The Leadership Template of Jesus

On my way to work on June 29, 2021, I reflected on how Jesus chose his 12 disciples. Knowing full well He had an uncommon assignment which also depended to a very large extent on the team He chose, I believe so much went into choosing that first team.

He had to carefully lay the foundation because this was an assignment that would ‘outlive’ Him. It was a generational assignment—an eternal one. 

Andrew.

First person to ‘discover’ Jesus. An initial follower of John the Baptist, he decamped to follow Jesus. A very good man who was willing to share with others. He could convince others because he had the gift of persuasion. 

One of the greatest things he ever did was bringing Peter to Jesus, indicating an incredible eye for talents. But he preferred to operate from the background and didn’t mind if he wasn’t the leader. 

Simon Peter.

A crude but very courageous chap. Fearless. He stood up to Jesus once in a while and was not afraid to challenge the status quo. Asked painful questions at times. A bit irrational. Spontaneous. 

He talks before he thinks sometimes. Married. He was able to win the trust of others and became the leader of the bunch. A bridge builder. 

James and John, Sons of Zebedee.

James and John were business partners with Peter. They were very ambitious folks who wanted to get ahead and were willing to do anything to get their desires. They had some level of affluence and understood how to work in a team. 

Nathaniel.

Prejudiced. In the present era, many would call him an ethnic bigot. He didn’t believe anything good could come out of Nazareth. But he was very direct. No sugarcoating with this guy. He shoots from the hip. Requires emotional intelligence. 

Matthew.

Perceived as very corrupt. A tax collector. Many would never understand the basis for this choice. He hung out with the wrong crowd. Didn’t have a good reputation with folks. But as a tax collector, he was good with records. Meticulous. Detailed. 

Matthew couldn’t afford mistakes, He had a good memory. He was needed on the team so he could give everyone an accurate record of events. He wrote the Book of Matthew. 

Thomas.

He was a pessimist. He liked to see proofs. Many would call him a realist nowadays. Nevertheless, he would always bow to superior arguments and was also willing to go the extra mile. When Lazarus died, he urged everyone to go so they could die with him. Not afraid. 

Simon.

The Zealot. Political activist. Angry with the status quo. A revolutionary. Unconventional. Possibly almost always angry. Terrible temper. Needed to be managed skillfully. He might get into clashes with other teammates frequently. 

Judas Iscariot.

As the treasurer, he handled the purse. He was good with figures and bookkeeping. He was able to keep the team afloat for about three years. Colleagues knew he pilfered but they didn’t really bother as no one had his skillset.

What can we learn from the leadership template of Jesus and how He chose His disciples? Read this insightful post to find out. Share on X

The disciples of Jesus were very ordinary guys. Everyday people. Some were even almost anonymous. They had different skill sets, different strengths and different weaknesses. They came from different backgrounds. Some very poor. Some affluent. 

They worked in different industries and sectors—some were fishermen, one studied accounting, another was an employer of labour.

Some were married and others were single—Jesus Himself was single. 

He knew how to handle them. He played to their strengths and strengthened their weak points. He gave them focus and direction. He inspired them when necessary; corrected and rebuked them at times. 

Jesus was vulnerable before His disciples. He showed them a picture of the future and allowed them to dream. He coached them personally, took them for retreats and led them by example. He shed tears to show His humanity. 

He performed miracles and revealed things they didn’t know before. He pushed them to understand they could do greater works too. He loved them at all times. And finally, He died for them. 

The result?

Those guys turned the world upside down. They transformed their world. Brought a new way of thinking and living. Wrote new books that formed the basis for a new religion. Influenced generations. Got the attention of the low and mighty. Ordinary people who had some extra. 

What exemplary leadership!