Characteristics of Biblical Leadership
Ministers Meeting 2006 Convention
Leadership presentation by Pr. Rodney Johnson
Introduction
 Everyone here is a leader in many areas of their lives.
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Home, church, community, business
 Questions we then must ask ourselves!
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“How do I lead?”
“What pattern or example do I follow?” – Jesus or my own?
“Who do I want to please?” – God or man?
“Does my leadership reflect Jesus example and teaching?”
“Is my leadership a service to others or self-serving?”
“Am I trustworthy? – “Do I foster trust in others?”
Leadership requires Knowledge – Of The Word of God!
Leadership requires Courage – Dare to challenge error!
These are some questions that I will attempt to address
 Leadership Requires Knowledge – of the Word of God
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Hebrews 5:12-14 12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one
teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as
have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13 For every one that useth milk is unskillful in
the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14 But strong meat belongeth to them that
are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern
both good and evil.
 Leadership Requires Courage – Dare To Challenge Error!
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Matthew 15:10-14 10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and
understand: 11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh
out of the mouth, this defileth a man. 12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him,
Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? 13 But
he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be
rooted up. 14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead
the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
 Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the
LORD shall be safe.
o Concerns over the opinions of others will hinder our standing in the Truth of the Word.
o A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd.
Notes:
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Definition of the Terms of Church Leadership
 1 Peter 5:1-4
The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness
of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 2 Feed the
flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly;
not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being
ensamples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown
of glory that fadeth not away
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 1 Peter 2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and
Bishop of your souls.
 Philippians 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ
Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.
 Ephesians 4:11-12 And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists;
and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry,
for the edifying of the body of Christ:
 Elder
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A name frequently used in the Old Testament as denoting a person clothed with
authority, and entitled to respect and reverence (Gen 50:7)
“The creation of the office of elder is nowhere recorded in the NT, as in the case of
deacons and apostles, because the latter offices were created to meet new and special
needs, while the former was transmitted from the earliest times. The office of elder was the
only permanent essential office of the church in both.”
The “elders” of the New Testament church were the “pastors” (Eph 4:11), “bishops
or overseers” (Acts 20:28) “leaders” and “rulers” (Heb 13:7; 1 Thes 5:12) of the flock.
Everywhere in the NT bishop and presbyter are titles given to one and the same
officer of the Christian church. He who is called presbyter or elder on account of his age
or gravity is also called bishop or overseer with reference to the duty that lay upon him
(Titus 1:5-7; Acts 20:17-28; Phil 1:1).
 Bishop
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An overseer. In apostolic times, it is quite manifest that there was no difference as to
order between bishops and elders or presbyters
Notes:
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What Is Leadership?
 Leadership is influence.
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Anytime you are in a position to influence the thinking, behavior, or development of people
to accomplish a goal in their personal or professional lives, you are taking on the role of a
leader.
 Motivation of leadership!
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Self-serving – you will use your influence to fulfill your personal needs.
EGO - Edges God Out!
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Pride: Edges God Out
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Pride: Seeks to please men, That they would speak well of us!
Jesus said of the Pharisees “But all their works they do for to be seen of men: …” Matthew
23:5-7
 Service and dedication to Christ (God’s Call!) – You will model and encourage godliness in
others. EGO – Exalts God Only!
o Humility Exalts God
 The greatness of a leader is in his humility before God, not in his eloquence before men.
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True worship is to bow down or to serve; being in awe of God!
 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Luke 4:8
 “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought!”
 Romans 12:1-3 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye
present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your
reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and
perfect, will of God. 3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is
among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to
think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
 Develop and Maintain Respect & Trust
 Respect from others comes by honesty, sincerity, truthfulness, integrity, and wise
counsel and judgment. 1 Timothy 3:7 “Moreover he must have a good report of
them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”
 Love and respect do not automatically accompany a position of leadership. They
must be earned.
 People will follow great leaders, because they respect them!
 Trust is a developing quality – It grows over time, yet can be quickly lost and is
difficult to restore!
Characteristics of biblical leadership
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Following Jesus and asking ourselves, “What DID Jesus Do?”
o By this we determine what we should do!
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Jesus leadership was completely focused on pleasing His Father.
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Leadership is influence.
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Leadership is service!
o Leaders is mentioned only six times in the King James Version of the Bible
o Servant is mentioned more than nine hundred times.
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John 12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my
servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honor.
Matthew 25:40,45 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you,
Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it
unto me. Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it
not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
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Leadership is teaching!
o Matthew 5:1-2 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was
set, his disciples came unto him: And He opened his mouth, and taught them…
o John 15:15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord
doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have
made known unto you.
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Leading others in the direction that is good and right
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Leadership differs according to the position held: pastor, deacon, sunday school teacher
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Jesus was not a pastor within a human establish organization
o He was THE LEADER in the Kingdom of Heaven
o He was and is a Servant Leader
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Leading Like Jesus requires 2 key elements.
o Forgiveness and grace!
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Forgiveness –
o This is how we must respond to the mistakes or failures of others
o The heart established in Love, responds with forgiveness to the imperfections of others.
o If we expect others To forgive us, we MUST LEAD by forgiving them
 Matthew 6:12 Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors
o Cultivating an attitude of forgiveness
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Grace
o Without grace we will tend to make harsh judgments and be negative in mind and attitude
o With grace – The action will be without a critical spirit but with an effort to correct or
restore.
 Galatians 6:1-2 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual,
restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be
tempted. Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
o Grace seeks to always enhance the others well-being!
 there is a loftier ambition than merely to stand high in the world. it is to stoop down and
lift mankind a little higher.
 Colossians 4:6 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may
know how ye ought to answer every man.
 2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever.
Our Life Reflects Our Leadership Pattern
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Our attitude toward life and others will affect how we lead
o Colossians 3:23-24 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not
unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for
ye serve the Lord Christ.
o “Love your neighbor as yourself!”
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1 Peter 3:10-11 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue
from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let
him seek peace, and ensue it.
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The character, faith, behavior and reputation are reflected in the manner in which we
lead
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1 Timothy 3:1-7 1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a
good work. 2A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of
good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 3 Not given to wine, no striker, not
greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; 4 One that ruleth well his
own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; 5(For if a man know not how to
rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) 6 Not a novice, lest being
lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a
good report of them that are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
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ECCLESIASTES 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his
commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
A Servant Leader
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Ask Ourselves: “Am I a Servant Leader or a Self-serving Leader?”
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A great barrier to being a Servant-leader, like Jesus, is a heart motivated by selfinterests!
o A heart motivated by self-interest says, “Give a little, take a lot!”
o They put their own agenda, status, and gratification ahead of those affected by their
leadership
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A servant-leader says, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
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A Leader MUST NOT lead according to self-interest or self-will
Servant Leadership Is
o Leading according to the Word of God
o Knowing what the Word teaches; not according to his own opinion or necessarily
according to the traditions of men as he may have been taught. (Pharisees)
o Truth is paramount and always ministered in Love “Faith working together with love!”
o The first and foremost aspect of Servant Leadership is remembering Who we serve
 An insomuch as we serve Christ, Jesus said we do so when we serve others.
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Servant leadership requires
o A firmly established set of Biblical values.
 Values are: non-negotiable principles that define character in a leader.
 Life is about value conflicts: Therefore people need to know what the leaders values
(principles) are that they may know what to follow.
 The Apostle Paul urged “Be followers of me!
 Jesus displayed and lived by His stated values:
 Love God will all of your heart, mind and soul
 Love your neighbor as yourself
 He did this all the way to the Cross
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A visionary role
o PROVERBS 29:18 “Where there is no vision, the people perish”
o Without a clear vision – there is only confusion
o One of the greatest gifts leaders can give others is hope.
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We need to know where we are and where we are going if we will clearly convey that to
others.
One of the greatest gifts leaders can give others is hope.
Status Quo must change when the status is not working because it is not meeting the
needs of the people who are being served
A willingness to work to implement the vision – service
o Jesus came to serve, not to be served.
Leadership often focuses on the ‘do not’s’
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This teaches people what NOT to do
Leadership teaches people what to do and to do it the right way.
Pastoral Authority
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Christ is the Head of the church – EPH 5:23
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Matthew 20:25-28 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the
Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your
minister; 27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 28 Even as the
Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for
many.
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Mark 9:35 And he (Jesus) sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man
desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.
o The servant of the Lord does not rule authoritatively, for he is not the authority.
o The servant of the Lord leads by the authority of the Word and speaks only by that
authority
o The sheep do not lead the shepherd; the shepherd leads the sheep.
 But where? Into green pastures and beside still waters, and into the peace and quiet
places of the Lord.
 Sheep cannot feed or drink when they are afraid. They cannot drink from restless
waters. They will not eat when danger or turmoil is present
 The shepherd does not beat the sheep; nor should the sheep BUTT the shepherd.
Community/Church Leadership
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Love must be spoken in truth and courage with good will and tolerance without wandering
from moral and ethical conviction.
o “Speaking the Truth in love!”
o Ephesians 4:11-15 11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some,
evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the
work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity
of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the
measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more
children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight
of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the
truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
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It requires walking the extra mile, turning the other cheek, loving your neighbor, forgiving
those who persecute you and being salt and light. Matthew 5:38-48
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Conclusion
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The fruit of great servant leadership is achieved when the leader provides the next
generation with the wisdom, knowledge and spiritual resources to serve their generation.
o God knew Abraham would do this!!
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Genesis 18:19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household
after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that
the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
o That is what Jesus did: John 17:7-8 Now they have known that all things whatsoever
thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou
gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out
from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
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Leadership is not about POWER.
o Abraham Lincoln said: “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a
man’s character, give him power.”
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It is not about CONTROL;
o A wise leader inspires and motivates, rather than intimidating and manipulating.
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LEADERSHIP IS about helping (leading) people to achieve the vision of Christ in
their soul, knowing His love, forgiveness and grace unto salvation and eternal life.
o One of the greatest gifts leaders can give others is hope.
o The ultimate leader is one who is willing to develop people to the point that they
eventually surpass him or her in knowledge and ability. Fred A. Manske, Jr.
o The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind in other people the convictions and the
will to carry on. JESUS TRULY DID THIS!
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Leadership Is
o Serving is Joy!
o Serving is Caring!
o Serving is sharing!
o Service is fulfilling and unselfish!
o Serving glorifies God: MATTHEW 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that
they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
May the Lord Jesus Christ enable and equip us as pastors and leaders (under-shepherds)
to so serve Him.
So help us God!!
Note
Some of the material included in this document is from the book “Lead Like Jesus” written by Ken
Blanchard and Phil Hodges.
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