Why Many Leaders Are Promoted Too Soon
Healthy Leaders | Issue 66
Welcome back to Healthy Leaders! In this issue, we look past man’s ambition to a divine calling to lead God’s people.
Hello friends,
In our last issue, we quoted Malcolm’s words from his book, Healthy Leaders:
“It is only as the leader is genuinely accountable to his community and allows them to help mold and clarify his calling that he is assured of purity of vision. Thus, the calling of the leader must be birthed in Christ, purified in community and built upon fire-tested character.”
This understanding of the true calling of a leader is vital to our topic today — the commissioning of that leader. You’ve identified a high-potential leader in your midst. You have observed his or her life, and see strong indications of thinking and acting abilities. Your community has also observed it, and God has confirmed it.
Now what?
Here’s Malcolm with more:
Throughout the Bible, there are examples of leaders who weren’t commissioned in this way. Instead, they tried to meet their community’s need for a leader without an actual call from God, or worse — they went ahead and commissioned themselves!
Saul is a good example of the man-appointed leader.
The Lord told Samuel to give them what they wanted — a man to rule over them (1 Sam. 8–10). Then Samuel warned the people that their new leader was destined to rob and spoil them (1 Sam. 8:11-17). It was significant that Samuel anointed Saul with oil poured from a man-made flask (1 Sam. 10:1), whereas he anointed David (God’s choice) with the horn of an animal (1 Sam. 16:13) that was not made by man.
Today, man-appointed leaders look upon Christian leadership as a profession or a career. They are more concerned with the medical benefits or retirement accounts that come with the “job” than they are for the sheep of God. They are the “hired hands” (John 10:12-13). They are religious professionals who do not further the life of God’s people. And generally, if they really count the cost of leadership, they won’t stick around for long.
In the other category we have leaders like Korah, who appointed himself to be a leader (Num. 16–17). The following characterized his leadership:
He caused others to rise up against existing spiritual authority (Num. 16:2).
He publicly criticized and questioned the existing leadership (Num. 16:3).
He accused the leadership of what he himself was guilty (Num. 16:3).
He was not satisfied with the position he was given. He wanted more authority and a higher position (Num. 16:10).
He continually murmured against the Divinely-appointed leadership (Num. 16:11).
He ended under the judgment of God (Num. 16:31-35).
Not a pretty picture! And unfortunately it’s one we are very familiar with in our current celebrity culture of Christian leadership.
In contrast to both self-appointed and man-appointed leadership, true leadership will be appointed by God.
“Paul, an apostle — sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead.” (Gal. 1:1)
True spiritual leadership does not come from loyalty to one’s denomination, or from some personal vested interest in leading — it comes from God.
Marks of the Divine Call
Leaders will be aware of the call of God on their lives. They may fight or deny the call for a while, but they will still know God has called them:
For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship. (1 Cor. 9:16-17)
After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.” (Acts 15:7)
Another way we can discern a true divine call to leadership upon a leader’s life is by seeing if people are actually experiencing personal transformation through their interaction with the leader. That is proof of his or her calling from God.
You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. (2 Cor. 3:2-3)
For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy. (1 Thess. 2:19-20)
In short, getting to the point of commissioning a leader involves much more than just a need, or a passion, or an ambition. It involves:
An emerging leader who thinks and acts.
A community who observes and affirms that leader’s ability to lead — generally observed through transformation.
An emerging leader who understands his or her calling to lead God’s people.
Deep dependence on God all around.
May God raise up more and more healthy leaders to lead His people forward in His purposes!
What about you?
Think of the leaders you’re currently training, or have trained in the past.
Are all of them the “right” people?
If not, how could you have made a better choice?
Think of emerging leaders you know who do think and act well.
Which of them should you be investing in more deeply?
How will you do this?
Until next time, we’re with you!
— Chris
Recommended Resources
Article: True Spiritual Leadership
Model Brief: LeaderID
Video Course: Transformational Thinking
For more resources, visit our website.
As always, we’re so grateful to our friends at Fifty-Four Collective for helping us create these videos and for providing top-notch leader development online training. Check out what they’re doing!