The Role of Leadership in Revival

The Church in Acts two was in the midst of revival. God’s people were committing to God’s plan because the Holy Spirit was leading them, and they did so under the leadership of the apostles. Revival takes place in the context of spiritual leadership. 

God uses leaders to help bring about revival in His people. In Jerusalem, God used Peter and the other apostles, and today He uses leaders like you and me. As we examine the Church in Jerusalem recorded in the early chapters of Acts, we see a description of some of the roles leaders played in revival. 

Leaders pray!

The revival in Acts two started with the apostles praying in Acts one. While the apostles hunkered down, scared for their lives, they prayed together. There is no doubt in my mind that their prayers in the “upper room” were a cry to God to send revival. They had seen the risen Lord, and I believe they were anticipating Him to lead them. He did! God sent the Holy Spirit to empower them and to remind them of all the things Jesus had said and done. 

Today, we need leaders who are praying for revival. We need leaders who are asking God to do something. A church filled with leaders who are praying can expect the Lord to move in their church. 

Leaders speak!

The revival in Jerusalem started with Peter and the other apostles standing up to speak. In Acts 2:14, the Bible tells us that… “Peter standing with the eleven lifted up his voice and addressed the crowd.” Peter’s message was the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to which thousands responded. However, Peter’s message did not stop with a gospel presentation. Peter and the apostles were also responsible for casting the vision for how the Church would operate in Acts 2:41-47. People were being baptized, meeting together, serving, giving to each other, and sharing the message.

We need leaders in the today’s Church all speaking the same message. We need leaders who share the Gospel and cast the vision for the Church. 

Leaders model!

The 120 leaders in the original Church who were gathered in the “upper room” were the same leaders who modeled meeting together in homes and in the temple court. They were the same leaders who modeled selling their possessions and giving to those in need. Leaders need to speak up, and they also need to act. The leaders in Jerusalem were authentic in their commitments to Christ and the Church. They were all willing to do what they were asking others to do.

We need authentic leadership in the Church today. We need leaders who are willing to do the same things they are asking those who follow them to do.

Leaders point!

The leaders in the Church in Jerusalem pointed people to Jesus. They did not take the credit for what was happening in their midst. Every sign and wonder that occurred was simply another opportunity for them to point people toward their Savior, Jesus. 

We need church leaders who understand the importance of giving Jesus the glory for everything that happens in His Church. The job of every christian leader is to point people to Him. 

Revival happens in the context of leadership, and leadership is the result of discipleship.

This blog was originally published by Impact Discipleship Ministries. Reposted here with permission.

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