What is Christian leadership?

What is Christian leadership? What should a Christian leader be
like? There is Noah with his perseverance. Or Abraham with his great
faith. We could look to Joseph's unmatched integrity or to Daniel, a
man of lofty moral character. Queen Esther showed tremendous courage
in a hostile environment while the humble maidservant Ruth is a
portrait of quiet dignity and inner strength. And no study in
biblical leadership could ignore King David—a man whose passion for
God is unparalleled in the pages of Old Testament writings. Moving
into the New Testament, we have Mary, the mother of Jesus, who is a
model of unequaled virtue. Too, there is Peter with his extra
helpings of devotion and enthusiasm. And then we have the Apostle
Paul, a man who considered suffering for the sake of the Gospel a
reason for great personal joy.

But there is no finer example for Christian leadership than our Lord
Jesus Christ. Of Himself, He declared, "I am the good shepherd. The
good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But he who is a hireling
and not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf
coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep
and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and
does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My
sheep, and am known by My own (John 10: 11-14 NKJV)." It is within
these few verses that we discover the reason Jesus, above all others,
is worthy to be called Lord.

When Jesus referred to us as "sheep," I do not believe He was
speaking in affectionate terms. In truth, sheep rank among the
dumbest animals in creation. A stray lamb, still within earshot of
the herd, becomes disoriented, confused, frightened, and incapable of
finding it's way back to the flock. Unable to ward off hungry
predators, the stray is, perhaps, the most helpless of all creatures.
As I said, sheep are not very bright animals. Entire herds of sheep
are commonly known to have drowned during times of flash flooding
even though they could have simply moved to the safety of higher
ground. Like it or not, when Jesus called us His sheep, He was saying
we are short on brains but long on vulnerability.

And yet the Good Shepherd loves us! He loves us even though we are
not particularly lovable. He loves us in spite of ourselves. And how
is His love measured? The Good Shepherd gave His life for His sheep.
Some leaders offer mere words of encouragement to their followers.
Other leaders might even give of their personal wealth, but Jesus,
the Head of the Church, gave every drop of His blood on that Roman
cross for He knew there was no other way of saving His people. This
is amazing love, and yet this Jesus was no ordinary martyr, for three
days after His crucifixion, He walked away from the tomb! He walked
away from the tomb and He lives today making intercession for His
saints!

As if this were not enough, Jesus again proved His perfect love by
sending the Holy Spirit to indwell within all believers. He did this
because He could not bear to leave us as orphans after His departure
from earth. In life, He loved us. In death, He loved us. In Heaven,
He loves us.

Jesus is the essence of Christian leadership. The unfathomable love
we receive is pure, undefiled, and is, quite frankly, wholly
unmerited. But this love is not mere sloppy sentiment—His perfect
love sustains us in this present age and throughout the endless ages
to come! I do not wish to appear irreverent, but love alone is not
enough. My grandma loved me, but her love could not save me from my
sinful nature. On the other hand, the perfect love of Jesus has the
power to redeem us, body, soul, and spirit, from the ravages of sin
and death!

During His earthly ministry, Jesus headed a ragtag band of fisherman
in a dusty corner of ancient Palestine, but Jesus is coming again,
and when He returns, He shall establish His rule from Jerusalem as
earth's undisputed King! King Jesus will right all the wrongs while
restoring this reeling planet that presently groans under the heavy
weight of sin. And no power will oppose Him. No power will hinder His
righteous reign. He will be the perfect King! He will be the King of
Kings!

How is Jesus the perfect example of Christian leadership? Scripture
reveals that He is the ideal balance of sacrificial love and
unbridled strength. Yes, He loves us beyond all human understanding,
but this love extends beyond the boundaries of mere sentimentality—
His love has the life-giving power that transforms us from helpless,
dirty-faced beggars into sons and daughters! The son of a King is a
prince. The daughter of a King is a princess. This Jesus wants to
lift us out of the depths of degradation—and He can do so, too, for
He is mighty to save!

If God has called you into a position of Christian leadership, then
He fully expects you to pattern your leadership in the manner of His
Holy Son. You are to love those in your charge and you are to lead
them in all truth and righteousness. When ravenous wolves surround
the flock, you are to defend them, if necessary, even to the point of
death. To be less is to be a hireling. AMEN