Written by Steven Rosenbaum

Do you have the leadership gene? One might argue that some individuals are genetically predisposed to lead because of certain personality traits or inherent qualities. Chances are that you—as a reader of this article—are yourself a leader: a teacher, a principal, a pastor, a lay leader, a parent. While some may have characteristics that are generally perceived as leadership traits, leadership is something that can—and should—be taught.

To quote Secretary of the Air Force Sheila E. Widnall on the need for training specifically for leadership (as cited in Krasimir, et al., 1996, p. 9-10): “Leaders don’t just appear—they are molded. The Air Force is not handed leaders, we must develop them…Out of these halls will come tomorrow’s Billy Mitchells and Hap Arnolds. They are our hope for the future, not only for the Air Force, but for the nation.”

Our world is in desperate need of quality leadership. One does not need to read too much news before stumbling across examples of betrayed trust, exploitation, and manipulation committed by people of power and influence. The following quote is just one example:

Corporate leaders exploit privileges of position, bringing ruin to employees and investors.  Meanwhile, citizens of underdeveloped countries languish in poverty and hopelessness in a leadership vacuum. Church leaders experience crises of integrity, compromising their churches and breeding skepticism and disillusionment. Families and personal relationships drift away from mutual commitment and head toward battlegrounds of self-absorbed conflict over rights to individual fulfillment (Blanchard and Hodges, 2005, p. 3).

With each passing day, the need for strong Christian leadership becomes more apparent. We live in a society where non-Christian morals are becoming more the norm. Like-gender marriage, transgender individuals, and tolerance of all things stand in the face of young Christians. To whom do they look for guidance? As social mores continue to disintegrate, we need to make a deliberate effort to train up strong Christian leaders for the Lord, leaders who expect stark opposition to the Way yet are willing and ready to make a stand for their Savior.

In an effort to address this need, I set out to compile a curriculum designed to teach leadership through the light of God’s Word to secondary students. You can access the curriculum here. At the introduction of this curriculum, fewer than half of the students perceived themselves to be leaders or potential leaders. By the end of the curriculum, each of the students perceived himself or herself as a potential leader, willing to serve wherever God would have them serve. I am convinced that leadership can be taught. It should be taught. Under God’s blessing, this curriculum may be a tool that serves you well in training future leaders, some of whose quotes follow.

“I feel like I learned more about being a leader and about how to take charge and also about being kind to others. Also learning more things about leaders in the Bible,” wrote one student. Summing up his experience, another offered, “I learned many new leadership skills and was able to grow as a person and a believer. I feel like I’m a more responsible person, and been more involved in school” while another said, “I feel like I learned a lot of new leadership skills that will definitely help me throughout college and as a future teacher. I can teach my students to be good Christian leaders, as well, in everything they do.” Yet one more penned, “I’ve grown more confident; I needed the lift it gave me for college.”

Whether in the corporate world or in the church, whether in the military or at home, leadership is part of the Christian’s sanctified life. So we turn to Scripture for guidance. Consider Paul’s instructive words to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Certainly in the world of leadership, the Word is “a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (Psalm 119:105).

Maybe you are born to lead. Maybe you are already a leader. Maybe you are in a position to mold the leaders of tomorrow. President John Quincy Adams once said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, then you are a leader.” Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:11-12, “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service . . .”

On your mark, get set, lead! Then teach others to lead.

Steven Rosenbaum (DMLC ’86) is the principal of California Lutheran High School in Wildomar, California.

References

 Blanchard, K., & Hodges, P. (2005). Lead like Jesus. Nashville, TN: W Publishing Group.

Krasimir, V., et al. (1996). The teaching of leadership: A comparative analysis. The Directorate of Research at Air Command and Staff College. Retrieved from www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/acsc/96-057.pdf   [July 1, 2014]