Here’s a question for you: Are you a leader?
Perhaps some of you immediately thought: “Yes! Of course, I lead people at work all the time and am in a position of authority.” Perhaps others of you thought: “Well, no. I’m more of a follower. A valuable follower, mind you! Not everyone can be a leader.” We tend to all have preconceived notions about leadership, what it is, what it means, and how to actually lead.
Biblically, Jesus modeled something commonly referred to as: Servant-Leadership. Read with me from Philippians 2:5-8:
“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Here’s another question to consider: Are you seeking to be more like Jesus?
I hope you all answered yes to that question. And if that is in fact the case, I want to argue that you should also be seeking to grow in leadership. Leadership is not something that is only reserved for the extroverted, loud, alpha-males. Leadership is something that God desires for all of us, but it comes down to understanding the nature of what leadership really is.
Leadership isn’t about puffing oneself up; it’s about building up others. Leading others is helping to equip them to grow, mature, and become the people that God created them to be. And, if you are tracking with me, perhaps you have already drawn the conclusion I hope to make here, which is that parenting is leadership.
As you parent your children, you are leading them. You are seeing their potential, and hoping to help shape and develop them into the people who they are becoming.
So, the third question you must ask yourself: Are you leading your children as God intended?
Are you pouring into them the Word of God, teaching and admonishing them? Are you praying with them, and modeling for them how to respond to conflict and uncertainty? Are you taking those small moments in the car to connect with them, ask good questions, and show them how much you love them? Are you seeing where they may be gifted, and helping them to invest in the right things?
I am confident that you are already doing these things, but I hope to encourage you to continue to seek out opportunities to lead your children intentionally. And may God bless you as you do that.
I encourage you to check out the rest of this page for what’s coming up this month, and especially the podcast episode with Jeremy Stalnecker, where he expands on this notion of leadership in a great way!
Blessings,
Julian Marcel | Pastor of Children’s Ministry | Hessel Church | julian@hessel.org
In this conversation, I sit down with Jeremey Stalnecker to talk about responding to Jesus as a Christian leader. He provides a helpful definition of biblical leadership, and great practical tips for helping others in their walk with Christ.