50 Bible Verses on Leadership
heart.—Psalm 37:3–4
1. Delegate to capable leaders
But select capable men from all the people—
men who fear God, trustworthy men who
hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as
officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties
and tens.—Exodus 18:21
It doesn’t take too long for Moses’s father-
in-law, Jethro, to see that Moses is in way
over his head. The Israelites have been
brought out of Egypt, and all of Moses’s
time is now being spent mediating their
squabbles and issues. Jethro’s advice is to
delegate trustworthy men to even out the
burden.
Quality leadership looks for and empowers
other leaders. The old adage—if you want
something done right, you have to do it
yourself—is nonsense. You’re not a better
leader if you’re doing it all yourself.
2. Follow the Lord’s leading
I will instruct you and teach you in the way
you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on
you.—Psalm 32:8
Walking with God requires an intimate,
prayer-filled reliance upon him. Christian
leadership is truly impossible if you haven’t
prioritized fostering a deep spiritual
sensitivity.
3. Leaders seek delight in the Lord
Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your
There are so many temptations for leaders. If
they’re not careful, they’ll end up putting
their trust in themselves or their strategy.
And if they’re doing well, they’ll take
delight in it. It seems that the more
successful you are as a leader, the more
danger you’re in.
Successful or not, a leader’s trust and delight
should always be in God.
4. Find stability in the stillness
Be still before the Lord
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their
ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.—
Psalm 37:7
Don’t be distracted by others’ success, even
when it they’re succeeding in their
wickedness. Developing patience, trust, and
stillness before God will give you the
stability you desire—and he will come
through.
5. True leadership is content
Better the little that the righteous have
than the wealth of many wicked;
for the power of the wicked will be broken,
but the Lord upholds the righteous.—Psalm
37:16–17
Godly leadership is grounded in
righteousness, and righteousness is its own
reward. Sometimes it might feel like your
leadership skills would be better
compensated in another venue, but you must
trust that the Lord will honor your work and
sacrifice.
6. From the overflow of their hearts, leaders
speak
The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,
and their tongues speak what is just.
The law of their God is in their hearts;
their feet do not slip.—Psalm 37:30–31
Jesus tells us that the things that come out of
someone’s mouth originate in their heart.
(Matt. 15:18) A leader needs to pay attention
to the things they say because their words
are an indicator of their spiritual condition.
A good leader’s words will bring light and
life.
7. A leader’s integrity comes from within
And David shepherded them with integrity of
heart;
with skillful hands he led them.—Psalm
78:72
As we saw in verse #6, our words are a
strong indicator of our heart’s condition. It’s
important that we pay attention to it because
strong leadership will come from the
integrity of our hearts.
As we know from David’s history, this
doesn’t mean that we’re always perfect. But
that we’re quick to repent when we realize
we’re off track.
8. Leaders protect themselves from
corruption
Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.—
Proverbs 4:23
We all know the heart is just a blood-
pumping muscle. Biblically speaking, the
heart represents our emotional, intellectual,
and moral center. We need to protect it
because, as the Proverb says, everything
flows from that center.
Our spiritual condition reveals itself in our
actions. A leader understands this and
protects their spiritual core at all cost.
9. Leadership is integral to a nation
For lack of guidance a nation falls,
but victory is won through many advisers.—
Proverbs 11:14
You can’t underestimate the power of
leadership. To the writer of Proverbs 11, the
nation they were talking about was Israel—
God’s people.
The church needs guidance, too. Without
strong leadership, a church cannot stand. But
as the number of legitimate and godly
advisers grows, the stronger she gets.
10. Leadership is rooted in righteousness
Kings detest wrongdoing,
for a throne is established through
righteousness.—Proverbs 16:12
Leading requires integrity. If you want your
leadership to have deep roots which will
eventually lead to healthy fruit, you need to
weed out compromise and short cuts.
11. Leaders are constantly improving
Do you see someone skilled in their work?
They will serve before kings;
they will not serve before officials of low
rank.—Proverbs 22:29
If you want to increase your influence,
you’ll invest in your abilities. The more
skilled a leader is, the more they’ll find
themselves in demand. Leaders grow.
12. Leaders are made in troubled times
If you falter in a time of trouble,
how small is your strength!—Proverbs
24:10
Hopefully you didn’t aspire to leadership to
walk an easy path. Leaders are needed when
the road gets rockiest and the path is unsure.
A leader’s metal is truly tested in the
toughest moments.
13. Leader pay special attention to their
resources
Be sure you know the condition of your
flocks,
give careful attention to your herds;
for riches do not endure forever,
and a crown is not secure for all
generations.—Proverbs 27:23–24
Resources don’t last forever. Money gets
spent, volunteers move on, and facilities and
systems break down. The church needs
leaders who are keeping track of these
resources to make sure they’re plentiful—
and healthy!
14. Poor leadership is demoralizing
When the righteous thrive, the people
rejoice;
when the wicked rule, the people groan.—
Proverbs 29:2
Bad leadership is terrible for an organization
and demoralizing for the people under it.
Poor leadership needs to be dealt with
quickly and strongly because if it’s allowed
to continue, it can undermine everything.
15. Good leadership offers stability
By justice a king gives a country stability,
but those who are greedy for bribes tear it
down.—Proverbs 29:4
An organization finds its security in the
strength of its leadership. When it is
uncompromisingly focused on doing justice,
everything flourishes. When they begin
looking for ways they can benefit from their
position, things begin to fall apart.
16. Leaders put their trust in God
So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right
hand.—Isaiah 41:10
Leaders find themselves in difficult
situations and, if their attention isn’t fixed
on Jesus, it’s easy to get dismayed. Because
leaders find themselves under fire so often,
it’s imperative that they are constantly
growing in their awareness of God’s
empowering presence.
17. Leaders recognize their limitations
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,
declares the Lord.
As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.—
Isaiah 55:8–9
Face it—you’re fallible. You don’t have all
the answers, even if everyone thinks you do.
Another reason we need to be investing in
our spiritual sensitivity is because as soon as
we start trusting in their own wisdom, we’re
sunk.
18. God establishes leadership
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew
you,
before you were born I set you apart;
I appointed you as a prophet to the
nations.”—Jeremiah 1:5
Sometimes a leader’s struggle isn’t just
about remembering that God is with them.
There are times that it’s a struggle to believe
that you’re in the right place. In the thick of
it, it’s easy to believe that you’ve made a
huge mistake.
It’s important to recognize that God has
prepared you for leadership. As long as your
serving faithfully, you can trust that he’s
preparing to deliver you.
19. A leader has an intimate relationship with
God
‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell
you great and unsearchable things you do
not know.’—Jeremiah 33:3
Over and over the Bible is trying to tell us
that spiritual awareness leads to greater
insight. A strong leader prioritizes spiritual
discipline because they know that their
connection to God is where they derive their
stamina, strength, staying power, and
insight. Without that connection to God,
you’re just a manager.
20. Leadership is about justice, mercy, and
humility
So in everything, do to others what you
would have them do to you, for this sums up
the Law and the Prophets.—Matthew 7:12
The golden rule isn’t particular to
Christianity, but Jesus adds a new wrinkle to
it. Instead of it being a prohibition (don’t do
to others what you don’t want them to do to
you), Jesus instructs us to do for others what
we wish they would do for us.
This should mindset should epitomize all of
our leadership. After all, it sums up the
whole law.
21. Leaders practice humility
Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to
become great among you must be your
servant—Matthew 20:26
This is another strange addition to the
world’s leadership lexicon. If you want to be
great, you must humble yourself. Christian
leadership isn’t about standing above
everyone, it’s about serving them.
22. A wise leader is always expecting the
master’s return
“Who then is the faithful and wise servant,
whom the master has put in charge of the
servants in his household to give them their
food at the proper time? It will be good for
that servant whose master finds him doing
so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will
put him in charge of all his possessions.—
Matthew 24:45–47
If you ever feel like you need a little
motivation and incentive to keep plugging
away, remember that the Lord could return
at any moment. We don’t want him to find
us slacking off.
23. Leadership is all about service
Jesus called them together and said, “You
know that those who are regarded as rulers
of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their
high officials exercise authority over them.
Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to
become great among you must be your
servant, and 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
10:42–45
When people aspire to leadership, it often
stems from a hunger for significance. This is
a dangerous reason to seek leadership
because once you get it, you’re likely to
abuse it.
Jesus adds to the idea that whoever wants to
be great must be a servant, but he adds a
new component. The higher you want to
climb, the more of a servant you need to
become. If you want to be at the front of the
pack, you need to be the slave of all.
24. True leadership recognizes the rule of
reciprocity
From everyone who has been given much,
much will be demanded; and from the one
who has been entrusted with much, much
more will be asked.—Luke 12:48
Spiderman says it well, “With much power
comes much responsibility.” Jesus would
totally agree. The more authority and
influence you have the more that’s going to
be required of you. Every promotion and
growth in leadership needs to come with
sober reflection.
25. Leaders aren’t restricted by their
limitations
Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man
is possible with God.”—Luke 18:27
Don’t fall into the trap of avoiding things
that are beyond your ability. The sooner you
get to a place where you’re no longer relying
on your strengths, the sooner you’re going to
see God doing amazing things. As long as
you’re in your comfort zone, your leadership
is compromised.
26. One doesn’t grow as a leader by chasing
power
But you are not to be like that. Instead, the
greatest among you should be like the
youngest, and the one who rules like the one
who serves.—Luke 22:26
We’ve already seen Jesus comparing
leadership to servants and slaves. Here he
adds another simile. The greatest should be
like the youngest.
In this culture, the youngest is the least
important person in the family. They’re not
getting the attention, the blessing, or the
inheritance. Jesus says that if you want to be
great in the kingdom, you can’t focus on
what you’re going to get out of the deal.
27. Rightly understanding your place is a
prerequisite for leadership
He must become greater; I must become
less.—John 3:30
Jesus calls John the Baptist the greatest
person that’s ever been born. (Matt. 11:11)
This attitude had to be the reason why. John
wasn’t interested in promoting himself.
Even though he starts building up a lot of
notoriety, as soon as Jesus comes on the
scene, John takes the back seat—eventually
losing his life.
Our attitude needs to be similar. Leadership
isn’t about building a name for ourselves,
it’s about amplifying Jesus’s name.
28. A real leader is the servant of all
“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and
rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I,
your Lord and Teacher, have washed your
feet, you also should wash one another’s
feet. I have set you an example that you
should do as I have done for you. Very truly
I tell you, no servant is greater than his
master, nor is a messenger greater than the
one who sent him. Now that you know these
things, you will be blessed if you do
them.”—John 13:13–17
One of Jesus’s last object lessons was his
willingness to wash the disciple’s feet
during their last meal. This wasn’t some
empty, symbolic gesture. It was a service
that needed to be performed. It was
something a servant would typically do.
Jesus isn’t asking his followers to humble
ourselves in grand and figurative ways. He
literally wants us to get on our hands and
knees and serve those who follow us.
29. Leadership is about watching over
yourself and others
Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock
of which the Holy Spirit has made you
overseers. Be shepherds of the church of
God, which he bought with his own blood.—
Acts 20:28
As leaders, we have two major jobs: to
watch over those under our care and to
watch over ourselves. If our attention is only
on those we’re leading, we’re not taking
care of or own needs. We need to make sure
that we’re healthy if we want to adequately
lead others.
30. Leaders have confidence in the future
And we know that in all things God works
for the good of those who love him, who
have been called according to his
purpose.—Romans 8:28
Even though Paul isn’t speaking to leaders, I
can’t imagine a more leadership-appropriate
message. Church leadership is full of
tragedy and triage, one can easily become
disheartening. Our perseverance is uniquely
tied to our belief that God is already at work
alongside us reconciling the most difficult
situations to himself.
31. A leader’s security is in the Lord
If God is for us, who can be against us?—
Romans 8:31
This is the leader’s rallying cry. There’s
always some opposition, and it doesn’t just
come from without. It’s important to
remember that if you’re truly on God’s side,
you don’t have to be afraid of resistance.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that a good
leader ignores opposing voices. Hearing
objections can be a great way to check your
plumb line and make sure that you’re on the
right track. But once you’re certain, move
forward.
32. If you lead, do it diligently
For by the grace given me I say to every one
of you: Do not think of yourself more highly
than you ought, but rather think of yourself
with sober judgment, in accordance with the
faith God has distributed to each of you. For
just as each of us has one body with many
members, and these members do not all have
the same function, so in Christ we, though
many, form one body, and each member
belongs to all the others. We have different
gifts, according to the grace given to each of
us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy
in accordance with your faith; if it is
serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then
teach; if it is to encourage, then give
encouragement; if it is giving, then give
generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if
it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.—
Romans 12:3–8
A leader is part of an organizational
structure. It’s not a more important or more
integral role than anyone else plays. It’s so
important to recognize that a leader isn’t
above anyone else, but works beside them to
meet the everyone’s goals.
The system operates efficiently when
everyone is using the gifts they were given
to fulfill their role. Your job as a leader is to
equip and empower them to bring more and
more of their gifts to bear on their
position—and by doing so, you’re leading
more diligently.
33. Leadership is about stamina
Let us not become weary in doing good, for
at the proper time we will reap a harvest if
we do not give up.—Galatians 6:9
A leader works hard making long-term
energy investments that they won’t see an
immediate return on. It can be draining to be
planting seeds with the hope that they’ll
grow into something majestic. A church or
organization doesn’t become efficient or
productive overnight, so a leader needs to be
committed to the journey.
The struggle for leaders who grow weary
isn’t simply that they give up. It’s that they
shift toward a more autocratic, authority-
driven style of leadership trying to increase
the rate of change. And in the end, the
structure that they’re hoping to fix is
completely broken.
34. Leadership equips people to become
mature
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the
prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and
teachers, to equip his people for works of
service, so that the body of Christ may be
built up until we all reach unity in the faith
and in the knowledge of the Son of God and
become mature, attaining to the whole
measure of the fullness of Christ.—
Ephesians 4:11–13
The the church to become a mature
community that expresses the fullness of
Christ, everyone has to be pulling together
in the same yoke. A church shouldn’t have a
top-down organizational chart. It should be
everyone harmonically working together to
ensure that new believers can begin serving
as well.
35. Leaders aren’t ambitious for their own
gain
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain
conceit. Rather, in humility value others
above yourselves—Philippians 2:3
The key to biblical leadership lies in keeping
your eyes on the goal. The goal is to worship
God by serving others. The only way we’re
going to be able to do that correctly is if we
value them the way Jesus did.
The role of a leader is full of snares: self-
aggrandizement, posturing, greediness,
empty ambition, etc. The only sure way that
we can serve God while avoiding
leadership’s pitfalls is to value people above
ourselves.
36. A leader learns to be content in every
situation
I know what it is to be in need, and I know
what it is to have plenty. I have learned the
secret of being content in any and every
situation, whether well fed or hungry,
whether living in plenty or in want. I can do
all this through him who gives me
strength.—Philippians 4:12–13
Too often people quote Philippians 4:13 as
if it stands alone. But Paul is setting himself
up as an example of contentment in
leadership.
We can’t look at our current experience to
gauge God’s pleasure or the effectiveness of
our work. Sometimes we will experience
comfort and sometimes we will suffer want.
The key is to find our contentment in
serving well, and avoid judging our success
by looking at our situation.
37. A leader’s hope is in God’s faithfulness
The one who calls you is faithful, and he will
do it.—1 Thessalonians 5:24
Is this a leadership specific verse? No. Is it
important that leaders have this reminder in
the back of their minds at all times?
Absolutely!
When leading gets difficult (and it will) and
you want to throw in the towel (which you
will), you need to remember when and how
you were called to lead, and know that God
is going to see you through.
38. What are the expectations of a leader?
Now the overseer is to be above reproach,
faithful to his wife, temperate, self-
controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to
teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent
but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of
money. He must manage his own family well
and see that his children obey him, and he
must do so in a manner worthy of full
respect. (If anyone does not know how to
manage his own family, how can he take
care of God’s church?) He must not be a
recent convert, or he may become conceited
and fall under the same judgment as the
devil. He must also have a good reputation
with outsiders, so that he will not fall into
disgrace and into the devil’s trap.—1
Timothy 3:2–7
39. Leadership and self-discipline go hand-
in-hand
For physical training is of some value, but
godliness has value for all things, holding
promise for both the present life and the life
to come.—1 Timothy 4:8
40. A leader isn’t defined by their age
Don’t let anyone look down on you because
you are young, but set an example for the
believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in
faith and in purity.—1 Timothy 4:12
41. Leadership doesn’t shrink
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us
timid, but gives us power, love and self-
discipline.—2 Timothy 1:7
42. Lead by keeping your eyes on the goal
Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier
of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier
gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather
tries to please his commanding officer.—2
Timothy 2:3–4
43. Leaders don’t rest on their laurels
Do your best to present yourself to God as
one approved, a worker who does not need
to be ashamed and who correctly handles
the word of truth.—2 Timothy 2:15
44. Leadership stems from true power
There will be terrible times in the last days.
People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of
money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient
to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without
love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-
control, brutal, not lovers of the good,
treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of
pleasure rather than lovers of God—having
a form of godliness but denying its power.
Have nothing to do with such people.—2
Timothy 3:1–5
45. A Church leader manages God’s
household
Since an overseer manages God’s
household, he must be blameless—not
overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given
to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing
dishonest gain. Rather, he must be
hospitable, one who loves what is good, who
is self-controlled, upright, holy and
disciplined. He must hold firmly to the
trustworthy message as it has been taught,
so that he can encourage others by sound
doctrine and refute those who oppose it.—
Titus 1:7–9
46. A leader’s life is an example
Remember your leaders, who spoke the
word of God to you. Consider the outcome
of their way of life and imitate their faith.—
Hebrews 13:7
47. A leader turns to God for wisdom
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask
God, who gives generously to all without
finding fault, and it will be given to you.—
James 1:5
48. God rewards leaders for their
perseverance

Blessed is the one who perseveres under

trial because, having stood the test, that
person will receive the crown of life that the
Lord has promised to those who love him.—
James 1:12

49. The more humble a leader becomes, the

more God exalts them

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he

will lift you up.—James 4:10

50. Victorious leaders will be rewarded

Those who are victorious will inherit all

this, and I will be their God and they will be
my children.—Revelation 21:7