God and Leadership: How does God Lead?

GOD AND LEADERSHIP – SURVEY ANSWERS

Teleios’ recent survey evaluated Christians’ about God and leadership. There were 437 responses. Below are explanations of biblical importance. 

Thank you for taking the Teleios’ survey on God’s leadership. Obviously, this is quite an important topic as most all Christians believe God leads in some manner. However, how He directs us remains controversial.

To discover how God leads we should look at scripture because this is the source of truth (2 Timothy 3:16). Specifically, we need seek relevant verses in the epistles because this is the section of the Bible by which God directs Christians. Other scripture speaks to God’s leadership in the Old Testament and the Gospels, but these are for different times, before the church. Now that the revelation is complete, and believers are indwelt and empowered by the Holy Spirit, God’s way of leading differs than earlier times.

How then does God lead Christians in the church age?

God’s leadership for Christians is through two agents, the Holy Spirit and Christ, through one medium, God’s word, the Bible. Let us examine these.

Christ – The Bible says in this age God speaks through his son (Hebrews 1:2). Otherwise, all the previous means to provide revelation, for example angels, dreams, direct messaging, visions, and prophets, are no longer used. Further, God speaks through Christ by His word, revealed in the scripture, which we discuss below.

The Holy Spirit – The Spirit leading us (Romans 8:14) is a sign of our sonship from God. The Spirit directs us by guiding and teaching us to what Christ said (John 16:13-14) and using His word as a sword to enable us (Ephesians 6:17).

Why is God’s word a basis for His leadership?

The Bible is truth to us from God. Therefore, the Bible provides a basis of leadership by the Spirit and Christ. The process of how God gave this truth is important in providing a basis of biblical authority:

• God gave truth to Christ (John 8:40-45; John 14:6).
• Christ taught the apostles this truth (John 17:7-8) and especially through the apostle Paul, through the Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16) to complete the knowledge associated with Christ’s first coming (Colossians 1:25; Ephesians 3:5).
• The apostles, and especially Paul, then taught the truth to the second-generation Christians under apostolic authority (Titus 1:3; 1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Peter 3:2).
• During the second generation of the church, this truth was written down to provide our canon of scriptures which is the basis of God speaking to us today.

How does God lead Christians in practice?

We are fortunate that God gives us great latitude to live as we determine best to serve Him as we obey His word. The basic principles of God’s leading are:

• We are commanded to do everything by faith (Romans 14:23).
  • We have only a few specific commands in scripture to protect us from going ‘out of bounds’ from God’s playing field. Therefore, when we act in life on God’s playing field we possess very broad freedom to serve Him in faith.
  • Knowing scripture leads us to make choices in faith that will please God.
  • Our wonderful freedom in Christ is greater than the world possesses because we know that we are liberated from sin, have a heavenly home and we have truth, as revealed in the Bible, to live wise and useful lives (Colossians 2:3). In contrast, the world is bound by cultural norms, fads, jealousies and in trying to find truth. All these efforts are ultimately fruitless in the spiritual sphere as well as cost time and money.
• We are free to use what we want in this world, filtered through God’s word and prayer (1 Timothy 4:4-5).
• We should not condemn ourselves when stepping out in faith in accordance to scripture as best we can. In other words, do not feel guilty (Romans 4:22)!
• All we do should be for His glory (Colossians 3:17).

Surely, we have a great God who has set us free from sin to trust him with all life’s decisions as we step out in faith according to scripture. Further, the knowledge of our secure future heavenly home should protect our minds from day to day.

You can find the complete data for this survey here.

Young Christians’ Beliefs Regarding God’s Leading

Teleios conducted a survey about God’s leadership on two Instagram accounts frequented by Christian adolescents and millennials. There were 437 responses. The majority of responders were: < 35 years (80%), and primarily from the United States (55%) or Europe (9%). The respondents identified themselves primarily as evangelical (71%) or social Christians (23%).

A plurality of participants noted that the extent of God’s leading, minute to minute, in their lives was continuous (46%) whereas slightly fewer (28%) indicated He provided direction in life by the Holy Spirit who uses knowledge of His word as a believer acts in faith. Another 18% were unsure.

Further, 53% said God holds a distinct plan for their life which He would implement; while another 20% said God’s plan would only occur if they were obedient. In contrast, 12% expressed that there was no distinct plan but a Christian acts in faith and obedience, having freedom to decide their own path in life.

Most believers indicated God leads them by His word (58%) and the Holy Spirit (51%) while slightly fewer (25%) stated He directs them by their emotions.

When asked the basis of their belief in how God leads is actually correct, 30% said they felt it was right, 25% knew from their experience and 20% from a Bible reference.

All the findings of the survey can be found here as well as other findings from Teleios Research are on our website.

About Teleios – Teleios is a non-profit foundation, seeks to demonstrate the truth of Scripture and the Christian faith through the scientific method by providing evidence for the positive results of a biblically-based lifestyle. Prior studies conducted by Teleios have shown that the practice of the Christian faith (praise, prayer, fellowship, service and Bible study) and security of salvation increases well-being while reducing guilt.