2. Leaders who are blessed.
Scripture makes it clear that a chorus of godly and seasoned leaders should be behind and “laying on hands” (symbolically blessing or anointing) the promotion of men and women into Christian leadership.
What is the history of this leader?
Is there a pattern of blessing in their life? Is there a record of character that is evident to other leaders in their life, marriage and family?
As Paul argues, someone’s capacity to lead in the church is first proven and measured in their leadership within their family.
He who is faithful with a little will be faithful with more.
Instead of charisma, it’s character.
Instead of looking at the audacious dreams of would be leaders, we should be looking for relational health and the ability to navigate conflict.
3. Leaders who are teachable.
The greatest of all virtues—in my mind—is teachability.
Teachability is another way of saying humility, and it is different in kind than most others character traits we look at. Most things are fixed realities along a spectrum—someone is either gentle or not. A leader is either patient or not. We could plot them on a scale going from -10 to +10, saying something like, “Joe is a +5 in terms of patience.”
Humility and teachability, however, are the capacity or propensity for growth along the spectrum for the various virtues. A -5 can grow to a +5 if he or she is teachable.
One characteristic many bad leaders share is a form of pride or rigidity to their own shortcomings or needed areas of growth. Transparent, honest, humble and teachable leaders may not be perfect, but they are willing to be wrong and to learn.
I’ll take a teachable person who sees their own flaws over a strong leader who sees only the flaws in others any day of the week.
I want to be a fan of my peer group again. But I have a stronger desire to see Christians in America confident in those who have been given leadership gifts by God, who work under the weighty call of shepherding and teaching, and who have the teachability, transparency and accountability necessary to grow healthy families and churches. I long for those who would come back to church to see shepherds who first and foremost see themselves as sheep under leadership of the Chief Shepherd.
In the face of so much press about bad Christian leadership, I pray our reaction isn’t to reject leadership altogether, but to find, cultivate and celebrate good leadership.
