Steward Leadership

Matthew 25:23

His master said to him, “Well done good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master."

The central aspiration of a good steward is faithfulness. Yet, sometimes as leaders we can become so invested in our ministries that our identity becomes entangled with the apparent success or failure of what we do. We can easily develop a personal “ownership” of the ministry, and of the people in that ministry, losing sight of the fact that we are merely stewards of something that belongs to God and not to us.

One way to help us keep a clear head might be to contemplate who will suffer loss if we fail. If our fear of failure is only for our own loss, then it might be that we view our ministry as belonging to us alone. When we understand that the success or failure of our leadership will impact the kingdom rather than just ourselves, we are more likely to manage our ministry on behalf of the Lord and not just for our own reputation.

Disputes between Christian leaders can create enormous damage to the testimony of God’s kingdom. Such disputes are often driven by personal agendas, without real consideration for what the dispute will do to the faith of the people around them. For the sake of the kingdom, Paul exhorts us to “rather suffer wrong” than to bring dishonour on the name of the Lord through our disputes (1 Corinthians 6:7).

Good stewardship requires skill. The leadership skills that help propel organisations forward in pursuit of their purpose fall into the category of good stewardship. Financial management, conflict resolution, vision casting, team building, resource management, and so much more are all part of the expertise the steward uses to faithfully take care of his master’s home.

As stewards in God’s kingdom, we should constantly ask ourselves whether we are faithfully responding to the challenges and opportunities of our leadership in a way that reflects our faithfulness in overseeing God’s purposes, rather than serving our own agendas.

Reflection Questions

Who will suffer loss if I fail at my leadership responsibilities? Do I have ongoing disputes with other leaders? Are there skills in which I need training to be a better steward? Ask God to continue to grow the heart of a faithful steward in you.