ELDER’S TRAINING SEMINAR
Based on the Elder’s Handbook
Ministerial Association of the General Conference
www.ministerialassociation.com
Leadership
Styles
Chapter 3 – Part 4
Leadership Styles
Leaders must lead.
• Elders should be many things, but one thing they
must be are spiritual leaders.
• Leadership is more than maintenance.
• They are dedicated to both spiritual and
numerical growth in the congregation.
• They are perpetually looking for a better way to
do things.
Leadership Styles
Leaders must lead!
• They need to be able to deal with criticism.
• Spiritual guide and support for the congregation.
• Encourage changes.
• Lead the congregation out of a
maintenance/survival mentality.
• Foster an envisioning/growth mentality.
Leadership Styles
What is style of leadership?
• Is the method that leaders use to influence
and motivate their followers toward the
accomplishment of their goals.
Leadership Styles
Unsuitable leadership styles.
• Styles that employ fear and threats to motivate
their followers.
• The use of authority of their position to force
and manipulate their followers to action.
Leadership Styles
Unsuitable style of leadership.
• The use of anger and forceful language to impose
their influence.
• Authoritarian and autocratic methods are not
appropriate for use in God’s church. These methods
arise out of wrong motives.
• The use of wrong leadership methods produces little
lasting results.
Leadership Styles
New Testament style.
• Use authority of the love of Christ.
• Serve with humility.
• Motivating their followers by example.
• A Spirit-filled life.
“Whoever desires to become great among you shall
be your servant... Whoever of you desires to be
first shall be slave of all.”
Mark 10:43, 44.
Leadership Styles
The Leader as servant.
• Christian leadership is servant leadership.
• Servanthood, of course, is not servitude.
• This style of leadership will require you to sacrifice,
but it will produce results that will last for eternity.
“I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means
save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may
be partaker of it with you.”
I Corinthians 9:19-23
Leadership Styles
The leader as enabler.
• Consider highly the spiritual gifts and abilities of
everyone.
• Train them to use those abilities to the glory of God.
• Do not suppress the suggestions of the members.
Leadership Styles
The leader as enabler.
• Encourage them to express their opinions and ideas.
• Talk less and listen more.
• Act upon their suggestions when appropriate.
• Encourage - Equip – Train
Leadership Styles
Revelation 4: 7
• This passage suggests the leadership style
according to the model of Jesus Christ.
1. LION: Power, Lordship, Authority.
This is the figure of Jesus in the gospel of Matthew.
Jesus comes from linage of the king David.
2. BULL: Service - Leader Servant.
This is the figure of Jesus in the gospel of Mark.
“The Son of Man ... came to serve ...” Mark 10:45.
Leadership Styles – Jesus model
3. MAN: Identification – likeness – Similarity.
This is the figure of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke.
Jesus talked to Gentiles, women, and exalted the
figure of the good Samaritan.
4. FLYING EAGLE: Vision – Broadness.
This is the figure of Jesus in the Gospel of John.
Jesus is a leader that was able to see what others
couldn’t. Because He was God.
Leadership Styles
• “Who wants to become great among you must be
your servant, and whoever wants to be first must
be the slave of all. For even the Son of Man did
not come to be served, but to serve, and give His
life as a ransom for many”
Mark 10: 44-45.