The apostle Paul writing to the Ephesian church speaks to this holistic aspect of discipleship. He writes:
Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (Ephesians 4:15-16)
The goal of each and every believer is to serve and lead in such a way that the body of Christ builds itself up in love. If that’s the goal, then the proper working of each part is needed, and thus each individual must grow up into him who is the head. Simply put, the more each of us looks like Jesus, then the more the body of Christ will grow.
Understanding with clarity where Jesus desires the follower to go provides a clear vision for the forward-looking direction of the leader. The other half of the task of leadership is to understand where an individual or an organization is. Casting a compelling vision for a Christ-exalting life is part of leadership, but understanding how best to communicate God’s word into individual and corporate circumstances with persistence, persuasion and precision is what distinguishes a visionary from a biblical leader.
An Example from the Life of Jesus
No better example can be found than in the life of Jesus. In John 4, Jesus meets a Samaritan woman who is drawing water. In this instance, Jesus recognizes the woman’s marital situation (“you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband”). He sees where she is, her sin, and knows exactly what to say in order to move her to where she needs to be.
He utilizes her circumstance of desiring water to help her understand the motivations of her heart, and points to her ultimate need for a savior. Ending the conversation with the revelation that he is the messiah, Jesus clearly meets the woman where she is and points her toward where He wants her to go.
