A Reflection On Christian Leadership
Henri Nouwen said Jesus has a different vision of maturity. It is the ability and willingness to be led where you would rather not go. After Peter had been commissioned to be a leader Jesus confronts him with the hard truth that the servant leader is the leader who sometimes will be led to unknown, undesirable, and painful places. Biblical leadership is not about power and control, but a leadership of powerlessness and humility in which Jesus is glorified. This is not a psychologically weak or passive leadership but a leadership in which power is constantly abandoned in favor of love. I believe this is true spiriltual leadership. Powerlessness and humility in the spiritual life is not referring to people who are wimps and have no spine and let everyone make decisions for them. This is referring to people who are so deeply in love with Jesus that they are ready to follow him wherever he guides them, trusting that in him we will find the life we are told to seek after.