What does it mean to lead well as a Christian in today’s world? That question was at the heart of a conversation held Thursday, September 24, at Palm Beach Atlantic University’s (PBA) Titus Lecture Hall during a book interview and Q&A for Christian Leadership Values for a New Generation: Calling, Courage and Character for Emerging Leaders.
Authors Tim Sotos, Dr. Paul Copan and Larry N. Willard joined Laura Bishop, PBA’s executive vice president of advancement, for a conversation about what it means to lead with biblical values. The conversation touched on humility, faith, discernment, repentance and, integrity.
Sotos, a PBA Board of Trustees member, brought the conversation back to a simple but foundational question: “Why are we here?”
For Sotos, the answer is clear. We are here to glorify God and bear fruit for His kingdom. That understanding, he explained, should shape not only what leaders do, but why they do it.
For Willard, some of his most important lessons about leadership came during one of the most difficult seasons of his life.
Learning Leadership Values in Difficult Seasons
He talked about a serious car accident he was involved in years ago when another driver fell asleep at the wheel and hit the car he and his wife were traveling in at high speed. Willard spent two months in the hospital and had to relearn how to walk.
At the time, he owned three businesses, including a Christian bookstore in Canada, a consulting firm and a publishing company. His businesses suffered while he was recovering, adding another challenge to an already difficult situation.
But looking back, Willard said the experience changed him in ways he never expected. Through the pain and uncertainty, he learned important lessons about kindness and humility.
“I wouldn’t want to do it again, but it was the best thing that could have happened to me,” he said.
Copan, PBA’s Pledger Family Chair and professor of philosophy and ethics, talked about another important part of leadership: being willing to admit when you are wrong.
Leaders need to be able to recognize when they have hurt someone, apologize and make things right, he said. They also need to be willing to listen to God and ask where they may have gone wrong when they feel like they aren’t hearing from Him.
That takes humility and honest feedback.
Willard encouraged leaders to seek out people who will tell them the truth, even when it is uncomfortable.
“If you need to, don’t go to a friend and ask if you have done something wrong,” he said. “Go to someone who doesn’t like you … they’ll have no problem telling you the truth.”
The conversation made this crystal clear: Christian leadership is about much more than having a title or being in charge. It is about character, humility and a willingness to continually grow.
Copan called Christian leadership one of the crucial issues of our time, while Willard summed up that sentiment in one final sentence concluding the event: “The world has never needed Christian leaders filled with integrity as much as they are needed now.”
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