Pastor Yared
What I found during my studies wasn't surprising. All of the identifiable characteristics of great leaders could be found in scripture. Sure, they weren't labeled as being scriptural, but they were. In my opinion, a Leader by any other name, is a Devoted Christian.
During my years of study, I heard several definitions for the leadership. "A leader is one who inspires others to greatness. A leader 'does what he says he will do'. A leader motivates and inspires others to succeed. A leader is a visionary who has the ability to communicate that vision and inspire others to support it."
I agreed with all of those definitions. They were/are vital characteristics for any successful leader to possess. I strongly agreed that leaders must be people of integrity. They must "do what they say they will do".
Leaders Can Be Trusted
This is the most important leadership principle, in my opinion. Trust is super important in any relationship, including working relationships. God instructs us to be people of integrity. "The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him."
Trust and Integrity go hand in hand. Integrity is moral excellence and honesty. Integrity is the seed that brings forth a harvest of trust. When you are a person of integrity, you can be trusted.
Leaders can be Trusted to tell the truth; trusted to keep private matters private; and trusted to make decisions in the best interest of others, and not for themselves. Trusted to manage processes with diligence and to lead people with integrity.
God is looking for Christian leaders who can still recognize His voice. God is looking for Christian leaders who will still cast His vision.
If the leader doesn’t know where the church is going, then who does? Who decides? What do we do? Where do we go? How do we operate? Visionary leadership isn’t simply a nice thing to have; it is a necessity!
To be a senior pastor is not a popularity contest, it is a calling to stand as God’s ambassador and provide clear vision for where God wants to take His church.
We don’t need harsh leaders. We don’t need dictators and demagogues. We don’t need taskmasters and little men with big egos. But what we do need are leaders with humble hearts who can still hear God and who will, with courage, declare the council of God to the people God lest they perish.
