Daniel Seabaugh

The topic of leadership has received tons of press over the years. And rightfully so. Leaders influence institutions, individuals, and entire communities. But leadership isn’t always modeled well. Leaders can fall into temptations and traps that spoil everything they set out to accomplish, harming individuals and the communities to which they belong. Unfortunately, the failures of leaders often get highlighted in the media, causing us to doomscroll and distrust those in leadership positions.

In this post, I want to highlight five traits of great spiritual leaders. Spiritual leadership differs from leadership in general in that spiritual leaders tap into a power beyond themselves. They don’t rely on their own abilities or charisma but stand confident in the power of the Holy Spirit.

The following list comes mostly from the women and men in my life who have led faithfully and with great influence. It’s far from an exhaustive list. But these five traits come to mind instantly when thinking about great leadership.

1. Spiritual leaders let others lead.

Great spiritual leaders don’t do all the work. In fact, part of their work is identifying other leaders who can carry some of the load.

It’s a bit counterintuitive in our hyper-competitive, “prove yourself” culture. Solo heroic leadership is a dime a dozen. But great leaders let others lead. They don’t simply create environments where others can get in the game, but rather let others create those environments. Spiritual leaders give the ball to others, especially those who are trustworthy or have displayed a level of competence and maturity, and, with the voice of a cheerleader, shout, “Run! You can do this.”

2. Spiritual leaders rely on the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.

Far from boasting about their own prowess or influence, great spiritual leaders rely on the power of the Holy Spirit. The only charisma coming from such leaders is the charismatic work of the third person in the Holy Trinity. In a very tangible way, spiritual leaders understand they can do nothing apart from Christ. All their work is hay and stubble unless given entirely to God for God’s glory.

3. Spiritual leaders say, “I could be wrong.”

No one likes a person who is always showing off his or her knowledge. I believe great leaders are followed not because of what they know but because they’re humble enough to say, “I could be wrong.”

Of course, saying this isn’t something you want to do all the time, as people may wonder whether you know anything at all, and as leaders, you should know some stuff. But humility is far from a weakness. In fact, according to Scripture, God exalts the humble.

4. Spiritual leaders give themselves and others permission to fail.

It’s been said that faith is spelled R-I-S-K. Risk is right for men and women who trust in a big God who knows the beginning from the end. Part of taking risks is understanding that failure is a possibility. Great spiritual leaders give permission to themselves and others to fail. They’re not looking for failure, of course, but they understand that risk may produce it, and they’re ok with that.

5. Spiritual leaders deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Jesus.

Jesus said, “If you want to be my disciples, you must deny yourselves, take up your cross, and follow me.” Spiritual leaders look to Jesus for guidance in all their activities. They know following him means unfollowing themselves—not leaning on their own understanding. They lay their lives down for the good of others, and through prayer and reading the Bible daily, they stay in tune to God’s activities in their sphere of influence.

Being a disciple of Jesus is at the center of a spiritual leader’s identity. They don’t rely on their own abilities. They don’t take refuge in their accomplishments. They trust entirely in the finished work of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Such leaders exist. And I praise God for them.