By
Charles N. Spence, Jr.
I
had read John C. Maxwell’s book The 21
Irrefutable Laws of Leadership with great interest. The laws of leadership
that he outlines in the book are real and practical. Each law can be seen in
the ministry of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the quintessential leader and serves as
the ultimate example of what a leader should be (1 Pet. 5:4). Elders, as
spiritual leaders within a congregation of God’s people, are accountable to
Jesus Christ concerning how they led the flock. For elders to be held
accountable, Christ must have communicated certain expectations that He has
concerning their leadership. I believe we can look at the life and ministry of
Jesus and see each of the 21 laws put forth in Maxwell’s book exemplified
therein. This helps to establish the
fact that these laws of leadership are time tested and true. And because of
such, all that would rise to the task of leadership, particularly in a local
congregation, will do well to follow Jesus example.
The
law of the lid suggests that a person who possesses within himself an enormous
ability to lead will rise to that level of effectiveness in leadership. Jesus
recognized Himself to be an ultimate leader and upon that basis encouraged
people to follow Him. In Matthew 4:19, Jesus’ confidence in His ability to lead
helped to sway men from their chosen profession to accept the one that Jesus
would give them. In Matthew 8:22, Jesus called upon people to follow Him unto
more noble and productive pursuits. In Matthew 9:9, Jesus’ confidence in the
effectiveness of His leadership ability and the great level where it was at was
clearly demonstrated by calling upon a publican to follow Him. On the surface,
why would Jesus bring into His circle a man who many of the people He hoped to
reach loathed? The answer has to be in Jesus’ own awareness of the height of
His leadership ability and the effectiveness it would have. Ultimately Jesus calls
upon all who would to follow Him (Matt.
Church leaders today must determine what the height of
their ability to lead is. Doing that, will help them to determine how effective
they will be in a leadership position.
No congregation should appoint men to leadership that have not
demonstrated the ability to be effective. Many congregations have been stifled
in their growth and potential because of ineffective leadership. Those men who
would be leaders must have confidence in the ability to be effective leaders to
the point of knowing that if people follow their guidance and example, the
people will be and achieve everything that God intended. “For you yourselves know how you ought to follow us, for we were not
disorderly among you; nor did we eat anyone's bread free of charge, but worked
with labor and toil night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you,
not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how
you should follow us” (2 The. 3:7-9). Jesus disciples were these kinds of
leaders.
The world book dictionary defines “influence” as “the
power of persons or things to act on others, seen only in its effects; the
power to produce an effect without using force.” As a verb, it means, “to
change the nature or behavior of.” Using this definition, as the quintessential
leader, Jesus the Christ was a person of great influence. His manner of life and His profound teaching
has affected the lives of people long after He walked the earth. On one
occasion, Jesus had a conversation with a Samaritan woman by a well in
A godly leader in a congregation of God’s people must be
a man of influence. He must possess the credibility and respect that would lead
people to follow his direction. He must be a man who can impress upon others
the need to be what they ought to be. The writer of Hebrews refers to this kind
of influence when he says to Christians on the verge of apostasy, “Remember your leaders and superiors in
authority [for it was they] who brought you to the Word of God. Observe
attentively and consider their manner of living (the outcome of their
well-spent lives) and imitate their faith (their conviction that God exists and
is the Creator and Ruler of all things, the provider of eternal salvation
through Christ, and their learning of the entire human personality on God in
absolute trust and confidence in his power, wisdom, and goodness)” (Heb.
13:7 Amplified Bible). Godly leaders must be positive role models by providing
good examples for others to follow. They must be instrumental in effecting
change in the people they lead. They must be able to move the people without
pushing them. A good shepherd leads the sheep; he does not drive them. This is
because a good shepherd or leader is himself being governed by the law of
influence.
Leadership
is something that must be developed over time. Christ as God was always a
leader. As a man, He had to develop credibility, standing, and influence. From
the time when He was a youth, Jesus attained this within Himself. Luke
In
the local church, men must be developed to become good leaders. This is not
something that happens over night. Notice 1 Timothy
3:6 concerning the spiritual leaders in the congregation. “Not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same
condemnation as the devil.” An elder is to be chosen from among those who
have been time-tested leaders. These men have progressed in the faith from the
time that they were newborn babes (1 Pet. 2:2). Every young man, from the time
he becomes a Christian, should be developed toward becoming a leader. He must
allow himself time to progress in the faith, develop his character, establish
his family, become a pillar in his community and develop into an able and effective
teacher of God’s word (1 Tim. 3:1-7). No! Not all leaders are born leaders.
Some have to be made. To become any kind of leader you must be willing to put
in the time to develop and progress. It is a daily activity that one must take
part in, if leadership is to come. It involves daily sacrifice (Luke
Someone once said, “Anyone can steer the ship, but a real
leader charts the course.” A true leader must know where his people are, where
they need to be, and what they need to do to get there. Jesus is the epitome of
that true leader. The Bible says of Him, “For
it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in
bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect
through suffering” (Heb. 2:10). Here, Jesus is described as “the captain”
of salvation. The term “captain” means, “One that takes the lead in anything
and thus affords an example, a predecessor in a matter, a pioneer” (Thayer). As
a “captain” Jesus paved the way for others to follow. He does not lead us into
anything of which He is unaware. He knows the route because He is the one who
has paved it. This is what makes Him a “Good Shepherd.” He leads His sheep in
paths of righteousness for His own name’s sake (Psa. 23:3). He knows where the
people are and where they need to be. Through His own life experience, he was
able to chart the course that others would follow. “And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation
to all who obey Him” (Heb. 5:9). Having paved the way for others to tread,
Jesus becomes the captain of those who set out on salvation’s path.
A good leader not only plots the course, but also
anticipates and communicates the dangers that lurk about upon the path. A good
shepherd anticipates and thus prepares himself for problems that lie ahead for
his sheep. The shepherd arms himself with a rod to ward off predators and
anything else that might harm the sheep. He also carries a staff in case any of
the sheep loses their way. He can pull them up when they fall. He can grab them
when they are sinking. Jesus charted the course well for those who would follow
Him. He is certain about the direction in which He leads us. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no
one comes to the father except through Me” (John
14:6). He anticipates and prepares us for the dangers that lie ahead. He tells
us about the tribulation that lies ahead and encourages us not to lose heart
(John
Those men who would be leaders in a congregation of God’s
people need to follow Jesus example of leadership. They, too, must learn the
“law of navigation.” They must be course charters for the congregation and its
work that the Lord expects it to do. They must be able to help the congregation
navigate through the difficulties. They also must be ready to help those who
get lost along the way. That is why such men are to be proven and experienced
(1 Tim. 3:2-6). They can navigate the course because they had followed that
course themselves.
The law of E. F. Hutton suggests that when the real
leader speaks, people will listen. Such a person speaks with confidence and
authority. Notice what Matthew says of Jesus in
Those who would lead the people of God today must be
those who demonstrate the need to be heard. They are people who speak with the
backing of the word of God. They exhibit great confidence in the direction they
provide and the counsel that they give because it is grounded in the word of
God. Notice how Paul describes such a leader in Titus 1:7, "Holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may
be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.”
Again, he has God’s word on his side and in it, he puts his trust. He will be
the kind of person to whom the members can go to give adequate counsel and
guidance in the way of the Lord.
One major reason why the Christ was often heard and
regarded as the leader is that the people respected Him. It was not necessarily
what He taught, but who He was. He had an impeccable character. He never misled
the people. He always spoke the truth and lived consistently with what He
taught. A true leader, if he hopes to be heard, must be respected. And, if he
is going to be respected, he must have character. That is why the leader of
God’s people must be above reproach (1 Tim. 3:2).
The “law of solid ground” suggests that to be an
effective leader the people you are trying to lead must trust you. To win the
trust of the people you must be a person of character. As we consider the
ministry of Christ and the leadership that He demonstrated, we notice
immediately that He was a person of unblemished character. Every decision that
He made was calculated and based upon divine foresight. Consider the account of
the healing of a blind man in John 9:1-3. Jesus did not arbitrarily heal the
man who was born blind. There was a purpose behind it. Christ said it was to
manifest the works of God. The event gives every indication that the blind
man’s healing was planned. As Christ pursued His ministry, He was preparing His
followers for bigger plans. John 1:50-51 says, “Jesus answered and said to him,
"Because I said to you, 'I saw you
under the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than these.
And He said to him, Most assuredly, I say to you,
hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and
descending upon the Son of
Among God’s people, in local churches, the leaders must
be men of high character and credibility (1 Tim. 3:1-7). They must be men of
high Character and credibility among not only the members of the local church,
but also those in his community. When they make decisions concerning the souls
of those whom they lead, they can trust them to make those decisions because
that is how they live their lives. Without proper leadership in this regard, a
congregation will have a hard time standing firm for the truth as they move
forward with the gospel.
Someone once said, “When people respect someone as a
person, they admire him. When they respect them as a friend, they love him.
When they respect him as a leader, they follow him.” Usually people follow
those who are more skilled and talented than themselves. They will not follow
someone who is not as strong a leader as them. This is the “Law of Respect.”
When people come together, it will not take long to determine who the true
leader is. Usually, such a person demonstrates great ability and possesses
enough skill to be a highly respected leader. If the people do not respect him,
they will not follow him.
Christ was highly respected by those who knew Him and
followed Him. In John 6:66, many of Christ disciples had ceased from following
Him because they were not looking for leadership; they were looking for
sponsorship. They were impressed with His ability to provide for their physical
needs, not His ability to lead them in the heavenly way. When most people would
have followed the crowd, the twelve Disciples of Christ stood fast. They knew
who the real leader was. They were looking for such a leader. Notice Peter’s
words in response to Jesus’ question in John 6:67-69, “Then Jesus said to the twelve, Do you also
want to go away? But Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go? You
have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." The
twelve had great respect for Christ as a leader. They were willing to follow
Him even into death because they had great respect for Him. “Peter said to Him,
Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!
And so said all the disciples” (Matt. 26:35). Christ was so revered concerning
His leadership that He became the standard by which people can determine true
leaders among the people of God. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “Imitate me,
just as I imitate Christ.” Paul was a leader who often deferred to the ultimate
leader: Christ. The respect that Paul had for Christ, had shown throughout his
personal ministry and leadership.
Those who would lead God’s people today must be those who
the people can respect and identify as the leader. They must possess the skills
and ability necessary to be an effective leader and someone others would be
inclined to follow. No elder should ever be appointed that the people do not
respect enough to follow willingly.
A
true leader is one who possesses an intuitive sense. This means, in sports
jargon, he knows what play to call given a particular situation. He has a sense
about how things will develop, if he approaches the course in a particular
way. Christ knew what was in the hearts
of men (John
Often we associate intuition with a gut feeling.
Certainly, this is not always the case. Some people are able to determine what
will happen based upon past performance. This is how the stock market operates.
Many brokers and financial analysts base their decisions upon past
performances. To do this they must be aware of what is going on in the markets.
A true leader is always aware of what he is up against, so that he can make the
best possible informed decision. Christ
was such a leader. He knew what kinds of decisions would affect the direction
of His followers. He said that a person must deny Himself and follow Him to be
a disciple of His (Matt.
Those who would lead God’s people today must be men of
unwavering dependence upon the Word of God. They are those who have studied
God’s word and understand well the past performances of God’s people (Rom.
15:4; 1 Cor.
True leaders of God’s people must have a sense about what
lies ahead for the people of God in any given situation. They must anticipate
problems and know how to handle them. This is because they have experience in
these areas that give them an intuitive sense. For this reason, Paul says that
a leader of God’s people must not be a novice (1 Tim. 3:6).
An effective leader will determine
in his mind the kind of people that they would like to attract. This is true
whether in business, sports, politics, and even in religion. Certainly, a
leader wants people who share in his vision and ideals. The law of magnetism
dictates that “Who you are is who you attract.” People have a tendency of
attracting people and associating with people much like themselves. Whoever is
following the leader tends to reflect the leader’s persona in him. If the
followers are not what they ought to be, this is an indication of poor
leadership. If a tendency to attract unsavory people to an organization exists,
this is an indication that the leadership is in possession of some unsavory
attribute in its personality. Examples of this principle abound. Under Tom
Landry, the Dallas Cowboys were
Christ exercised the law of magnetism. He sought to
attract people to Him that would reflect His character. Those who were drawn to
Christ were those who saw something in Him that they would like in themselves.
Paul wanted to be like Christ, so much so that he said in Philippians 3:8-11, “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for
the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have
suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain
Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the
law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from
God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the
fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I
may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Christ’s appeal was to those
who wanted to be like Him. They were people who wanted His ways to be their
ways and His mind to be their mind. The gospel would attract those who would be
willing to reflect in their lives the image of Christ (Rom.
Those who are leaders among the people of God today must
demonstrate in their lives the kind of persona they are seeking to attract.
Their leadership will determine the kind of organization of which they are a
part. Leaders, who reflect poorly the image of Christ, will have congregations
that reflect poorly the image of Christ. That is why,
as Timothy and Titus point out, those who would lead God’s people must have
characters that are of the highest moral disposition. Those who would follow
such men are instructed in Hebrews 13:7, “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word
of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their
faith.”
To be an effective leader one must
be able to make a connection with the people you intend to lead. People would
be more inclined to follow someone that can relate to them. They want leaders
who can empathize with their plight and appreciate what they are going through.
They want to know that their leaders are in touch and in tune with them. The
only way a leader can do that is to get to where the people are role up his
sleeves and get down there with them. Of course, the people must sense
sincerity in the efforts of these would be leaders. For example, many have
ventured to understand the plight of homelessness by sleeping with them for a night.
Such never helped to relieve homelessness. One could not even adequately relate
to problem in a night.
Christ was one leader who knew how to connect to the
people He had hoped to lead. Initially, He, as John points out in John
The law of connection implies that the leader be one who
is entreatable. Who wants a leader who stands aloof from everyone and is
virtually inaccessible? How will the people ever get the sense that he connects
to them, if he never allows himself to be at their disposal? Christ was always
available to those who sought Him. Anytime people came to Him, He never turned
anyone away. He never gave the impression that they bothered him.
Leaders in churches of Christ must
be men who can connect with the people the hope to lead. Of course, they are
selected from among them, so they are connected in that sense. They must also
empathize and be compassionate towards those that they lead. They must
appreciate their struggles and demonstrate that they are not unwilling to roll
up their sleeves and get down into the trenches with them. They cannot look at
the people as a bother nor make themselves unavailable to them.
When
leaders make the proper emotional connection with the people, the people will
not hesitate to assist them in whatever endeavor they seek to accomplish. Jesus
disciples always made sure that He was fed and even protected at times. Many of
Christ’s women disciples helped to support His ministry with their own means
(Luke 8:1-3). People will not only follow, but also be moved assist those who
can effectively make the connection to them.
No leader can move a group forward and help it to succeed
all by himself. In Exodus 18:14-22, Moses, a marvelous leader in his own right,
took on too much in the way of leadership. He would eventually wear himself
out. His father-in-law recommended that he select godly men who could help take
on some of this burden. In Numbers 11:14-17, Moses realized this need for
himself. The Lord told Moses to chose seventy men to
help him lead the people. Soon Moses developed his own inner circle from which
he could rely upon certain men to keep the work moving forward.
Jesus, being the ultimate leader, recognized that from
the time He started His ministry He needed to develop an inner circle. Christ
had numerous followers, but only a handful did He choose to be a part of His
inner circle. He chose twelve men who he believed had the characteristics
necessary to carry on his work and assist Him in the things that He had come to
accomplish. He kept these men close to Him. This He did to train and shape them
into leaders much like Himself (Matt.
Any company or organization will secure its vitality and
enhance its productivity when it has good leadership. When companies and
organizations are not moving forward and achieving their goals, usually the
leadership is replaced. In congregations of God’s people, the leaders must
always be mindful of maintaining an inner circle. This will help the work to be
multiplied and handled effectively. Also, congregations must be mindful of the
need to have a pool from which they can draw additional leaders when needed.
This can never happen if the present leadership never takes the time to develop
an inner circle. With the development of the inner circle, the congregation
cannot keep itself from becoming a great team.
When I was preaching in the
In preparing His disciples to carry on His work, Jesus
understood and employed the law of empowerment in His ministry. The law of
empowerment is the ability to recognize, raise up and
nurture the leader in others. Also, it involves giving those leaders
responsibilities, resources and encouragement to use their talents in being
productive. Jesus often gave His disciples responsibilities and tasks to
accomplish without constantly looking over their shoulders. He allowed them to
make mistakes, realize their errors and get back on tract. Jesus did not
micromanage His disciples. He let them be their own brand of leaders. As they
succeeded, He succeeded. Christ explained that principle in the following
terms. “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me” (Matt.
Many congregations are not abounding in the Lord’s work
because they are stifling leadership. They are not exercising the law of
empowerment. In some congregations, a few vocal men have seized the role of
leadership and refuse to appoint, never mind help to develop leadership in the
congregation. This they do because they feel their own positions threaten. A true leader never feels that his role as
such is ever threatened. I want to lead, but I know that to be a successful
leader I need strong leaders around me. To make them effective I must empower
them. When more congregations adopt this principle and elderships employ this
principle in their development of leaders, congregations will grow and the
Lord’s work will continue to move forward.
Around 85% of all leaders became leaders because they
were influenced by other leaders. The success of any organization is dependent
upon the strength of its leadership. One of the goals of any leader should be
the development of other leaders. In the previous section we considered the
recognition and empowerment of leaders. Now we will consider the benefits of
the law of empowerment. A good leader will develop leaders who will in turn
develop leaders. This is the Law of reproduction. When this law is applied, the
vitality and longevity of any organization is significantly enhanced. Also, its
own production is increased. As has been the case in the business world and
even the sports world, when leaders were developed within the organization,
those people were able to branch out and eventually manage their own. This is
true among congregations of God’s people.
Jesus is the ultimate example of a leader. He developed
men into leaders. He empowered them with authority and resources necessary to
do the work of carrying out His vision. Once they were no longer under Christ’s
wing, they took off on their own and were instrumental in helping take Christ’s
message to others. Under their guidance, the early church enjoyed significant
and even amazing growth. Notice what Luke records in Acts 5:12-14, “And through the hands of the apostles many
signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord
in Solomon's Porch. Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people
esteemed them highly. And believers were increasingly added to the Lord,
multitudes of both men and women.” Not only were the apostles of Christ
instrumental in encouraging growth in the church, they were also instrumental
in the development of leaders. As any organization increases in numbers, the
number of leaders must also increase. I have seen several congregations falter
because they never took into consideration the need to increase its number of
leaders. Those elders become swamped and overwhelmed. They were unable to
handle effectively the increased number of members. With an increase in
membership comes an increase in problems and concerns. The Lord made such
provisions for Moses when He saw that Moses was overburdened with leading the
people. Numbers 11:16-18 says, “So the
LORD said to Moses: Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you
know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the
tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you. Then I will come
down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and
will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with
you, that you may not bear it yourself alone.” Prior to this Moses was
given these words of advice from his father-in-law in Exodus
I briefly mentioned that the apostles helped to develop
leaders who were able to carry on the work of Christ. Paul helped to develop
Luke, Timothy, Titus, Silas, Apollos, Epaphroditus, Onesimus, Tychicus, Aristarcus,
Etc. Barnabas was instrumental in making a leader out of John Mark. The apostle
John helped the develop Polycarp. As the
congregations of God’s people increased, the need for leaders increased. A true
leader will recognize such a need. However, in order to produce leaders,
passing on to them the responsibilities of leadership and the knowledge
necessary to meet those responsibilities, the leader must be in possession of
them himself. Paul summarizes this point clearly when
he writes, “And the things that you have
heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be
able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2).
The “Law of buy-in” indicates that before anyone will buy
into another’s vision, he must first buy-into the visionary. John C. Maxwell
said, “The leader finds the dream and then the people. The people find the
leader, and then the dream.” For this reason, many advertisements use well
known figures with established reputations to push their products. Most people
have already bought into the person and consequently would be more inclined to
consider what he is selling. People must have confidence in the leader as one
who is proven and capable, before they will follow any vision he may have. Coca
Cola is going through some tough times right now because of a change in
leadership. Investors are nervous because they are not sure of Cokes direction
and have little confidence in its leadership because the new leadership has yet
to be proven.
When Christ began His ministry, He had to establish
Himself as someone to whom the people can look to follow. This He did through
the miracles He did. Jesus said in John 10:37-38, “If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the
works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in
Him." Having established Himself as an Authority, the Christ and Son
of God, Jesus was able to get people to buy-into His vision. In John 10:25-27
Jesus answered, “I told you, and you do
not believe. The works that I do in My Father's name, they bear witness of Me. But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My
voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” Now the people were ready to
buy into His vision. At the well in John 4, Jesus had to first establish
himself or sell himself before He could get the woman to accept what he was
saying. Jesus empowered His disciples to establish credibility upon which bases
they were to sell the vision of an approaching kingdom (Matt.
Those who would lead God’s people must be men of proven
character (1 Tim. 3:1-7). The reason for the test of character is so that the
people can buy into the men. Once they have bought into the men the people will
follow whatever vision the leaders have for them. That is why character matters
in leadership. God saw fit to establish the character before providing the
vision. Jesus had to establish Himself. His disciples had to establish
themselves. And leaders of God’s people today must establish themselves. Only
them will the vision be able to be realized because the bought into the quality
of leadership that they have.
A true leader has as his goal the achievement of success
of his organization. He is one who does not compromise with defeat. He won’t
settle for second best. As a Nike add once put it, “You don’t win the silver
medal; you lose the gold.” To assure victory for his organization, the leader
helps to bring out the best in those that make up that organization. He does
not see failure as an option. And when the heat is on, he will rise to the
occasion.
Christ was just that kind of leader.
According to Matthew
The challenges of
securing victory were never few. With each obstacle, Christ became even more
determined to achieve His objective and secure victory. Notice His reaction to
Peter’s objection to Christ’s mission in Mark 8:31-33. “And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many
things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be
killed, and after three days rise again. He spoke this word openly. And Peter
took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But when He had turned around and
looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, Get behind Me, Satan! For
you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."
There was no obstacle too great that Christ would not overcome to achieve
victory. He always kept His eyes fixed on what He came to do. “Now it came to pass, when the time had come
for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem”
(Luke 9:51). He always managed to stay on task. Even death was not able to keep
Him from the victory that He sought to achieve. Luke says of those who were
instrumental in causing Christ’s death, “Him,
being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have
taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up,
having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be
held by it” (Acts 2:23-24). Jesus
was truly victorious.
Leaders among God’s people today, have to possess a
winning attitude. They must be visionaries in leading God’s people onto
victory. As elders in a local congregation, those men must know that the
victory is the Lord’s. They must help to guide the people that they lead to
victory. This they must do by equipping them with the knowledge necessary to
obtain victory. They must also be examples of victorious living. Notice what
John says in 1 John 5:4-5, “For whatever is
born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the
world--our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that
Jesus is the Son of God?” Leaders must guide and equip the people through
the word of God. The Word provides answers to meet and overcome every
challenge. Again, in the
Every leader, in order to be
effective, must have momentum on his side. However, momentum does not simply
happen; it must be generated. The law of the “
As a leader, Jesus
knew the value of generating momentum for His mission to be successful. With
each display of power and with every utterance of a profound teaching, Christ
was able to create the momentum necessary to steer His people in the right direction.
Not only did He recognize the value of the momentum that he created, but soon
others took notice of it as well. Notice what is recorded in Luke 19:36-40. “And as He went, many spread their clothes
on the road. Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of
Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God
with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying: Blessed is
the King who comes in the name of the LORD! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!
And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, Teacher, rebuke Your disciples. But He answered and said to them, I tell you
that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.”
The religious leaders wanted Jesus to stop the momentum that He had generated.
Jesus said that He could not stop the ever increasing excitement that the
people demonstrated toward Him. If Christ would not stop it, the religious
leaders saw to it that they would. Read John 11:47-50. “Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. If we let
Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and
take away both our place and nation. And one of them, Caiaphas,
being high priest that year, said to them, You know nothing at all, nor do you
consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people,
and not that the whole nation should perish.” The religious leaders saw
that Christ was generating significant momentum for His cause. Yet, with all
their feeble attempts, they could not stop it. Christ had trained His disciples
to be leaders. This He did so well that, long after He was gone, His disciples
were able to keep the momentum going. In Acts 2, three thousand were added. In
Acts 4 that number grew to five thousand. Also in Acts 4, the religious leaders
attempted to kill the momentum. Every incident seemed to generate momentum for
the cause of Christ, whether discipline among the people of God (Acts 5:1-16,
esp. v. 14) or persecution (Acts 8:1-4).
Leaders among God’s people today must generate momentum
if they hope to be successful leaders. I have seen attempts made to stifle the
enthusiasm and excitement of some Christians which led to the stifling of the congregation’s
momentum. When leaders fail to prepare and empower those who display qualities
of leadership, they are sure to hinder any momentum that could take place. When
leaders are not encouraging the people to work by adequately equipping them
(Eph.
The
“Law of Priorities” suggests that leaders focus their energies on those
activities that are not simply required, but also generates the greatest return
and provides the greatest reward. Leaders who spend much time and energy on
activities that are not required, yield little return or are not rewarding, are
a detriment to the vitality of the organization they represent. Companies that
spend a lot of time and resources developing a product that the consumer does
not care for rather than improving those product that the consumer wants is a
company with poor leadership and misplaced priorities.
Christ always did what was required. He said in John
Leaders in congregations of God’s people today must
embrace this “Law of Priorities” for themselves. Too many congregations have
been spending time on those things which are not required. Much time, energy
and resources are spent on activities that the Lord did not require nor even suggest
that the church be involved in. This has led the way to Institutionalism and
denominationalism. Leaders must prioritize the work of the church that God has
assigned it. The primary function of the church is to seek the Lost. However,
some congregations have made edifying the members or doing benevolence the
priority. Leaders must keep in mind that the number one priority is pleasing
the heavenly Father. They must focus on those areas that are, first, required
by the Lord (Col. 3:17). Then they must prioritize the work based upon what
would be the most fruitful (Col. 1:10). Finally, the work must be rewarding (1
Cor.
The “Law of Sacrifice” has never been more evident than
in the life of Christ. A true leader will give up that he may move ahead.
Christ knew that His mission would not be a success unless he gave Himself up
as a sacrifice. In Luke 24:46, Jesus said, “Thus
it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise
from the dead the third day.” Christ knew that it was necessary to give up
his life to save many (Matt 26:28). As a leader, Christ sacrificed for the good
of the people and to accomplish His Father’s will.
Christ’s sacrifice was not a mere onetime event. His sacrifice began when He
left His heavenly home to come to the earth. Paul explains that aspect of
Christ’s sacrifice in 2 Corinthians 8:9,
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet
for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.”
Jesus continuously lived a life of sacrifice for the God of the purpose for
which He came to accomplish. Christ Never thought of Himself. He always had the
other person in mind. He gave up sleep, food, drink, solitude, etc., whenever a
need had arisen or someone imposed upon Him.
Those who would lead God’s people today must be men of
sacrifice. The Christian life is one of sacrifice anyway (Rom. 12:1). However,
those who are leaders will be called upon to give a little more. Jesus taught
this principle in Luke 12:48, “For
everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom
much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.” Leaders have a
greater responsibility and a higher level of sacrifice. The apostles of Christ
were men who were willing to sacrifice all that they had for the cause of
Christ (Mark
A good leader knows when the right time to act is upon
him. In battle the general knows when to attack. In a corporation a leader
knows when the best time to invest or expand is. Christ knew when to do what
was necessary to achieve the success He desired for His cause. Throughout his
ministry, with certain events, Christ often said the time was not right (John
2:4, 7:8,
In most organizations, the leadership needs to be aware
of ideal timing. They need to know the best time to invest, sell, expand, etc.
Certain types of leaders may be needed at certain times. Leaders whose emphasis
on rebuilding at a time when rebuilding is necessary may be needed. Maybe the
organization needs a leader who knows how to energize. Whatever the situation,
sometimes an organization needs certain kinds of leaders, at a given time.
In the church, the members need to choose leaders who can
be instrumental in meeting the needs of the congregation at that particular
time. Sometimes different types of leaders are necessary to promote a healthy
balance among the leaders. If only one type of leader is appointed, the chances
of certain aspect of the congregation’s work being neglected are great. Jesus
chose twelve men of different types of leadership capabilities to help insure
that His church would have the best guidance possible. We see the wisdom of
Christ in this by the mere fact that the New Testament was not written by one
man. Paul’s letter to the Romans was timely. The writer of Hebrews was timely.
John’s epistles were timely. Those particular styles of leadership were
necessary at those particular times.
When we see a need that mist be addressed with certain
types of leaders, we would do the Lord’s work great service by choosing men who
can meet the need of that time. Let us learn the law of timing so that we never
miss out on an opportunity to excel for the Lord.
The law of explosive growth implies that there is a need
for the preparation of leaders to handle and maintain the growth. Leaders need
to focus on growth not simply by addition, but multiplication. Leaders that
focus on addition tend to hoard power, micromanage problems, and spend time
developing followers. A true leader will spend his time developing leaders that
will be instrumental in building up the organization. The person whose aim is
to develop followers is one who feels he needs to be needed, while the leader
whose aim is to develop leaders is one who intends on being succeeded. By
developing leaders who can in turn develop leaders, such will help the
organization to grow by multiplication. More leaders will be available to either
reach and develop followers or develop leaders.
Christ knew that His church would grow, not by addition,
but by multiplication. He developed leaders who would go out and develop
leaders to maximize the growth potential of the church. In Acts 8:1 and 4,
while the apostles remained in
I have known a number of churches that, for years, have
had the same number of elders. Many of which were the same men they had for years.
Without any new blood, vision, or energy, usually, the result of such dismal
leadership is little to no growth. When churches appoint elders who have been
proven to be effective leaders, energy, enthusiasm and growth are not far
behind. After some time, when new leaders are developed and more elders are
appointed, the work continues to grow. If a congregation dies out and fades
away, the cause can usually be traced back to a lack of quality leadership or a
few men who were bent of hoarding all the power. They have become modern day
Diotrephes (3 John 9-11). Such an approach toward leadership is sure to kill
the spirit and vitality of any congregation. We must be sure to appoint men who
understand and appreciate the law of explosive growth. I believe it is what
Christ would want.
A good leader will prepare his organization to continue
to succeed without him. This he does by grooming leaders who will continue his
vision long into the future. He helps to strengthen the organization and
prepares strong leaders to succeed him. Many organizations cease to flourish
and remain vital because their leaders lacked vision and failed to exercise the
law of legacy.
Christ exercised the law of legacy as typical of the
quintessential leader. He knew that He was going away (16:5-7). For this
reason, He spent three and one half years of His time on earth preparing
certain men to carry on His work long after He had gone. Christ helped His
disciples to be strong and so fit to equip them and empower them to be leaders
themselves. When Christ went away, the church was established. It flourished
and grew mightily. The church’s success
was a testimony to how well Christ prepared His disciples to carry on the work.
Yet, we see the Lord’s church still in existence. Even the Disciples of Christ
saw the value of creating successors. They passed on their leadership skills to
others to help insure the vitality of the Lord’s church. The apostle Paul made
cure that he had leaders to succeed him. He prepared for his own departure by
grooming other disciples to carry on the work.
Notice what Paul says in 2 Timothy 4:1-8:
I charge you
therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and
the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season
and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and
teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but
according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap
up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the
truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure
afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time
of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have
finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally,
there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to
all who have loved His appearing.
Organizations have come and gone
because their leaders failed to exercise the law of legacy. Congregations of
God’s people have ceased to exist because their leaders did not apply the law
of legacy. When congregations fail to groom men to succeed their present
leadership, they are guaranteeing that those congregations will be short lived.
I truly believe that the Lord will be displeased with those leaders who did not
see fit to help in the continuation of His vision for the church. I also
believe that those leaders among the people of God will be held accountable for
not sharing their talents with other men who possessed the inclination toward
leadership. Until those congregations exercise the law of legacy for
themselves, they should not be surprised when they are no longer around.
My aim was to demonstrate that Christ was indeed the
quintessential leader by applying John C. Maxwell’s 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership
to Him. Christ exemplified in Himself each of the 21 laws of leadership. If
congregations of God’s people hope to succeed and remain vibrant, they need to
appoint scripturally qualified men to lead them. Those leaders need to
exemplify the very laws of leadership that Christ also exemplified to be the
best leaders possible. These laws,
though not a part of any scriptural qualifications for leaders, should be
inherent in any leaders who hope to be successful. As goes the leaders of a
congregation, so goes that congregation. It pays to have the best leaders
possible. May God’s people rise up and take notice of such leaders, so His
cause will continue to march forward. “Remember
those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith
follow, considering the outcome of their conduct” (Heb. 13:7).