A World-Changer's Profile

WCIU Journal: Leadership Topic

July 6, 2017

by David Gyertson

Christ-Centered Leadership that Serves the Present Age and Beyond

In attempting to be a Christian leader I must be constantly centering my mind and heart on the supreme and authoritative person of Jesus Christ. Christ is no philosophical system or static methodology; he is a living person who calls us toward living discipleship. When we as leaders begin to follow him in our own leadership, we will begin to exhibit his patterns of leading.

The following list forms the core of what I have come to recognize as the profile of a leader who has his or her heart set toward the person of Christ. Each accompanying reference helps guide me in a greater understanding how the living Christ is the active center of each attribute.

• Christ-centered leaders are connected intimately to the purposes of God in relation to creation and particularly humanity. (See Eph 1:9-10)

• Christ-centered leaders are holistic—achieving their full potential in body, mind, and spirit. As such, their potential for both personal and societal transformation is unlimited. (See Col 1:15-20)

• Christ-centered leaders embrace the Christian perspective as reflected in God’s Word. They are empowered by the Holy Spirit’s gifts and graces to initiate a positive, practical, and respectful dialogue with the world about the implications of such a perspective. (See John 14:26)

• Christ-centered leaders move beyond cognitive learning and skill acquisition to intentional discipleship as their ultimate objective. Through the conscious integration of faith, learning, and living, Christ-centered leaders examine their academic and professional disciplines, asking how the events and theories studied relate to the purposes of God. Christ-centered leaders not only analyze the learning event, but also explore its implied morality. (See Rom 6:17,19)

• Christ-centered leaders embrace a Great Commandment motivation that compels them to address poverty, illness, exploitation, discrimination, and oppression in the world. They possess a burden for those who—for reasons of culture, social position, political oppression, economic condition, race, gender and ethnicity—are denied the basics of life’s opportunities. (See Luke 4:18)

• Christ-centered leaders’ learning and serving reflect the major biblical themes of justice, mercy, and humility (see Micah 6:8). All three of these are evidence of the transformation that comes when the mind is challenged to see and serve the world like the Christ.

• Christ-centered leaders, ultimately, are driven by the Great Commission mission and Great Commandment motivation of Christ’s Church—to address and resolve human meaningless and suffering by understanding, going, teaching, serving and loving.

• Christ-centered leaders think clearly and deeply love serving with excellence, creativity, and self-sacrifice. This Christian leadership serves the present age and changes the world’s future.

How to Use This:

This profile and accompanying Scripture references could be useful not only for personal reflection, but also for discussion at an upcoming meeting of your leadership team. Among the questions you could discuss are these:

• To what extent do you agree with this profile?
• What other qualities of Christ-centered leaders would you add to this profile?
• Which qualities are most apparent or most lacking in leaders in your organization?
• What will you do to refrain from drifting into “business as usual”?

David Gyertson, Ph.D., served as President of three Christian institutions: Regent University, Asbury University, and Taylor University. Currently he is Associate Provost and Dean of the Beeson International Center for Biblical Preaching and Church Leadership as well as Professor of Leadership Formation and Renewal at Asbury Theological Seminary.