Introduction

Seven Characteristics of a Good Leader

In the body of Christ, we need good leadership. Jesus Christ is the head of the
church – Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:18 – and He is the perfect leader. But we
need human leaders as well. In the early church there were leaders in the church,
even among the ministry. In Galatians 2, Paul mentioned the leadership of the
church in Jerusalem, calling them those “which were of reputation” in verse two
and those “who seemed to be pillars” in verse nine. Every local church needs
leaders – not only a pastor, but elders, department directors, and others. And
every home needs good leadership. In some respects,

God has called every one of His servants into leadership positions. Everyone is
an example to someone. Husbands lead in the home; mothers lead their children;
church departments need leaders; someone looks to you on the job for direction
and an example. In some respects, everyone is a leader. You are leading someone
down the right path – or the wrong one.

This book was generated by a series of messages on Biblical Leadership. We

felt lead of the Lord to present a seminar on leadership. It took several months,
but there are lessons here that pastors, student ministers and saints of God need
to know. We all should be able to recognize good leadership, and we all need to
become better leaders.

Perhaps it would be good to start with the seven characteristics of a good

leader. Paul covered them all in the fourth chapter of I Timothy. He was writing as
an experienced leader to a young minister, and giving him instructions on how to
be a better leader. There are probably more than seven characteristics that can be
derived from this chapter, but these seven are a good starting point. These
characteristics will improve the spiritual life of any child of God who will develop
them as part of their own character.

1. He Reads (and Studies) – I Timothy 4:13

When writing to a young minister, the Apostle Paul told him in I Timothy 4:13
to “Give attention to reading.” Some people love to read; others don’t. But reading
is vitally important to developing leadership ability. But reading isn’t just about
fiction novels, or light matter. Reading should be part of life-long studies. Paul also
told the same young minister in II Timothy 2:15 to study to show yourself
approved.

No one is truly educated who isn’t well-read. And those who read are truly
educated, regardless of their level of schooling. Above all, read your Bible. It is the
world’s greatest Book. Our Bible is a work of pure gold, without traces of
impurities. It is a star without spots, a sun with no shadow, a light with no
darkness, and a sky without a cloud. The Bible is the only book which contains the
whole truth and nothing but the truth. It is the final authority on all matters of
faith and belief. It is the beginning of wisdom and the end of all arguments.

In addition to Bible study, read other good books. Almost every great leader is
also an avid reader. They read a variety of materials. They become versed in
current events, history, theology, classics, science, etc. They make notes, they
highlight, and they stop at times and think about what they have just read. Do
they agree? Do they disagree? Why? Marking passages in a book makes it easier
to refer to the material later. When you underline or highlight a passage, it means
you have thought about that passage, you have considered it, and found it to be
meaningful to you. You did more than merely skim over the material – you
thought about it.

Electronic books are nice. You can carry an entire library with you on a Kindle.
But e-readers are merely for reading. It is difficult to study what is on some
electronic book. You cannot underline very well, you cannot write marginal notes
very well, you cannot flip back to a passage you agreed with or disagreed with, or
find an important point later, very well. Yes, ebooks are great, but there is nothing
quite like a book in hand. A book in hand is worth two on the cloud.

2. He Meditates (and Prays) – I Timothy 4:15

In I Timothy 4:15, Paul told Timothy to “meditate upon these things.” A good
leader makes time in the day to meditate on weighty matters. Meditating is to
think logically about some topic. Thinking logically means to think consecutively:
where have we been, where are we now; where are we going? A good leader
considers, thinks, ponders the “what ifs,” and prays.

God told the leader of His people in Joshua 1:8: “This book of the law shall not
depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou
mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt
make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” That is the
only time the word “success” appears in the King James Version. Success is tied to
meditation.

The Psalms teach the value of meditation. “When I remember thee upon my
bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.” Psalms 63:6. “I will meditate
also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.” Psalms 77:12 .

Prayer is not the same thing as meditation. Prayer is something directed to

God; whereas meditation is thinking about God, His plan, the human condition,
etc. When you pray, you talk to the Lord; when you meditate, you give the Lord a
chance to talk to you. Both are needed. If you meditate, and pray, God may give
you the direction and the answers you need.

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3. He Sets Goals – I Timothy 4:6

All seven of these characteristics of a good leader are found in the fourth
chapter of I Timothy. In verse six, Paul encouraged Timothy to set a goal of
teaching others. Certainly, this younger minister had other goals as well, but the
point is that he was encouraged to set them. Good leaders are forward-thinking.

A good leader sets goals for himself and those he leads; but he does so
thoughtfully and prayerfully. What do you want to accomplish in the next few
months or years? What are you expecting your contribution to the work of the
Lord will be? What do you hope to accomplish – the Lord willing?

This is more than just half-hearted New Year’s resolutions; it is a prayerfully-

considered plan of action designed to achieve specific, measureable goals. Great
leaders are always goal-oriented.

4. He Relies on God – I Timothy 4:10

Paul wrote in I Timothy 4:10: “We trust in the living God.” That is where we
place our confidence. No one is talented enough, or smart enough, to be a leader
in the work of the Lord. God doesn’t really use the gifted and the talented; He
uses the willing and obedient. He doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called.

In II Chronicles 1:10, Solomon found himself placed in a leadership position.

When the Lord gave him the opportunity to ask for anything he wanted, Solomon
asked for wisdom because he knew he wasn’t qualified. The Lord answered his
prayer.

You will find yourself in many situations where you don’t know the right
answer. There will be times when you don’t know what to do, or how to handle a
situation. If you don’t turn to God then, you will fail. If you turn to Him, He can
give you the right answer. But at some point, you’ll learn that even when you
think you know the answer, and even when you think you know what to say or do,
you still need to rely on God to lead you. Proverbs 14:12 says that sometimes the
way that seems right is merely the way of death. It must be an important concept
because the Bible says it again in Proverbs 16:25.

The more you learn to lean on the Lord, the better leader you'll be.

5. He Leads By Example – I Timothy 4:12

I Timothy 4:12 says, “Be thou an example of the believers.” Good leaders live
what they preach. Their practice matches their profession. They don’t just tell
people what to do; they show them. Paul referred to himself as an “ensample” in
Philippians 3:17 and II Thessalonians 3:9. The Greek word for “example” is the

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same for “ensample.” It means a model to be followed. Peter said the ministry of
the church is to be “ensamples to the flock.” I Peter 5:3.

An example in what? Paul told Timothy in I Timothy 4:12 to be an example in

word (what comes out of your mouth), in conversation (your lifestyle), in charity
(love freely given away), in spirit (an unflagging spirit), in faith (believing God),
and in purity (a life lived above reproach). He said in verse 16: take heed to self –
don’t miss out after telling others. Be careful! Be an example worthy of being
followed.

6. He Works – I Timothy 4:10

Paul wrote in I Timothy 4:10 that “we labor.” He said in verse 7 that we
exercise unto godliness; and in verse 11 that we command and teach. Good
leaders are hard workers. So much could be said here. There is no place for
laziness in leaders. Similarly, there can be no dithering, no stalling, and no
paralyzing hesitation.

7. He is Faithful – I Timothy 4:16

I Timothy 4:16 admonishes a leader in the body of Christ to continue in the

doctrine. This means to live faithfully. A faithful person is steadfast in affection, in
loyalty, and in allegiance. Faithfulness is constant devotion to unchanging
principles. God is faithful – we are supposed to learn how to be faithful, too.

A leader is faithful to his position and to those he works with – whether he

“feels” like it or not. The Bible says that it is required that stewards be faithful. I
Corinthians 4:2. In the parable of the stewards who received talents, the Lord said
in Matthew 25:23, because you were faithful in a few things, I will make you ruler
over many things.

But faithfulness is not common. Indeed, it is uncommon. Proverbs 20:6 says,

“A faithful man, who can find?” Yet no one is a successful leader who has not
imbibed the quality of faithfulness.

In II Chronicles 31:10-11, God’s people gave abundantly to the work of the

Lord. So King Hezekiah appointed Kore, the son of Imnah, to be in charge of
receiving those free will offerings, and making proper distribution of them. Verse
14. He was an example of a faithful leader. But verse 15 identifies his faithful
assistants. The six men listed in verse 15 were not the overall leaders, but were
faithful in assisting a leader. What a blessing we’d receive if we just would assist
others wherever we can. No doubt, they became leaders in their own right
because they were faithful in assisting Kore.