Authoritative Leadership

Matthew 7:29

For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Leadership has been so weakened that it is no wonder our churches are floundering. Many make leadership look like a weak person who is afraid of their shadow asking people to follow, but that model has produced dying churches, worldly believers, and believers with no purpose for serving God. When you look at Jesus’ leadership, authority is always the one word that is used to describe his leadership style. Jesus cared for those He led, but He led with authority.

One of the great needs of churches today are pastors that lead with authority. At the very least, pastors should lead with authority because people will follow someone who leads this way. Yes, leading authoritatively brings criticism, and yes, people will say you are a dictator, but if you lead with authority, you will be able to lead a host of people to do something great for God, which is good for them and the Gospel. Let me show you several characteristics of leading with authority.

First, authoritative leadership leads with a mandate. The authority gets their authority from some place. The pastor’s authority comes from God’s Word, which means they have a mandate to lead. The pastor’s authority is not given to them from the people, but it is given to them by God. You ought to lead people as an authority because you have a mandate from God’s Word to lead this way.

Second, authoritative leadership leads with boldness. You cannot be a weak leader and lead people to attempt great works. Leadership never leads timidly, but it leads boldly. The reason people need leadership to lead boldly is because bold leadership leads as if they know what they are doing and where they are going. People will follow bold leadership because it is confident in what it is doing.

Third, authoritative leadership leads decisively. You must make decisions as a leader. You cannot put off and lead. When you make a decision, don't second-guess what you have done. Yes, you will make mistakes, but you will probably make more good decisions by leading decisively than you ever will by leading indecisively. People want to follow someone who is decisive because they portray that they know what they are doing. A leader must be decisive about what they are doing, and stick with that decision.

Fourth, authoritative leadership leads with vision. Jesus told the disciples to lift up their eyes and look on the fields because they are white already to harvest. Jesus had a great vision for people and that is one reason people followed Him. People will follow someone with a vision. They may not be able to see what you can see, but you must have a vision as you lead people. People like the challenge of the unknown, and a leader with vision fills that desire. You will never be a strong leader without having a vision for your people and the work God has given you.

Fifth, authoritative leadership leads with power. Jesus had the Holy Spirit’s power on His life, and it was seen in His works. People will follow someone who has the Holy Spirit’s power on their life. The four other characteristics will become a part of the leader’s life that has the Holy Spirit’s power. One attribute every leader must have is that they lead with the Holy Spirit’s power.