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Biblical Leadership Themes of the OT
Biblical Foundation of Christian Leadership (Liberty
University)
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LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Mentor Interview Confirmation
Submitted to Dr. Clay Anthony,
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
LEAD 510-B07 LUO
Biblical Foundations of Leadership
by
Patrick Bailey
February 7th, 2021
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Introduction
It has been said that character is the conduct that you keep when nobody is around to
watch you. Character is also a defining mark of a good, solid, leader. Leaders are people, both
men and women, who are tasked with guiding and instructing individuals, as well as groups of
people, in the completion of a task. Throughout the Old Testament we read of these leaders who
were given tasks to complete by God. Within these stories of Old Testament heroes lie some of
the foundational themes that still drive us and encourage us today. Themes like humility and
loyalty, or love and forgiveness, and biggest of all, grace.
In order to have a good leader, that leader first has to have sound direction and ideas. If
someone wants to lead an expedition to the summit of Mount Everest, but they have never been
hiking, or left the warm climate of the Caribbean, they might not make the best leader for such a
daunting expedition. You might feel more comfortable with them taking you on a fishing trip
before you would let them ascend the tallest mountain in the world, in some of the coldest
climates in the world. This is not always the case though. As is taught throughout the Old
Testament, time after time, God used people who could be considered as “not worthy,” or
“incapable” to complete the tasks God set before them. The key here is, for God, all things are
possible.
This paper will serve to identify three themes found in the writings of the Old Testament,
to identify true leadership. Within these writings we will focus on faithfulness, humility, and
grace, and we will showcase these three themes in multiple heroes for which God equipped to
complete the tasks he set before them.
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Faithfulness
One of the greatest showcases of faithfulness found in the Old Testament can be read in
the book of 1st Samuel. For starters, Samuel is testament to Hannah’s faithfulness to God. Being
barren and oppressed, the Lord intervened and delivered Hannah from her trouble.1 She was
delivered from her troubles through the birth of her son, Samuel.
Not only is this a representation of Hannah’s faithfulness to God, but it is also a representation
of God’s faithfulness to the nation of Israel. Samuel consistently put his trust in God, and consistently
delivered God’s words that were given to him, to the nation of Israel. Samuel was of the understanding
that God was sovereign and deserves the undivided loyalty of his people.2
Samuel also understood that faithfulness was not a one-way street. It was never just the
Israelites needing to be faithful to God. Samuel also consistently showed God’s faithfulness to the
Israelites. This is evident in 1 Samuel 12:22-23 when the author writes, “The Lord will not abandon his
people, because that would dishonor his great name. For it has pleased the Lord to make you his very
own people.3 Robert Chisholm Jr. writes, “Samuel’s positive example reminds us that we must faithfully
proclaim the Lord’s word. This means we must elevate the Lord in the eyes of his people, courageously
expose sin, and urge sinners to repent and seek reconciliation with the Lord.”4
God’s greatest desire is to be reconciled to his people. This process starts with a redemptive
heart from His people, and continues with a faithful pursuit by his people, after Him. It comes full circle
with God remaining faithful to His creation as he has said he would be, all along.
Humility
1 Benjamin Forest and Chet Roden. Biblical Leadership: Theology for the Everyday Leader. (Grand
Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2018), 115.
2 Ibid., 122.
3 Unless otherwise noted, all biblical passages referenced employ the New Living Translation.
4 Ibid., 123.
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Another overarching theme that can be found amongst leaders in the Old Testament is
that of humility. Humility can be described as putting other things, tasks, and people, ahead of
yourself. A great showcase of humility in the Old Testament can be found in the book of Daniel.
In Daniel chapter four, we find Daniel serving the king, Nebuchadnezzar, by interpreting
his dream. Nebuchadnezzar is not an overly humble king. In his dream, he questions the
chopping down of a tree. Daniel explains to him that he (Nebuchadnezzar) is the tree, and he
will spend seven years in the wilderness until he learns that God is in control of all things
(Daniel 4).
Mark Allen and Dickson Ngama do a great job of explaining humility in leadership, in
chapter sixteen of Power that Prevails. Here they write, a leader must confront those with the
power, for God must always be honored and glorified. A leader’s first commitment is to God.
This means that leaders cannot expect continuous popularity and praise. Consistent faithfulness
to God will at times bring out the worst in other people, especially those who are envious of or
threatened by faithful leaders. At the proper time and in concert with the Father’s will for him,
Jesus fearlessly confronted those in power and experienced a loss of popularity, especially
among those with institutional and religious power. While many, like Joseph (Gen. 41–50) and
Daniel, will navigate safely through the dangerous waters of serving within a worldly kingdom,
oftentimes a flood of animosity will crush Christ-followers and attempt to drown their influence.
But we can rest assured that the power of God’s eternal kingdom will prevail.5
Humility is a key component to any level of leadership. Great leaders are always those
who put others first. Like the old saying says, pride comes before a fall.
Grace
5 Ibid., 245.
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The final theme of leadership we can pull from the Old Testament, is that of grace.
Grace is the thing none of us deserve, but great leaders understand the importance of. What’s
more, they understand the importance of giving it freely. Usually, grace is given freely because
it has been received in a time where it was most undeserved. This is the case with David; a man
after God’s own heart.
David might be the greatest example of grace in the whole Bible. Throughout the book of
Psalms, the Psalmist tells us of David’s lustfulness, his fornication, his lies, and his murder; and
somehow, God still finds a way to show David grace. The key to God’s grace is David’s
repentance of his sin. True repentance requires one to turn from their sin, but more than that,
give it to God. The grace comes in God’s forgiveness of those sins when we give them over to
him.
Gracious leadership can also be viewed as shepherding leadership. The same Psalmist
that showed us God’s grace with David, gives us the gracious shepherd in Psalm 23. Walter C.
Kaiser Jr. writes, “servant leaders are valued first of all for their role as servants, while the
shepherd is seen first as the one who blazes the trail for the sheep and has their care,
nourishment, and protection as his primary concern. Moreover, shepherd leaders, as already
argued, do not enter the scene as totally developed leaders, but as ones who are formed by the
Good Shepherd and led to be leaders.”6 The call to leadership is no less high for those who
oversee a workforce under them. The leader is called upon to see that all are treated fairly and
justly, and that they are rewarded for their work in as gracious a manner as is possible.7
Conclusion
6 Ibid., 162.
7 Ibid., 157.
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Leadership is key in many aspects of life. This is evident, even as we have seen, in the
Old Testament. It is important to be able to understand the key themes of leadership in the Old
Testament and translate them in to active leadership today. I think there is certain level of
scrutiny that leaders will be held to; whether it is here on Earth by worldly executives, or in
Heaven by the ultimate Executive. David Pettus has some really compelling thoughts on this. He
writes, “Since God is sovereign ruler of his creation, all authority in heaven and earth belongs to
him. As such, the authority and exercise of all human leadership flows from him. The leaders of
the earth, both of Israel and pagan nations, serve at his pleasure and permission. The king, the
prophet, the priest, the wise man, and the elder are all held accountable for how they exercise
their leadership under God’s watchful eye.”8
I hope this paper has illuminated these three themes found in the writings of the Old
Testament, and identified true leadership. These writings, which have focused on faithfulness,
humility, and grace, have showcased these three themes, and the heroes for which God equipped
to complete the tasks he set before them.
Bibliography
Forrest, Benjamin and Chet Roden. Biblical Leadership: Theology for the Everyday Leader.
8 Ibid., 39.
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Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2018.
