Written by Jason D. Bland |
Sunday, January 2, 2022
Simply put, when we turn to Christ in prayer, He provides peace over all matters. While it doesn’t remove the trials and tribulations, the sources of anxiety and stress, or absolve Christians from dealing with difficult situations, it does provide a path toward dealing with these challenges in a healthy and faithful way.

Today, perhaps more so than at some other periods in our lifetimes, people appear to be overcome with high anxiety. We see this we turn on the television, open our social media feed, or talk to family or friends. In so many ways we’re bombarded with stress-inducing stimuli: the persistent/perceived threat of COVID (from both the government and media), the impact of wokeism and cancel culture, apprehensive views of US political leaders, etc. But we know that this is not where the Lord wants us to focus our thoughts and energy. We should not expect to live with the soul crushing weight of anxiety and stress. In fact, it’s quite to the contrary.
As Christians, when we face the turmoil and turbulence of our modern world, we must hold fast to the lessons of Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (NKJV 1997).  Simply put, when we turn to Christ in prayer, He provides peace over all matters. While it doesn’t remove the trials and tribulations, the sources of anxiety and stress, or absolve Christians from dealing with difficult situations, it does provide a path toward dealing with these challenges in a healthy and faithful way.
All Christians struggle with the notion of pursuing Christ daily, pouring out our worries at His feet, and trusting intentionally in Him. However, the burden of anxiety is not meant to be dealt with alone; rather, Christ shares that burden with believers and takes the pressure off their bruised shoulders. This is what happens when believers have an active and robust faith in the power of Christ to provide a solution for their tribulations – to give them peace and strength.
Consider for a moment the specific impact of COVID as an anxiety-inducing factor. Over the past two years, the levels of anxiety and stress have risen markedly due to the virus. In fact, the American Psychiatric Association released an article explaining the trends:
More than four in 10 adults (43%) report the pandemic has had a serious impact on their mental health, up from 37% in 2020. Fifty nine percent of younger adults are more likely to report a serious impact on their mental health due to the pandemic. More than half (54%) of 30 to 44-year-olds also report a serious mental health impact; fewer older adults (24%) report serious mental health impacts.
A key point of this article was that stress has become sustained, an evil that must be dealt with persistently, with no apparent end in sight. It’s also significant to point out that “younger adults” (Gen Z and Millennials), the backbone of our society’s workforce and economy, exhibit the most severe struggles with mental health issues. This is not a good sign for a society that hopes to recover from the pandemic and return to a healthy footing.
In direct opposition to this persistent anxiety and stress within the population at large, is the hope and peace that Christians exhibit through their faith in Jesus Christ. Their faith provides special access to a peace that the world can only dream of. Instead of fearing day-to-day trials and tribulations, or worrying about the possibility of catching the virus, Christians must live their lives in the fear of the Lord, the catalyst of spiritual wisdom. Proverbs 9:10 exhorts believers in this way: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (NKJV 1997). With wisdom and understanding Christians are reminded of the confidence they have in being children of God, the Creator of the universe who exhibits sovereignty over all things: time, space, and all of life circumstances.
This theological foundation, grounded in God’s infallible Word, should catapult Christians, including leaders in churches, business, education, etc., to lead with a supernatural confidence. They should live and lead with the utmost confidence in who God is and what He does in their lives.
This confidence is infectious. It is the salt that flavors the world with the unique peace that only Christ offers. Remember that Jesus said: “You are the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13a, NKJV 1997). How amazing is the impact then of all Christians, including those whom the Lord has placed in positions of authority; their actions spiritually flavor the world about them, allowing the world to see the peace they live with every day. These actions create an environment and community that unbelievers will want to be part of.
Seth Godin, a contemporary business writer, has written about the power of community, or what he refers to as “tribes.” He stated, “[H]uman beings can’t help it: we need to belong. One of the most powerful of our survival mechanisms is to be part of a tribe, to contribute to (and take from) a group of like-minded people” (2008, p. 3). The Lord reaffirmed what we learn in 1 Thessalonian 5:14, where brothers and sisters in Christ are to comfort and support one another, to be patient, to create a loving community, i.e., a tribe. Continuing this thought of community, it becomes apparent why so many people have been hurting from anxiety, stress, and mental pain. COVID has caused many people to shut themselves off and live in isolation.
Christians, on the other hand, must be willing to step out and live their lives with confidence and exuberance, and dare I say, a little bit of courage within their community.
Clearly, there is no better tribe than the tribe of God. Only in this tribe can people receive peace and strength. What Godin described is what Christians live out every day. The salt with which Christians flavor their daily interactions is a continuous appeal to those who have stumbled, the fallen, the unbeliever. So, too, are Christians’ daily interactions with one another, an encouragement to their fellow believers and further strengthening the community. It is vital, then, for Christian leaders to live their lives, not with high anxiety but with the calm assurance of a Christ-filled life.
As others encounter the peace that Christian leaders offer it becomes infectious. People want to be safe, secure, even if it means escaping from their own thoughts or the constant attack of worldly tribulation. Therefore, it’s imperative for Christians leaders to live out their lives as Philippians 4:6 exhorted, without anxiety, and even more, with thanksgiving.
Christian leaders must be the ultimate example of this lifestyle. When people see the power of Christ-filled relationships, unbelievers will sense a compulsion to pursue it. If they encounter Christians who are just as worried, grief stricken, and full of doubts, why would they want to follow such a path? Instead, Christian leaders must offer the antithesis to the life of high anxiety – they must exhibit a life full of peace and strength.
Jason D. Bland is the founder of Signet Leadership, an organizational leadership consulting and coaching firm. He is a military veteran and experienced leader of organizational operations in both the military and civilian sectors. Jason is also a doctoral student at Regent University, studying Strategic Leadership.

Written by Jason D. Bland |
Friday, November 26, 2021
Building a healthy and productive environment within an organization absolutely requires the influence and impact of a strong leader, i.e., someone who puts the needs of their team members before their own. When a leader serves in an altruistic, loving way, the leader has the opportunity to build stronger relationships with their team members. It’s not about control, rather compassion and engagement.

“Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40, NKJV).
These simple words ignited a counterculture movement that still drives Christians today, more than two millennia since Christ spoke. A catalyst that shapes the Christian’s lifestyle and intrinsic motivation each and every day. Christ taught that believers are to first love the Lord. There is no doubt or debate in meaning here, Christians must put the Lord front and center in their hearts and minds. There is a spiritual primacy here that must be acted upon in the believer’s daily walk. Then Jesus tells His followers to love their neighbor, not themselves or their money, beauty, skills, or own wisdom. No, Jesus commands His followers to love others. These two directives set the foundation for every aspect of the believer’s life, a focus first on the Lord and then on others. Thoughts about one’s self aren’t even mentioned, because selfish thinking is anathema to Christian living.
The verses in Matthew 22:37-40 are indeed a counter-cultural statement, primarily because so much of our culture today, as it was in Biblical times, reinforces narcissistic and self-serving living. It’s also truly evident in today’s post-modern society where people can choose the truth that best serves their own preferences. Also consider the endless stream of social media videos that focus on people’s supposed beauty, dancing skills, the proper use of woke terminology, or simply attacking others for not sharing their views. But this is not how Jesus has called Christians to live. The primacy of self must be confronted and subjugated first to the Lord, and secondly to others.
It’s with this thought in mind that it’s important to consider organizational leadership in churches, business, schools, sports, and even families. Anyone and everyone who is a leader must be cognizant of Jesus’ lesson to love others as a primary function of one’s life. Christians are not called to be dutiful servants to the Lord and ignore others. No, Christians are called to humble themselves and elevate others above themselves.
In one of the most powerful chapters in the New Testament, Paul writes in Romans 12, how Christians are to lead transformed lives. Paul doesn’t exhort the Christian to lift himself on a pedestal as better than others because of their gift of salvation. Quite the opposite. In verse three, Paul tells the believer to consider himself humbly, not to boast. Then in verse sixteen, Paul explains that Christians should associate with the humble, and to be cautious of their own opinion. This requires a person who will continually learn and seek wisdom, never trusting in their own knowledge as the penultimate source. Furthermore, these verses teach both the average Christian, and in the case of this article, the Christian leader, to maintain a humble approach to their walk and ministry in leadership. Not only does it prevent a leader from becoming egotistical, but it ensures that he or she will remain open to the feedback and input of their team. But this is only possible when a leader truly loves others more than self. In other words, leaders must be altruistic in nature.
Following the impetus of Jesus’ command in the book of Matthew and Paul’s exhortation in Romans, Christian leaders must shift their mindset. There must be a radical departure from self-centered leadership decisions and actions. Instead, the Christian leader should take a position serving others through decisions that empower and bless the wellbeing of others. This results in a leader who will be blessed when they love and care for others. Consider Paul’s words of encouragement in Galatians 6:7-10. He reminds believers of the importance of putting others first, to not grow weary, and to understand that their efforts will be blessed. Paul was combatting the same self-centered, aggrandizing, narcissistic culture that modern society faces today. For many people, their lives are geared around how much people like them or follow their social media posts, or how much personal confirmation they receive in their videos, all in an effort to boost their shallow self-worth and self-esteem. How strikingly different then is the Christian who blazes a bold and narrow path away from this lifestyle, discarding the societal push to achieve the proper online presence, beauty standards, or take the correct stance on issues of the day, and instead pursue the Lord first, and their neighbor second.
When this happens, self becomes a very distant third. In fact, it becomes so distant because the entire impetus and drive of a Christian becomes consumed with the thought of serving others: the Lord and other people. This is only possible with a foundation of love which results in altruistic behavior. This heavenly design is further corroborated in the Gospel of Mark, when Jesus tells his disciples “[f]or even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,” (Mark 10:45a).
Through it all, this notion of love and humility is difficult to attain and maintain. It goes against human nature. In fact, Nouwen wrote, especially in light of leadership, that power and authority is an “easy substitute for the hard task of love. It seems easier to be God than love God, easier to control people than to love people, easier to own life than to love life,” (Nouwen, 1989, p. 77). His succinct words remind the Christian of the challenging task that is the narrow path of faith and service in Christ’s name. Yet, despite the challenge, the Lord is faithful to provide the strength, encouragement, and wisdom to live in this unique, counter-culture way.
The benefit of living and leading in such a drastic way, by being altruistic and leading with love, grace, and wisdom, is that it provides the opportunity to be an example to the unbeliever. J. Oswald Sanders explained that when a “Christian leader full of high ideals lives a holy and joyful life in front of unbelievers, they often want to cultivate a similar experience,” (Sanders, 2007, p. 41).
Ultimately, building a healthy and productive environment within an organization absolutely requires the influence and impact of a strong leader, i.e., someone who puts the needs of their team members before their own. When a leader serves in an altruistic, loving way, the leader has the opportunity to build stronger relationships with their team members. It’s not about control, rather compassion and engagement. Research proves this point. Northouse, a preeminent leadership scholar said “that organizations stand to gain much from having leaders who can create good working relationships. When leaders and followers have good exchanges, they feel better and accomplish more, and the organization prospers” (Northouse, 2019, p. 143).
Not only can leaders today benefit from the wisdom of Christ and the encouraging words of Paul, but also from decades of study and research that further confirm what the Bible has taught for millennia. This notion of loving your neighbor is more than just a platitude, it is a way of life, and by exemplifying this characteristic a leader has the opportunity to make a profound impact on the lives of those they lead. Imagine a world where people actually appreciate their boss, so much more could be accomplished. Imagine a world where Christians exemplified Christ-like love, so many more people would be enticed by a Gospel-driven lifestyle.
It should be clear that Christians leaders need to love. They must love their neighbor, their team members, their own boss. With this in mind they will live an altruistic life, focused on helping and bettering others. This will result in stronger relationships which improves organizational success and effectiveness. Let all Christians remember Paul’s reminder in 1 Corinthians 10:24, “[l]et no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.” This is only possible when believers wholeheartedly live out Jesus’s command to love the Lord and love their neighbor. Without this foundation the Christian’s thoughts and actions would be no different from the world. Instead, Christian leaders need to love.
Jason D. Bland is the founder of Signet Leadership, an organizational leadership consulting and coaching firm. He lives outside Annapolis, Maryland. Jason writes about Christian leadership and its impact on society, as well as providing social and political commentary from a Christ-centered worldview. To connect with Jason he can be reached via email, LinkedIn, or via Twitter.