In the New Testament, leadership is listed in one of the apostle Paul’s list of spiritual gifts, found in Romans 12:6-8 (hcsb): “According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts . . . if exhorting, in exhortation; giving with generosity; leading, with diligence” (italics added).
Obviously, a common grace of leadership is extended to men and women who are not endowed with the gift of the Holy Spirit and are not believers in Jesus Christ. But the Scriptures make a specific point that there is a unique “gift” of leadership, sovereignly doled out to some for the edification of the Church and the building up of the saints. And it is to be stewarded with diligence.
The primary implication for leaders is that there is no room for boasting. God graciously gives gifts, leaving no room for haughty and prideful leadership.
Finally, gospel-centered leaders are concerned with God’s agenda.
Godly leadership is stewardship. It is the recognition that personal agendas, entitlements, vainglory and selfish ambition must be put to death. A leader who is transformed by the gospel seeks not to make a name for himself but to lift high the name of Jesus. His obsession is not with building his own empire, but living for the kingdom of God.
We see this example in Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Caleb, David, Isaiah, Daniel, the apostles and in the Lord Jesus Himself. The primary declaration of the godly leader is, “Yes, Yahweh, we wait for You in the path of Your judgments. Our desire is for Your name and renown” (Isa. 26:8 hcsb).
The Scriptures are replete with examples of leadership, both godly and wicked, giving us several key theological points to extrapolate and ponder when considering leadership — its source, its purpose, its requirements upon those who lead. But what takes us from here to the place where we can view the distinguishing marks of gospel-centered, Jesus-centered leadership?
What Is a Gospel-Centered Leader?
Most Christian approaches to leadership simply find good and bad examples of leaders in the Bible and say, “Be like this,” or “Don’t be like that.” Although the Bible certainly provides great examples of leadership, these approaches often assume the Bible is a book primarily about you and what you are to do, rather than primarily about God and what He has done in Christ.
Gospel-centered leadership does not begin with the command to imitate, but with the good news that God is gracious and has sent His Son to take our sins and give us life.
So, yes, gospel-centered leadership may end up looking like Nehemiah or Moses, but that’s because it’s grounded in being united to the One toward whom they point: Jesus. When you’re united to the One who died on the cross and rose from the grave, then your life (and your leadership) is shaped by dying to self and allowing Christ to live in you.
In light of all of this, how can we best understand and define leadership, specifically gospel-centered leadership?
