For Christians is there a difference between discipleship and leadership? Are they same?

   Leadership and discipleship may run very parallel tracks as both leadership and discipleship involve disciplines, training, time-management, strategic planning, work ethic, passion, conviction, and will require mentorship for maturation yet they are different. 

     In considering leadership, you can observe that there are many leaders, both religious and secular, in our culture and our world.  Leaders can be found in both realms.  You can be both a disciple and a leader, but not all leaders are disciples.  Leadership requires the acquisition of essential skills used for leading others in both the church and the world, but what each leads people to is distinctively different.  For the secular man, leadership is structurally vital for the acquisition of money, property, power, influence, and other self-indulgent means.  Far too many of God's ministers in the age of the megachurch bring these same secular leadership goals into the pulpit and their church.  Secular leadership is usually done through a top-down commanding or authoritarian style, although some more recent secular leadership training has adapted the Christian approach.  In secular leadership, those with financial means, social connections, knowledge, charismatic personal influence, and know-how lead others to achieve a goal or objective.  This secular behavior and its practices serve the objectives of the organization and the individual involving self-gratification, self-protection, and self-elevation.  We should not be surprised when we hear of mismanagement and unethical practices involved in this pursuit.  The objective of Christian leaders is not self.  All of man's resources of time, talents, gifts, finances, intellectual ability, oratory skills, and physical capabilities should be given to the glory of God.  Christian leadership is conducted from the mindset of servanthood, the Greek word diakonos.  The Apostle Paul uses this Greek word to illustrate his role in the ministry in Colossians 1:24-29.  As a tool in the Master's hand, Paul saw his leadership as a low role.  He was dependent upon God because he knew that all he could offer was initially from the good graces of God.  He was strong, bold, intelligent, and capable, but he realized that God had made him for this purpose and with these traits.  All that he had was intended to be used for God-honoring purpose through God-honoring means. There are many things a Christian can learn from secular leadership principles, but he must put each through the lens of the Bible to see if they will be profitable for use in the church. 

     Discipleship is not about acquiring a level of proficiency.  Discipleship is about an ever-growing relationship with the Lord.  Each day, a disciple continues to be built up in his intimacy.  James 4:8 writes in a humbling way about this intimacy stating, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”  Disciples are to be growing in the same way that Paul did to become more Christ-like each day.  Disciples reach down into scriptures and prayer to dig deeper each day into a relationship.  As the roots grow deeper, the intensity of the relationship grows.  It is out of the relationship and a growing understanding of God’s will that wisdom grows.  Wisdom reaches outward in many branches of life, such as family, marriage, community, work, and citizenship.  A shade of God’s glory comes from the covering of all of these lush branches yielding fruit.  A disciple is like this tree.  Each day he or she matures and provides a greater presence of the Lord to a lost world.  Many of those affected by its shade find comfort and recognize its value.  They too want to remain under its shade and accept the Lord’s gift.  Others see the shade but are too prideful to come out of the blazing sun.  The disciple is not told to worry about the reaction of everyone under his tree; rather, he is to faithfully serve in being the shade as part of a great forest.  Jesus is himself in the center of the forest serving as the example.  Each humble, lowly tree is to work in unity and purpose for the owner of the forest, the Lord.  This is what we are like as disciples.  To properly disciple, we should draw others into a deeper relationship with God so that they may be more effective for his glory.  We are developing disciples who will eventually develop to become disciple-makers themselves.  Much like a tree dropping seeds, some will develop, and some will not.  We must care for all of them so that more of them may have a chance to develop fully.  God’s god isn’t a forest of saplings.  His goal is many fully developed trees.

     So, we can observe that the process of discipleship should have a leadership component, but leadership and discipleship are not the same.  All disciples are called to lead others to a deeper relationship with Christ.  Some disciples will be stronger leaders than others based on their gifts, but all should be part of the work of God to reach, encourage, and grow others.