How are leaders chosen?
Leadership is the art of leading others to achieve a purpose the led believe will add value to their lives and community. But how does one become a leader?
How does the Bible define leadership? How were leaders appointed in the Bible? Is this the same way leaders are being appointed today? Are those appointed still serving in the same way leaders served in the past?
Namutamba Esther spoke to same Christians and religious leaders to find answers to these questions.
Let’s start from the beginning in Genesis 1:26-28. God choose Adam and Eve and made them a leaders over everything He created.
In the earliest days of the Old Testament, leadership of the people of God was by the family head or patriarch, through whom God communicated His messages.
According Exodus 3:9-10, God appointed Moses to go to Egypt and rescue His children the Israelites.
“And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” Exodus 3:9-10.
By the time of the exodus, tribal elders were on the scene. They served as representatives for the whole nation according to Exodus 4:29. “Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites, and Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people, and they believed.”
Moses was told by God to assemble the elders to impart to them from first to last to the people, God’s message Exodus 3:16 “Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt.
“In the Old Testament, we see Moses appointing leaders to be endowed with God’s spirit,” says Pastor Kim Hurdy of Kamwokya Church Of God.
Moseas selected seventy of them to be specially imbued with God’s Spirit to help share the burden of the people Numbers 11:16 -17.
By the time of the judges and the monarchy there were elders of Israel who met for common decisions, such as the appointment of a king. There were elders in the individual towns.
1st Samuel 16:12-13, “So he sent for him and had him brought in to Samuel. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.”
Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.
Pastor Elijah Kintu of Kabowa Redeemed church says, “A leader can be appointed based on his or her willingness to serve and also according to the fruits of the Holy spirit that a person bears.”
The general overseer of the National Born Again Fellowship Churches Bishop Joshua Lwere says that leaders are appointed by God, Jesus calls them and the Holy Spirit confirms them.
On this Bishop Lwere quotes the Bible indicating that God often chose leaders and also He appointed His servants to choose a leader like Titus1:1 “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness.”
“God called Paul at Damascus when he was on his way and appointed him to the ministry of preaching to Gentiles to bring them back to Him(God).” Bishop Lwere gives an example.
“In 2 Timothy 2:2, and the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others, “goes on Bishop Lwere.
1st Samuel 16:13 “Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.”
Pr .Kim Hurdy, Church of God Kamwokya in Kampala on leaders still serving, says it depends on the person who was chosen if he or she will follow Jesus Christ to the end, for who called him to be a leader over people.”
Kim says though some leaders begin well like Judas Iscariot, who was also one of the Apostles that Jesus Christ selected among the 12, he abandoned Jesus and his calling and failed as a leader.
He ends, “When God choose Jeremiah, he said to him that I have called you from your mother’s womb in Jeremiah 1:4. Therefore as a leader one has think about following the appointment to the end.”
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