Generosity is a desirable core truth for any leader. Read Luke 9:10-17.

Jesus’ message and His ability to heal people from sickness and disease attracted crowds. There were times when Jesus teaching was so captivating the crowds demanded more by simply refusing to leave. At one point, He had approximately 5,000 people follow Him into a deserted place. As evening drew near, Jesus’ disciples came to Him and asked Him to send the crowds away so they could find food and lodging in surrounding villages. Jesus simply told His team to give them something to eat.

Great leaders have great passion. Read Luke 3:2-22.

Many of the Old Testament prophets foretold of a man who would become a forerunner before Jesus, preparing the hearts of the people for Jesus’ life and message. John the Baptist, who was only about six months older than Jesus, effectively fulfilled that role for the nation of Israel preparing people for Jesus’ message. There are two words that may sound odd when juxtaposed against each other that both accurately describe the life of John the Baptist. Those two words are passion and humility. In this leadership study we will look at John’s passion and in the next study we will look at John’s humility.

Purpose and passion can overcome a leader’s lack of credentials. Read Mark 1:1-9.

Isaiah the prophet had foretold of a leader that would come on the scene just prior to the Messiah to prepare a way for Him (Isaiah 40:3). John the Baptist seemed to just appear in Israel and sparked a major spiritual awaking among the people. John’s ministry touched every segment of society from the nation’s leaders, to beggars and heretics, to religious leaders. John had an amazing impact even though he had none of the credentials we associate with great leaders. He didn’t have politically influential friends, he wasn’t wealthy, he lived in an isolated area, he wasn’t formally educated, he didn’t dress for success and he demonstrated zero tact in his messages. Yet, according to Jesus in Matthew 11:11, John the Baptist was the greatest man ever born.

Leaders effectively communicate vision when they use terms, examples, and word pictures that their audience can understand. Read Matthew 13:1-52.

Jesus was a master teacher. In His public ministry He often had crowds with varied backgrounds; some educated, some illiterate, some leaders, some laborers, some religious, some agnostic, some who preferred to work with their hands, some who worked with their mind, some honest, and some who did not know what an honest day’s work was. In chapter 13, Jesus uses a style of communication that effectively cast a vision for the Kingdom of Heaven which created a longing in the heart of virtually everyone in the crowd. Jesus’ use of parables and word pictures did not trivialize the profound truths about heaven but captured the imagination and heart and riveted His hearers’ attention on the kingdom He proclaimed.

It takes courage for a leader to speak the truth in the face of opposition. Read Zephaniah 1:1-18.

Zephaniah served as God’s prophet from 635-630 B.C., nearly five years before Jeremiah’s ministry and approximately 50 years before Babylon captured and destroyed Jerusalem. Zephaniah was a contemporary of King Josiah. Josiah was a God-honoring king and sought to bring reform after nearly 60 years of God-defying leadership by Manasseh and Amon. Zephaniah saw that Josiah’s efforts for revival were forcing external change but that the people needed to be transformed in their heart and re-establish core truths that generated true obedience to God. Zephaniah called the people to look at their motives, their desires, their private lives and their heart. He touched a chord that challenged the people to address issues that most leaders fear to bring up.