FollowtheLeader.indd

FOLLOW THE LEADER

Honest observation of human nature confirms that we always tend to
“lead with our hearts” rather than “lead with our heads.” Effective leaders
soon learn this about themselves and about others. As a result, they
do not try to base their leadership solely on an intellectual, cerebral,
reasoned approach. They seek to lead with a balance of heart and head.
Good leadership seeks to both inflame the heart – as well as inform the head!
John Maxwell summarized this balance through this principle: “To lead
yourself, use your head; to lead others, use your heart!”^24

“What people want most from an admired leader

is someone who can ignite the ‘fi re in the belly!’”^25

(Herman Cain)

As we have already seen, the Bible is not silent on this whole issue of
passion in life and leadership. Let me share a couple of good verses that
remind us of this spiritual passion that must exude from an authentic
Biblical leader.

The Apostle Paul reminds us to “Never be lacking in zeal but keep
your spiritual fervor serving the Lord” (Romans 12:11). The word here
for “spiritual fervor” is the word zeontes. It comes from the root word, zeo,
meaning “to boil.” The word is used only twice in the New Testament. In
this passage, and again in Acts 18:25, Apollos is described as a leader who
“...spoke with great fervor...” Apollos, like Jeremiah of old, had “...fire
in his bones” (Jer. 20:9)!

“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that One died
for all, and therefore all died” (II Cor. 5:14). The word Paul uses here
for “compels” or “constrains” (KJV) is the word sunecho. It means: “to hold
together, confine, secure, hold fast.” Paul reminds us that it is nothing short
of the agape love of Christ that compels...constrains...confines us. It is the
love of Christ within him that “holds fast” the leader to his vision and
purpose. It is agape that is the source of his passion! It is only because
the love of Christ holds the leader fast, that he in turn holds fast to his
vision.

Agape love is increasingly the source of the passion in the life of every
authentic Biblical leader. Just as God’s self-giving love was Incarnate in