Biblical Attributes of Leadership

Biblical leadership. By Luke Marriner. 

• What do secular views of leadership look like? 

  • People who are idolized, intelligent, experienced, great public speakers, motivators, charismatic, successful, wealthy, etc. 

• Are you called to lead?

  • If you’re a Christian then you most certainly are called to be a leader at some level. Namely, leading others to Christ. 

• Why is leading challenging?

  • Increased responsibility, everyone is looking up to you, lacking trust in others, being authoritative, fearing failure, etc. 

• The word “leadership” is not used in the Bible. 

Acts 27 - Biblical Attributes of Leadership.

• Of course there are more qualities to list, but this gives us a reference point. 

• None of us will be perfect in all these characteristics, but do not only focus on the ones you are worse at, encourage yourself and others about the ones you’re strongest in.

Hebrews 10:23-25 - How to Stir Up One Another to Love and Good Works.

1. How can we encourage one another and stir one another up to love and good works?

   1. Notice how it doesn’t simply tell us to love one another and do good deeds. It goes deeper, exhorting us to stir up love and good works in one another. 

      1. Both are Biblical and good, but here it goes all the way to the heart, not just our external actions. 

   2. What does it mean to consider each other? To stir one another up? 

      1. Consider: katanoeó in Greek, meaning to take note of, perceive, consider carefully, discern, detect, or make account of. 

         1. Strong's Greek: 2657. κατανοέω (katanoeó) 

      2. Stir up: paroxunó in Greek, meaning to 

         1. Sharpen - to improve or cause to improve, 

         2. Stimulate - to encourage development of or increased activity in a state or process, or to 

         3. Provoke - to give rise to a reaction or emotion, typically a strong or unwelcome one. 

            1. Strong's Greek: 3947. παροξύνω (paroxunó)

   3. It looks like admonition and exhortation. Calling one another out in love, forcing us to recognize the sins we might not even realize we’re committing. Then encouraging one another, reminding them of their status as a child of God and emphatically urging one another to repent and take up our crosses. 

      1. Admonition: nouthesia in Greek. 

         1. Strong's Greek: 3559. νουθεσία (nouthesia) -- admonition 

      2. Exhortation: paraklésis in Greek. 

         1. Strong's Greek: 3874. παράκλησις (paraklésis) 

   4. The key to encouraging love is found in verse 23. They key to love, in the NT - the kind of love that magnifies God and not man - is hope rooted in the faithfulness of God. God is faithful, He keeps His promises. 

      1. Consider Each Other How to Stir Up Love 

   5. Teaching, fellowship, eating, and praying together are key foundational things those in a Biblical community do together. 

      1. Praising God for all He’s given us and done, putting aside our own selfish desires so that we may grow with our brothers and sisters in Christ towards His likeness. 

      2. When we do this with believers and welcome nonbelievers to do the same and see what makes us different, that’s when God saves (not always, but it’s a great way to allow it to happen). See Acts 2:42-47. 

   6. Reasons for Biblical Community: 

      1. Desire to follow Christ (our common goal) 

      2. Fellowship (verb and noun) 

         1. Proximity (being close with one another) 

         2. Frequency (how often we see each other) 

      3. Generosity, transparency, and accountability (requires trust)

      4. Compassion (resisting the temptation to judge)