Heart of Leadership
Jacob J. Oller
CBL371
9/17/23
Abstract
This paper seeks to show the absolute importance of practicing spiritual disciplines to seek Christ’s active presence in a leader’s life. The paper will begin with a definition of the presence. Using this definition, the next section will explore a handful of ways the presence can be practiced in the believer's daily life: Prayer and fasting, sabbath and rest, solitude and silence, and Bible reading and study. After the practical discussion of spiritual disciplines as relating to the presence, the final section of this paper will explain how the practice of the presence is a necessary prerequisite to the topics in A Work of Heart by Reggie McNeal and Lead by Paul David Tripp. The paper will also discuss some benefits of these practices I have gained from personal experience. By the end of the paper, the reader should be convinced of the utmost importance of the presence, understand how to practice the presence in everyday life, and apply the presence specifically to leadership.
Why Practice the Presence?
The presence of Jesus is the most important aspect of Christian leadership. This presence must be practiced in the daily life of all Christians leaders if they are to faithfully lead for Christ. If they do not practice the presence, they are setting themself up for failure, as well as testing God to take their unfaithful ministry away from them. The practice of the presence of Jesus is the precondition for all leaders of any other responsibility. In order to do anything well as a leader, the presence must be practiced. Faithfulness in this area is personal faithfulness to God, so this must be first on the list of leadership responsibilities. Without taking care of oneself spiritually, it is impossible to properly take care of others spiritually.
What is the Practice of Presence?
As defined by Paul David Tripp in Lead, the practice of the “presence” in leadership is “...reminding one another again and again of the right here, right now presence and glory of God…”. In other words, the presence refers to the presence of Jesus in the life of the believer. Jesus’ presence in the life of the believer, and especially the leader, is essential to Christian growth. Although Christ is always present in the life of the believer, the conscious focusing on Him for spiritual renewal takes effort and practice. The practice of presence is commonly known as the practice of spiritual disciplines. Spiritual disciples are often neglected in American life, especially in cultural Christianity. However, proper leadership and Christian growth demand a constant renewal of the presence through the practice of spiritual disciplines. The following section will discuss some of the most important of these practices, as well as some of the most neglected.
How to Practice the Presence
The presence of Jesus must be actively practiced in the daily life of a leader. This is a demanding responsibility, but there are many practical ways to do this. There are, however, a handful of helpful spiritual disciplines to aid the process. These spiritual disciplines are prayer and fasting, Sabbath and rest, silence and solitude, and Bible reading and study.
Prayer and Fasting
Prayer is an enormous topic to condense into a few paragraphs. However, there are a few essential types of prayer that directly relate to practicing the presence. First, there is the prayer of thankfulness. Second, there is the prayer of supplication for personal needs. Third is the practice of intercessory prayer for the needs of others. Fourth is the practice of praying as a team. Lastly the topic of fasting will be touched on in light of prayer.
Prayer of Thanksgiving.
First, the prayer of thanksgiving. Prayer acknowledging the role God has in giving good things is an essential part of leadership. The prayer of thanksgiving is the essential proclamation of God’s goodness in the life of the leader. Thankfulness especially leads to humility in a leader. The prayer of thankfulness acknowledges that God is the one who gives good things. It puts the one praying in their proper place of being a servant of God. This attitude of thankfulness is also needed in order to prevent burnout in a leader. Pessimism breeds discontent, but thankfulness leads to satisfaction. Thanksgiving brings the heart of the leader closer to the heart of Jesus through cultivating a humble satisfaction in life. Jesus submitted Himself to the will of the Father even in Gethsemane, and this great act was brought about by His humility.
Prayer of Supplication.
Second, the prayer of supplication. Supplication is the appeal to God for additional means. For a leader, supplication can look like asking God for an ability (such as the ability to steward or delegate) or a resource (ministry funding or volunteers). A leader can also ask God for character or attitude changes (such as humility). Supplication is necessary in order for a ministry to succeed in faithfulness. Leaders must learn to intimately depend on God’s provision in order to lead a faithful ministry.
Prayer of Intercession.
Third, the prayer of intercession. Intercession is the practice of supplication on another’s behalf. Intercession for a leader can be prayer for another servant’s need of finances, diligence, or prayer against stress. Intercession is a defining characteristic of leadership, as it is a hallmark of caring servant leadership. Leaders must care for those they lead. Leaders must fight a spiritual battle for those they lead. Leaders must desire the best for those they lead. Intercession cultivates a heart that does all three of those things. Intercession brings the leader closer to the heart of Jesus, who is always making intercession on our behalf.
Corporate Prayer.
Fourth, corporate prayer. Corporate prayer is an avenue of leadership not always taken advantage of in ministry. The leader has a great opportunity to demonstrate Christ-like leadership through leading prayer meetings in and out of the workplace. Corporate prayer involves the three previous types of prayer, cultivating humility in oneself and love for the team. An example of corporate prayer is seen in the Case Study below.
Case Study.
My place of work, like many others, involves much dependence on each member of the team. If anyone does not pull their weight, the team will veer off course and possibly not meet deadlines. As I lead new trainees, they often will not deliver on their responsibilities. Intentionally praying with the team at the beginning of each shift has shown tremendous benefits. The corporate prayer encourages and reminds everyone to work for the Lord, rather than money. Additionally, as a leader, I have been challenged in prayer to view my coworkers with more intentional love, since they are Image bearers. The prayer of thanksgiving, supplication, and intercession softens the hearts of all involved in the corporate prayer, and heals much of the tension at work.
Fasting.
Finally, fasting in light of prayer. Fasting is a very particular kind of prayer practice. Fasting is the practice of abstaining from any number of pleasures. Two biblical examples would be fasting from food (most common in the Bible) and fasting from sex (1 Corinthians 7:5). Fasting is a devoting of oneself to prayer while denying the physical desires of the body. It is a sacrifice of the physical desires, offered to God. Fasting brings a special kind of dependence on God in the absence of fulfilling other desires. This sacrifice can be made by the leader alone, causing their fulfillment of desires to be found only in God, or done as a whole team.
Sabbath and Rest
Sabbath and rest are often neglected in the fast-paced, achievement-oriented culture of America. While Sabbath restrictions are not binding for members of the New Covenant, there are still essential qualities of the Sabbath which many people do not take for their benefit.
Biblical Defense of the Sabbath.
The Sabbath is an absolute requirement in the Old Testament Law. Not only is this one of the most repeated laws in the Pentateuch, but disobedience to this is punishable by death (Ex. 31:15). The commandment to continue the Sabbath is not repeated in the New Covenant, though Paul makes some small mention of it in passing (Col. 2:15). The Sabbath acts to balance work, rest, and worship. In Mark 2:27, Jesus claims that Sabbath was made for man, not the other way around. The Sabbath was put into effect in order that man may benefit. Deuteronomy 5:14 prohibits any slave from working on the Sabbath, that “male servant and [the master’s] female servant may rest as well as [their master].” (NKJV). All people are to rest on the Sabbath. Even though the New Covenant does not require adherence to the Sabbath, the Sabbath continues to act as an appropriate framework for the cycle of work and rest, as seen below.
Balancing Work and Rest.
The Sabbath allows for a regular cycle of rest and work. As seen in the Case Study, Sabbath works as a regulator for the energy God gives people. Additionally, Sabbath creates a protected time for worshiping God. Today, leaders should practice Sabbath in order to prevent burnout and allow special, set aside time for rest and worship. The personal spiritual life of the leader must be protected. This is a great way to regularly protect the spiritual health of a leader. Without this regular time, leaders can often be overcome by a busy schedule. However, leaders must take control of their own schedule, not let their schedule take control of them.
Case Study.
Sabbath rest has become a regular part of my routine. The promise of a full day of Christ-centered restful restoration is a great encouragement. No matter how hard the week becomes, or how spiritually draining, I know I can look forward to the promise of a day of spiritual and physical rest. This has allowed me personally to renewably work twelve-hour days between work and school, and pour into others without spiritual drought. I have found this renewal on my Sabbath to give a special kind of spiritual rest, the kind of which I had prayed for during many especially long spiritually dry seasons.
Silence and Solitude
The practice of silence is the conscious absence of distraction from noise. The practice of solitude is the conscious absence of distraction from people. These two are especially neglected in America. The American drive to constantly fill silence is not spiritually healthy. Silence allows people to listen to God in communication, rather than a one-way prayer to Him. Rather, silence and solitude allow people to take time to listen to God in quiet meditation, both at work and at home.
Listening to God.
Careful meditation is essential for leadership. This meditation is different from prayer. With prayer, the participant is doing something. They are speaking to God. With listening, the participant is attempting to allow something to be done to them. Spending time in meditation before God is essential for knowing where a leader is to go missionally, or what the next thing is that God has for them. Without the practice of listening to God, leaders are at danger of straying from the Lord’s will on their ministry. Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane practiced this discipline when He prayed that His cup would pass, but that ultimately the Father’s will would happen (Luke 22:42). The Lord listened to know what the will of the Father was, and continued in the Father’s plan.
Thin Spaces.
A thin space is a concept explained by Pete Greig in his book, How to Pray. Thin spaces are a specific geographical place, usually around a house or workplace, where one goes to be alone and pray. This is a place of consistent solitude from people and silence of noise. The importance of thin spaces is not the place itself, but the consistent visitation of a place of time with God.
Sitting in Nature
Nature is a beautiful gift from God. Pondering creation is an often neglected practice in big-city America. However, mentally resting on nature as the creation of God will reveal His character to the ponderer. Psalm 19:1 and Romans 1:20 proclaim that all of creation reveals who God is. Nature reveals the creativity, beauty, power, and intent of God’s actions and character. This is a special reminder that all Christians need. Contemplating nature brings remembrance of the sovereignty of God, which pushes against anxiety in leadership. Without careful meditation on God’s creation, many leaders can fall victim to forgetting the Big God they serve.
Case Study.
During an especially difficult season in Fall of 2023, the most valuable discipline for me was solitude. The woods by the school I attended acted as a wonderful place to escape. In the solitude, I learned much about God’s steadfast and long-suffering nature. This has been a great encouragement as smaller seasons come, but was especially restoring during that time of loneliness. Now, the following year, I have seen the great benefits of silence throughout the day. Silence allows me to meditate on the goodness of God and the love He has for the people He has put to my care at work.
Bible Reading and Study
Bible reading is the personal reflection on Scripture as it speaks to the individual and renews the soul. Bible study is the active and diligent work of understanding the deeper meanings of the Scripture. Some would argue these two should not be separate, however they are mentioned separately due to the different cultural practice and understanding of reading and studying. The practice of Bible reading and study bring the individual closer to an understanding of God’s character through surface meditation and deep contemplation. Both practices are needed for different times of the day.
Bible Reading.
Bible reading is often practiced on a personal level while accompanied by prayer and meditation. Another popular term used for this practice is a devotional. This kind of Bible reading is a doorway for quick, regular time in the Word of God. Devotionals are often done each day by lay people in the church, and leaders should not ignore this practice. Devotionals bring the advantage of having very consistent, personal time in the Word. Due to the lack of deep study, this kind of reading is not directly beneficial to a teaching ministry, in the sense that it can not be directly translated into teaching material (or, is more difficult to than Bible study). The neglect of devotionals in the life of a leader is a surefire way to show oneself unfaithful in personal spiritual growth.
Corporate Bible reading, on the other hand, is a quick and simple way to involve a team in the Scriptures on a regular basis. A leader can read Scripture (either topically or through a book), and the team can talk about how the Scripture speaks to them. Corporate Scripture reading does not need corporate reflection, but can be done with the expectation that the team will contemplate the Scripture throughout their work day.
Bible Study.
Bible study is often only expected of preachers, but is actually an essential practice for all Christians, leaders especially. Bible study can typically involve a study Bible, commentary, or Bible study software. This deeper dive into the cultural context and original understanding of the Scriptures is more time- and effort-intensive, but serves for much greater spiritual enrichment.
Corporate Bible study in the workplace is not often practical, especially during working hours, due to the time it takes. However, leaders can study the Scriptures on their own through personal Bible study and communicate the findings to others. This method is great for longer breaks or after work hours.
Case Study.
Recently at my job, I have begun to read the Scriptures with my coworkers. This had led to a few special consequences. First, reading the Scriptures with one another led to a diffused frustration in the kitchen. Depending on all people working can be very frustrating, especially when people do not deliver on their responsibilities. However, the practice of Scripture reading together aids in uniting the body of Christ over the meditation of His Word. Additionally, reading the Word together has aided in the individual spiritual growth of all involved. Meditating on the Scripture has introduced a certain kind of encouragement that could not be replicated through any other means. The Scripture acts as a communicator of great encouragement and reminder of God’s character.
How Presence Supersedes All Other Aspects of Leadership
This section seeks to cover the topics presented by Lead, by Paul David Tripp, and A Work of Heart, by Reggie McNeal. These two books discuss the characteristics and qualities required of faithful leaders. This section will briefly cover each topical chapter with a short explanation of the quality and a description of how the practice of the presence is its necessary prerequisite. As discussed in the previous section, the personal practice of Christ’s presence is needed in order to demonstrate Christ-like characteristics as a leader. Those characteristics will be discussed in the topics below.
A Work of Heart
Culture. There reference here to culture is to meet the world where they are, in their current culture, understanding the difference between positive culture and negative culture with respect to the gospel. A leader must have the wisdom which comes from intimately knowing God’s character through the presence in order to properly understand how culture relates to God.
Call. The call is the recognition of where one is, and where God it taking them. This understanding comes from hearing the internal voice of God in the quietness of silence and solitude.
Community. A reliance on community comes from the humility of knowing oneself in light of Jesus. The desire to create a gospel community comes from personal reflection on one’s own needs,
Communion. Communion is the remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice as a community. This too comes from a heart of personal reflection on the sacraments in private before doing so as a community.
Conflict. One must die to themself in order to be a proper leader. True biblical self-sacrifice is understood only through the light of the gospel.
Commonplace. The gospel must permeate all aspects of a leader’s life, in order that the leader would lead those under them to do the same. Gospel-permeation comes from prayer, contemplation, Bible reading, and rest.
Lead
Achievement. Leaders are often tempted to view their faithfulness through what they achieve as leaders. However, careful practice of the presence is itself the faithfulness leaders must strive to attain.
Gospel. The gospel in this context is the constant reminding of the redemptive work of Christ in the life of the leader and the community. This comes through an intimate understanding of God, which is understood through personal time with Him, especially in contemplation.
Limits. Limits is the limitation each leader has, being a human. Each leader can only do so much, and can not expect themself to do more than humanly possible. The leader must learn to be faithful even within their limits, especially through the practice of the Sabbath.
Balance. Similar to limits, the leader must understand the balance between rest, work, and contemplation in order to properly lead and be faithful to the calling they were called to.
Character. Christlike character can only be achieved through careful contemplation on His character, through reading the Bible, prayer, and listening to God’s voice and conviction.
War. The enemy waits to oppress leaders in order to stunt the growth of the gospel on earth. In order to fight these spiritual battles, Christian leaders must learn to take up the armor of God, which is put on through the understanding of who God is, through contemplation, prayer, and Bible reading.
Servants. Leaders must contemplate the life of Christ and understand His serving heart in order to properly serve those around them. Leaders do not come to be served, but to serve, and leaders must understand the Word of God personally in order to understand this on the level of life-application.
Candor. The humble and transparent heart, which loves correction and lovingly corrects others, is not an easy thing to have. Growth in that direction absolutely requires contemplation of the Word of God and listening to the conviction of the Spirit.
Identity. Christian leaders must understand their identity to be in Christ alone, and not in anything that they do. To understand what one’s identity is, they must be constantly in contemplation of Christ’s character.
Restoration. Leaders must constantly live out the redemption of Christ, especially when one who is under them commits moral failure. Contemplation, prayer, and reflection on the Word of God and Christ’s sacrifice brings this kind of understanding of restoration.
Longevity. Finally, longevity is the result of understanding all of the previous points. Leaders must have a balance, understand themselves, and love those under and above them in order to be faithful leaders. This, especially, comes from the spiritual disciplines listed in this essay.
Conclusion
Christian leadership can not be properly executed without the practice of the presence. Christ’s presence must permeate all aspects of leadership, lest the leader slip into an idolatrous leadership. Leaders must desperately protect their personal devotional and quiet time, as well as their Sabbaths, in order to have the spiritual strength to carry the burden of vocational ministry. Leaders can do nothing apart from the presence of Christ. Additionally, all other aspects of proper Christian leadership have the prerequisite of the practice of the presence in order to be effective.
Bibliography
Briner, Bob and Ray Pritchard. The Leadership Lessons of Jesus. Nashville, Tennessee. B&H Publishing, 2008.
Charles, H. B. Jr. On Pastoring. Chicago, Illinois. Moody Publishers, 2016.
Dever, Mark and Paul Alexander. How to Build a Healthy Church: A Practical Guide for Deliberate Leadership. Wheaton, Illinois. Crossway, 2021.
Greig, Pete. How to Pray: A Simple Guide for Normal People. Colorado Springs, Colorado. NavPress, 2019.
McNeal, Reggie. A Work of Heart: Understanding How God Shapes Spiritual Leaders. San Francisco, California. Jossey-Bass, 2011.
Rose Guide to Discipleship. Peabody, Massachusetts. Rose Publishing, 2016.
Tripp, Paul David. Lead: 12 Gospel Principles for Leadership in the Church. Wheaton, Illinois. Crossway, 2020.