Assessing Potential Leaders: 10 Diagnostic Questions
“Where are the leaders?”
I don’t need to convince anyone that the church is facing a leadership crisis. In times like these, churches can be tempted to hastily place unqualified men in positions of leadership before taking time to assess their character or qualifications (1 Tim. 5:22-25). As a result, the church suffers instead of flourishing. It’s critical then that God’s people know what to look for in potential leaders.
Whether you’re a pastor seeking to develop future leaders or a parent training your child for godliness, here are a few questions that might help you assess potential leaders:
#1. Does their character inspire confidence?
“Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint” (Pr. 25:19). A man of unfaithful character can impress or galvanize people for a time, but only a man of godly character can lead God’s people over the long haul.
The most important character quality of a faithful leader is humility. When evaluating potential leaders, consider the following questions: Are they teachable, or are they self-reliant? Do they welcome instruction and correction, or do they ignore godly counsel? Do they take time to listen to others, or are they more interested in talking about themselves?
#2. Do they do the little things well?
“Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ (Mt. 25:21). Godly leaders are servants (Mark 10:42-45). They are willing and ready to do small, insignificant, and menial tasks in service to God and others. If potential leaders can’t do small things well, why should we expect them to faithfully steward more significant leadership responsibilities?
#3. Do they genuinely care for others?
I love what Paul said about Timothy in Phil. 2:19-21: “I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.” Unlike the opportunists of his day (Phil. 1:15-16), Timothy never saw ministry as a means to build his own brand. He genuinely loved and cared for God’s people. Because of Timothy’s sincere love, Paul was able to entrust meaningful leadership opportunities to his protege in the faith.
#4. Do they have an eye to see the good that God is doing (and can do)?
One of my favorite Bible characters is Barnabas. Barnabas was quick to see God’s grace at work in the lives of God’s people. Acts 11:23-24 states, “When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.” Spiritual leaders live and labor with faith-filled expectancy. They don’t bemoan challenges or quickly write off people. Rather, they have an eye to see the good that God is doing (and can do!) as He builds His church.
#5. Is their life worthy of imitating?
“Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ… Brothers, join in imitating me. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you” (1 Cor. 11:1; Phil. 3:17; 4:9). Potential leaders, of course, can’t model perfection; but they can by God’s grace model direction. In a spirit of humble confidence, they should be able to come alongside God’s people and urge them to, “Follow me as I follow Christ.”
#6. Are their relationships healthy?
Leaders driven by selfish ambition always destroy relationships. According to James 3:14-16, the fruit of their influence is strife, turmoil, chaos, and straight up ugliness. In contrast, leaders with godly wisdom are filled with the Christlike fruits of purity, peace, and humility (James 3:17-18). Their relationships with others are healthy, happy, and holy.
Sadly, I’ve met a lot of people who aspire to leadership whose relationships are marked by contentiousness. When assessing potential leaders, don’t overlook their relational health. What’s their family like? Do they have any long-standing friendships? How well do they relate to people whose personalities and passions are different from theirs?
#7. Are they influencing others for good?
Leadership is influence. Godly leaders consistently influence others for good. People seek their counsel, wisdom, and friendship. If someone wants to be a leader but no one is pursuing or following them, then it’s wise to assume that they’re not ready for leadership.
#8. Are they secure in their calling and giftedness?
Secure people know who they are and what they’re about (Ro. 12:3; 1 Cor. 15:10). They have a humble awareness of their strengths and weaknesses. They don’t see other gifted leaders as competition, but as co-laborers in ministry to lock arms with. Secure leaders use their power and influence to equip others to be all that God has called and gifted them to be. In contrast, insecure leaders are proud and obsessed with control. They see people who are more gifted than they are as a threat instead of a blessing. They hoard their power instead of harnessing it for the good of others. Ultimately, insecure leaders will produce far more harm than good.
# 9. Are they “full of the Spirit and wisdom?”
When the church at Jerusalem needed leaders to oversee her ministry to widows, Peter urged the believers to “pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty” (Acts 6:3). Churches need spiritual leaders to do the work of ministry. How can you know if a person is spiritual / “full of the Spirit?” In his book, Spiritual Leadership, J. Oswald Sanders states, “Spirituality is not easy to define, but you can tell when it is present. It is the fragrance of the garden of the Lord, the power to change the atmosphere around you, the influence that makes Christ real to others” (35). This is the kind of person we should be looking for in leadership.
#10. Do they work well with other godly leaders?
Sadly, I’ve known a lot of aspiring leaders who struggle working with other leaders. For a variety of selfish reasons, they simply won’t recognize or submit themselves to godly leadership. A person will never be a good leader if they aren’t willing to die to self and humbly work with other leaders for the glory of God and good of others.
Micah Colbert is the discipleship and outreach pastor at Community of Grace Church in Buffalo, NY. You can find his booklet, Good News for All Nations, designed for evangelism in ESL encounters, here. He blogs at Rooted Thinking, where this article first appeared.
Photo: Leadership by Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Alpha Stock Images