What Is a Good Leader?

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Recently I read an article by Rajeev Peshawaria entitled, “Who Defines Good Leadership?” (Peshawaria is the CEO of the Iclif Leadership and Governance Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.) The author contended that being an effective leader requires the leader “develop laser-sharp clarity about your purpose, a better future that you want to create based on the values you believe your company should embrace.” He then goes on to list a variety of historically effective leaders.

Peshawaria throws a curve to the standard leadership article when he asks, “Who should decide if a leader’s purpose creates the best future and what values should guide that purpose?” In short, the question is, “What makes a good leader?”

For example, Peshawaria claims, “In my leadership programs and seminars, people will ask if Hitler and Osama bin Laden were good and effective leaders. If we assess leadership only from the point of view of motivating people toward a desired end, then both men were extremely effective leaders. But were they good leaders?”

It occurs to me that some of the problem might be in the way we loosely throw around the word “good.” We use “good” to describe pleasurable chocolate cake, effective employees, dynamic movies, and so forth. But what if “good” means something else? What if it means, as the ancients thought, something that is beneficial, wholesome, pure? Putting the question that way changes the dynamic. Was Hitler a good leader? He effectively motivated people, but his desired end was abhorrent.

Returning to an original definition of “good” means that asking whether or not someone is a “good leader” is really rooted in whether or not they are a “good person.” A “good person” will make a “good leader” (remember that effectiveness is a separate question!).

Back to Peshawaria’s question: “Who defines good leadership?” For Christians, our answer is as follows: “The same as who defines goodness.”

Remember a similar exchange from the Gospels? A rich young man came to Jesus and said, “Good Teacher…” Jesus responded, “Why do you call me good? There is none good but God.” Jesus’ response was subtle: “If you truly see me as good, then what are you seeing?” There is none good but God. God is revealed in Jesus. Therefore, goodness is revealed in Jesus.

Who defines good leadership? Jesus. In Jesus we see the revelation of a new way of being human and thus a new way of being a leader. This way of being is based on the in-breaking Kingdom of God that is contrary to the rulers and empires and corporations of this world. The power of that way of being comes from the presence and activity of the Holy Spirit rather than from accumulated might, wealth, position, or other tools of seduction and intimidation.

Essentially, a good leader looks like someone who has learned and received life from Jesus. We have a lot of leadership models and a lot of leadership theories - “Of the making of many books there is no end” (Ecclesiastes 12:12).

Maybe it is time for Christian leaders to start again with Jesus?

Ash Wednesday 2012

For at least 1,300 years, Christians have marked the beginning of Lent, the season of preparation for Easter, with the observance of Ash Wednesday. The service is a time of the beginning of "Spring Cleaning" for the soul with verbal and physical acts of repentance. Part of that service involves imposing ashes on the head - a practice showing sorrow picked up from the Old Testament. As the repentant believer worships, ashes are placed on his/her forehead with the following words, "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."

Stark words. Sobering words. Penetrating words. Helpful words.

The ashes remind us of the shortness of life. "What is your life but a vapor? It appears for a little while and then vanishes away" remarks St. James (4.14). If life is so brief, what is truly important? The ashes make us prioritize.

The ashes remind us of our humble origins. From the dust of the earth the Lord God made man. For all our mighty deeds and wondrous accomplishments, we are still dust - and our God knows it (Psalm 103.14). The ashes keep us humble.

The ashes remind us of our uncleanness. Like the prophet, we remember that we are unclean among an unclean people (Isaiah 6.5). All our best deeds amount to filthy rags (Isaiah 64.6). The soot on the face is only indicative of the filth that so often lurks beneath the surface. The ashes keep us penitent.

The ashes remind us of God's mercy and the incredible possibility. Though we are but a vapor, though our lives are no stronger than dust, and though we walk among uncleanness, our God is gracious. He offers the hope of eternal life. He strengthens our frame by His Holy Spirit. He cleanses us through the blood of Jesus. We can be renewed, and our repentance is the beginning of that renewal. The ashes give us hope.

May God's grace be with us all during this Lent - may our homes and hearts be cleansed and made fit for the presence of the risen Lord Jesus!

What Happens When We Lose God?

Recently on a Sunday morning talk show in the United Kingdom, a shockingly horrific statement was made by so-called “advice columnist,” Virginia Ironside. The topic was covering a question about whether or not abortion could be considered a “kindness”. Other than apparently having some kind of advice following, I do not know the credentials of Ms. Ironside to speak on ethical issues. Nevertheless, she certainly considered herself authoritative and dived into the discussion with this argument:

“If a baby’s going to be born severely disabled or totally unwanted, surely an abortion is the act of a loving mother… If I were the mother of a suffering child – I mean a deeply suffering child – I would be the first to want to put a pillow over its face… My feeling of horror at suffering is much greater than my feeling of getting rid of a couple of cells because suffering can go on for years… If it was a child I really loved, who was in agony, I think any good mother would.” (You can see the whole thing here.)

We can be thankful that with that kind of horrific ambiguity, Ms. Ironside is not writing laws or determining cases before the court. One is left wondering exactly what kind of suffering Ms. Ironside would think worthy of murder. (Is she speaking only of abortion or post-natal existence as well? Should we limit it to a physical pain scale? How about the emotional distress of a teenager who had a bad prom date?)

Much of Virginia Ironside’s thinking on this subject should be attacked and dismantled. For the sake of brevity, I will address what is the foundational problem. Ms. Ironside’s argument is a logical outworking of a world-view in which God has been removed. Without the presence of a loving Creator, humans are left to determine life and death issues according to their own personal preference and whim. The sacredness of human life is swept aside in favor of a human nature that is essentially, “a couple of cells.”

In this worldview without God, the question of authority becomes one of power. Who makes these decisions for suffering children? The mother. Why? Because she is the only one with enough “might” in the situation to determine the course of action. Consequently what is exposed is that as a mother, Ms. Ironside would murder her suffering child not for the sake of the child, but because of her own “feeling of horror at suffering.” To put it another frightful way: “Your suffering severely distresses me. Since I am stronger, I will put a murderous end to that distress.”

We could go on, but the point is clear: without the presence of a loving, life-giving, governing Creator, humans are left without direction in the matters of greatest importance. Confusion on the very nature of life and authority ensues. Darkness shrouds the human existence making human purpose nothing more than to comfortably pass through life – and woe to you if you cannot comfortably pass through life for we will put a stop to your life!

As sickened as we might by Virginia Ironside, we must admit that she does not stand alone. Many others share her view – even some with governmental and social influence. Their ideas are the logical results of a worldview cut loose from the moorings of a Triune God. Ms. Ironside’s horror is a small taste of the challenges we face in our work of ministry in this world today.

Part of our purpose at Messenger College is to develop strong Christian minds who can engage these issues. We are called by God to shape Christian leaders who in spiritual maturity and power will grapple with the poisonous deception of our age and proclaim the truth revealed in Jesus Christ. This is and always has been God’s answer to a world gone mad. Pray with us that we will succeed in shaping the leaders who will carry God’s redemption into this mess, for with His power even this chaos can arise in new creation!

Maundy Thursday Reflections

Passion Wednesday Reflections

Passion Tuesday Reflection

Here is a link to a video message:

Passion Tuesday Reflection

The Jesus Prayer (referenced in video):

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.

This prayer is prayed constantly in the heart and uttered quietly whenever possible.

2 Corinthians 1.8-22

Feel free to comment!

The Way of Jesus

"I am the way, the truth, and the life..." (Jesus Christ, John 14:6)

I was struck today by a statement I heard today from Benedict XVI: "The way of Jesus is the right way to be human."

There is a lot of power packed in that short statement. In his book, The Jesus Way, Eugene Peterson argues that we've emphasized the truth and life of Jesus, but not so much the way of Jesus.

As we pray, meditate, and worship our way through this Passion week, what does the way of Jesus look like? What does it look like for each of us in our respective lives to flesh out that way?
If the way of Jesus is the right way to be human, what are the wrong ways we are told are the right ways? How does the Jesus Way contradict the world way, the flesh way, the sin way, and so forth?

Let's talk about it.