I stood in front of a group of Sunday school leaders the other day and ask them the question, “When you think about leaders who influenced your life who comes to mind?” One by one they began calling off names that readily came to mind. Then I ask another question, “If I were to ask your Sunday school class the same question, would your name be one they would mention?” That question silenced the room! I then ask one more question, “Do you consider yourself a leader?”

You understand that without leaders you have no leadership. Leaders influence people to cooperate toward on the same goal, which they come to find desirable. Leaders have two important characteristics: they are going somewhere; and they are able to influence others to go with them.  You may remember this Chinese proverb that says, “He who thinks he leads when no one is following is just taking a walk.”

We know that leadership comes in various forms and styles and not everyone leads the same; however, those who lead exhibit leadership traits that set them apart from the rest of the group. You are a leader start acting like one. Learn from those God has placed in your life. Glean from the things they are doing right and even from the things they have done wrong. Leaders learn from their mistakes and grow in the midst of their circumstances. Take it all in, learn from it all and come out the other side a better leader, a better follower of Christ, and a better disciple.

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Dwayne Lee is a specialist for the Bible Teaching/Leadership Resource Group of the State Convention of Baptists in Ohio