Leadership Matters

David Cameron has put the cat among the pigeons! Suddenly, the dreary election campaign (about which I wrote yesterday!) has taken on a new flavour.

I wonder how things will develop in the next few days and weeks.

Last Friday, I was meeting the leader of a local church in Banbury. He was telling me that he was planning to run some sessions for some of his church members, on the topic of leadership. I wondered whether he had seen the excellent 'Growing Leaders' course that has been so helpful to many Woking churches.

In the evening, I was at a very different event, and again our discussion turned to leadership within churches. 

My reflection is that the whole Bible can be seen as a training guide for those aspiring to be leaders.

As usual, Jesus shows us what is required.  "So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10.42-45)

We know that Jesus practiced what he preached, and was willing to lay down his life for our sake. That is our motivation for wanting to change the world, in his way, and not in the way of the world.

As we approach Holy Week, and the retelling of the story of Jesus' betrayal, arrest, trials, scourging, and crucifixion, we will do well to pray that we may be shaped by Jesus into his pattern. Then we will lead more like Jesus, so that we lead more people to Jesus.

Best wishes,

Richard