Are Leaders Born, Or Made?

I think it’s a combination. Anyone can be made into a leader, but I think certain people are born with amazing leadership and influence. So I think it can go both ways.

hmmm,

I think that some people are thrust into leadership whether they wanted to be there or not and whether or not they have a gift for it.

Also depends on how you define leadership. ‘born to move and shake the world’ does not mean they will be good leaders.

but in the end it’s probably a combination like mandy said.

Great question, Scott. I believe leaders are made, no question. Their upbringing, education (or lack of), career path, life experiences, and mentorship along the way – all play vital roles in shaping them into great leaders. However, I also believe great leaders – the ones they write songs about – were born at a PREDESTINED TIME so they could become great. I don’t believe George Washington, Abe Lincoln, Winston Churchill, etc. would’ve been as influential if they were born either a decade before or after their actual birthdates. They were meant to be great, and that was all in God’s plan (Jer. 29:11).

“quietly question’s God’s sovereignty” Sorry charley, I corrected yer spelling. But I wanted to quote the quiet challenge correctly. (grin)
Hey, Scott, you know how I love to take a complicated issue and make it even more complicated?
Well here’s one for each side of the question: Peter and Saul. I mean Paul! Yeah, that’s the ticket… (grin)

Dang it Charley, I hate it when people ask me to deconstruct. It’s so much more entertaining to me when they don’t. And I’m really bored. But OK. Peter for the “made” side and Saul/Paul for the “born” side. I like to disagree at angle. (grin)

“I still dunno how the heck I got to some leadership positions”….O ye of little faith?

Things are not as they appear so I will depart from conventional Wesleyan thinking. :0)

In both cases, Jesus chose them & not the other way around. His choosing was in reality not on the shore of the Sea of Galilee and on the Road to Damascus, but rather before time began — “before the foundation of the world”. They merely “realized” their appointments for was now there appointed time.

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit…” John 15:16 ESV

Their destinations were that of leaders before they were born. Did they realize this from the beginning? No. Peter was discipled for 3 years prior to receiving the Holy Spirit. Whereas, Paul received the Holy Spirit & was then discipled.

Paul, no doubt, had a personality that lent itself to face challenges. I believe he thrived on challenges given his “zeal for the faith (Judaism)”. Both were also chosen to suffer for Christ’s name (“But the Lord said to [Ananias], “Go, for [Saul/Paul] is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel” Acts 9:15 ESV).

Typo correction

They merely “realized” their appointments for it was “now their appointed time”.

Sorry!

people are born with the skill sets, but need help developing them.

ie. i don’t care how good you’re hand-eye coordination is as a child, you cannot be my pilot until you’ve been through flight school…

While I can agree with the empirical data in it’s duality–born and made–I lean towards leaders being born. I hold to this belief because I believe there is an inherent lean towards impact, influence and good will in those who eventually become the greatest leaders and I believe this occurs as a result of God’s predestined will for these lives. Do I believe that this is obvious in everyone who eventually becomes a distinguished leaders-absolutely not. However, this is where I believe the molding comes into play. Regardless of the weaknesses displayed by the 12 Apostles-their testimony, about Jesus, is responsible for those of us who have followed Jesus for the last 2000 years. He shaped, molded and prepared them over a 3 year period-which at his earthly end would appear to have been unsuccessful. But the reality is that the worse of students with the call to leadership on their lives will eventually make the Master/Mentor proud!!

There is a fundamental problem with “All of Us Are Born to Be Made Into Leaders”. If by that you mean all people will lead someone or small group sometime (i.e. all men will lead a family, all women will lead children) then I will agree. I bigger picture, you can’t have all chiefs & no warriors.

Scripture presents a different picture. All followers of Christ are to become servants and to acquire the mind of a servant.

“But Jesus called [the disciples] to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave (bondservant),” (Matthew 20:25-27 ESV)

[Jesus] said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.” Luke 9:48 ESV

The intent in Matt 20:27 is to be that of a bondservant.

However, consistent with servatude is everyone “ought to be teachers” of the Word. Not necessarily holding the “office” of teacher, but to be able to teach each other. Men are to be teaching wives, mothers teaching children, older women teaching younger women, the elders teaching the youth, etc.

“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” Heb 5:11-14 ESV

We all, not some, but all should be skillful in handling scripture.

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 ESV)