It has been observed that the main thing is to do the main thing. Leaders, for example, must lead. Yet there appears to be a lack of good leadership in nearly every strata of our society.
It seems there is always a need for good and godly leaders in churches and denominations. People who hold leadership positions, such as pastors or denominational leaders, are expected to lead. We asked three people in leadership positions in our denomination for their opinions about leadership.
Frank Page, president and chief executive officer of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, said, “Leadership is one of the most talked about subjects in 21st-century America. In spite of this, there is still a deep lack of true leadership exhibited in too many places.”
South Carolina Baptist Convention president Ralph Carter added, “Almost weekly I hear people bemoan the lack of leadership we see in our country. What has happened to our leaders? Where have they gone?” Carter pointed out that political leaders refuse to take a stand without positive poll numbers, and educators and administrators seem to “be more in step with the professors who trained them than the communities who pay them. Preachers don’t fare any better. They have become less concerned with their message and more concerned with their mannerisms. How they preach becomes more important than what they preach.”
Jim Austin, executive director-treasurer of the South Carolina Baptist Convention, listed five traits he believes mark a true leader: a heart of gratitude, worthy goals, grace in relationships, taking initiative, and being someone who seeks God’s glory. He stated, “A leader cannot dilly dally. A leader has to determine not just the right intention, but also that the intention be followed by the right action. A true leader is not in ministry to gain the applause of men, but rather to glorify God, for His great name to be praised.”
Page referred to the good counsel given to the king of Israel in 2 Kings 12:7, which was not followed then but is good counsel for today: “If you will be a servant to these people today, and serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.” That verse, Page says, is “exampled powerfully by our Lord Jesus when he called for servant leadership. In a day where the CEO model is lifted high, we need to return to Scripture, which calls us to a gentle, Christlike, yet strong, leadership — like that of our Lord Jesus.”
Carter emphasized the importance of a leader’s convictions. “Good leaders know what they believe and why they believe it,” he said. “They are convinced that the path they have chosen to lead those they serve is the right path. Their convictions make the difficult decision all leaders face manageable. They know that no matter how difficult the decision is, it is best for those they serve.” Adding to that point, Austin underscored the power of grace. “While goals keep us going in the right direction, grace keeps us sensitive to the needs of those around us,” he said. “A leader strives to understand and encourage those he works with.”
While all three of these men who hold leadership positions pointed out different facets of leadership, they all agree on the simple, yet essential, truth: Leaders must lead.