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The Church is ready for a new generation of leadership to rise up. Church leaders are getting older (the average age of church leaders today is 57) and the influence of religion on society has steadily decreased.
For the next generation of leaders to be effective, they need to understand the main characteristics of Christian leaders and why they’re important.
What is it that makes Christian leadership different from secular leadership other than where the leader worships on the weekend? Or, put another way, what distinctive characteristics may not be unique to Christian leaders, but should be present in every leader who is a Christ-follower?
To that end, let’s explore 10 important Christian leadership qualities.
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One of the more difficult parts of Christian leadership is learning how to be confident in your ability and in the call God has placed on your life without becoming prideful. Humility is a cornerstone quality of Christian leadership. They know who they are in light of who God is.
Without humility, a leader is prone to insist on their own way, run over people who they view as “lesser” than themself (which is most people), and not consider the concerns of others in their leadership. With humility, the Christian leader can lead in such a way that puts the needs of others first and considers others as more important than themself.
For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. —Matthew 23:12
A Christian leader’s actions must align with their beliefs. This is good and right, and it inspires trust. As President Dwight D. Eisenhower once said:
“The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office’.”
Church leaders are called to imitate Jesus Christ in their leadership, and Christ maintained perfect integrity—there was no shred of hypocrisy or inconsistency in him as he ministered to people throughout his life.
Throughout Scripture Christians are called to treat others as they want to be treated and, as Mark 12:31 says, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” This is all-the-more true of Christian leaders.
The Christian leader must demonstrate empathy and true care for others in their leadership. The primary job of the leader, let alone the Christian leader, is not one to “get work done” but also to care for people well.
We see an example of this in Christ who was the definition of a Christian leader while also clearly and deeply caring about the people who followed him. He called people to a high standard and did not “go easy” on his disciples, but he loved them, too.
A Christian leader must be one who seeks God’s guidance and applies biblical principles to every facet of their leadership. Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
Wisdom and knowledge are not the same thing, and a Christian leader needs to know the difference. Knowledge is acquired by information-gathering and learning. Wisdom is acquired by fearing God, knowing his heart, and applying the knowledge the leader has in God-glorifying ways.
“The wise Christian leader sifts all knowledge through the sieve of God’s Word.” —Chris Martin
Most Christian leaders who have been around for a while would attest that, in many ways, it is more difficult to be a Christian leader today than it has been in modern history. Many people have become more outspoken about their distrust in churches and faith in general. There’s a lot of tension between secular society and the teachings of Christianity.
Today’s Christian leaders must learn to stand firm in their convictions, even in the face of adversity, even adversity that comes from “within” the family of God. Courage is required to not capitulate to anyone who complains or disagrees with the work of the Christian leader, and courage is required to take constructive criticism and use it for growth and development.
“The brave man is not he who does not feel fear, but he who conquers it.” —Nelson Mandela
Men and women today face an onslaught of temptations in a world of declining morality—this is a reality from which Christian leaders are not exempt, by any means. In positions of power, They are faced with alluring temptations to abuse power and otherwise misuse their roles.
Christian leaders who want to honor and follow Christ as they lead others must resist these temptations in the power of the Holy Spirit. Someone who controls their desires and prioritizes God’'s will over their own will experience the joy of the Lord throughout their leadership.
“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
Christian leaders must clearly articulate vision to inspire others. This is seen in the life of Christ as he preached sermons and engaged in personal conversations that led people to see the eternal vision of the kingdom of God for both the present and the future.
The Bible is filled with wisdom about how to use words well and communicate with grace and truth. Proverbs 25:11 says, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” Clear, effective communication is a keystone of effective leadership.
“The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn't said.” —Peter Drucker
Servant leadership is the fruit of humble leadership. Servant leadership requires the Christian leader to recognize that the needs of others are more worthy of concern than their own.
A servant leader puts others before themself, and this is clearly the way of Christ.
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.” —Philipians 2:3
Christian leaders must be spiritually mature. A Christian leader must be one who grows in their relationship with God and demonstrates it.
This does not mean that a Christian leader must be “perfect,” as such a standard is impossible. Likewise, it isn’t necessary that a Christian leader be the most “mature” person on their team. However, Christian leaders should always remember the gospel is their salvation and that, motivated by that gracious truth, they are to strive to become more like Jesus every single day, in their personal and professional lives alike.
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” —2 Peter 3:18
Alongside being a servant leader, a Christian leader should be a visionary leader. This is a leader who casts a compelling vision for the future, aligned with God’s purposes.
It should be said that in order to be a great visionary, a Christian leader must be an effective communicator. A great vision doesn’t really mean anything if the leader is unable to get others to latch on to the vision they have in mind. Visionary leadership requires a God-sized idea of what can be accomplished in addition to a practical, clear way of communicating that vision to others on the team.
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” —Eleanor Roosevelt
Christian leadership is a high calling. It is not easy, nor is it for the faint of heart. Christian leaders must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit in their work of leadership, even when they are tempted to rely on their own skills and talents.
The qualities of Christian leaders listed in this article are by no means exhaustive, but they are a good summary of the variety of ingredients that mark effective Christian leadership, whether in ministry or the marketplace.
The Christian leaders of today should always be looking for ways to develop and deploy the next generation of leaders so that God may be glorified and many may come to know Christ because of the ways Christians lead and love others.
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