Characteristics of a Biblical Leader

Your presence on the earth is an indication that your purpose (the impact that you are to make) is necessary.

STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND LEAD!

If you ask a dozen people “What is a leader?” you will undoubtedly get about a dozen answers.  If you probe further and ask, “What is your personal philosophy about leadership?” most of us would be hard-pressed to give a clear response.  But in spite of our varying definitions and our inability to clearly articulate our viewpoint about leadership, the truth of the matter is that each one of us possesses a core belief about what a leader is, the source of a leader’s ability, who is qualified to lead, and the personal characteristics that an effective leader must possess.

As we continue in our quest to be high impact people in a high impact church, we must understand that each of us walks in some degree of leadership, and if we are going to make a high impact for the kingdom of God, we must be committed to embracing that role and growing to become the best leaders we can be.

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What is leadership?

• Peter Drucker: “The only definition of a leader is someone who has followers.”
• Warren Bennis: “Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.”
• Bill Gates: “As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.”
• John Maxwell: “One who goes the way, knows the way, and shows the way.”
• John Maxwell: “Leadership is influence – nothing more, nothing less.”

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What is a Biblical Leader?

Leader –

OT – to stand out opposite;

NT – to lead, teach, and guide

A Biblical / Christian Leader is –

• Called by God to lead, and
• Possess virtuous character and
• Motivates and directs others to fulfill God’s vision.

(George Barna)

We can see these traits in King David.

Psalm 78:70-72 (NKJV)
⁷⁰ He also chose David His servant, And took him from the sheepfolds;
⁷¹ From following the ewes that had young He brought him, To shepherd Jacob His people, And Israel His inheritance.
⁷² So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.

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The Biblical Leader is:

Called By God– vs. 70-71

Chosen – to select after being examined, tried, and tested

• Took him from the sheepfold – (there was nothing special about being a shepherd) – took him from an insignificant place to do a supernatural work
• God looked at the heart when He chose David

1 Samuel 16:7 (NKJV)

⁷ But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

• God chooses ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

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1 Corinthians 1:26-29 (NKJV)
²⁶ For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.
²⁷ But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;
²⁸ and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,
²⁹ that no flesh should glory in His presence.

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Possesses Virtuous Character- v. 72

So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.

Integrity of heart – the quality of having strong moral Innocence

1 Kings 15:4 – 5 (NKJV) Nevertheless for David’s sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, by setting up his son after him and by establishing Jerusalem; ⁵ because David did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, and had not turned aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.

A person of virtuous character will:

• Do what is right.
• Do it because it is right.
• Do it right.

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Motivates And Directs Others to Fulfill God’s Vision – v. 72

So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.

• Guided – to lead, to transport, bring, govern

• Skillfulness – the discretion, intelligence, and wisdom in which he used his influence

Acts 13:36 (NKJV) –  “For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption;
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Guided

• David guided them in their WARS

1 Samuel 18:7 (NKJV) – the women sang as they danced, and said: “Saul has slain his thousands, And David his ten thousands.”

• David guided them in WORSHIP

1 Chronicles 15:29 (NKJV) – And it happened, as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the City of David, that Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David whirling and playing music; and she despised him in her heart.

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Skilled

• David was skilled in war & David was skilled in worship

1 Samuel 16:18 (NKJV) – Then one of the servants answered and said, “Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the Lord is with him.”

 

“Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.” – Jack Welch

It was under David’s leadership that Israel followed God and did not go after other gods.