Bible Verses About Leadership in the Church

“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they watch over your souls as those who must give an account. To this end, allow them to lead with joy and not with grief, for that would be of no advantage to you.”

“Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.”

“Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.”

“Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.”

“Elders who lead effectively are worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.”

“Let no one despise your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”

“Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church, praying and fasting as they entrusted them to the Lord, in whom they had believed.”

“Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

“As a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings, and a partaker of the glory to be revealed, I appeal to the elders among you: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is among you, watching over them not out of compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not out of greed, but out of eagerness; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”

“He must increase; I must decrease.”

“For lack of guidance, a nation falls, but with many counselors comes deliverance.”

“Make every effort to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed workman who accurately handles the word of truth.”

“He must hold firmly to the faithful word as it was taught, so that he can encourage others by sound teaching and refute those who contradict it.”

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.”

“So David shepherded them with integrity of heart and guided them with skillful hands.”

“And the things that you have heard me say among many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be qualified to teach others as well.”

“Furthermore, select capable men from among the people — God-fearing, trustworthy men who are averse to dishonest gain. Appoint them over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.”

“Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will be stationed in the presence of kings; he will not stand before obscure men.”

“But we ask you, brothers, to acknowledge those who work diligently among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. In love, hold them in highest regard because of their work. Live in peace with one another.”

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.”

“You call Me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so, because I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example so that you should do as I have done for you. Truly, truly, I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”

“From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.”

“Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will do it.”

“When the righteous flourish, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.”

“Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

“Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

“Wicked behavior is detestable for kings, for a throne is established through righteousness.”

“For physical exercise is of limited value, but godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for the present life and for the one to come.”

“Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy send you greetings.”

“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.”

“Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men confirmed to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will assign this responsibility to them”

“Pay close attention to your life and to your teaching. Persevere in these things, for by so doing you will save both yourself and those who hear you.”

“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

“If you faint in the day of distress, how small is your strength!”

“Be sure to know the state of your flocks, and pay close attention to your herds; for riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to every generation.”

“Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ Anything more comes from the evil one.”

“But Jesus called them aside and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their superiors exercise authority over them. It shall not be this way among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

“He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same condemnation as the devil.”

“Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the shepherds of Israel, who only feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed their flock? You eat the fat, wear the wool, and butcher the fattened sheep, but you do not feed the flock. You have not strengthened the weak, healed the sick, bound up the injured, brought back the strays, or searched for the lost. Instead, you have ruled them with violence and cruelty. They were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild beasts. My flock went astray on all the mountains and every high hill. They were scattered over the face of all the earth, with no one to search for them or seek them out.’ Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, because My flock lacks a shepherd and has become prey and food for every wild beast, and because My shepherds did not search for My flock but fed themselves instead, therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD!’ This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will demand from them My flock and remove them from tending the flock, so that they can no longer feed themselves. For I will deliver My flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them.’ For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I Myself will search for My flock and seek them out. As a shepherd looks for his scattered sheep when he is among the flock, so I will look for My flock. I will rescue them from all the places to which they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. I will bring them out from the peoples, gather them from the countries, and bring them into their own land. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines, and in all the settlements of the land. I will feed them in good pasture, and the lofty mountains of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in a good grazing land; they will feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I will tend My flock and make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD. I will seek the lost, bring back the strays, bind up the broken, and strengthen the weak; but the sleek and strong I will destroy. I will shepherd them with justice.’ This is what the Lord GOD says to you, My flock: ‘I will judge between one sheep and another, between the rams and the goats. Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture? Must you also trample the rest of the pasture with your feet? Is it not enough for you to drink the clear waters? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet? Why must My flock feed on what your feet have trampled, and drink what your feet have muddied?’ Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says to them: ‘Behold, I Myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Since you shove with flank and shoulder, butting all the weak ones with your horns until you have scattered them abroad, I will save My flock, and they will no longer be prey. I will judge between one sheep and another. I will appoint over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them. He will feed them and be their shepherd. I, the LORD, will be their God, and My servant David will be a prince among them. I, the LORD, have spoken. I will make with them a covenant of peace and rid the land of wild animals, so that they may dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the forest. I will make them and the places around My hill a blessing. I will send down showers in season— showers of blessing. The trees of the field will give their fruit, and the land will yield its produce; My flock will be secure in their land. Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bars of their yoke and delivered them from the hands that enslaved them. They will no longer be prey for the nations, and the beasts of the earth will not consume them. They will dwell securely, and no one will frighten them. And I will raise up for them a garden of renown, and they will no longer be victims of famine in the land or bear the scorn of the nations. Then they will know that I, the LORD their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are My people,’ declares the Lord GOD. ‘You are My flock, the sheep of My pasture, My people, and I am your God,’ declares the Lord GOD.”

“Therefore be alert and remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.”

“As God’s steward, an overseer must be above reproach — not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not greedy for money. Instead, he must be hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.”

“But you shall not be like them. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who leads like the one who serves.”

“But Jesus said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness.”

“Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.”

“The plans of the heart belong to man, but the reply of the tongue is from the LORD.”

“I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea.”

“Join one another in following my example, brothers, and carefully observe those who walk according to the pattern we set for you.”

“By justice a king brings stability to the land, but a man who exacts tribute demolishes it.”

“A king who judges the poor with fairness— his throne will be established forever.”