The Intangible Trait for a Good Leader

After speaking directly to pastors, the Apostle Peter urges “all of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Pet. 5:2-5). There are only two types of pastors—the proud and the humble. To one, God gives grace. To the other, God stands opposed.

We know that pastors must meet biblical qualifications (1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9). In addition, could it be that humility is the intangible trait of a good pastor? Lewis respectively noted: “Pride leads to every other vice”. Pride is the root of all sin. Perhaps, the inverse relates to pastoral leadership. Humility is the root of all good leadership.

In the counselling office, we’ve been trained to go from fruit to root. We engage with someone demonstrating the fruit of sin—anger, pornography, gossip, greed. Yet lurking in their heart is something bigger. It’s the root of pride, manifesting in the fruit of these sinful actions. In leadership, if humility is the root, what is the fruit?

Humble Leaders Put Diverse Leaders Around Them

The current era of pastoral ministry has seen a resurgence of plurality among pastors. Yet, it’s one thing to embrace plurality as a concept than it is to actually appoint multiple pastors to a team and allow each of those men to lead out of their own personalities, gifts, and passions. Humble leaders aren’t threatened by diversity but intentionally surround themselves with interdependent leaders with complementary strengths for the good of the church.

Humble Leaders Put Others in a Position to Succeed

Not only do humble pastors embrace diverse giftings, they intentionally put these leaders in a place to leverage their strengths. They intentionally share the spotlight and  honor and celebrate the contributions of others. Their pronoun isn’t “me” or “my”–It’s not my church or my staff. Rather it’s God’s church and this is our shared work.

Humble Leaders Know When to Defer

Pastoral teams are not composed of one varsity pastor and a bunch of other JV leaders. Humble pastors allow others to have a voice, not merely rubber-stamp already made decisions. They know how to listen, take advice, and alter course based on the counsel of others. They also willingly defer to other leaders in areas of preference that do not violate biblical convictions, especially when another brother is better equipped or positioned to make the decision.

Humble Leaders Make Tough Choices

Humble leaders thrive in the margins. They are willing to make the call about a difficult matter, knowing that they will take hits for their action. They carry the heavy weight of hidden responsibility in order to free others to do their work in freedom and joy.

Humble Leaders Are Aware of Their Shadow

All leaders have shadows—the dark side of our personalities. The way our gifts become weaknesses without the Spirit’s help. We all have shadows, some are bigger than others. Humble leaders know their shadow and they actively work to mitigate the challenges that others experience working with them.

Humble Leaders Willingly Receive Feedback

Closely related, humble leaders know their shadow because they invite feedback from others. They listen well, owning the fact that others can help them see what it’s like to be on the other side of their leadership. Not only do they receive feedback, but they also respond to that feedback without defensiveness or passive-aggressive reactions after the fact.

Humble Leaders Embrace Suffering and Difficulty

Finally, humble leaders embrace suffering and difficulty. For most of us, God uses the slow-cooker of suffering and difficulty to produce in us what we could not manufacture on our own. Rather than running from difficulty, humble leaders embrace the gift that comes when difficulty crushes our pride.