Our world is in need of strong Christian leaders. Our churches need leaders who can help their members be in the world but not of it. What makes someone a strong Christian leader? There are several Christian leadership concepts that can be helpful, but there is one that is crucial to being a strong Christian leader.
Some Christian leadership concepts include goal setting, ability to organize committees and the humanistic effort of grunting out results. The problem with those styles, for Christian leaders, is that God is not asking us to do our work on the Earth, but His work. In order to do His work, we need to be able to hear the voice of God, and then act on what He says.
Biblical Examples:
Moses
We have biblical examples of great leaders who heard the voice of God. Moses was a great leader who heard God speaking to him from a bush and listened. Jesus said, “I do only what I hear my Father speaking and what I see my Father doing”.
Paul
Paul is another example of a great Christian leader. His story also provides us with the context that being a fervent religious leader who is a strict adherent to the law is not all that is required for a strong Christian leader. Paul, who excelled in Biblical knowledge of the law, spent the early part of his life persecuting Christians based on his interpretation of the law. At this point in his life he could be considered a strong religious leader, but he was missing a crucial point; he was not following the voice of God.
Following the Voice of God
Paul speaks to this issue when he describes his approach as being wrong is Philippians 3:1-10. We can learn from Paul’s words here and apply this to our own life. Have we ever used words to kill Christians who we didn’t think we’re adhering to our interpretation of Biblical law? A strong Christian leader needs to remember the focus is never on them, or their personal goals. The focus needs to be what God is whispering to them to do. When a Christian leader spends time hearing the voice of God, and acting on the voice of God, they are able to become a Spirit-anointed leader and effectively release Jesus Christ to a hurting world.
