Spiritual leadership is living out and leading others in
the things of God. Aspects of spiritual leadership include modeling Jesus’
example of servanthood, prioritizing the needs of others, equipping God’s
people, building up the body of Christ, and being concerned with the spiritual
growth of others. To live this role out, one must first know the God deigned
principles He uses to guide His leaders. The Holy Spirit who gives us our
spiritual gifts and fruit, is the one that will guide and strengthen God’s
people to obey all that God commands and desires.
Also, The Holy Spirit is the key Agent of transformation in
our lives that teaches us, sanctifies us, refines our character, guides us and
strengthen us to live out the calling, will and purpose of God.
As followers of Jesus, we will face the everyday struggle
to be on top of our spiritual leadership game. Our everyday struggle is how we
can navigate around our sin nature and a desire to live life in our own way for
our own purpose. How can we lead others if God is not leading us?
So, we must surrender our will and desire for God’s. And we
must stay connected to Jesus in order to bear fruit for His kingdom. We know
this because Jesus Himself told us so.
John 15:4-5 New International Version
4 Remain in me, as I also remain in
you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.
Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the
branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much
fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
When we act in
accordance to the will of God He will direct our path.
Proverbs 3:5-6 New International Version
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean
not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.[a]
There are many areas
where we can be spiritual leaders
At home, at work, at
church, coaching of a team, leading a Bible study
mentoring others just
to name a few.
So, where do we start?
There is a great deal
of instruction in God’s Word we can appropriate to help us grow spiritually. We
can also be led by and through the power of the Holy Spirit.
1, The Holy Spirit in
us will work through us:
John 14:26 New International Version
26 But the
Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will
teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
Romans 8:26-27 New International Version
26 In the same
way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray
for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless
groans. 27 And he who searches our
hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit
intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
Galatians 5:16-18 New International Version
16 So I say,
walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the
flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to
the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in
conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever[a] you want. 18 But if
you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
So, as you see, The Holy Spirit plays a very important
role in Spiritual leadership.
We also depend on the Holy Spirit for the spiritual
gifts we use for God’s kingdom:
1 Corinthians 12:4-11 New International Version
4 There are different kinds of
gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There
are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There
are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is
the same God at work.
7 Now to each one the manifestation
of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To
one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a
message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to
another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that
one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous
powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between
spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of
tongues.[b] 11 All these are the work
of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as
he determines.
So, our spiritual leadership will incorporate the
spiritual gifts we have as well as the way God is transforming us into the
image of Christ.
On top of that, there are many principles we can
follow for leadership that will be beneficial in all our areas of leadership.
2.
We Can Study God’s Word and put His leadership principles into Practice (Read the scripture on
your sheet and discuss with your group the questions about Spiritual Leadership.
2 Timothy 2:15 ESV
Do your best
to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be
ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
1 Timothy 3:2 ESV
Therefore an
overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded,
self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
1 Timothy 3:1-2 ESV
The saying is
trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble
task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife,
sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
But I want
you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is
her husband, and the head of Christ is God.
1 Peter 3:7 ESV
Likewise,
husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the
woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life,
so that your prayers may not be hindered.
Hebrews 13:17 ESV
Obey your
leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as
those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with
groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
Hebrews 13:7 ESV
Remember your
leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their
way of life, and imitate their faith
Ephesians 6:4 ESV
Fathers, do
not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and
instruction of the Lord.
Philippians 2:3 ESV
Do nothing
from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant
than yourselves.
John 3:30 ESV
He must
increase, but I must decrease.”
Matthew 7:12 ESV
“So whatever
you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and
the Prophets.
James 4:10 ESV
Humble
yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
Titus 1:9 ESV
He must hold
firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give
instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
Titus 1:7 ESV
For an
overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or
quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain,
All Scripture
is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for
correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be
complete, equipped for every good work.
1 Timothy 4:16 ESV
Keep a close
watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you
will save both yourself and your hearers.
Ephesians 5:21 ESV
Submitting to
one another out of reverence for Christ.
Acts 2:42 ESV
And they
devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the
breaking of bread and the prayers.
Mark
10:42-45 New International Version
42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know
that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and
their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not
so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your
servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be
slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not
come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for
many.”
Mark
9:35 New International Version
35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and
said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant
of all.”
Hebrews
13:7 New International Version
7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of
God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and
imitate their faith.
Matthew
20:28 New International Version
28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served,
but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Acts
20:28 New International Version
28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of
which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church
of God,[a] which he bought with his own blood.[b]
Matthew
28:18-20 New International Version
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority
in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore
go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and
teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am
with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Questions:
·
What do you think you need to do to be a better Christ
centered spiritual leader?
·
What is God calling you to do right now as a follower of
Jesus?
·
What can you share with others how God is growing you
spiritually right now?
·
Is there someone from the past or in your life right now
that is an example of good spiritual leadership? Explain why you trust their
leadership.
·
Where do you seek wisdom?
·
Do you have a biblical worldview? (excerpts from Got
Questions below)
A biblical worldview
(or a Christian worldview) is a worldview based on God’s unchanging Word. Since
God is the Creator of everything in heaven and earth, He is the standard for
truth. God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and unchanging. The Bible contains the
words of God, and God is Truth.
A Christian worldview answers the three questions:
1) We are God’s creation, designed to govern the world and fellowship with Him (Genesis 1:27-28; 2:15).
2) We sinned against God and subjected the whole world to a curse (Genesis 3).
3) God Himself has redeemed the world through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus Christ (Genesis 3:15; Luke 19:10), and will one day restore creation to its former perfect state (Isaiah 65:17-25). A Christian worldview leads us to believe in moral absolutes, miracles, human dignity, and the possibility of redemption.
The Big Question:
Do you want to be a spiritual leader that stands firm on the
truth of God?
If yes, what do you need to do to keep God’s truth and
principles in your mind and in your heart?
