Leadership Fridays: "A leader is best when..."

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (Ephesians 4.11–16, emphasis mine)

The church does not exist to exalt its leaders. Leaders exist to equip the church in exalting Christ together so the body grows into one head (Christ) and builds itself up in love. Biblically successful leaders help the church make so much of Christ that they themselves become nearly invisible.

In the words of John the Baptist:

And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3.26–30)

Lead on, in that less visible place. May He increase in all your efforts.

Additional Resources
The end to which we toil and strive
Leadership and the Adventure of Grace (a sermon by C.J. Mahaney)