One distinguishing characteristic of a spiritual leader as compared to an ordinary leader is the discipline of prayer. J.Oswald Sanders, in his book “Spiritual Leadership” puts it this way:
- Set an example in Prayer – “In nothing should the leader be ahead of his followers more than in the realm of prayer.”(121)
- Make it a priority – “mastering the art of prayer, like any other art, will take time, and the amount of time we allocate to it will be the true measure of our conception of its importance.” (123)
- Set aside time for Prayer – “To busy Martin Luther, extra work was a compelling argument for spending ‘more’ time in prayer.” (123)
- Stay focused in your prayers – “true praying is a strenuous spiritual exercise that demands the utmost mental discipline and concentration.”(126) Prayer “utilizes the body, demands the cooperation of the mind, but moves in the supernatural realm of the Spirit.”(127)
- Pray for core issues – “Jesus dealt with the cause rather than the effect, and the leader should adopt the same method in that aspect of praying.”(130)
- Add personal action to your prayer – “It is impossible to move men, through God, by prayer alone.” (130-131)
- Join God in his work by His power and strength. – Great leaders in the Bible were leaders “because, by the power of prayer, they could command the power of God.” (134)
Source: J.Oswald Sanders “Spiritual Leadership
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