From the days when Ahab said to Elijah, 'Are you he that troubles
Introduction: What Is an Evangelical Leader? 3
wrote, "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ."? And what
is to be imitated the Scriptures do not leave in doubt: Almost
every time Scripture holds up Christ as our example to follow,
the stress is on his humility.
3. An evangelical leader is a man prepared to be unpopular. From the days when Ahab said to Elijah, 'Are you he that troubles
Israel?', faithfulness to Scripture will not bring the approval of
the majority. Dr MacArthur says bluntly, "You cannot be faithful
and popular, so take your pick.' A quest for popularity is a very
short-term thing. For an evangelical, 'success isn't measured 1n
hours, or even centuries. Our focus 1s fixed on eternity.' Success
'js NOt prosperity, power, prominence, popularity, or any of the
other worldly notions of success. Real success is doing the will
of God regardless of the consequences."*
4, An evangelical leader is one who is awake to the dangers
of the times. Not every Christian has the distinction that was
once given to the tribe of Issachar, 'The men of Issachar had
understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do'
(1 Chron. 12:32). There are periods in church history when
the leaders have seriously mistaken the way in which the cause
of Christ is to be carried forward. The signs of the times have
been misread. A true evangelical leader is raised up to provide
God-given direction.
5. An evangelical leader will not direct attention to himself.
He personally owes everything to Jesus Christ. As a sinner he
sees the need to live in a spirit of repentance all his days. He
knows the contrast between what he is in himself and the mes-
2 Telve Ordinary Men (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2002), p. 44 ina chapter where MacArthur sets out what leadership means.
3 The Jesus You Cam't Ignore (Nashvile: Nelson, 2008), p. 205.
+ Ashamed of the Gospel (Wheaton: Crossway, 1993), p. 29.