Spiritual

L eadership 05/01/21
 Biblical Foundation
of Spiritual Leadership

Genesis 1:26-28
And God said, Let us make man in our image,
after our likeness: and let them have dominion
…..replenish the earth……. subdue it……have
dominion over……every living thing that moveth
upon the earth.
 ….in the image of God (Gen. 1: 26)

God shared his divinity, spiritual nature, and

leadership potential in man to some extent.
….in the image of God (Gen.:26-28)

It suggests that in God’s

blue print in creating man
the leadership potentials
was enveloped.
Dominion (Gen.1: 26-28)

“Dominion” in Hebrew “radah or kabash.”

Meaning to have dominion, trampling, enslavement,

and harsh rule by the powerful over the weak .

Gen 1:26b “clearly means that God is conferring a

kingly status upon adam and invites humankind to
rule over the rest of the living creatures.
Subdue (Gen.1:28)

“Subdue” in Hebrew “Katakurieu”

Meaning to hold in subjection, to be master of,

exercise lordship over.

Subdue can be understood leadership in action.

 Deep in the soul, in every fiber
of the flesh, the leadership potential of man
was installed by God at creation.
Genesis 1: 26-28

Suggest that man at creation has

leadership potential installed in him. But at
the fall sin corrupted man and lost sight
of his righteous leadership potential,
and to some extent lost the courage to
assume leadership.
 ?
spiritual leadership
Spiritual Leadership
 God-ordained leadership
 God dependent leadership
 Moving people on to God’s agenda
(Blackaby & Blackaby, 2001)
 Influencing God’s people toward
God’s purposes (Clinton, 1988)
 Spiritual Leadership

A combination of human and divine

inspirations of which the leader’s task is to
attract people to follow the Lord Jesus.
Becoming
Spiritual Leader

 Called by God
 Called by Church
The Holy Spirit
is convicting and
converting people
to become
spiritual leaders
through the spiritual
discipline process.
 Spiritual leadership
is the result of God’s
spiritual formation
activity in man
through the spiritual
discipline process, where man submits for
the shaping of God in his life.
“The discipline
allows us to
place ourselves
before God
so that He can
transform us.”
(Richard Foster , 1988)
 A call to spiritual leadership is a
call to intimate relationship with Jesus to witness,
gather, and nurture His people.
Great leaders of
Christian faith
have spent much
time with God in
prayer, Bible study,
meditations, self-
examination and
other Christian
disciplines.
A Christ less leadership is a crises
ministry.
A prayer less ministry is a powerless ministry. The
call to spiritual leadership is a call of prayer.
(Derek J. Morris, 1991)
A spiritual leader
who seldom prays
is sure to fail.

05/01/21
 Spiritual Disciplines
that shape and enhance spiritual
 Prayer Leaders’ efficiency
 Repentance
 Worship
 Meditation
 Examination of Conscience 32.4%
 Bible Reading and Study
 Evangelism Transformational
Leadership
 Fellowship
 Service
 Stewardship
God is much interested with our
devotional life than our
devotional time!
 Servant Leadership
modeled by Jesus
Spirituality

Transformational
Leadership
World best theory
of leadership
 Seven Principles to Lead as Jesus Led
C. Gene Wilkes (1988)

1. Jesus humbled himself and

allowed God to exalt him.
2. Jesus followed his Father’s will
rather than sought a position.
3. Jesus defined greatness as being
a servant and being first as
becoming a slave.
4. Jesus risked serving others
because he trusted that he was
God’s son.
 Seven Principles to Lead as Jesus Led
C. Gene Wilkes (1988)

5. Jesus left at the head table to

serve the needs of others.
6. Jesus shared responsibility and
authority with those he called
to lead.
7. Jesus built a team to carry out
a worldwide vision.
 Spiritual Leadership is not confined in
religious sect, it is also found in private institutions,
government, military , school, business,
hospital and etc.
 Qualification of the Spiritual Leader
1 Timothy 3:1-7
1. This [is] a true saying, If a man desire the office of a
bishop, he desireth a good work.
2. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of
one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to
hospitality, apt to teach;
3. Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy
lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4. One that ruleth well his own house, having his
children in subjection with all gravity;
5. (For if a man know not how to rule his own house,
how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6. Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall
into the condemnation of the devil.
7. Moreover he must have a good report of them
which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the
snare of the devil.
 Task of the Spiritual Leaders
Shepherding
Modeling Counseling

Guiding Visioning

Equipping Teaching

Serving Leading
Qualifications of Church Elders
(Elder’s Handbook, 1994)

ica
ion
t Committed to Christ

Example to members
if
ual
lQ

Leader of members
tua
ri
Spi

Enabler of members
Elder’s
Contrast of Spiritual and Natural Leadership
J. Oswald Sanders (2008)
Natural Leadership Spiritual Leadership
Self-confident Confident in God
Knows men Also knows God
Makes own decisions Seeks God’s will
Ambitious Humble
Creates methods Follows God’s example
Enjoys command Delights in obedience to God
Seeks personal reward Loves God and others
Independent Depends on God
 Conclusion
 True spiritual leaders is what our churches need.
 Leaders who has deep intimate relationship with Jesus.
 Leaders who truly love the flock of God.
 Leaders who dares to protect the sheep from the
savage wolf.
 Leaders who is patient to persuade the erring to live right.
 Leaders who is firm to stand for the right, yet soft to speak
to correct those in fault.
 Leaders who is willing to sacrifice for one to succeed.
 Leaders who deny self for the good of his followers.
 There are workers who are under the
leadership of Him who is above all
principalities and powers. These have peace
and rest in Christ Jesus. They are not
watching for defects in their fellow workers.
They do not stand on Satan's side of the
controversy as accusers of their brethren,
weakening and destroying the influence of
God's children. {SpM 293.1}
END