Leadership: God’s Plan of Success for Managers Sample

Introduction

In this short set of readings, we explore what the Bible has to say about God’s promises for your success in your supervisory or management role today.

Specifically, we will uncover examples and teachings from the Bible that relate directly for your role as a manager – whether you are team leader, supervisor or department head.

As a manager, you face a unique set of challenges: balancing demands from above with the limitations of your team and other resources. Your performance is assessed from above & below; critical feedback and the possibility of being re-assigned is never far away.  Yet, you love your job and enjoy the responsibility that goes with it.

Your goal as manager is to lead and get things done – whether for others in the organization, customers, or partners. And so you work hard, and do your best. You even pray for God’s help and look for ways that your work fits with His plans.

But how do you define success? Is it as simple as exceeding the targets? Or keeping the team happy? And, if you’re doing your best to serve God in what you do, will He also bless you with success?

After all, the Bible is chock full of promises and you’re likely familiar with one or more of these:

Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.  – Joshua 1:7

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." – Jeremiah 29:11

Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.  – 1 Chronicles 4:9

On top of that, the messages you hear at church and from others affirm that God wants to bless you, He wants you to be successful. In fact, those messages are often so strong that it’s easy to wonder what’s wrong when you (or others) are not being blessed with success.

And that’s the exact topic of this reading plan – what kind of success does God have for you as a manager, and how do you achieve that as a Christian at your work today?

To find out, we will look at the example given by a couple of fellow managers – Daniel & Joseph from the Bible. We will look at their management style, their decision-making processes and character to see what might apply to your situation in leadership today.

Following that, we will step back to take a broader look at how & when God gave His blessing of success to others in Bible times, and what that means for you today.

The lessons are timeless, so be sure to dig in!

Reflection / Application 

1. How do you define success in your role? Think beyond compensation, position and responsibility levels.  
2. What measures of success have you seen recently? Do you see these as blessings from God? 
3. If you could ask God for success, what would that be?