Leadership: Identity and the Disciple

Let me start by explaining what I mean by the label’s ‘leader’ (and by implication ’leadership’). I’m using the term to describe someone who ‘makes things happen with and through other people’. In other words, anyone can lead and anyone can be a leader, even if not formally designated as such.

Since the audience for this article are disciples of Jesus, it follows that anyone from Elder to Small Group Leader to CEO to Doctor to Midwife to Cleaner to Mother to student can be a leader, (whether this be within the Church or outside).

In fact, you could say that the very idea of discipleship implies leadership. To be a disciple means to follow a master. The relationship is one of apprenticeship. If we are to emulate our master, we are called to do as he did, and he definitely led! Therefore, I want to write about an aspect of leadership (and hence discipleship) that might be useful in understanding the DNA of what it means to lead like Jesus.

The prize in embracing this insight is being to be able to lead without feeling any pressure to conform to the expectations of others or the need to base our self-esteem on our performance or success. It relates to the deep sense of solid, grounded identity that forms the bedrock of sustainable leadership. It speaks to the heart of discipleship, a subject that we as a Church are exploring in-depth this term.

Right at the start of Jesus’ ministry, before he had performed any miracles, preached any sermons or done anything much by way of leadership, he was baptised. The event is described in Mark 1 v 11.

‘And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens been torn open and the spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

This passage describes the Father speaking to his Son in a very specific and significant way. This was the Father communicating foundational truths to His Son. These truths formed the bedrock of Jesus’ sense of identity and self-understanding as he went about his ministry and his earthly leadership. 

Let’s examine this fatherly affirmation. The Father was saying to his Son three very simple but very deep things – namely:

1. “You are my Son”. 

2. “I love you”.

3. “I am pleased with you”.

A wise old secular psychologist by the name of Will Schulz said we have three fundamental emotional and psychological needs that must be met if we are to realise and enjoy the fullest expression of our humanity. He said we need to feel significant, likeable, competent.

I don’t know what was in the Father’s heart as he uttered those three affirmations to His Son. However, I am going to postulate that the intention behind them might, just might, be to communicate to Jesus that:-

· he is his Father’s Son - He is significant. 

· that he is loved by his Father - He is likeable 

· he is well pleased with him - He is competent.

In other words, the Father was imparting to his Son the indestructible, eternal and capital ‘T’ Truth that Jesus was, and is, and always will be significant, likeable, and competent. If we are in Christ and if we are called to follow him in apprenticed discipleship, then surely we too need to hear this divine affirmation from our heavenly Father. As leaders, as disciples and as simple human beings, we need to have hardwired into the deepest hard drive of our soul, the transformative truth that we are a child of God ( i.e., we are Significant), loved by our heavenly Father (i.e., we are likeable) and that our Father is pleased with us (i.e. we are competent).

Before any acts of leadership are taken by us, before any label of ‘leader’ is placed upon us, before we lead in any way, we need to inhale deeply those truths. We need to let these truths fill our lungs with their life-sustaining oxygen and allow them to enter our bloodstream so that every extremity of our physical and emotional being is infused with the certainty of who we are in Christ.

When we do this then we are freed to relax and be our true selves, unburdened by the pressures of achieving outcomes or results which while noble, are but secondary aims. Then of course we can exhale words, decisions and actions that communicate to those that follow us how significant, likeable, and competent they are.