Leadership

Leadership is addressed in both Testaments. This page lists verses on serving as a leader, qualifications for church leaders, wisdom and counsel, ruling justly, responsibility, and following leaders.

Leading by serving

• Mark 10:42-45
  ⁴²But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. ⁴³But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: ⁴⁴And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. ⁴⁵For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
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• Matthew 23:11-12
  ¹¹But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. ¹²And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
  Show context · Read Matthew 23 →
• Luke 22:26
  But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
  Show context · Read Luke 22 →
• John 13:14-15
  ¹⁴If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
  Show context · Read John 13 →

Qualifications for church leaders

• 1 Timothy 3:2-7
  ²A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; ³Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; ⁴One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; ⁵(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) ⁶Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. ⁷Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
  Show context · Read 1 Timothy 3 →
• Titus 1:7-9
  ⁷For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; ⁸But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; ⁹Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
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• 1 Peter 5:2-3
  ²Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; ³Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
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Wisdom and counsel

• 1 Kings 3:9
  Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
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• Proverbs 11:14
  Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
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• Proverbs 15:22
  Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established.
  Show context · Read Proverbs 15 →

Ruling justly

• Exodus 18:21
  Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:
  Show context · Read Exodus 18 →
• 2 Samuel 23:3
  The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
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• Proverbs 16:12
  It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness.
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• Proverbs 29:2
  When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.
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• Deuteronomy 17:18-20
  ¹⁸And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: ¹⁹And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: ²⁰That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.
  Show context · Read Deuteronomy 17 →

Responsibility

• James 3:1
  My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
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• Luke 12:48
  But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
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• Romans 12:8
  Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
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Following leaders

• Hebrews 13:7
  Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.
  Show context · Read Hebrews 13 →
• Hebrews 13:17
  Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
  Show context · Read Hebrews 13 →

See also

• Humility
• Service
• Government
• Church

Notes

1. Verses are quoted in the translation chosen in the Translation menu at the top of the page. See Translations for sources and copyright notices.
2. Each reference links to the full chapter so the verse can be read in context.