The Called,

Chosen,
and Faithful Leader
Hartwell T Paul Davis
Liberty University
BUSI501 – Business Leadership
August 10, 2009
 Abstract
Leaders are made, not born. Like so many other of life’s
complex issues, the question of nature vs. nurture in
leadership is one that is analyzed, researched, and
debated by educators, philosophers, social scientist, and
even leaders themselves. Leadership has been dissected
as to personality, character, and behavior. Researchers
have developed test, established programs, and created
the best graduate level courses to study, train, and
develop leaders. While there may be differing views on
what makes a leader, there appears to be consensus in all
schools of leadership about one fact of leadership:
Leadership is about relationship. Leadership does not
exist without someone to lead and someone to follow. We
must look then to the development of relationship from
which the roles of leader and follower emerge.
 What is
Leadership?
Leadership Is Influence
• Leaders are not born
• Reframing leadership
• Jesus: The master of symbolic leadership
• Leadership emerges from relationship
 Symbolic Leadership
• Lead by example
• Capture attention
• Frame experience
• Communicate a vision
• Tell stories
Bolman, L.G. & Deal, T.E. (2008). Reframing leadership. In J.V. Gallos (Ed.).
Business Leadership (pp. 35-49). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
 Jesus – Master of Symbolic
Leadership
• Jesus led by example. He made disciples of men
(Matt. 28: 18- 20, KJV).
• Jesus used symbols to capture attention. These were
his miracles (John 2:23, KJV).
• Symbolic leaders frame experience. “Yet a little while,
the world seeth me no more; but you see me:
because I live ye shall live also” (John 14: 19, KJV).
• Symbolic leaders communicate a vision. “In my
father’s house are many mansions. I go to prepare a
place for you” (John 14:2, KJV).
• Symbolic leaders tell stories. These were his parables
(Matt. 13: 34 – 35, KJV).
Real leaders are produced by relationship,
transformed by relationship, and sustained
by relationship. “Don't rely on osmosis.
Effective leadership is not an innate talent,
but a set of teachable skills and behaviors.
Who better to help teach those skills than
those who have been there themselves”
(Gabrielle Salvatore)

Salvatore, G. (2009, June). Develop tomorrow’s leaders. Training, June 2009, 46, 5, p.38.
Retrieved July 13, 2009 from Business Source Complete: Liberty University.
HOW DOES ONE
BECOME A
LEADER?
 Becoming A Leader

• The called leader

• The chosen leader
• The faithful leader
 THE CALLED LEADER
The called leader has a vision
greater than the leader. While
Abraham wanted to father an
heir, God wanted him to father
a nation
̶ John Maxwell
 The Called Leader

• A product of relationship
• Two types of calling
– A vision
– By human events
• Can be initial or successive
leader
 Examples of Callings
• Calling by • Calling by Human
Vision Events
– Abraham – Washington
– Moses – Lincoln
– Jesus – Churchill
– Gandhi – Roosevelt
– Ford – Eisenhower
– Edison – Patton
 THE CHOSEN LEADER

• But first let these be

proved
• Thinking gray and free
• Character vs personality
 Let These Be Proved
• Must be qualified (I Timothy 3: 1-10)
• Leaders are chosen by leaders
• Must pass the tests of discipleship
– Must be committed (Luke 14: 26-27, KJV)
– Must take up the cross: assume responsibility
– Vision and values must come before profits
(Matthew 6:24, KJV)
 Live In The Realm of Faith
• Thinking gray and free
• Think outside of the box
• Have proven creative thinking
• Pass the “challenge test” of
their mentors
 Character vs Personality
• Character development
before academic
achievement
• Authentic leadership
• Executive Presence
• Character Shows
ANTICIPATE THE
CHALLENGES
 Anticipate Challenges
• The challenge from the “power of attention”
• Power without character is destructive
• Absolute power corrupts absolutely
• Must understand the system dynamics of
individual behaviors
• Must understand the Power of Position
 The Jesus Model
• Inverted authority (Matthew 20: 20-
28, KJV)
• Servant leadership
• The power of position
– Us vs them
– Clergy vs laity
– Must balance differentiation,
homogenization, integration, and
individuation
MAKING IT HAPPEN

THE FAITHFUL
LEADER
Ten Flaws of Failing Leaders
• Lacking energy and enthusiasm
• Accepting mediocre performance
• Lacking clear direction and vision
• Having poor judgment
• Lack of collaboration with others
• Do not walk the talk
• Resist new ideas
• Do not learn from mistakes
• Lack interpersonal skills
• Failure to develop others
 Bible Cures for Failure
• Remember the Lord’s Day (Heb. 10:25, KJV)
• Ask for wisdom (James 1:5, KJV)
• Maintain a vision (Prov. 29:18, KJV)
• Learn to take counsel (Prov. 11:14)
• Trust the Lord to pick you up (Prov. 24:16, KJV)
• Delight in the way of the Lord (Psa. 37:23-24,
KJV)
• Never give up (Heb. 12:1, KJV)
 SUMMARY
• Leadership is a process
• Success in Leadership is being
called, chosen, and faithful
• Leadership is about the heart
“I am more afraid of an
army of 100 sheep led
by a lion than an army
of 100 lions led by a
sheep”
-- Tallyrand