Leaders rise and fall, not so much on their abilities or giftedness, but on their character. It is their character that determines how well they will get along with others and whether they will become trusted leaders. It is their character that lends predictability to their leadership; for a leader that lacks integrity will soon lose his godly influence, and consequently lose his followers. They will become like salt that has lost its saltiness. My point is not that leaders are perfect — far from it — but that they must face their weaknesses with honesty and take responsibility for them. Gayle D. Beebe, the author of The Shaping of an Effective Leader, describes character as the basic foundation for effective leadership. He asserts that a maturing leader must possess the ability to critique himself. I would add that a Christian leader must regularly inspect his life in light of the Word of God and in relationship with other God-fearing brothers and sisters. Gayle Beebe identifies ten character qualities that are found in mature leaders. I invite you to prayerfully examine your character in light of these qualities and see how well you are doing in becoming a mature leader for Christ:
- A godly leader leads from a foundation of integrity by consistently adhering to the moral standards of the Bible. It is clear what he believes and he does not change it to please men, but stands firms on the truth to please God. Integrity is seen in the person who treats his wife and family with the same loving respect with which he might treat his flock. When he falters, he does not deny it but models Biblical humility in acknowledging his errors and taking responsibility to repair the damage.
- A godly leader displays wisdom and knowledge in dealing with the challenges of life. Solomon declared that the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord, therefore true wisdom is leaning how the fear of the Lord should shape every action and attitude. This means knowing well the spiritual principles found in the Word of God and how to live by them and model them. It means having the same attitude that was in Christ Jesus while you are giving godly counsel to others.
- A godly leader has the ability to not take the evil actions of others personally but to find ways to undo their negative effects. There will always be fires that must be put out. However, some leaders unknowingly pour fuel on the fires instead of water. Godly leaders have learned not to attack people but to address problems, and they have learned to help negotiate reconciliation between those caught up in the heat of conflict.
- A godly leader has learned to work with a great variety of people in an understanding and respectful way. Now there may be good reason not to work with some people, but most of the time it just means we have to learn to be more flexible and work harder at it. It helps to understand that God made us with many different temperaments and we find some impossible to work with. But a godly leader does not give up easily and tries to understand what is the key to working successful with as many as possible. Never forget, if you are a pastor you must love all your flock and strive to understand them and get along with all of them.
- A godly leader does not use his ministry for personal gain but strives for the good of the whole church and to bring glory to God. A good place to start is not to call your church “yours” but Christ’s. It means not to be looking for ways to find prominence. Francis Schafer preached a sermon entitled, “No Little People and No Little Places”, and his contention was that we ought to serve God with all our hearts wherever He has placed us, and when He feels our character is mature enough, He will promote us to bigger things.
- A godly leader has control over his emotions and is temperate. One of the fruits of the Spirit is “self-control” and how sad it is to see a Christian leader lose his temper or act very haughtily because someone has insulted him. On the contrary, a gentle answer can bring reason and calmness. Some of our most powerful sermons are preached in the hallways of the church rather then from the pulpit.
- A godly leader is learning how to balance abilities with true humility. One wise evangelist wrote that most of us start our ministry scared and on our knees pleading with God to give us His anointing. And then when He does bless us with success we lose our humility. God clearly says that He opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble, so as our skills improve and we see more success in ministry, it is vital to maintain a humble heart. My mentor never went into the pulpit without praying on his knees in his study, and after the service was over and everyone had gone home, he would return to his study and get on his knees and thank God for His presence and power in his preaching.
- A godly leader communicates clearly with those he is working and thus wins their trust. Too often, I have visited churches where no one seems to know what is going on. There is no clear communication. It starts with the leader meeting regularly with those with whom he works and openly sharing his ideas and life. It means taking time to listen to others and making sure they hear you. When a leader is truthful with his team, they grow in their ability to trust him and embrace his vision.
- A godly leader has learned to discern what the spiritual needs of his flock are and to make provisions for them. When their need is fellowship, he sets up home groups, and when he senses they need to learn more theology, he brings in good teachers to train them. When there is need for counseling, he starts to mentor those who can provide good counsel for the flock.
10. A godly leader knows when it is time to take a break from his ministry and set aside time for rest and refreshment. I believe every pastor should take two weeks off a year to study and read. For just like the woodchopper who never sharpens his axe soon finds he is cutting less wood and exerting more energy, a godly leader is teachable and knows he must find time to refresh his own spirit and grow his mind.