LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
RAWLINGS SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Leadership Development Plan
Submitted to Dr. Robert Gowins,
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
LEAD 510 B03-LUO
Biblical Foundations of Leadership
by
Lester C. Sump II
March 10, 2024
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Contents
Introduction….….…………………………………………………………………………..........2
Theology……………………….…………………………………….……………………….…...3
Philosophy….………………………………………………………………………...…………...4
Methods and Models………………………………………………………………………...…...5
Leadership Culture………………………………………………………………………………6
Missional Connection (My Plan)……………………………………………………………......7
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………...…...9
Bibliography…………………………………………………………………………………….10
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Introduction
Planning is important in every aspect of life, and developing a plan in leadership could be
the most crucial area. Many churches attempt to find success without developing a specific plan
of strategy within the confines of leadership, which results in the expectations of growth not
being met, and the blame is placed on God’s will not being for the church. I have witnessed this
more than once over the years and have found that the failure of progression wasn’t due to a lack
of blessing, but more so because of a fundamental misunderstanding of the importance of
planning. A clear direction from God still requires the knowledge of how to instruct those within
church leadership in the proper ways to achieve the goals set before them.
There is a distinct difference between worldly leadership and leadership within the
Christian community. Biblical leadership calls the believer to a higher degree of accountability
that falls in line with servanthood first, as followers place themselves under the guidance and
authority of Jesus, looking to the truth of the Gospel as the supreme word. Aubrey Malphurs
says, “A third distinctive of the Christian leader is that his or her source of truth is divine
revelation.”1
The understanding of how Christian leadership is unique, and achieved only by accepting
and practicing the principles that are shown in God’s Word, such as servanthood, grace, patience,
and love, is paramount to establishing a biblical view of leadership. Another key to Christian
leadership is to institute the proper philosophy of leadership, and how to put into action the
ideology that God’s Word clearly shows. Additionally, understanding how varying cultures view
biblical leadership and establish tenants in a different way is key to observing how we may
incorporate different ways to achieve the same goal.
1 Malphurs, A., Being Leaders: The Nature of Authentic Christian Leadership. Grand Rapids, MI. Baker
Books. 2003. (15).
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Theology
Having a proper understanding of theology and how is plays an impactful role in
Christian leadership is essential in developing a plan that can be understood by all within the
church community. The meaning of the word theology is the study of God. The world has
broadened that meaning to include the study of religions, however, that is incorrect in the truest
form of its’ vernacular. The statutes of Christ outlined in the Word must be strictly adhered to,
which allows for true leadership to take place. Howell explains this best by stating, “Worthy
exercise of leadership among the people of God falls to those with godly character, unblemished
integrity, and proven capability.”2
Although we see the evidence of true leadership and can measure it by examining
Scripture, to sum leadership up from a Christian worldview in a single verse would be nearly
impossible to achieve. Yet we can piece together various examples of leadership by studying
several men and women of the Bible. Abraham, Daniel, and David are merely a few examples of
how intimately seeking God and holding true to His commandments will produce the ability to
lead others in the truest form of the word. The ultimate precedent of leadership is Christ who
showed the perfect example of humility as even when he was sought after by those who wanted
to hear his teachings, and fawned over by those in his circle, he only wanted to serve others well
instead of being served himself. Blanchard writes, “As leaders who desire to lead like Jesus, we-
like Jesus-need the core value of love to be the why, how, and what of all we do.”3 The
importance of understanding how to keep Christ at the center of our leadership goals plays a key
2 Howell, Don N., Servants of the Servant: A Biblical Theology of Leadership, Eugene, OR. Wipf & Stock
Publishers. 2003. (30).
3Blanchard, Kenneth, H., and Hodges, P. Lead Like Jesus: Lessons for Everyone from the Greatest Leadership
Role Model of All Time, Nashville, TN. Thomas Nelson, 2008. (44).
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role in how effective that leadership will be. Howell writes, “The horizontal dimension of service
in the new covenant is central to a second set of terms attested in Jesus’ teachings.”4
Philosophy
Christian leaders must choose to represent the Kingdom of God through their teaching
and most importantly through their actions. As Malphurs writes, “Godly character is the essential
ingredient that qualifies Christians to lead others.”5 The church body will see and respond to how
they are led, and if there is even a slight variance between what is being preached and how the
one preaching is orchestrating their own life, most will at a minimum, leave the congregation,
and at worst, walk away from the faith entirely. Now this doesn’t mean that Christian leaders
need to be perfect, as we know that is not an achievable goal, however, to strive to follow Jesus
in a manner that is above reproach should always be at the center of a leader’s life and visible to
those he leads.
A solid foundation of biblical truths is necessary to forming the proper philosophy
surrounding how to lead effectively. The process begins with a strong belief in who God is and
what he wants to accomplish in the individual leader’s life. After all, the goal should be to
showcase the glory of God through the work we do as leaders. Then, advancing the Kingdom by
allowing Jesus to develop the skills required to effectively lead within us is vital to our success
as leaders and human beings. God does this by allowing us to go through lessons that shape our
philosophy into a view that is more like Jesus. Blanchard writes, “The first aspect of leading like
Jesus is understanding that such leadership is a transformational journey.”6
4 Howell, Don N., Servants of the Servant: A Biblical Theology of Leadership, Eugene, OR. Wipf & Stock
Publishers. 2003. (13).
5 Malphurs, A., Being Leaders: The Nature of Authentic Christian Leadership. Grand Rapids, MI. Baker
Books. 2003. (18).
6 Blanchard, Kenneth, H., and Hodges, P. Lead Like Jesus: Lessons for Everyone from the Greatest Leadership
Role Model of All Time, Nashville, TN. Thomas Nelson, 2008. (35).
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Methods and Models
Scripture sets the tone for individuals in adjusting to a particular leadership style. The
importance of understanding and settling into a leadership style that fits individual personality
goes a long way into being able to convey the expectations that are combined with teaching
lessons successfully. A great example of this process is Moses. Initially, he feared being a leader
and believed he was inadequate to carry out the tasks God had placed in front of him. Over time,
and with God’s help, he became comfortable with the idea that he was chosen by God to lead
Israel to the destination God had ordained for them. About Moses, Howell writes, “Moses is
memorialized as one whose passionate pursuit of God’s presence and selfless intercession for his
people, sets him apart as a servant of the Lord.”7 Most leaders display passion for the industry
they have chosen, yet a Christian leader is expected to show how that passion is in congruence
with God’s plan. God has shown that he alone has the ability to call anyone into a leadership
position perfectly, and only those who accept a servanthood understanding that places God’s will
above theirs and others will be fruitful.
Jesus showed this in how he chose and taught his disciples. He was questioned by many
as to why he picked sinners who were fishermen and tax collectors, even by the individuals
themselves. Yet, displayed his ability to select each individual with a specific plan in mind on
how they would lead his ministry after his physical death.
Within the structure of Christian Ministry there are two significant types of leaders
chosen to represent God to the community. The first is Overseer, which encompasses a director
role to effectively command the vision set before him from God and establish the parameters to
7 Howell, Don N., Servants of the Servant: A Biblical Theology of Leadership, Eugene, OR. Wipf & Stock
Publishers. 2003. (7).
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execute said vision. According to Malphurs, this is known as a level 5 leaders, and she writes,
“level 5 leaders are those rare individuals who are able to transform a good organization into a
great one.”8 The second is the Diplomat, which embraces a more supportive leadership style, and
according to Malphurs, “They struggle in situations where there is bickering and disharmony
because they lead best in areas such as small groups and counseling, where more support may be
needed.”9
Leadership Culture
All Christian leaders share the common goal of building and cultivating a ministry that
seeks to do the will of God. To do this properly, a serious examination of self must take place,
with certain questions needing to be asked of themselves and answered as well. Of some of the
more important questions, such as, has God called me to ministry, am I living a life that reflects
the one true Gospel, and is my character that of a leader who will draw people closer to Jesus?
Malphurs writes, “The principle is that God is sovereign and rules over all affairs of his creation,
meaning, he ultimately chooses who to appoint and who to remove.”10 To work effectively
within this parameter, church leaders should be able to recognize when a leader becomes
ineffective and take the appropriate steps to bring another along to fill the role adequately. This
can be done by understanding the guidelines set out within Scripture that point to the
qualifications of being a leader in the church, as 1 Timothy outlines these principles.
The process of instructing and raising great church leaders is not unlike the process of
sanctification that takes place when a person accepts Jesus as their Savior and He begins a work
8 Malphurs, A., Being Leaders: The Nature of Authentic Christian Leadership. Grand Rapids, MI. Baker
Books. 2003. (13).
9 Malphurs, A., Being Leaders: The Nature of Authentic Christian Leadership. Grand Rapids, MI. Baker
Books. 2003. (98).
10 Malphurs, A., Being Leaders: The Nature of Authentic Christian Leadership. Grand Rapids, MI. Baker
Books. 2003. (149).
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in them that He has promised to complete. Pursuing those who are called to be in leadership by
being supportive, instructive, and relational aligns directly with the pursuit by Christ to those
who have become a new creation in Him. Remaining focused on how God wants church leaders
to lead His flock is of utmost importance and is rooted in accountability and structure that must
be adhered to. Pursuing Christ creates that sense of structure and holding oneself accountable to
God first enables an effective leader to hold others accountable in a way that is pleasing to the
Lord.
Missional Connection (My Plan)
My leadership plan is to maintain a clear objective that encompasses a faithful obedience
to the commandments of Christ, while portraying the importance of faith, grace, and love that
Jesus himself displayed to the extent that he died for them. Although I have created this plan for
my church, I believe it is necessary to be able to convey this plan to all church ministries, as this
is an example of the leadership that Christ embraced and proved to be most valuable.
The Great Commission sets the bar high but is attainable through the provisions God is
willing to give to those who are faithful to Him in word and deed. The first step is to submit
myself to Christ in seeking his vision for me and where ai fit in His church body. Second,
establishing a servant’s heart in how I submit to the leaders God has placed over me, while still
maintaining accountability for them to ensure the true Gospel is being delivered, not just to the
congregation, but also to the leaders within the church. Thirdly, to do the work required to out
myself in a position that allows me to pass on the knowledge I have attained from God and my
relationship with Him in prayer and biblical study, and also from those who are more
experienced and knowledgeable regarding how to be effective leaders. Lastly, I fully believe that
equipping those who I lead, whether in a small group, youth ministry, or another aspect of
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ministry, is essential in building relationships that will grow individuals in their own faith and
walk with God.
As a recovered alcoholic, God has given me a heart to help those like me, who are
struggling to find how to get past this addiction. The importance of my ability to show how I
relate to what they’re going through is paramount in leading them out of their addiction. I believe
that the relational aspect of a recovery ministry is the number one way alcoholics are brought to
a place where they will be more apt to allow the walls they have put up to be taken down. This
can’t happen if they believe I have no dog in the fight. While I look to Christ to give me strength
to continue this battle, I can also show others how He can and will enable them to overcome.
My role as a leader in this type of ministry must be developed into how I can show that
alcoholism, although a strong and powerful opponent, can be defeated and is not as hopeless as
one may feel. My ability to convey this powerful message can be life changing for the alcoholic
as the primary goal of staying sober will be replaced with a better outcome of becoming an
obedient follower of Jesus.
From a leadership standpoint, my ability to equip those whom I lead, must be my primary
focus as the knowledge I have accumulated isn’t worth much if I can’t teach how I received it.
Alcoholics Anonymous has a saying that in sobriety, the only way to keep what I have received
is to give it away. This essentially means acts of service, to include reaching out to fellow
members, volunteering to be a part of different events that show unity within the group, and
making sure I stay up to speed on the literature is of great value.
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I believe that by making disciples through sharing what God has done for me in this
disease, can, and in some cases, will, deter a younger generation of believers from making the
drastic mistake of not understanding the dangerous effects of alcohol.
Conclusion
In conclusion, effective leadership must come from placing oneself under a subservient
role to Christ first. This is a must for any person who desires a role in Christian leadership, and
to be able to serve others well, we must realize the importance of developing a firm and
immovable understanding of the Gospel, and how to relate that to those we lead. Placing
strategic parameters around our leadership plan by focusing on the importance of being
relational, and intentional about holding ourselves accountable to God, is the best way to lead
others to the ultimate ending, which is growth in their relationship with the Creator.
Bibliography
Blanchard, Kenneth, H., and Hodges, P. Lead Like Jesus: Lessons for Everyone from the Greatest Leadership
Role Model of All Time, Nashville, TN. Thomas Nelson, 2008.
Howell, Don N., Servants of the Servant: A Biblical Theology of Leadership, Eugene, OR. Wipf & Stock
Publishers. 2003.
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Malphurs, A., Being Leaders: The Nature of Authentic Christian Leadership. Grand Rapids, MI. Baker
Books. 2003.
