I read Dan Doriani’s book The New Man: Becoming a Man After God’s Own Heart, and was blessed to have the opportunity to take two courses from Dr. Doriani at Covenant Seminary. In this book, he uses God’s person and work as the model for the book as he looks at man in marriage, fatherhood, work, leadership, friendship, etc. I wanted to share 20 quotes about work and leadership from the book that I found helpful:

A Man and His Work

1. We cannot see the results of our work, but God can and he gives us roles that let us serve our neighbors.
2. All honest work is dignified if we love our neighbors and strive to serve God in it.
3. We must not think that “sacred” work—church work—pleases God more than “secular” work.
4. The Lord is pleased with faithful work in every calling.
5. Because God works and intended mankind to work, even before sin entered creation, we should have a guarded optimism toward labor.
6. Work is not burdensome when you do what you love, for people you love.
7. The noblest thing we can do is to serve the Lord faithfully in the place God assigns us.
8. Before God, the highest position anyone can hold is the one to which God gifted and summoned him.
9. Every job has its burdens, but we tolerate them if we spend most of our time using our chief gifts.
10. There are good reasons to work hard: rare skills, love of the work itself, or love of the cause it serves. But all too often our overwork is sinful, driven by slavery to false gods.

A Man as Leader

1. Jesus demonstrated that true leaders serve—and suffer.
2. Like Jesus, leaders will be blamed for things they did not do wrong.
3. Leaders suffer pointless envy and irrational hate.
4. Leadership is hard. The work never ends.
5. Good leaders are strongest in times of testing. They are ready to fight where the battle rages. They engage the issues of the hour. When crises arise, they lead the way when others get lost.
6. Leaders prove themselves publicly by their exemplary character.
7. When people know their leaders are willing to put them first, it becomes easier to follow.
8. The best way to find new leaders is to locate people who are already leading quietly but effectively in a little noticed corner.
9. Because Christians claim a higher standard, our leaders must have a good reputation.
10. Gifts are important, but for the Christian leader there is no substitute for godliness and a willingness to work just where the work needs to be done.