Principles of Leadership
Published by Stanley Pouw in 2018 · 3 June 2018
This is a narrative. It says nothing outright about leadership, the subject of leadership just comes out here; and the more I have studied this account, the clearer it has become as a good basis for discussing leadership. The world faces a crisis of leadership and the church is no different. And there are many problems related to leadership in the church, or misguided leadership; and so it is a critical study.
If you are a Christian, you probably have some leadership responsibility, whether it’s in your home or whether it’s with a Bible study group or whether it’s at work. Problems relate often to a power struggle for leadership or mistakes made in the position of leadership. What most people are looking for is somebody who has the kind of leadership that falls under the category of a strong natural leader.
And typically a leader like that is visionary. Secondly, action-oriented. Thirdly, they are courageous. Fourthly, a natural leader is energetic. Fifth, a leader tends to be objective-oriented rather that people-oriented. Sixth, strong leaders tend to be paternalistic, making sure everybody is protected. Seventh, they are egocentric. Eighth, they are intolerant of incompetence. And, ninth, they are indispensable.
But this really denies the primary requisite of biblical leadership, and that is that you accomplish God’s goals through God’s people, not by doing it all yourself. So, there is the difference. And it isn’t easy to lead well. You have to organize and lead people who are all volunteers, none of whom you can command. And there are always enough successes to keep you in it, and enough failures to keep you on your knees.
It’s difficult to have confidence in your judgment. That’s why the only place I would want to be a leader would be in the church of Jesus Christ under the power of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes leaders have a lack of trust of people. You’re afraid that somebody won’t carry through, because you are responsible. Leaders also are sometimes guilty for being too authoritative.
And if you are the leader, somebody will be mad at you, always. Another tension in leadership is defensiveness. And you probably will fail, but that’s all right. And you will make mistakes in personal judgment. And you will make a mistake in your own wisdom. And sometimes you need to be defensive, because sometimes you will need to explain why you did a certain thing.
The world’s standards aren’t our standards, but the tensions are the same, and God has given us this responsibility. There never has been a perfect leader yet other than Jesus Christ. Everyone makes mistakes. You have to accept the responsibility. With all of your shortcomings, keep charging ahead. Now, with that as an introduction, let’s look at the principles of leadership that flow out of Acts 27.
In Acts 27, Paul is being sent to Rome. For two years he has been a prisoner in Caesarea. Paul really wanted to unite the Jerusalem church with other Gentile churches. Not only did he bring money, but he brought some Gentile representatives from the various churches with him. But it didn’t work; and in the midst of the fury that was taking place in Jerusalem, the authorities took Paul as a prisoner.
The Jews wanted to kill him but they could not prove his guilt through several trials and finally Paul says, “Look, this case isn’t going anywhere. I appeal to Caesar.” And as a Roman citizen, he had the right to do that. And so, he is now being transported to Rome in order that his case might be tried before the courts of Caesar in Rome. Frankly, he was guilty of absolutely nothing.
As we begin in Acts 27: 1, he’s on the ship ready to go. When the journey starts, the lowest ranked guy on the ship is Paul. He is a criminal and a prisoner. There is a Roman centurion named Julius, and under him, there would be other officers, and then there were the soldiers of Augustus’ regiment itself. And then there was the captain of the ship, and there were the sailors. There were many people ranked far above Paul.
He didn’t know anything about sailing the Mediterranean to Rome. He didn’t know anything about the organization of the Roman army. But what is so amazing is by the time the ship is out of port and on its way, Paul takes over the entire trip. And before it’s done, he’s running the life of every individual on that ship. Because as a leader, he will rise to the top. And that’s exactly what happens.
Verse 1-2, “And when it was decided that we should sail to Italy,” – we being Paul and Luke, because he is the author of Acts – “they delivered Paul and some other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustan Regiment. 2 So, entering a ship of Adramyttium, we sailed along the coasts of Asia. Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, was with us.”
Verse 3, “And the next day we landed at Sidon. And Julius treated Paul kindly and gave him liberty to go to his friends and receive care.” Now Paul is a prisoner who is highly resented by the Jewish population in Jerusalem, but also a Roman citizen, who needed protection. But amazingly as they land at Sidon, Julius lets Paul go into town to meet his friends. In one day, Paul convinced Julius that he was trustworthy.
What happens to a Roman soldier who lost a prisoner? He lost his life, right? How in the world would he have done that? Only one way: he trusted him. His friends also must have trusted him. He had been a prisoner for over two years. But they never lost confidence in him. If you are going to lead, you have to lead from the vantage point of being a servant. 1 Corinthians 4 says, “Let it be said of us that we were servants.”
In Matthew 20:25-28 Jesus said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. 26 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
The second principle of leadership comes out in Acts 27: 4-10, “When we had put to sea from there, we sailed under the shelter of Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. 5 And when we had sailed over the sea which is off Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. 6 There the centurion found an Alexandrian ship sailing to Italy, and he put us on board.” They had to transfer here to a ship going further west to Italy.
“7 When we had sailed slowly many days, and arrived with difficulty off Cnidus, the wind not permitting us to proceed, we sailed under the shelter of Crete off Salmone. 8 Passing it with difficulty, we came to a place called Fair Havens, near the city of Lasea. 9 Now when much time had been spent, and sailing was now dangerous, Paul advised them 10 saying, “Men, I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives.”
This was somewhere between September and November, which was a dangerous season for sailing the Mediterranean. Now here Paul admonished them. You might say, Paul the prisoner is giving advice? The second principle is that leaders always take the initiative. He says, “Guys, we can’t continue now. I perceive if we do, we’re going to be in a lot of trouble.” In verse 37 it says in the ship there were 276 people.
Even though he is in a subordinate rank, he takes the initiative. And once Paul took the initiative on this trip he never gave it up again. Here is the first principle of taking initiative: he identified with the need. Secondly, he comes up with a solution. The third thing a leader does is he takes action. Number Four: He delegated responsibility. And, fifthly, he works alongside the people. A leader is somebody who takes the initiative.
Do you know what we need in our church? Less critics and more initiators. That is the kind of people we look for. It doesn’t matter what the rank is or the position. A leader also uses good judgment. In verse 9, Paul said that sailing was now dangerous.” A leader is not a gambler in the essential things, he is careful. He may take a calculated risk, but he doesn’t trust luck.
Verse 11-12, “Nevertheless, the centurion was more persuaded by the helmsman and the owner of the ship than by the things spoken by Paul. 12 And because the harbor was not suitable to winter in, the majority advised to set sail from there, also if by any means they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete opening toward the southwest and northwest, and winter there.” So the centurion says, “Let’s go.”
Initially things were great, verse 13, “When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their desire, putting out to sea, they sailed close by Crete.” But look verse 14-16, “But not long after, a tempestuous head wind arose, called Euroclydon. 15 So when the ship was caught, and could not head into the wind, we let her drive. 16 And running under the shelter of an island called Clauda, we secured the skiff with difficulty.”
Verse 17, “When they had taken it on board, they used cables to undergird the ship; and fearing lest they should run aground on the Syrtis Sands, they struck sail and so were driven.” They had these great bands of rope that were around the hull, because the only thing that held the ship together was pegs. And so they would winch ropes to tie it together, so that it would not shatter in the storm. So, they were really panicky.
Verse 18-21, “And because we were exceedingly tempest-tossed, the next day they lightened the ship. 19 On the third day we threw the ship’s tackle overboard with our own hands. 20 Now when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up. 21 But after long abstinence from food, then Paul stood in the midst and said, “Men, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss.”
Verse 22-25, “And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, 24 saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ 25 Therefore take heart, men, for I believe that it will be just as it was told me.”
Verse 26-28, “However, we must run aground on a certain island. 27 Now when the fourteenth night had come, as we were driven up and down in the Adriatic Sea, about midnight the sailors sensed that they were drawing near some land. 28 And they took soundings and found it to be twenty fathoms; and when they had gone a little farther, they took soundings again and found it to be fifteen fathoms.”
Verse 29-31, “Then, fearing lest we should run aground on the rocks, they dropped four anchors from the stern, and prayed for day to come. 30 And as the sailors were seeking to escape from the ship, when they had let down the skiff into the sea, under pretense of putting out anchors from the prow, 31 Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay in the ship, you cannot be saved.”
Verse 32-34, “Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the skiff and let it fall off. 33 And as day was about to dawn, Paul implored them all to take food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day you have waited and continued without food, and eaten nothing. 34 Therefore I urge you to take nourishment, for this is for your survival, since not a hair will fall from the head of any of you.” A leader focuses on objectives, not obstacles.
Leadership leads by example. Verse 35-38, “And when he had said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of them all; and when he had broken it he began to eat. 36 Then they were all encouraged, and also took food themselves. 37 And in all we were two hundred and seventy-six persons on the ship. 38 So when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship and threw out the wheat into the sea.”
Verse 39-41, “When it was day, they did not recognize the land; but they observed a bay with a beach, onto which they planned to run the ship if possible. 40 And they let go the anchors and left them in the sea, meanwhile loosing the rudder ropes; and they hoisted the mainsail to the wind and made for shore. 41 But striking a place where two seas met, they ran the ship aground; and the stern was being broken up by the waves.”
Verse 42-44, “And the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim away and escape. 43 But the centurion, wanting to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, 44 and the rest, some on boards and some on parts of the ship. And so it was that they all escaped safely to land.”
Paul rose from the place of a prisoner to the place of a leader. He manifested trust, initiative, good judgment, and authority in his speaking. He strengthened others and he was always enthusiastic and optimistic. He never compromised on his absolutes. He focused on objectives not obstacles. He led by example. He delegated responsibility and he succeeded.
God needs leaders like that in every dimension with His work as a service. Maybe you do not feel you are capable, but God knows your potential. May God raise up more and more leaders in this church to carry on His work. May the Lord give you the courage to just try and with the Holy Spirit’s help you can do anything for His glory and for your benefit. Let us pray.