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Verse:“My people have been lost sheep. Their shepherds have led them astray; They have turned them away on the mountains.” —Jeremiah 50:6
Many books have been written on the subject of leadership.
But few books include as many important case studies on leadership as does the Bible. For forty years, Moses led God’s people through the wilderness to the borders of the Promised Land, dealing, along the way, with insurrection, rebellion, and complaint. Joshua led Israel into Canaan, defeating (and being defeated by) opposing nations. David, though flawed, was a great leader of God’s people.
And the leadership of Solomon facilitated the construction of the magnificent temple in Jerusalem. Second Chronicles 21:11 says that King Jehoram of Judah “caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit harlotry, and led Judah astray.” Jehoram led an entire nation into sin. Leaders can be hugely influential, and faithfulness to God is a key characteristic of truly effective Christian leaders.
In Jeremiah 50, God addresses the unfaithfulness of His people, and what He says regarding leadership is sobering: “Their shepherds have led them astray; they have turned them away on the mountains” (verse 6).
While acknowledging that His people have wandered, God places much of the responsibility for the unfaithfulness of the people on their spiritual leaders. Those shepherding the flock of God are liable to a significant degree for the spiritual health of those they serve and are called to be faithful in exhorting, encouraging, and guiding. Those in positions of church leadership have a responsibility to be more than wise managers and astute planners. Those God calls to lead in the church are to be spiritual, committed to God, and dedicated to the message and mission of the church. Most importantly, they must be Christian —Christlike, striving to surrender to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. In the early Christian church, even the deacons were “full of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:3). Those whom God calls into positions of leadership will be relentlessly opposed by the enemy of souls. It is important to pray for those in leadership roles. And those who accept the call to leadership must also pray that their leadership will reflect the character of Christ and encourage others to live lives of faithfulness to God.