All servants of God in the Bible and outside have been men and women of destiny. There is that realization that God has called them to do something special and they have the mindsets that that believe God can do the impossible. What they've started, they will finish. Like Jesus who prayed to the father, "I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do" (John 17:4).

In sum, a leader with a sense of destiny does not ask, "Where do I go?" but "Where does God want to take me?" He or she recognizes the "visible hand of the invisible God". Do you?

Is your leadership gripped by a sense of destiny? Do you have that sense of transcendent purpose that God has called you to do a task that only you can accomplish it? Successful leadership begins with a sense of destiny. 

Reflection on "Calling"

What gives a leader the right to lead? The call from God and affirmation of his people.  Christian Leadership also involves a calling by God according to Scripture and not a self-appointed position.  What are some of the characteristics of God’s calling? It is always a divine initiative (e.g. Moses in Exod 3 – 4; Gideon in Judg 6:11 – 24; Jeremiah in Jer 1: 4, 5 and Abraham in Gen 12).

This carries a few implications. No one should offer himself/herself to be a leader who cannot say God has called him/her.  Because it is divinely initiated, a leader shouldn’t quit when the going gets tough because whom God calls, he will supply his sustaining grace. The calling of God is irrevocable (cf. Rom 11: 29, I Cor 7: 20 and Ephesians 4: 1).  There are four types of calling in the scripture. They are salvation (Isa 55: 22, 53: 13, I Tim 2: 3, 4), service (Exod 3), singlehood (I Cor 7: 7) and sanctification (2 Tim 1: 9). How does one discern a call? Through internal Conviction    (i.e. the prompting by the Holy Spirit), external confirmation (i.e. principles of Scripture) and pastoral/church consensus though the principle of submission (cf. Acts 15: 22; Acts 16: 1 – 3 and Gal 2 : 2).

 4  The Potential. God does not call a person to lead without endowing him or her with spiritual gifts and talents. To have the desire or passion to lead is not enough. He or she needs to have some leadership skills (e.g. planning, relating to people, etc). With abilities come responsibility (see Matthew 25:14-30 and Luke 19:12-28 on the parable of the talents). The right and responsibility to take charge also means the right to accept responsibility when things go awry. The temptation to pass the buck is real. Leaders need to resist it.

A servant leader has a humble heart who looks out  the window to find the true causes of success and in the mirror to find and accept responsibility  for failure. ^[1]

A leader has to take responsibility when things go awry rather than blaming others or circumstances. The courage to lead means the courage to admit when you are wrong and own it up. "The buck stops here" (Henry Truman) should be the motto of leaders.  Followers will respect leaders when they refuse to pass the buck. Consequently, responsive and responsible followers will be developed.

5 The Position.  Christian leadership is expressed through servanthood. John R. Mott, a world leader sums up well concerning Christian leadership when he remarked,

I have in mind the use of the word leadership which our Lord doubtless had in mind when He said, ‘He who would be greatest among you shall be the servant of all’ – leadership in the sense of rendering the maximum of services: leader in the sense of the largest unselfishness: in the sense of unmeasuring and unceasing absorption in the greatest work of the world, the building up of the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁸

Jesus came to redefine leadership power - to lead is to serve. "For I am among you as one who serves" (Luke 22:27). Hence the term "servant-leader" describes what biblical leadership is all about.

To lead is to serve.  A servant-leader "will be that of a shepherd, someone who will exercise  care as well as lead, someone who will protect as well as guide" (Prosser 2007: 13). Leaders are called by God to be his servants and not superstars! "Servant-leadership is a lifestyle and not a technique of doing leadership. Hence, the call to servanthood is extended to all leaders and disciples. Our first calling is to servanthood not leadership" (Tan 2009: 78; cf. Rom 6:19-23).^[2] To be a "servant" or  a "slave" in the New Testament time means  a loss of property, suffer abuse by unkind owners but more importantly a loss of individuality and personal rights.

If we define leadership in terms of power, prestige and position, it cannot be called biblical leadership! In fact, it contradicts biblical teaching. Servant-Leadership paradigm is the only biblical model.

Turning the power upside down - not lording over others but serving others is true greatness sin leadership. Greatness in leadership is not measured by position, power, possessions but service to others (see Mark 9:37). Self-sacrificing and not self-seeking (Mark 10:45) is the essence of biblical leadership. True servant must have heart, head, hands and habits aligned if we want to lead like Jesus.^[3]

Christian leadership is a ministry rather than a job. Broadly speaking, the difference a ministry and a job is that the former is twenty-four hours, duty based on love, want to serve and out of constraints while the latter is a nine to five, duty out of obligation, have to, and out of compulsion.   

6 Primary Motivation. A leader has two motivation in leading others - for the good of the followers and the glory of God. It is easy to manipulate people to do what we want for our own benefit rather than theirs when we are in a position of power.  Power can corrupt because leaders are also human with all the faults, flaws and foibles.

Leadership is influence and influence is power. Power has been defined as, "the capacity to ensure the outcome one wishes to prevent those one does not wish".^[4] With that power, a leader can use it properly or misuse and abuse it. When leadership patterns are inappropriate, it is misuse of powers.

Leadership Born or Made?

This question has no easy answer since you have proponents on both sides. According to Richard Arvey, "Your genes influence leadership through other personal characteristics -  such as intelligence, personality and values - and interact with environmental forces in complex ways."^[5] However, it seems there is a trend towards  understanding that leaders leadership is made rather than born. Myles Munroe's in his book The Spirit of Leadership^[6] makes the following observations:

Every human being was endowed by the Creator with leadership potential. Trapped within every follower is a hidden [or undiscovered] leader. It is waiting to be discovered. Although every human has the instinct and capacity for leadership but most do not have the courage or will to cultivate it. Genuine leadership is one of internal disposition, which relates to a sense of purpose, self -worth and self-concept. You are a leader, regardless of your present status or your feelings about your leadership ability and potential.      

Ken Blanchard and Mark Miller put it this way:  "Anytime you influence thinking, beliefs, or development of another person, you're engaging in leadership.^[7] I agree with him totally.