How To Be A Godly Leader

To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them -- not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. – 1 Peter 5:1-4
 
The Bible has a lot to say about leadership. More specifically, we can learn from Scripture about how to lead people well by watching how Jesus led people. So today, we’re going to discuss three biblical truths surrounding leadership so that we can learn how to be godly leaders.

First, in order to be a godly leader, we should always be team players. A mature leader realizes that they can't do it all. It is a healthy thing to have teams. Many people burn out in ministry because they try to do it all by themselves. The reality is that none of us can do everything. All of us must get a chance to share a small part here and there. Regardless of what you do in ministry, you have a responsibility to develop team leaders as well as to lead others.

Second, to be a godly leader, we must act like shepherds. The relationship between shepherds and sheep in biblical times is well known. Sheep were more than a business. They were treated like family and many sheep would spend their entire lives under the care of one shepherd.

The Bible talks about the sheep knowing the shepherd's voice. When Jesus says, “My children know My voice,” it is describing this beautiful, wonderful relationship between a shepherd and his sheep. The sheep knew their shepherd would protect them, that he would make sure they had plenty of food, plenty of cool water, and ample shade when it was time to rest. We as leaders should have this same mentality when it comes to how we think about the people we’re leading.

Third, to be a godly leader, we must have willing hearts. The Scripture says that God wants His shepherds and His elders to lead with a desire and a want to lead. They should not be leading because they feel pressured to lead. People follow other people who enjoy serving. The pressure to lead out of guilt or shame is an improper motivation to serve. I don’t believe it’s ever a good idea to use guilt, shame, or coercion to get people to serve or to lead. If I have to motivate you by guilt or shame, you will not lead for very long. That is not the proper motivation to sustain you. Instead, in order to be a godly leader, you must have a willing heart to lead.