eternal. Third) We should always focus on Jesus, our Author, and Perfector of our given Faith. He will reveal what we need to let go of and the measure of grace to let go. If I could see through myself what I needed to let go of, then Christ died for nothing. When we are willing to crucify ourselves spiritually for Christ, the fruit of His Holy Spirit lives in and through us. The fruit of His Holy Spirit is His proof that we have spiritually died for His sake, and have been reborn. www.Love4loveministry.info

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George (Jeff) Terry

Entrepreneur | Visionary Leader | Founder & CEO | Driving Innovation & Growth Across Industries

1 年

Thanks Gene....people centered, wisdom centered and spirit led.....good stuff

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