by Phil McCallum

As the old saying goes, “If someone thinks he is leading and no one is following then he is just going for a walk.”

When an effective leader speaks and people take his words to heart.  One need not be a powerful person to have people follow.

Take a little child for example. If leadership is influence, then the little slave girl in General Naaman’s house was the true leader of the household.  The great general went to the great king with the words that a little maid had spoken.  Such is the power of godly leadership.

In a straw poll of audiences at his leadership seminars, John Maxwell discovered that only 10% of leaders lead because of natural gifting, 5% because of crisis that thrust them into responsibility, but a whopping 85% became leaders because of the influence of other leaders.

Is it any wonder then that Jesus selected not just 12 men, but within the twelve he allowed just three men into the most intimate moments of his life:

  "After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves." (Matthew 17:1)

Jesus allowed these three future leaders to have special access to him to equip them for their future leadership. 

Future leaders are best selected from those who have spent time developing their ability to lead under an effective leader.  Good leaders create not just followers but other leaders.

In Pharaoh’s court the morning after his nightmare, it was only Joseph who saw a plan of action.  How was that so? Because Joseph was a true leader.

Put Joseph in Potiphar’s house or in a prison, he would always come up with a plan for improvement. 

John Maxwell defines some of the things a leader sees that others do not:

Leaders are readers of their situation, for they can tell when something is going on those others never notice.

Leaders are readers of trends.  They are aware of what is happening in the bigger picture and can smell change in the wind.

Leaders are readers of their resources.  They can see people, especially people and the potential within them.  Not just what they are but what they will be.

Leaders are readers of people.  Know their hopes, fears and concerns.

Serving under authority is the principle of powerful leadership.  What gives a leader authority is his willingness to submit his vision to the authority of another.   That accountability gives us blessing to lead others. 

Your authority as a leader is drawn from your submission to the Lord and to the human leadership placed over you.  A right heart of submission gives you authority in times of need.

Elijah called the young man Elisha to succeed him as prophet.  For over ten years Elisha followed the prophet, pouring the water to wash the old man’s hands. 

The last day of Elijah’s life was Elisha’s greatest test (2 Kings 2).  Repeatedly the old prophet told Elisha to leave him, but Elisha would not go.  Friends pulled him aside, and citing the old prophet’s coming end, they whispered that Elisha should declare himself his successor.  But Elisha would not hear of it.  Instead he kept doing what he had always been doing, following the prophet and pouring the water. 

It was that faithfulness to serve Elijah’s vision that brought the double blessing on Elisha to lead all the prophets.

Compare that relationship with the one Elisha later had with his servant Gehazi. 

Instead of selflessly serving the vision of Elisha, Gehazi sought financial gain for himself.  Instead of the double blessing that Elisha had received, which could have become a quadruple blessing on his life, Gehazi ended up a leper.  (2 Kings 5:27)

A leader is someone who initiates change in  wherever he or she goes.

The members of the group are content with the status quo.  A leader can see a vision of a preferable future and is able to stir the group to pursue it.

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