If you’re involved in church leadership, you’ve probably asked this question before.

Maybe you weren’t feeling too effective. In disgust, you might have asked, “What do people expect from me anyway?”

That’s probably not the right question.

Instead, let’s accept that some people are never satisfied with their leaders; the problem is the one in the mirror. Some individuals are unhappy and unsatisfied with their lives. They can’t be pleased regardless of what you do or how you attempt to help them.

But that doesn’t describe all people. The overwhelming majority of people need three basic items from their Christian leaders. Even if they never say it publicly, they appreciate these three greatly.

It’s not always as easy as A-B-C. But we can do this by the empowering grace of the One who called us to serve Him and lead them.

Live right before them.

Yes, people expect their Christian leaders to live like Christians. Even if they aren’t living right, they want you to. They need you to set forth an example.

Every time I read the biblical qualifications for local church leaders, I’m amazed. The standard never changes. Character is always more important than competency.

You can get by with being less than in the realm of competency. But when it comes to character, “steer clear of evil in any form” (1 Thessalonians 5:22, JBP). Or, as the KJV says, “abstain from all appearance of evil.”

You’ll never have to be ashamed of living righteously.

Love them patiently.

People need to be loved. They don’t always act like it, but they do. And the people who don’t act like it might need it more than the rest.

You shouldn’t be in Christian leadership if you don’t love people. Everyone understands and receives love differently, so this is sometimes tricky.

However, let me pause and remind you that “love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud” (1 Corinthians 13:4, NIV). Or consider the J.B. Phillips rendering of that same verse: “This love of which I speak is slow to lose patience—it looks for a way of being constructive. It is not possessive: it is neither anxious to impress nor does it cherish inflated ideas of its own importance.”

Love means we give others space and grace to change, grow, and learn to live right. Love doesn’t mean we approve of poor character and sinful choices. But it does mean I will respect you as a human being.

You’ll never be able to lead them if you can’t love them patiently.

Lead them with strength.

This can be overplayed—we’ve all seen it happen. However, most people will follow your strong leadership if you live righteously and love patiently.

People do not like to follow Christian leaders who are indecisive with words and hesitant with their actions. They need to see godly confidence portrayed.

Shepherds cannot constantly lead sheep from behind them. That’s driving! But shepherds can confidently lead them from the front.

Christian leaders speak God’s word with confidence (Hebrews 13:7-9). Christian leaders know God’s strength and attempt great things for Him (Daniel 11:32). They sense security in their calling and serve the people they’re called to lead (Matthew 20:26-28).

You’ll never have a problem confidently leading the people you love.

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Managing the expectations of those you lead versus the reality of what you can do will always be a challenge. Yet, as a follower of Christ, you can do this as you lean hard into His empowering grace.

• Live right.
• Love patiently.
• Lead strong.

What do you think about these three? Would you have put them in a different order? Leave a comment, and let’s keep the discussion going as we help one another.

Let’s move forward and be the change agents that followers of Christ are called to be!