46 Ducere Est Servire: THE LEADERSHIP JOURNAL OF DALLAS BAPTIST UNIVERSITY hope, for Jesus reminded His disciples in John 16:33: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” If life is filled with trouble, then, how can Christian leaders uniquely face these daunting challenges? This article will focus on crisis leadership and how the Christian leader can apply biblical principles to lead distinctively during these situations in such a way that God is glorified and others are touched. In looking at this topic, this article will look at how a leader can rely on faith and lead others well in these crises in a manner that reflects the mindset of Jesus. LEADING ONESELF SPIRITUALLY DURING A CRISIS Before a Christian leader can lead others well during a crisis, the leader must first ensure that he/she is equipped and ready on a personal spiritual level for the crisis at hand. At the core of this spiritual preparedness is a leader’s own spiritual resilience. This resilience is rooted in four key factors: 1) cognitive beliefs about who God is and who God made the leader to be; 2) affective trust in God and His presence; 3) spiritual disciplines which keep the leader close to the Lord and His Word; and 4) surrounding oneself with spiritual social support in the form of other Christians who can encourage and pray for the leader.1 Allowing God to build this type of resilient faith in one’s life before a crisis hits is a key indicator in whether a leader will not only lead himself/herself well in the crisis, but also lead others well in that same crisis. COGNITIVE BELIEFS Building resilient faith is a lifelong process that is rooted first in a deep and abiding understanding of who God is and who He created the leader to be. In previous studies, research has shown that leaders who view God as being loving, having a purpose for every situation, and being in control are more likely to resiliently grow when faced with adversity.2 These beliefs are rooted in what Scripture tells us about who God is. 1 John 4:8 reminds Christians that “God is love,” and Romans 8:37-39 notes that this key character quality of God is especially present in times of trouble: “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come,
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