Bob Hamp

Spiritual Leadership is a role like nothing else I know.  This role may or may not have anything to do with running a religious organization like a church or a ministry.  It is almost a contradiction in terms because leadership carries the connotation of going first, and the tag, “spiritual” carries the meaning of going last.  So what does one “do” if others consider them a spiritual leader.

Often we see leaders as those who stand out front and call the shots.  They give direction and in some cases directives.  Vision and strategy and those kind of things are the most common currency of leaders.  Are these also the marks of spiritual leaders?

Because the spiritual Kingdom we inhabit and promote is so contrary to the world system with which we are familiar, we need to consider carefully where leadership in one Kingdom diverges from leadership in the other.  If we look to Jesus as our prime example it may significantly undermine some of our thoughts about leadership.

A spiritual leader leads by being the first to go into the difficult places, and then, by simply being there, invites others to follow.  Places like the foot of the cross, where our weaknesses are our qualifications, and our failures are on display. Places like the recesses of our soul, where God is glorified by doing what a Redeemer and a Healer does best.  As a leader goes first into these places, he too can become familiar with sorrow and acquainted with grief like the One we follow.  As a leader goes first into these places others find the freedom to follow, knowing that they will find meaningful company in these places.

A spiritual leader helps others find their true identity and identification, rather than roles that serve some outward mission.  If the destination is helping others become who God created them to be, your strategy to accomplish this cannot be contrary to the stated goal.  Free people free people, and people under compulsion will find it difficult to reproduce anything but compulsory performance. Those who find their God connected self, cannot help but fulfill their God-given mission.

A spiritual leader must engage in the lives of those being lead.  Jesus Himself left the comforts of a distant realm and entered not only the land of humans but the body of one.  He did not leave Himself room to back out.  The Kingdom is not only within us, it is among us. Somewhere in the connection between us, and the ways we connect the Kingdom is manifested.  We have tasks to accomplish, but none of them can ever be more valuable than the people involved and the God-given identity that Jesus died for.

While a leader may at times have to make some hard calls, and give tough directives, having done so first in his or her own life gives them the right and the grace to do so in the lives of others. The hardest decisions and most difficult confrontations need to be those we allow God to speak into us as we lead.

Spiritual leadership….where are we taking those who follow?