Leadership Characteristics
1 Timothy 3:1
Introduction
- 1 Timothy 3:1
- Explanation of the honorable ambition of leadership
- Importance of exacting standards and qualifications for leadership
I. Demanding Qualifications for Leadership
- Question: Why are the qualifications so demanding?
- Answer: Because the function is so determinative
II. Quality Leadership Requires Quality Ingredients
- Illustration from Eugene O'Neill's play
- Quality temple requires quality ingredients
III. Behavioral Models for the Christian Community
- Leaders as behavioral models
- The importance of producing quality leaders
IV. The Mark of a Mature Man in Leadership
- Staying Power
- Resilience and endurance in leadership
- The importance of perseverance and not quitting
- Virile Private Life
- Importance of a strong private life for public strength
- Role of family respect and personal conduct
- Principle: No man can do enough for others if he is always surrounded by others
- Self-Mastery
- Control over various aspects of life (time, money, lust, discouragement)
- Non-encumbered individual
- Consistent Example
- Importance of modeling behavior
- Examples from biblical characters
- Study of the words "example" and "imitate" in the New Testament
- Resistance to Opposition
- Illustration of Nehemiah
- Handling criticism and opposition
- Importance of enduring misunderstandings and discouragement
- Servanthood
- Jesus Christ as the supreme example
- Giving up rights and accepting responsibilities
- Servicing those you lead
- Faith
- Belief in God’s ability to fulfill His promises
- Illustration with Abraham’s faith
- Faith involving risk and moving beyond the rational
V. Additional Characteristics of Effective Leadership
- Confidence Quotient
- Self-confidence as Christ-confidence
- Avoiding self-deprecation and maintaining faith in God’s strength
- Positive Attitude
- Avoiding negativity and failure orientation
- Maintaining a sense of humor and the ability to laugh at oneself
- Perceptiveness
- Being forward-looking and discerning of the present
- Understanding the importance of both past and future
- Teachability
- Capacity for growth and continuous learning
- Importance of being teachable and open to new ideas
VI. Conclusion
- Reflection on the privilege of being chosen by God
- Prayer for continued growth and significance in leadership
*The above summary is AI-generated, so discrepancies may exist. Please refer to the audio or video file to verify accuracy.
About the Contributors
Howard G. Hendricks
Dr. Howard G. Hendricks, known simply as “Prof,” directly or indirectly touched millions of lives in the evangelical community and beyond. For more than sixty years Prof served on the faculty of Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS), where he taught more than ten thousand students. He served as the chairman of the Center for Christian Leadership for over twenty years. He also ministered in person in more than eighty countries. Through speaking engagements, radio, tapes, films, the sixteen books he authored and coauthored, countless journal and popular-market articles, his service on numerous boards, and his work as a chaplain to the Dallas Cowboys (1976–1984), his reach was and is worldwide.
His legacy, in partnership with Jeanne, his wife of more than sixty-five years, includes four children and six grandchildren. Holding large audiences enthralled at venues such as Billy Graham’s conference center or Promise Keepers’ stadium rallies, Prof would confide, “It’s wonderful to be here with you, but I have a group of delicious students waiting for me back at the seminary.”
Contributors
