Discussions in what makes effective leaders are ones as long as history itself. It is a topic of constant study and debate where everyone seems to have a view and where definitions of leadership are as varied as their explanations. More recent day definitions and studies have focused on leadership and change, vision building and empowering others. Thus, leaders are people who are able to think and act creatively in non-routine situations – and who set out to influence the actions, beliefs and feelings of others. In this sense being a leader is personal. It flows from an individual’s qualities and actions. However, it is also often linked to some other role such as manager or expert. Here there can be a lot of confusion. Not all managers for example, are leaders; and not all leaders are managers. But what is true leadership and what model are we to follow? Who wrote the right book out of hundreds that can steer us in the right direction? The answer is in Matthew 20.
There are various ways people view or even approach leadership. Many people spend hours trying to find ways to be better leaders, always trying to find that “edge”. Many books are written about possessing certain qualities or characteristics, even applying certain principles to their way of leadership. Principles are not invented by us or society; they are the laws of the universe that pertain to human relationships and human organizations.” While some of these views can be good advice, it tends to shun the very model that we are supposed to follow in the first place. I will focus this paper on one main topic-Leadership; Leadership that is modeled by out Lord, Jesus Christ.
Management paradigms in the business world change constantly. Christian organizations often print or even recommend books or some type of media that relates to these paradigms. Why do they feel the need to publish these sorts of media? Many leaders struggle to perceive the biblical paradigm. Jesus mainly focused on one philosophy, one of servant hood and humility. Jesus modeled this paradigm in Matthew 20. He taught that principles of service and suffering form the basis of the leaders’ relationship to his peers. Jesus our Shepherd, is our leader, one who will leave the ninety nine for the one. Just to show us how much a leader should care about his subordinates and the future of his/her company. Leaders not only nurture and care for their employees, but build up the company and prepare it for the next generation. “The comparison leaders, concerned more with their own reputation for personal greatness, often failed to set the company up for success in the next generation. After all, what better testament to your personal greatness than that the place falls apart after you leave?”
Sheep are known to be the dumbest animals known to man. You want to see animals that are dumb as bricks? Get yourself some sheep. Animal lovers argue about animal intelligence. Pigs, they say, are really intelligent. Dog lovers discuss the intelligence of various breeds–with their dog in the top group, of course. But nobody argues about the intelligence of sheep. Let's face it. There's dumb. There's dumber. Then there are sheep. When Jesus referred to us as sheep, He wasn’t exactly throwing us a compliment. Like it or not, when Jesus referred to us as sheep, He was saying that without a shepherd, we are helpless. In John 10:11, Jesus stated: “I am the good Shepherd. The good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” It is within this very verse that we see the perfect paradigm of a Christian leader. In that verse we can see a perfect example that exudes sacrifice, service and humility.
The apostle Paul understood that a Christian leader is one who follows Christ and inspires others to follow him as well. Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 11:1: “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” A shepherd serves several different roles in regard to taking care of his sheep. The shepherd has various duties in regards to taking care of his sheep. The shepherd has the responsibilities of leading, feeding, nurturing & protecting the herd of sheep. In this regard the shepherd of the Lord’s flock leads by modeling godliness and righteousness in his own life and encourages others to follow his example.
Deuteronomy 8:3 states: “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” We as sheep need nourishment to be strong and vibrant Christians. This nourishment comes from one place and one place only-The Holy Bible. The Bible, not the psychology of the world’s wisdom, is the only nourishment that can sustain a healthy Christian lifestyle. Serving as our Good Shepherd, Christ will lead us to the most lush pastures and abundant streams.
Many Christians throughout history have faced persecution, have had to deal with temptation and have been wounded by spirits that mean to deter us from maximizing our spiritual potential. A shepherd, knowing one of his sheep is ailing, shows compassion and love towards his sheep. The Lord has promised us that he will “bind up the injured and strengthen the weak”. (Ezekiel 34:16) As Christians today, we suffer many injuries to our spirits and need compassionate leaders who understand our pain and are willing to listen to our concerns. “Becoming a servant leader requires a great deal of motivation, feedback, and extended practice, as does any worthwhile discipline.” We are in need of leaders who will help bear our burden, and sympathize with our unique circumstances. We as sheep need to be encouraged by the Word and through the Word, but ultimately, bring our concerns and heartaches before our Father in heaven. I learned a great deal of humility when I was 18 years old. I was rebellious towards my parents, and (at the time) family values meant nothing to me. It came to a point that my father had told me to leave the house, and was not welcome to stay there anymore. I had been so blessed with such a great set of parents. I was taught real, solid values. I was taught that a life without Christ is meaningless. I had taken them for granted, and couldn’t believe what I had heard from my dad. I was a sheep that had gone astray. Over the course of a year and a half, being the leader that he is, my father guided me and directed me on a new path, one that I was meant to be on. Real leaders correct and discipline, just as our Father in heaven corrects and disciplines us. “We discipline (train) because we care about people, because we want them to be the best we can be, and because it is our responsibility as the leader.” Proverbs 3:12 says “The Lord disciplines those he loves.” Correction and discipline is not easy for either party involved, not matter how much it hurts when you got spanked as a kid, your dad did it “because he loves you.” When I was a boy I never believed that for a second, but now I now know why dads all over the country spank their kids in the name of love. No matter where you look or read; whether it be over the internet, TV and media-The Bible is often described as quaint and old-fashioned, insufficient, unfounded, and even a fairy tale. Many Television programs have aired trying to debunk the “stories” or “theories” told in the Bible. It’s these types of accusations and preaching’s of false doctrine that Jesus has warned us about. Many people and spirits are out there today trying to rip out the Christian principles we live by day by day. Jesus warned against people like this in Matthew 7:15: “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” Like a shepherd, the Christian leader must be able to protect us for these false teachings that would lead us astray. Many shepherds who are lax in their approach will often find that their herd didn’t quite have the numbers it used to. Many sheep will be lead astray, and predators will be there to snatch them up. We must be alert at all times for we know not when our Lord will come. It is these false teachings that try to pull us away from the ultimate goal. We can take refuge in our Great Shepherd: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) I go back to my first quote of this paper. Mr. Covey states that principles are “laws of the universe” and that “they were not created by us.” Understanding that Mr. Covey needs to make a living and sell as many books as possible by appealing to a broad audience. However, in making that statement he denies that fact that it was God him self that created the universe in the first place! One vital piece of information is missing from that statement: If not us who identified principles, than who did?

Bibliography
Hunter, James
The world’s most powerful leadership principle
New York, NY
Crown Business
Copyright 2004

Covey, Stephen
Principle centered leadership
New York, NY
FIRESIDE-Simon & Shuster
Copyright 1991

Collins, Jim
From good to great
New York, NY
HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.
Copyright 2001

*All scripture quotations were sourced from:
The NIV Study Bible
Grand Rapids, MI
Zondervan Publishing House
1995