Christian Leadership Career Paths

From The Forum archives

Christian leadership involves applying prayer, the leading of the Holy Spirit, biblical and theological knowledge, and Christ-like servant leadership to your work in any vocational sphere. There is no one role in which Christian leadership is important—the world needs Christ-centered leaders in all areas.

Types of Christian Leadership

These are just a few examples of Christian leadership. Wherever you find yourself as a believer, you can exercise Christian leadership within the priesthood of all believers.

• Church leadership: Church leadership can refer to pastoral roles, church staff, denominational leadership, parachurch organizations, and more.
• Community leadership: Christian leadership can support community efforts such as nonprofits or non-governmental organizations, faith-based initiatives, and government.
• Thought leadership: Christian thought leadership allows writers, scholars, and speakers to go deeply into topics, share their ideas, collaborate with others, and engage in civil discourse.
• Business leadership: Christian leaders are needed in the business world, putting ethics in action and using wealth and entrepreneurship in faithful ways.
• Spiritual leadership: Pastors and spiritual directors offer spiritual guidance from Scripture to their congregation, workplace, and community.
• Family leadership: Christian leadership makes a difference in homes and families. Caring for anyone at any stage, from infancy to adulthood, is an important task that is best done with intentionality and God’s help.
• Nonprofit leadership: Nonprofit leaders live out their organization’s mission to serve in their community and area of influence. Seeing their role as working for shalom can frame the efforts of Christian nonprofit leaders in important ways.
• Worship leadership: Worship leaders can guide God’s people in using the worship arts to turn their hearts to God, worship God in community, and live lives that glorify our creator.
• Missional leadership: Missionaries and other missional leaders carry the good news of the gospel, plant churches, and nurture communities of disciples in a variety of contexts.