What Does Christian Leadership Look Like?

Christian Leadership.

Think about those two words.

Christian - a follower of Jesus Christ.

Leadership - the capacity to lead.

This is an oxymoron.

In every other setting, it is the leader who leads. That's why they are called the leader.

That's what leaders do. They lead. They help move the organization toward a particular direction and heading.

I find it interesting that the invitation of Jesus to Christian discipleship - including leaders - is to "Come follow me."

The primary task of the Christian is to follow Christ.

I take great comfort in that.

The world you and I find ourselves in today is quite crazy. Change is happening at a pace in our world that no one can quite get their heads around what is happening.

I for one am grateful that my job is first and foremost to follow. Although I may not know what the world will be like five years from now, God certainly does. Although I may not know what the denominational landscape will look like in the future, God does.

God knows where he's taking you and me and God knows where he's taking our churches.

Sure, we are to lead our congregations. But in order to lead, Christ-followers must first follow Christ's leading.

It's Christ we follow.

It's Christ who sets the direction.

It's Christ who sets the vision.

You see, God's looking for looking for those who still believe that God can take five loaves of bread and two fish and feed the thousands.

God looking for those who believe that God meant what he said when he promised that power would fall from heaven and empower his people to go to the ends of the earth to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.

God is looking for people who actually believe that there is hope for our churches and hope for our communities because God is still God and he's still working in our world.

God is looking for people who still believe that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

God is looking for those who still believe that God will bring to completion the good work that he's begun in us until every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.

Thank God that God is leading his church.

Leaders, are you ready to follow and lead others to follow Christ?