Ten Keys to Anointed Leadership

Bright, B. (2001). Ten Keys to Anointed Leadership. Fuller (Theological Seminary) Focus, Fall, 4-5.

OVERVIEW

Bill Bright is the head of Campus Crusade, begun at UCLA in 1951, now with 25,000 full time staff and more than half a million volunteers in 191 countries. He has received five honorary doctoral degrees and many notable awards. He is also the author of several books. He shared these 10 keys speaking to faculty and students at Fuller Theological Seminary.

• One: Discover the character of God, a God of love, grace, power, wisdom and compassion. A holy God.
• Two: Surrender to the Lordship of Christ. Make Jesus the Lord of your life. In 1951, Bill and his wife, Vionette, signed a contract to become “slaves of Jesus.” (see Romans 12:1)
• Three: Be filled with the Holy Spirit. Bill finds the Holy Spirit ignored in many churches. Only through the power of Pentecost can God work miraculously in our times.
• Four: Study the Word of God. God’s authority is expressed through the Word. It is more important than our physical nourishment, so Bill encourages us to read it before breakfast: “ ‘Make the Scriptures a priority in everything you read.’ ”
• Five: Practice spiritual multiplication. Evangelism should be central in the life of a Christian leader. “ ‘Pick out several of your top people, pour you life into them, pray with them, do whatever is necessary to bond with them, and make your ministry in their lives reproductive.’ ”
• Six: Make prayer and fasting part of your program. People come to Christ through prayer. Our nations need prayer. As Jesus fasted before his ministry, so should we.
• Seven: Ask God to give you a vision. “Where there is no vision the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18). “ ‘If we Christian leaders are not aflame with vision, we will not be able to lead others…Go off alone and fast and pray and ask God for your own personal vision…’ ”
• Eight: Keep your priorities straight. Loving God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself. Putting God first, your spouse second, your children third, and ministry fourth.
• Nine: Work as unto the Lord. Bill, who most see as a work horse, says, “ ‘If I had to live my life over, I would work harder, while keeping my priorities straight.’ ” The difference between a successful person and a failure is the successful person works harder.
• Ten: Have faith—trust God! Jesus says it will be to you according to your faith. Diagnosed with untreatable pulmonary fibrosis, Bill says, “ ‘this is one of the great highlights of my life—to face dying with joy, knowing my life and my beloved and all those who are dear in the movement are in the hands of a great God who loves us…God is absolutely faithful…so trust God…with everything.’ ”

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

1. If you were asked to present your ten keys to leadership, what would they be? Would they be similar to the above? Do you think the ten keys of most great Christian leaders would be somewhat different but overlap?
2. What do you think of these ten keys? How would you change them? How do you apply them in your own experience?
3. Isn’t every Christian a leader? Are some more leaders than others? How do you describe a great leader?
4. Some say there is a lack of great leaders today. How do you respond to that opinion?
5. What kind of secular and Christian leaders do you desire for the years ahead?
6. Do you consider yourself a leader? Why or why not?

IMPLICATIONS

1. A leader is someone who has willing followers. Many consider themselves leaders because of their popularity, status or position.
2. A leader is someone who has a vision and successfully conveys that vision to others.
3. There are certain traits that make for leaders in the world at large, and some traits, such as those above, that characterize Christian leadership. A truly successful Christian leader, like Bill Bright, possesses both natural and spiritual leadership traits.
4. Every person is called to some kind of leadership, and all are called on to be followers in other ways. A good leader must also be a good follower.