The Leadership Practices of Jesus and the Lone Ranger

When I was a kid I watched the TV show the “Lone Ranger.” It was a great show about a cowboy who wore a mask and went around helping people. He always road a horse and he was the epitome of manhood. He was a man’s man who didn’t need anyone’s help. So I thought…

The only problem was that he didn’t live up to his name. In fact, he was the Lone Ranger, but he always had a companion with him named Tonto. He was hardly a “long ranger.” In any case, it was a cool show because they had horses, guns and masks. I thought it was a good show when I was a five year old running around my living room slinging my guns. 

Years later, I realized it may have been a good show, but it wasn’t a realistic view of life or leadership. It’s unfortunate, but if we’re not careful many leaders can fall into this “long ranger” mentality in how we try to do leadership in our organizations.

As I reflected on this and the model that Jesus set forth in his life it seems these two models of leadership are diametrically opposed to one another.

Long Ranger leadership says:

• I don’t need you.
• I can accomplish everything on my own.
• I’m not worried about the next generation. (King Hezekiah had this fault as well!)
• I don’t trust people enough to delegate or mentor them.

Jesus’ leadership practices:

• Jesus mentored and trained a core group of disciples to carry on the work.
• Jesus sent them out to do the work and then had them report back to him. He didn’t just throw them to the Pharisees!
• He built a succession plan and long term plan for his ministry.

In the past, church leaders succumbed to “Long Ranger” Christianity. If Jesus couldn’t do ministry by himself, then why do we think we are any better? He gathered 12 men around him to train them and to take on some of the load. I think we could learn from his model of leadership.

Question: How are you implementing the leadership practices of Jesus in your life or ministry?