Blueprints for Biblical LeadershipSample

What Is a Leader?

Have you ever gotten bad directions from someone and ended up in the wrong place? A friend asked to meet at a popular coffee shop chain in town. I assumed she meant the one closest to our church, but she meant the one closest to our houses. Because I didn’t specify, I ended up following her vague directions and ended up in the wrong place, waiting for her to arrive while she was waiting for me across town!

Here's how this applies to a biblical leader.

Leaders are learners. You need to learn how to be a leader from others.

In today’s reading, Paul shows us that he was strengthened by Jesus. He then shares with us that by acknowledging his weaknesses and giving them over to Jesus, he was able to pursue something more, becoming exactly who God wanted him to be. This is the example he is sharing with Timothy. He wants Timothy to follow the blueprints he's laying out so Timothy can build strong leadership skills.

Leaders never outgrow the desire to learn. There is always more to learn, more places to grow, and more ways to share God with the people around them. It takes humility to realize that the moment we stop learning, we stop effectively leading.

Jesus is our perfect example of a leader. When we learn from Him, we learn from the best there is! So lean on Him first and foremost.

Leaders also look to God first. Not everyone who claims to be a leader is actually a leader. If you aren’t leading by God’s standards then you’re not leading the right way. This is going back to listening to directions and ending up in the wrong place.

Who decides where we’re going? The only one who is trustworthy when it comes to getting us from where we are to where we need to be is God! Real leaders are a gift from God who lead us to follow God.

Anyone can become a leader in God's kingdom. You don't have to wait until you have everything figured out or put together. Start where you are, and see what God does. He will take you from where you are to where you need to be!