A Philosophy of Christian Leadership
PAPER • This paper makes a case for the biblical and theological underpinnings of Christian leadership, exploring key qualities and practices for effective leadership within the church. It integrates the Path-Goal Theory with the 4-R Model.
Read time: 21 min
Abstract
This position paper sets out to lay the biblical and theological foundations of Christian leadership, to elucidate essential qualities and practices of faithful and effective leaders, and to describe how I would go about teaching this philosophy of leadership to staff and volunteers in the local church. This paper also lays out the guiding principles of the Path-Goal Theory of Leadership, which advocates "leaders responding to follower needs in an effort to support goal accomplishment along defined paths." The purpose of this position paper is to foster healthy, team-based culture characterized by the values of gospel-driven ambition that celebrates small victories and inspires consistent personal growth as leaders. This will involve break-out sessions and workshops in which team leaders work through theoretical scenarios, thinking through their leadership style in terms of the Relationships, Roles, Responsibilities, and Results of the 4-R Model. ❖
