Leadership Traits for All Generations
Bruce Raley

The topic of leadership seems to have taken on new emphasis in recent years. Books by the dozens are available on the subject. Corporate America is rapidly moving from the vertical chain of command type of leadership to the horizontal team approach. With all of this taking place, leadership within churches is likewise being affected.

Perhaps one reason for the change in the perception of leadership is generational. Studies have shown that different generations within the church view leadership differently. Senior adults are likely to respond differently to leadership than young adults. However, some leadership characteristics are necessary for every effective leader, regardless of the congregation he or she serves.

A church leader must exemplify that he is a child of God

During my years in the educational ministry, I have discovered that the busyness of the work can get in the way of my relationship to my Lord. We can become so wrapped up in the work of the church that we fail to plan needed time with God.

Leaders must have an ongoing relationship with the Lord. It is not just important; it is essential that the church leader spend time in prayer, Bible study, and meditation on the Word of God. The only way to have a relationship with God is to have time with Him. These times cannot be just worship service times or Bible study preparation times but personal, one-on-one time with God.

A leader must be a person of integrity

As children of God, our lives should be set apart. Our conduct should be upright. Our speech should be encouraging. Our lives should be examples. Our Creator made persons unique. People have different personalities, temperaments, gifts, and leadership styles. Yet even with all this diversity, every church leader should have this characteristic in common: Each church leader should be a man or woman of integrity.

A leader must also be a learner

No person has ever arrived when it comes to knowledge. The true educator has a desire to continue learning in order to be more effective.

In the past, leaders were the source of information. Information was power. As long as leaders knew more about the subject than the crowd, they commanded the right to lead. That phenomenon is quickly becoming obsolete. In the age of technology and information, the ability to obtain information is readily available. No longer is a leader necessary in order to obtain information. A trained person can get almost any information desired within a few seconds today. Keep these four things in mind:

• The leader who is not knowledgeable and growing in ministry will soon relegate that position of leadership.
• People will only follow the leader who is knowledgeable, constantly learning and growing.
• People will follow leaders who know where they are going.
• The church leader must constantly be learning about the church, community, trends, attitudes, societal changes, technology, education advances, and more.

A leader must love

Many other leadership characteristics can be listed, but none is more important than love. People do not care how much you know until first they know how much you care. Love must be the foundation on which all of our ministry within the church is built. First Corinthians 13:8 tells us that love never fails. Always remember that the education ministry is not our work but the Lord’s. If people know that the leader loves God and loves them, they will even overlook mistakes and failures. Styles and methods may differ, but every leader should be one who has a growing relationship with God, a person of integrity, a learner, and one who loves the people.

Bruce Raley is minister of education, First Baptist Church, Panama City Beach, Florida.