Churches need good leaders at every level of ministry, whether pastor, board member, Sunday School teacher, food pantry volunteer, or usher.

We often understand good leadership in terms of competence, the ability to perform tasks well. But the Bible consistently prioritizes character, without neglecting competence.

Consider 1 Timothy 3:2–7, for example. Paul lists various qualifications for “overseers.” The task-oriented qualifications include ability to teach and manage a congregation (verses 2,5). The remaining 10 or so qualifications are moral and spiritual in nature.

In other words, church leaders need to be both good and godly.

Based on my experience as a pastor, church member, and now professor training others for ministry, let me suggest five traits godly congregational leaders need most.

1. Love

Haddon Robinson once said, “Some leaders step on others as they climb up the ladder. They use people to get to where they want to go.”

Ladder-climbing leaders abuse people.

Love is other-regarding, not self-seeking, however.

The apostle Paul writes: “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves” (Romans 12:9–10, emphasis added).

Jesus modeled loving leadership. He always served people at their points of need and taught us to do the same: “Whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:44–45).

Godly leaders genuinely embody Christ’s love for others. They see people. They smile when they greet others. They know the names of people in their congregations.

They are genuinely interested in others. They ask how to pray for them. They ask how they can support their families.

Not only do they notice congregants’ ministry passions, but godly leaders give others opportunities to serve. They are present when church members celebrate and when they mourn. Sometimes, they demonstrate love by offering a word of correction.

Our churches need loving leaders, and we ourselves should seek to become them.

2. Humility

Humility is often misunderstood. In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis defined it as “not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.” Humility requires decentering ourselves in every situation.

Christian leadership involves speaking — whether preaching, teaching, or counseling. However, there are unhealthy forms of speech. Pride cannot exist in silence. Proud leaders must inject themselves into every conversation.

By contrast, humble leaders talk less and listen more. They don’t interrupt when someone else is speaking. They seek out the opinions of others. They are not “first responders” but “first listeners.”

Humble leaders also don’t take themselves too seriously. Philippians 2:3–4 offers an antidote to thinking about ourselves too much and too often: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

Humble leaders admit they don’t have all the answers. They’re not too proud to say, “I don’t know, but I am willing to learn.”

Instead of boasting of their accomplishments, humble leaders redirect praise to others.

They are supportive of others’ hopes and possibilities, rather than always thinking of how they can get ahead personally.

And most importantly, humble leaders are characterized by deep prayerfulness. They are not self-reliant but actively seek the Holy Spirit’s will.

3. Followership

Godly leaders follow first and follow well.

Most importantly, they follow Jesus wholeheartedly. Luke 9:23 is one of my favorite verses in this regard, even though Jesus’ words are hard to put into practice: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”

Humble leaders 
talk less and 
listen more.

Godly leaders also follow human leaders.

Some leaders struggle to follow others because of pride. They enjoy leading only when telling others what to do. They need their egos stroked by constant public attention.

On the other hand, godly leaders don’t need to be in control all the time. When they enter a room, they don’t have to be the center of attention. They are content simply to be present with others.

Godly leaders don’t feel compelled to speak to prove the brilliance of their ideas. They don’t have to be larger than life or expect others to treat them as if they were. Instead, they can serve behind the scenes. As need arises, they don’t mind performing tasks that are outside their job descriptions.

However, they don’t shy away from the up-front, public ministries when the moment requires that kind of leadership.

4. Praise

Godly leaders celebrate the successes of those they lead.

Something is amiss when leaders are hesitant to praise their co-laborers in ministry. Sadly, I have known many Christian leaders who are resistant to acknowledging the contributions of others. They reason that doing so might detract from their own achievements. Failing to praise others is a sign of weakness of character, not strength.

Godly leaders are proud to acknowledge the achievements of others because an individual “win” is a victory for the entire ministry team. As Paul writes, “If one part is honored, every part rejoices with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26).

Leaders should therefore be quick to praise others publicly. People need affirmation, encouragement, and celebration. Ministry in any capacity can be a long, hard slog — especially when people don’t feel appreciated.

Let us strive to overcome our insecurity, pride, and whatever else prevents us from praising others. We should ask God to heal the emotional hurts that lie at the roots of our insecurity. And in their place, let us pray for a spirit of generosity so we can make praising others a regular practice of our leadership.

5. Empowerment

Finally, godly leaders empower others to serve.

Releasing responsibility to others makes ministry efficient. Moses learned that lesson the hard way. One day, his father-in-law, Jethro, watched Moses judge disputes between people from dawn to dusk.

Jethro said to Moses, “What you are doing is not good. You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone” (Exodus 18:17–18, emphasis added).

Jethro’s solution for Moses was simple. Delegate tasks to others. Only do what they cannot.

Church leaders cannot handle the spiritual needs of a congregation alone. The burden must be shared.

Leaders who refuse to empower others may be seeking glory for themselves alone. Or they may be unable to release control. They do the work themselves because they don’t trust others to complete the task or to do it “right.”

Like Moses, we need to give up control and empower others.

It starts by stepping off the platform so others can step up to speak. Godly leaders share opportunities for personal and professional growth. They offer constructive feedback. They make room for the spiritual gifts of others.

Godly leaders don’t fear handing the reins to someone else. They’re not threatened by others’ youth, capability, energy, or creativity. They recognize that leadership is not about “me, myself, and I.” Instead, it’s about glorifying God and edifying others — regardless of who did the work.

What Matters Most

Churches need godly leaders at every level of ministry.

If you’re hiring a pastor or nominating a board member or seeking a volunteer for a new ministry, make sure to prioritize character in the search process.

And if you’re currently serving in ministry — whether as a vocational minister or a volunteer — make sure to prioritize character in your personal development.

Competence matters, of course, but character matters most.

This article appears in the Summer 2025 issue of Influence magazine.