God’s Way of Leadership

Leadership: The word itself echoes through the corridors of history, resonating in boardrooms and battlefields, Churches and classrooms, families and nations. Yet, for all its ubiquity, leadership remains a concept shrouded in diverse interpretations and definitions. Its true understanding shifts and evolves depending on the context, the challenge, and the environment it seeks to serve. In this exploration, we embark not merely on an academic dissection of theories, but on a transformative journey. Our purpose is clear: to illuminate the path towards becoming a leader who is genuinely determined to guide, inspire, and ultimately shepherd people towards a favourable and purposeful destination as ordained by God. This chapter, and indeed this entire work, is intentionally designed to equip you, the aspiring or established leader, with the foundational principles and practical wisdom necessary to lead effectively and righteously. We recognize that leadership transcends mere position; it is a sacred stewardship, a profound responsibility entrusted to individuals who dare to look beyond themselves.  In the very beginning, when God first started creating, the earth looked like a wild and empty mess, covered in darkness and deep water, without any shape or order. As Scripture says: “The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep” (Genesis 1:2). At that moment, when everything was chaotic, the very first description of God given to in Scripture shows Him actively working to bring perfect structure and life out of that disorder. The name used for God in the very beginning is “Elohim.” “In the beginning God (Elohim) created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). This name “Elohim,” while singular in meaning when describing the one true God, is actually a plural word in the original Hebrew language. This hints from the very start that God exists as more than one Person united as one Being – This reveals the nature of the Godhead. God further revealed Himself as the supreme Commander, the Leader of all the mighty angels and heavenly beings. God is “the God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome” (Deuteronomy 10:17). He operates from the highest place of all power and authority, the ultimate command center of the universe, often pictured as a throne surrounded by His heavenly council. This truth about who God is – the powerful Elohim, the Triune Godhead reigning from supreme headquarters – became especially clear when He created His most important and cherished creation: human beings. Scripture records God saying: “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). By using the words “Us” and “Our,” God wasn't talking to angels. Instead, He was showing something amazing about His own nature. Right at this crucial moment, God identified Himself again as “Elohim,” the majestic plural One, working from His position of ultimate authority with the structure and unity of the Godhead. This shows that creating humans was an act involving the whole Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – together as divine leadership. Anywhere God is truly in charge, you will find things running in an orderly way, and wherever you see real order, it always means someone is leading effectively. So, if you want to build truly strong and lasting leadership in any part of human life—whether it's Church, family, business, or the whole society—the very best example to learn from is God's own perfect system of order and levels of authority. This is especially clear when you look at how He organized the angels in heaven. God, who is infinitely wise and whose very nature is order, always works through a structure of levels and through giving people specific authority. He doesn't do this to control or crush people, but because it's the absolutely necessary way to create perfect peace, make everything work together smoothly, and build something that functions well, whether we're talking about heaven or earth. You can see this plan of God's everywhere: First, look up at heaven itself. The highest authority belongs forever to God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit together. After them, once everything is finally made right, come the people God has saved and made holy. Then come the different types of angels, carefully organized in ranks, each group having its own special job under God's command. Second, look at the basic building block of human society, the family. Here, God also sets up clear roles and jobs for husbands, wives, and children, as explained in the Scripture books of Ephesians and Colossians. This family structure is meant to create love, safety, and growth in knowing God. Third, see this same organized structure within the Church, which is like Christ's own body. Christ is the undisputed leader (the Head), and He gives different abilities and positions—like apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers—to help prepare all believers for their work and to build up the whole Church community. This big idea of God's planned order, starting right from His throne in heaven and reaching down into our most basic relationships, shows us what God is like. It's absolutely vital for giving stability, meaning, and the power to get work done properly. The opposite of this—chaos and confusion—goes completely against success.  Scripture clearly says that God is not the source of disorder but of peace, as seen in all true gatherings of His people. At its core, leadership can be defined as the intentional act of a person steering individuals or a collective group towards an intended and ultimately beneficial destination.