The entire Bible is the source of truth for every Christian leader, but we all have our favorite verses. Our special “go to” scriptures that guide, inspire, and keep us on track. The verses that help us keep going and growing. I’m sharing mine with you. These are the scriptures I lean into, as well as use to help develop young leaders.
I’ll admit that the selection process has been extremely difficult, nearly impossible in fact. There are 7,957 New Testament verses to choose from! But over the years, the ones below have proven to be core for me as a leader.
One great practical application is to read one passage a day for 21 days, and ask God to make the power and truth of that scripture come alive in your life as a leader.
If you have a minute, please leave a comment listing the one additional scripture that you would add as a must for you. I’d love to see what you think!
I pray these refuel your leadership tank as they do mine.
21 “Go-To” New Testament Scriptures for Leaders:
33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:33-34
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.
Matthew 22:37-38
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20
42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Mark 10:42-45
26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
John 14:26-27
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Acts 1:8
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:1-2
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Galatians 6:9
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:8-10
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:14-21
11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-13
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Ephesians 6:10-18
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7
13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13
1 Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. 2 Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full[a] respect. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap. 8 In the same way, deacons[b] are to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. 9 They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.
I Timothy 3:1-10
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
James 1:5-6
18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19 We love because he first loved us.
1 John 4:18-19
Well, you already had the right book & chapter, just extend it a bit… Rom 12:3-8. Don’t think of yourself as more highly and each have different gifts (& personalities).
I also like 1 Peter 4:10, called to serve.
Great adds Ken! Definitely need to include those additional in Romans 12. And have always loved I Peter 4:10… emphasizing our spiritual giftedness to serve!
Rom 14:1 Accept* anyone who is weak in faith,*,* but don’t argue about doubtful issues. HSCB
Thanks Curtis! Great add! Good to hear from you!
This post can also be your “go to blog” whenever you need to produce one at the last minute. Wouldn’t mind seeing this one every now and then – just for review (You Nav’s TMS people know what I mean.) Blessings.
Thanks for your comment Rich… sounds positive! 🙂
Colossians 3:23: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.
Love that one Jim! Such a great attitude shaper!
Matthew 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” NKJV
Hi Natalie… great verse to remind us about lifestyle evangelism!
3 Corinthians 3:18: “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
We don’t do the transforming. We help them see the Lord’s glory, and in His presence they are changed.
Thanks much Dr. Carol!
There are so many great verses in the N.T. I will add Galatians 5.6 where the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. Plus Ephesians 4.15, leaders should always tell the truth in love. Great article Dan. It inspires me to create my own 21 N.T. leadership verses. I enjoy your leadership blog and every articles.
Got to have Ephesians 4:15 on the list! Good call Guy!
Exodus 18:21-22 But select from all the people some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes. Appoint them as leaders over groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten.. 22They should always be available to solve the people’s common disputes, but have them bring the major cases to you. Let the leaders decide the smaller matters themselves. They will help you carry the load, making the task easier for you.
Lean on leaders that lean on God. As a leader you should lean on God, as those you are leading will look to you for guide and direction. Dan I have a small side story I should share with you next time at FB.
Thanks Frankie! I appreciate you and your heart for God! Great to meet you a few weeks back at Flowery Branch!
Taped on the computer monitor before sales calls begin. Colossians 4:6 “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone”.
Soon good Steve… for all of us as leaders to remember and pray that our conversations are always full of grace, seasoned with salt… Man, I love the Word of God!
Dan, I’m finishing an outstanding book by Steve Gladen, Pastor of Saddleback’s Small Group Community, and found additional scripture to be added to my “Go To” list. 1 Peter 5:2-3 NLT, “Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly,
not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are
eager to serve God. Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example”.
How could I not have that one!! Thanks Jim!!
As concerning the Word of life, Luke 10 section 25-28 says: On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
Luke 18 section 18-25 says: A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good–except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.'” “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said. When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
Matthew 5 section 43-48 says: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
In Old Testament, the Jewish people and their ancestors were given The Laws to observe. First, Adam and Eve should observed was that they could not eat the fruits from the tree of wisdom. Then, their son Cain was told that he should not kill. As sins became increased, the laws were also added more. Up to the generation of Moses, the laws in Old Testament were given to Israelites. We know that The Laws are good and The Laws are used to punish people who commit sins, but people cannot obey The Laws because the sinful spirits are in people. Even that we know stealing and giving false testaments are sinful, but greedy and pride spirit in us drive us to do sinful things. So as Old Testament prophesied we need to get rid of our sinful nature from our spirit.
Jeremiah 31 section 31-33 says: “The time is coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord. “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
Ezekiel 36 section 24-27 says: “‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
The prophecies are fulfilled when Jesus begin to teach love. The two greatest commandments are ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'” Love is above the Laws and if people have love they are not under the bondage of the Laws. If a person who is full of love will not think about stealing or giving false testimony but will give needy people what they need. The Laws are for people who commit sins. Nobody will say that he will get reward because he does not steal before. But love is the grace we get. And with love we will get eternal life.
Romans 13 section 8-10 says: Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Luke 17 section 20-21 says: Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say,’ Here it is,’ or ‘ There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.”
John 4 section 23-23 says: Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”
Thank you for your thorough reply. Great scriptures!
Dan, These are a GREAT collection! Over the years, in discussions of gifts I found it really helpful to be able to validate the gift of Leadership 1Corinthians 12:28 and the gift of Administration Romans 12:8.
And, although it is an OT verse, my number 1 go to verse for modeling leadership has always been Psalms 78:72 “David shepherded then with integrity of heart and skillful hands”. It’s short but a powerful foundation verse for leading!
Great adds Bob!!!
Hope you are doing well!!!