CHAPTER ONE
INTRODỤCTION
Background to the Study
The character and effectiveness of any church is directly related to the quality of its
leadership.1 That is why the bible stresses the significance of qualified church leadership and
delineates specific standards for evaluating those who would serve in the sacred position. The
refusal to adhere to the biblically enacted core values has caused the deterioration and vices that
churches face today throughout the globe.
Casey Treat rightly opine that when leaders are executing their obligations correctly and
effectively, every other thing will work. 2 This is because leadership is service. Leadership
structure in the church suffers ills as does that of the society. The success and progress of any
association, institution, business, group and community as a whole majority depends on the
leadership of such a group. This is a fact that can also be connected or traced in to the church of
God. There is an outcry over the moral and spiritual lives of the members of the society,
especially the Christians who supposed to be a model to be emulated, which have degenerated to
nothing but stinking corruption.
Today many organizations cry out for leadership, the church is not exempted. Beasley
Murray commented that, "Leadership is the key priority in the churches today "3 This could be
viewed especially in the evangelical churches because of their commitment to leading by
example among the believers and even to other people. The bad elements in politics, government
1
John MacArthur, The Master Plan for the Church (Chicago: Moody Press, 1991), 215.
2
Casey Treat, Church Management: Leading People in the church Growth (Benin City, Nigeria: Anointed
Ministries Publication, 1989), 2.
3
Paul Beasely Murray, Dynamic Leadership (East borne: Marc, 1990), 27.
parliaments and ministries can be described as the direct products of bad leadership in our
society. The church of God is what people are looking up to as a nucleus of the holy and a
purified people with a distinct and special character which emulated from Jesus Christ, the
greatest leader the world as ever recorded. Unfortunately, as numerous as church buildings are
and as plenteous as leaders with various degrees titles are, so also are immoralities and
ungodliness increase in an alarming rate in the church of God and in the society at large.
From an actual perspective, majority of the problem facing the church today could be
traced to its leadership. The leadership today is no longer what it used to be when compared with
early Christians. Calling into leadership then was not a thing of personal interest. Those that
were convinced of being called felt a burden for some causes or issues and began to seek God's
will through prayers. They saw their leadership position as a privilege to serve rather than to be
served. It was not a position easily rushed to, but attained only after it has been confirmed by the
prompting of the Holy Spirit or by any man of God that one is convinced about his relationship
with the Holy Spirit.
The fact today as negated our previous understanding about leadership. The church
leadership has become a position worth competing for in order to raise one standard, thus
resulting in rivalry and local politics among those struggling for the leadership position. The
voice of God is no longer the basis for church leadership as confirmed by Akanni where he said,
"There are a lot of personal assertions rather than heavenly introduction that genuine men of God
usually have." 4 Many church leaders waggled their ways into the ministry for financial and
material up-liftment. To complicate the issue, some called are lost in trance in the pursuit of
material gains.
4
Gbile Akanni, Pathway to Leadership (Gboko, Nigeria: Peace Publication, 2003), 11.
We are living in a complex society, the age known as computer age, where the world has
become a global village. We are in a time that almost everything is nearly changing every day.
The church needs competent leaders who will not only take the challenge of restoring honor to
the church of God but also revive the deteriorating spiritual condition of the people of God. This
could be done with a corroborating effort. John Mbiti opine that, “I am because you are; and
because you are, I am."5 No one can be an island.
To this end, the church needs to emulate an exemplary life of Joshua, the servant of
Moses, a man of faith, a man of courage, and of prayer who works towards his goals: A leader
with great integrity who is called, commissioned and willing to serve faithfully without any self
ambition. Indeed he was an excellent leader, organizer, administrator, manager and teacher.6 A
man who can work with a team and still achieve his set goals. For the most part, Christian
colleges teach very little to Christian leaders about how to lead people. This forces us to fall back
on information from outside the Kingdom and to apply secular leadership styles not Jesus'
leadership style. "Business gurus, with worldly outlooks, have developed these styles with the
aim of maximizing the benefit gained from the "human resource". Our role models become men
and women of power and status in the world."7
Statement of the Problem
This work will address the Jesus’ leadership style in Matthew 20:20-28, a lesson for
leadership in contemporary church. Good leadership is one of the problems affecting the church
today. Leadership in the church today has become a mere thing: and is not different from secular
5
John S. Mbiti, African Religion and Philosophy (New York: Double-day and Company, 1970),105.
6
James MC Gregor Burns: Leadership (New York: Harper and Row, 1978), 35.
7
Michael Yousseff, The Leadership Style of Jesus; A Foot Print for Contemporary Church Leaders (New
York: Calvary Publishing Company, 2000), 123.
leadership. It is obvious that many people desire such positions are just lusting for power while,
most ministers desire it just to have access to lord it over people and sit over finance, church
property, over many and everything that give expression to self. That is why many have become
ineffective in the leadership role and have misplaced their priority. One of the problems of the
church today is inability to lead appropriately and this hinges on the part of the leadership
governance.
There has been an atmosphere of unchallengeable arbitrary use of power on the part of
many church leaders in our society today. Many of them have established themselves as an
absolute authority that cannot be questioned or queried. This is obvious in the way by which
some senior pastors and church leaders are lording it over their junior pastors. Reports have also
been given of how many church founders turned themselves to "gods" to be worshipped by their
congregation.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to examine the leadership of Jesus Christ, as understood by
the average Christian. The leadership traits and styles identified by the participants are compared
with current leadership theories. The findings uncover several unique leadership qualities, which
distinguish Jesus from all other leaders, and indicate that His leadership style cannot be totally
explained within the framework of one particular leadership model.
Therefore, this work serves as a check to the arbitrary and misuse of power on the part of
some church leaders, by showing the ideal method of leadership, which was exhibited by Jesus
and to call on church leaders for effective church administration, It desires to help church leaders
to re-examine their priority, focus, determined, commitment and so forth to their God's given
task, so as to be effective leaders that will lead the church to fulfill its purpose of existence.
Different acts of pastors' misconducts have been reported on radio, television and
newspaper for the seen autocratic style of leadership which emanate from their day to day
activities and deeds. Many church leaders of today are involved in some acts that are capable of
challenging the position they claim to occupy. Such acts as embezzlement and corruption, sexual
immoralities, cheating, oppression and so on they involve in without considering the previous
example of leaders who had gone before them.
Accordingly, a new model, pure Leadership, describing Jesus' distinctive leadership style
is proposed. Spiritual development implications are discussed. Thus, the purpose of this research
work could be summarized and stated as follows;

To look into the leadership pattern of Jesus and others that are identifiable in a contrast
and comparison.

To recognize the leadership style in this contemporary churches.

In order to check the correlation of the church's leadership style with Jesus' leadership
style.

To assume the implication of Jesus' style of leadership on the church and the society at
large.

The study aims at bringing the church to the knowledge of Jesus as an exemplary leader
for Christian educator, above all, it also aims at contributing to the knowledge of the
present and coming generations.
Significance of the Study
The researcher paper is very significant, on the note that is addressed a critical and
paramount urgent issue and the need of Christian leader at present, and the nearest future. This
work is significance because it is a notification and solution for the readers, outside and within
the Christian fold. In like manner, the findings are meant to guide leaders on every spheres to
recognize Jesus as a mentor, hence success without a mentor is relative.
Scope of the Study
The scope of this work is on the leadership style of Jesus for the contemporary church
leader. The work centres on Christian leaders from the biblical perspective. Stating the fact, the
whole of the Bible (Old and New Testament) is filled with the materials needed. In other word
for a concise scholarship and easy handling, this research is limited to the book of Matthew and
Jesus exemplary lifestyle.
Research method
The research methodologies adopted in this work are historical and exegetical. Historical
method is adopted in order to discover the reason behind Jesus’ way of leadership. The
exegetical method was adopted in order to discover and draw out the meaning of the text
Matthew 20:20-28 as it relates to contemporary church.