“The Character of a Godly Leader”

Conclusion

Titus 1:9 explains that a godly leader will hold fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.

Normally, the closer we get to one another, the more leniency we tend to have with each other. But what I have discovered is the closer we get to God, the more accountable He holds us.  On one occasion, God commanded Moses to take his rod and his brother and gather the Israelites and SPEAK to the rock in their mist and command water to come out.  Moses, out of anger, struck the rock instead.  When we study Exodus thru Deuteronomy, we observe that Moses spent a lot of time with God and as a result, kept his errors down to a minimum.  And by minimum, I mean almost nonexistent.  In comparison to the other Israelites, Moses was flawless.  But God does not calculate as we do.  He doesn’t measure our actions in percentages and He doesn’t determine our goodness by comparing us to others.  He decides whether we are OBEDIENT or DISOBEDIENT.  For his disobedience and lack of belief, God declared that Moses would not accompany the Israelites to the end of the journey.  God expects total obedience from His leaders.  He holds His leaders completely accountable.

 

“The Character of a Godly Leader”

Part 2

Men have to be qualified for leadership in order to lead God’s people properly.  The following qualities of a godly leader can be found in Titus 1:7-9 and 1 Timothy 3:1-7 (Continuation from blog on May 7)

1.       Holy:  We are expected to live lives that are pleasing to God.  While we may error at times, we are supposed to make every effort to live according to God’s standard.  We should never glorify or showcase our sin as a means of displaying our humanity.  Some have taught that it is necessary to stand in front of the church and confess our sins.  However, the Word of God does not support this concept.  In Romans 7:19 Paul says, “For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.”   No one knows the specific evil that Paul is referring to because he never reveals it.  The gospel is what wins people to Christ, not the demonstration or knowledge of our flaws.

2.      Self-controlled:  Exercising temperance allows people to visually witness God’s standard in action.  Where there is a lack of self-control, anarchy and mayhem are welcomed.  Self-control displays the presence of God because God only exists where there is order.  No order, no God. 

3.      Good Behavior:  A leader should display good and orderly behavior when others can see him AND when they cannot.

4.      Able to Teach:  He should be properly prepared and well learned in order to give knowledge to those who are uninformed. 

5.      Not violent:  A leader should not be easily vexed and should display a measure of self-control.

6.      Not covetous:  There should never be a desire to confiscate anything that belongs to someone else.

7.      Rules his house well:  This is a huge one because it places the spotlight on leaders who have neglected their homes for the sake of ministry.  Some have declared that if you take care of God’s house, He will take care of your house.  But the Bible teaches that a leader has to take care of their house BEFORE they can be qualified to take care of God’s house.  If they cannot discipline their own children, how can they maintain order among God’s people?

8.      Not a novice:  There are modern day examples where talent or status were viewed as a qualification for leadership, but the individuals ended up walking away from the position when the going got tough or a more desirable offer presented itself.

9.      Must have a good testimony within society:  A leader should display one life.  While everyone has flaws, a leader’s life OUTSIDE the church should mirror the life that he displays INSIDE the church.

 

“The Character of a Godly Leader”

Part 1

The character of a godly leader plays a key role in their effectiveness in leadership.  They may say all the right things but their lives may contradict the message that they teach.  In Matthew 23:2-3 Jesus says, “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses. ³ Therefore, whatever they tell you, do and comply with it all, but do not do as they do; for they say things and do not do them.” 

Men have to be qualified for leadership in order to lead God’s people properly.  The following qualities of a godly leader can be found in Titus 1:7-9 and 1 Timothy 3:1-7

1. Not self-willed:  Leaders should be prayerful in regard to God’s will being done; not their own will.  As individuals, we may come up with plans for how we desire for things to go but we need to seek God to determine what He desires to occur. 
2. Not quick tempered:  Proverbs 14:17 says that “a quick tempered man acts foolishly.”  James 1:20 reveals that “the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”  God requires us to make sound decisions.  A leader cannot lead or function in ministry properly if his actions are constantly governed by his emotions.
3. Not given to wine:  The use of alcohol impairs our judgment when we consume too much, and it has the ability to kill our brain cells even when we consume small amounts of it. 
4. Not violent:  If a leader is throwing temper tantrums when he doesn’t get his way, something is wrong.  That is called immaturity and immaturity is a disqualification of leadership.
5. Not greedy for money:  The gospel of prosperity was pushed so hard that many people do not believe that they are blessed unless they have an exorbitant amount of money.  When we are money hungry, we can easily be bought and led astray.
6.  Hospitable:  This word means to be friendly or welcoming to strangers or guests.  Displaying hospitality is a key attribute of a leader because it keeps his role as servant in its proper perspective. 
7. Lover of what is good:  Isaiah 1:17 says “Learn to do good;
   Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor, Obtain justice for the orphan,
   Plead for the widow’s case.”  A godly leader should be an advocate of righteousness.
8. Sober-minded:  It is important to be sober-minded for 2 reasons:  1) we make better decisions when we are not emotionally driven and 2) it is not likely that we will be open to fallacious ideas or concepts.  Timothy and Titus are two books in the bible that specifically address sound doctrine.  They teach us God’s perspective on living our lives as Christians.  Sober, in this context points toward exercising discretion. 
9. Just:  If a friend and another person are in a heated argument and the other person is in the right, can we support the individual who is right, rather than taking the side our friend?  The act of being just is being able to identify and correct wrong in spite of what we may personally feel about the behavior.