WE KNOW FROM SCRIPTURE THAT GOD IS CONSTANTLY ON THE LOOK OUT FOR LEADERS
- “The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth…” 2 Chronicles 16:9a NLT
- Simply put: God is constantly on the look out for the right kind of people to call into spiritual leadership.
BUT THE QUESTION BEGS: WHAT SPECIFICALLY DOES GOD LOOK FOR?
- And the answer is: People who have the right kind of heart.
- God wants to put in leadership “…those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” 2 Chronicles 16:9b NLT
- When God is evaluating someone’s suitability for leadership, “…the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 NLT
- God chose David to lead Israel because he was “…a man after his own heart.” 1 Samuel 13:14a NLT That is, God knew he was someone “…who will do all my will.” Acts 13:22 ESV
- God told the people of Israel, “But this is the one to whom I will look [i.e., this is the one I’m drawn to]: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.” Isaiah 66:2 ESV Humble means he’s not self-reliant, rather dependent on God. Contrite in spirit means he’s broken over sin. Trembles at My word means he takes God’s commands seriously; revering His authority. And God desires to have in leadership someone with this kind of heart.
- As we study Nebuchadnezzar’s criteria for leadership (Daniel 1:3-4), much of it was external. He wanted those without blemish (i.e., no deformities, disabilities, or noticeable physical defects), those of good appearance (i.e., attractive, pleasing to look at), etc. But as God reminded Samuel “…man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 ESV
FROM THIS WE LEARN WHAT JESUS LOOKED FOR IN A LEADER
Like God the Father, God the Son looked for people with the right kind of heart.
- We know that Jesus took about a year before calling the Twelve. Why did he take so long? Why didn’t he appoint them right away? Well, he was confirming he had the right kind of people.
- During that first year Jesus attracted a group of disciples to himself (Luke 6:13). And he no doubt was observing who was eager and willing to serve, who was faithful, who was teachable, etc.
- But he didn’t rely solely on observation to make his decision. Why? Because not everything he was looking for was directly observable (such as the state of someone’s heart).
- Why couldn’t Jesus see this? Well, back in heaven Jesus had independent use of divine prerogatives (such as seeing into peoples hearts), but when Jesus came to earth he gave up independent use of such prerogatives (Philippians 2:7), voluntarily limiting himself to know only that which the Holy Spirit chose to reveal.
- Therefore, Jesus cried out to God in prayer (Luke 6:12) for the ability to spiritually discern (and confirm) who had the right stuff where it mattered the most—in the heart.
WHAT DID THE APOSTLE PAUL LOOK FOR?
We are given insight into the answer as we consider the following two questions:
Why did Paul select Timothy for leadership in the church?
- Because “He was well spoken of by the brothers…” Acts 16:2 (ESV)
- This speaks to his godly reputation.
- Timothy had demonstrated godly character and faithful service over time, which resulted in a good reputation in the church.
And why did Paul likewise select Titus to lead the church?
- Paul was raising money for poor Jewish believers in Jerusalem and needed someone to go to Corinth to collect their offering.
- And Paul said of Titus that he went “…of his own accord…” (2 Co 8:17c ESV) and was “…very earnest…” (2 Co 8:17b ESV). That is, he volunteered and was eager to serve where needed.
- So Titus was 1) willing and 2) eager.
Bringing this all together we might say that Paul looked for people who were willing and eager to serve (like Titus), and then faithfully discharged their duties (like Timothy). And all three of these things (willingness, eagerness, faithfulness) are godly character qualities that spring from the right kind of heart. So Paul was right in line with God the Father and God the Son in that he looked for the godly character traits that revealed a godly heart.
SO WHAT SHOULD WE LOOK FOR IN A LEADER?
We should look for people who demonstrate certain behaviors—the behaviors that reveal a right heart.
- Look for someone with a godly reputation (Galatians 5:22). Ask yourself: Does this person ooze the fruit of the Spirit? Watch them during worship. Do they passionately worship God? Listen to what they talk about. Godly people talk about the things of God. Listen for examples of them sharing their faith with others. The right kind of people are forever sharing their faith.
- Look for someone who is willing and eager to serve (1 Peter 5:2). With some people you really have to twist their arm to get them to do whatever it is you’ve asked. And then there are those who receive assignments joyfully and then do them willingly and eagerly–and that’s who you want to promote.
- Look for someone who has been faithful (Luke 16:10). Ask yourself: Have they been faithful in little? If they haven’t been faithful with little, they won’t be faithful with much. Never increase someone’s influence and responsibility in our church unless they’ve proven themselves faithful with little first. As great as it is to be willing and eager to serve, that in itself isn’t enough. That eagerness and willingness must be matched by faithfulness.
- Look for someone who understands and practices submission to authority (Hebrews 13:17). If (as a volunteer) they haven’t followed whatever policies/standards you’ve issued, they will never make a good Team Lead. Before you are qualified to be in authority, you have to first prove that you know how to be under authority. So if they’ve bucked the rules, that’s not someone you want to put into a position of greater influence in our church.
- Look for someone who has proven they have a teachable spirit (Proverbs 9:8-9). Solomon writes “Reprove a wise man, and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.” Proverbs 9:8–9 (ESV) Reproof means correction — pointing out where someone is wrong or needs adjustment. While receiving correction is not enjoyable in the moment, the wise man ultimately loves correction because he sees it as a gift that helps him grow. Don’t assume someone has this kind of disposition. Test them before inviting them into leadership and confirm they have the right attitude when receiving correction.
These are the observable externals that give us insight into what kind of heart someone has. And we should only be promoting those who demonstrate what we’re looking for.