The Greatest Leader Who Ever Lived: You'll be Suprised

Who is the greatest leader in the world?

Let's consider some of the great leaders. The best leaders in the world, surely could be people like: Nelson Mandela, Aung Sung Su Chi or Mother Theresa. We could mention business heavyweights like Jack Welch or the political prowess of names like Abraham Lincoln. In the sporting fields we could mention Michael Jordan or in social activism the name Martin Luther King Jnr comes to mind.

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Though, let me say this: 

If the success or effectiveness of a leader relates to the transformative impact one has had on generations past and present, then Jesus Christ of Nazareth is the greatest leader to have ever walked the planet.

Let me start there. Let me iterate the credibility of the leadership capacity of Jesus Christ. Billions of people follow him today. Billions are impacted by the amazing bite-sized teachings that he communicated when he lived on earth. Many understand the extravagant grace he expressed to the poor and disadvantaged. No one has created so much controversy, and sparked the passionate response of movements the world over.

I must clarify, that Jesus did not walk through Samaria on his day off and speak about leadership. He didn't sit on the mount of olives and give us 21 Irrefutable Laws, speak about leadership influence, or articulate to his followers important aspects of teamwork in first century Palestine. He nonetheless sparked a religious revolution of his day, and had 200 million Christians or 'followers of the way' by the start of the fourth century.

So what is it about Jesus that makes him the greatest leader to have ever lived?

Servant Leadership

We could speak about his upside-down form of leadership. While Pharisees in his day and age held to power, authority and legalism, Jesus came and spoke about servanthood. While the religious leaders were straightening their beards, Jesus was washing people's feet. He spoke clearly about the first being last, and the last being first. He spoke about giving away a second coat if someone really needed it. Jesus served. He came not to be served, but to serve. He taught the world servant leadership.

Extravagant Grace

The story of the adulterous woman comes to mind:

John 8:1-11   ¹ but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

² At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. ³ The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group ⁴ and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. ⁵ In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” ⁶ They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. ⁷ When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” ⁸ Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
⁹ At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. ¹⁰ Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
¹¹ “No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Leadership was not expressed in bitter judgment to the sinful woman, but expressed in extravagant grace. The character of the leader was clearly evident in this story. Jesus was a man who loved, showed love and generously exhibited grace to the people around him, namely the adulterous woman.

What makes Jesus the greatest leader to have lived?

We have mentioned briefly his servant leadership, his extravagant grace, but there is more. I could write about the ability he had to draw a crowd or purposefully lose a crowd, or his team-building techniques, his dissatisfaction with institutionalism and how he dealt with that, and more. Though it would be remiss of me not to finish this blog with one of the greatest reasons Jesus Christ was the greatest leader in the world.

He was God in person.


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Spiritual Leadership in Psalm 118

Strap yourself in, because we are about to discover some spiritual leadership insights from a great leader of the past: King David.

King David was in spiritual leadership. He was the anointed and appointed King of Israel. He makes some remarks in Psalm 118, that help us glean some insight into spiritual leadership. Let's have a look:

Give thanks to God

King David was a leader and he gave thanks to God. He challenged Israel, 'Let Israel say, "His love endures forever"' (Psalm 118:2). We know full well that David was not without his challenges. We know full well that David had at times slipped up, disobeyed, and lost his focus. The start of Psalm 118 is bringing the focus back. Give thanks to the Lord!

A Leader Overcomes Fear

Psalm 118:6 says, 'The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?' You can sense David's determination to NOT be afraid. It's almost like it is a decisive choice David is making and maybe it's one you need to make. 'I will not be afraid'. Or I choose not to be crippled with fear with the current situation I am in. God is not a God of fear, nor does he particularly want his people to be living in fear. 

Take Refuge in the Lord

Refuge is a place of 'shelter, protection or safety'. In God there is refuge. In Psalm 118:8, King David writes, 'It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in humans.' Humans can only provide so much protection and safety. The Lord can ultimately provide spiritual refuge for spiritual leaders, and finding refuge in God can help us feel safe, secure, empowered and confident.

Recognise the Battle is the Lord's

Some may say today, 'Don't forget, the mission is God's and we merely partner with God to help fulfil what God has already began'. King David as a spiritual leader of his generation, understood to give thanks where its due, and to recognise the reasons for his success in battles. Psalm 118:15-16 says, 'Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: "The LORD's right hand has done mighty things! The LORD's right hand is lifted high; the LORD's right hand has done mighty things!" While David and his warrior friends were no doubt the ones in battle, David ensured God got the praise. 

Now, we of course understand the context of 'battles' today is very different, and enacted in a different way to the days of David. But the spiritual principle remains. Spiritual leaders understand that the mission is God's, and God deserves the recognition!

The Lord Disciplines Leaders at Times

Well, let's skip this one shall we? No, wait a minute. David says, 'The LORD has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death' (Psalm 118:18). David committing adultery comes to mind. God disciplined David, but not to the point of being chastised too severely! We must understand today, that spiritual leadership may involve discipline, accountability and a slight change of direction. Can I say today, that quite often God uses others in leadership to provide us with accountability and direction.

A good spiritual leader, will be ready for and will embrace spiritual discipline.

Spiritual Success only comes from God

We may debate, 'What is spiritual success?' and we see here that David prays, 'LORD, save us! LORD, grant us success!' (Psalm 118:25). Whatever the 'success' might be, that success, especially if spiritual in nature, can only come from God. Hence the prayer of granting us success. 

Spiritual leadership involves acknowledging God as the author of life, the giver of success, the one who disciplines and the one who goes before us into our situation. Leadership without acknowledging those things is a failure to embrace the generous nature of a God who loves us. 

To wrap up Psalm 118, David finishes with how he started, that wraps up the psalm in thankfulness to God.  Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever (Psalm 118:29). 

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Leadership Snapshot from Nehemiah

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Nehemiah Leadership Principles

Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem many, many years ago. He was firstly confronted with a disturbing situation. The walls surrounding the place where his relatives were buried, and the home of the Jewish people, had been destroyed. 

We can glean some biblical leadership truths from the example of Nehemiah. 

Let's grab a hold of some Nehemiah leadership principles from the work of Nehemiah (found in the Book of Nehemiah - Bible)

• Nehemiah had a cause to fight for (the walls of Jerusalem had been burnt to the ground). He had purpose, or a core mission).
• Before Nehemiah embarked on any sort of public leadership, he spent time in prayer and fasting (The imperative for biblical leadership).
• While in prayer, Nehemiah sought the forgiveness of God (Neh 1:6).
• Nehemiah researched, or rather surveyed the area (albeit secretly) before he moved forward. (See John Maxwell's law of navigation here). (Maybe this echoes a little of what we call Strategic Planning today?)
• Nehemiah's vision for change drove him to leave his home and go to Jerusalem and embark on a huge building project (Neh 2:5). We might label this visionary leadership today.
• Nehemiah continued to stand despite the opposition (for example Sanballat and Tobiah). His perseverance and tenacity to finish the building of the walls of Jerusalem is inspiring. (The character traits of a leader that Nehemiah shows is helpful for us today). 
• Nehemiah exemplified good leadership! He rallied helpers around him, delegated jobs, and continued to promote the vision for the rebuilding of the walls. (As a leader he created 'buy-in' to the vision or rather support for the vision. As a leader he knew the art of delegation. As a leader he continued to communicate the vision, because as they say, vision leaks!)
• Nehemiah and the truck loads of volunteers celebrated their accomplishments when they completed the rebuilding of the walls. (Celebrate the wins, right? Leaders stop and smell the roses).

There's a quick snapshot of some Leadership principles from Nehemiah. Have a read of the book of Nehemiah today, and ask God to open your eyes to see the truth that lies within its pages. 

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Step it up!! Leadership Caffeine from Samuel Brengle and the Apostle Peter

As I was flicking through J. Oswald Chambers Spiritual Leadership, I found some interesting insights from well known Salvation Army Revivalist Samuel Logan Brengle on leadership. Reading this is like drinking a cup of leadership caffeine. Let it energize you for ministry, and let it challenge you for future leadership that God calls you to.

On the topic of spirituality and leadership Brengle writes, "It it not won by promotion but my many prayers and tears. It is attained by confession of sin, and much heart-searching and humbling before God; by self-surrender, a courageous sacrifice of every idol, a bold uncomplaining embrace of the cross, and by eternally looking unto Jesus crucified. It is not gained by seeking great things for ourselves, but like Paul, by counting those things that are gain to us as loss for Christ. This is a great price, but it must be paid by the leader whose power is recognized and felt in heaven, on earth, and in hell." - (Quoted from Samuel Logan Brengle, The Soul-Winner's Secret, p. 22).
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Consider this for a minute. The greatest vehicle on earth that God uses to extend his Kingdom is his church. The church can only be an effective vehicle if people at some point become leaders (annointed & appointed by God), to lead the church to fulfil its mission. If you are not a leader in the local church, and you sense God nudging you to step it up a notch, why don't you?

What holds you back?

FEAR?

You might know, in Matthew 14:22-36, we have a historical record of Jesus walking on water. Now, what was Peter's response in this account? He said, "Lord, if it's you, tell me to come out onto the water". And Jesus says, "Come." If ever we had a leader in the history of the Christian Church, amonst some other big names, we would probably name Peter, who preached it up on the day of Pentecost where 3,000+ became believers.

Anyway, here's the point. Picture the context in which Peter and his disciples find themselves. The time is between 3am and 6am. It's pitch black. A storm is raging. The disciples are no doubt wet, tired and irritable. It's in this context that Jesus is walking on water AND it's within the storms and fear that the disciples are feeling, that Peter musters up the courage to walk off the boat and onto the water.

See, God may be calling you to step up and be a leader, but you're waiting for the storms to blow away, you're waiting for the inner feelings of fear to dissipate. Simply, you're waiting for the circumstances to be perfect before you step it up a notch. Let me tell you something I've learnt... You'll be waiting forever!!

So take the challenge of Samuel Logan Brengle, and the encouragement we feel when we consider Peter walking on water. Be decisive today. Be the person God calls you to be. Step it up and fulfil the potential that exists for you to be used by God within that awesome 'vehicle of transformation' called the local church. 

Leadership Insights from Jesus

As a Christian, I find much of my leadership development comes from the Bible and predominantly from Jesus Christ himself. Now, this is not to say, that I fail to learn tips of leadership from other avenues, e.g. the business sector, philosophy, nonforprofits, etc, but I do say this: My capacity to lead, from my opinion, must derive itself from the inspired Word of God, and must reflect (within my 21st Century context), the principles and guidelines given from Jesus. From a purely historical perspective, you could say Jesus was the best leader the world has ever seen, especially if your mandate is to have as many followers as possible!

Some of the leadership teachings I have taken from Christ, and which empower me in the area of leadership are:

·         When Jesus challenges the disciples about their heated discussion on who is going to be the greatest, he points to a little child and mentions we should have faith like one of these. This is Jesus confronting the elephant in the living room with the disciples!

·         He also publically confronts Judas about his impending betrayal during the last supper. Most leaders would have kept quiet and swept it under the carpet.

·         Jesus makes a whip and cleans out the temple, so there would be a focus on prayer and not commercialism.

·         Jesus has a heart to heart with Peter following his resurrection, about the need for Peter to feed his sheep, and fulfil his mission in the world.

·         We see Jesus investing a greater amount of time in just three – Peter, James and John.

·         Jesus sets an example of having compassion on the large crowds, and he has faith to minister to them, practically and spiritually.

·         Jesus is an outstanding example of servant leadership (Jesus washing the disciple’s feet).

If we want powerful examples of leadership, then we only need to look to Jesus. We can obviously gleen tips and teachings from many, like Augustine, Martin Luther, Isaac Newton, Abraham Lincoln, Billy Graham, Jim Collins, Stephen Covey, Mother Theresa, Jack Welch, etc, though we find richness in the teachings of Jesus, that have inspired a movement that is still billions strong today!