Great spiritual leadership are men and women who are set apart in the service of God. The most important factors being relationship and faith, Hebrews 11:1, and the ability to inspire transformation in others. This takes courage plus being led by the Holy Spirit. You are called and not of your own choosing, Jeremiah 1:5, and is not something to be grasped.

Reluctant Leaders

Great leaders in the Bible had failings as well as success. Many were reluctant to take up leadership for it is a heavy burden. The way of leadership is ever down before it is up, as is seen in the life of Joseph. Arrogant, sold into slavery, imprisoned and finally Prime Minister.

God alone calls, develops and guides great leaders. They are totally reliant on their relationship with Christ and the empowering of the Holy Spirit, Acts 1:8. Just as the Son could do nothing apart from the Father, John 12:49.

Fiery Trials

Great success is never achieved without the abundance of fiery trials. These are designed to strengthen, as in the case of tempering steel. They cause Christ’s followers to a greater spiritual toughness.

Trials should also increase spiritual awareness and create total dependency upon the great I Am That I Am, Exodus 3:15. Great spiritual leadership knows the cleansing and regenerating power of God.

The true leader is prepared to jeopardize his future, and his ministry. Even his life, if God calls him to that. To be absent from the people is to be present with the Lord, 2 Corinthians 5:8. Not one of the disciples who walked with Jesus, died a natural death.

The Cost

There is a cost to being a spiritual leader for you stand accountable to the Lord, James 3:1. Godly leadership will cost everything you hold dear, for you must set your mind on heavenly things, Colossians 3:2, and let self be a daily death, Luke 9:23. Job discovered this.

Fame and fortune are not the goal of great spiritual leadership. He is a jealous God and will have none before Him, Exodus 34:14.

Spiritual Depth

An effective leader must possess spiritual depth through a strong and intimate connection with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. You are restless to be gone from this sin-ridden world and to stand in the holy presence of Almighty God. Yet, you are obedient to the call of God on your life.

You are a dichotomy in that you have a satisfying personal experience in the presence of God. Yet, you live in this earthly body, on a journey that never ends until we see our Lord face to face.

The effective leader is also one who has a vision that looks far beyond the realm of this earthly walk. Eternity and the celestial city beckons in all its glory, Hebrews 11:10.

A Journey

Everyone is on a growth journey, from the leader down to the newest member of the community. No one arrives at the destination until they stand in glory.

That requires a determined commitment to mature to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ, Ephesians 4:12. There is a deep sense of ‘Nothing can take me from the hands of Christ. I am His possession, and He is mine’, 1 Peter 2:9.

Power of Prayer

Prayer is the equivalent of maintaining sufficient fuel in the car on a long journey. Effective spiritual leadership knows the immense power of prayer and the authority of the name of Jesus. Ask the Father in my Name, John 16:23.

Paul says to pray without ceasing, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. That is the constant awareness of the leading of the Holy Spirit in every area of life. Prayer is like chatting to a dear friend about things big and small. It is also a quietening of the soul in worship and thanksgiving, and enjoying the presence of a loving heavenly Father.

Knowledge of the Word

Great spiritual leadership requires being well-versed in the teachings of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. There must also be the ability to provide insightful interpretations that never contradict any portion of the Word of God. God never contradicts Himself, Hebrews 13:8. Study then is the mantra of true leadership, for the Word is active and living, Hebrews 4:12. 

The effective leader must be able to ‘graze’ across the entire Bible and not just have one or two favourite passages. The whole counsel of the Word of God is vital to effective leadership.

Absence of Fear

Any leader who is afraid of upsetting the listeners will not have a true fear of God. Consider the things Jesus said, or what Paul wrote to the churches. Their words did not ‘tickle’ the ears of the listeners.  

True spiritual leaders hear the voice of God and are not afraid to deliver what they hear. Speaking the truths of the Gospel of Christ without fear of death, fully aware of the double accountability to God, Hebrews 13:17.  They stop to discern the difference between their own thoughts and when the Spirit of God is speaking.

The effective leader then speaks from heartfelt conviction and passion, sprinkled with moderation. The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good…….for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart, Luke 7:45.

Humble

Humility is a hallmark of God-appointed leadership. Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister. And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant. Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give His life a ransom for many, Matthew 2o:26-28.

The spiritual leader knows there are times when he or she could be wrong and that failure is not an opportunity to quit but an opportunity to learn. Humility is not weakness, but total reliance on the empowerment of God to His glory alone.

Relatable Language

Jesus spoke great heavenly truths through parables, that resonated with daily experiences. He used examples that resonated with His listeners, using relatable language, and real-life examples.

Listening to the people under his care is another hallmark of great leadership. Compassion and empathy play a vital role in reaching people, for not everyone is on the same level. It takes patience to help them grow in Christ. 

Criticism

A great leader is never afraid of criticism. That requires the gift of discernment for there may only be a small grain of truth in the criticism, but that grain of truth is valuable. However, everyone needs to pray against carrying the spirit of offense from past hurts.

A little child can be informative, for a little child shall lead them, Isaiah 11:6. Isaiah was speaking of the millennial reign of Christ, however, the simple words of a child can often reveal a truth. Great spiritual leaders enjoy the fellowship of children, Mark 10:13-16.

Faith and Great Spiritual Leadership

The effective leader inspires faith and love. It was faith in God that drove the great spiritual leaders to achieve what they did, Hebrews 11. Leaders must also be accessible and approachable. Jesus walked among His followers, not as some distant unreachable person.

Great spiritual leadership trusts entirely in the finished work of Jesus Christ and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. They know the importance of first love.

It is a challenge and a privilege to be called to leadership, for every follower of Christ is called to be a leader in one aspect or another.  

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Dr. Wendy Stenberg-Tendys is a freelance writer and servant of the Lord who enjoys researching a topic and sharing words of encouragement from the Word of God.

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