What Passion City Church And How They Write Songs Taught Me About Writing On Leadership

Passion City Church Senior Pastor Louie Giglio gave those who attended this past Sunday evening’s service a glimpse into the songwriting process of Chris Tomlin, Christy Nockels, and the rest of the Passion City team.

I’m paraphrasing but Louie basically said, “I walk into a songwriting session and what I see is open Bibles…They are reading their Bibles and praying…Every song you hear up here comes straight from scripture.”

If you ever wonder why the Passion City music team keeps producing one Christian classic after another, I believe it’s because of their love for God’s Word, the Bible.  If God is going to speak to someone and give incredible inspiration, instruction, and insight, His primary mode of delivery will be through His Word.  

If that is true for writing songs, it should also be true for writing about leadership.  Let’s test that theory using a portion of a famous story – The Woman At The Well (John 4:6-15).

• V. 6 – “Jesus, therefore, being wearied from His journey” – Leadership can be tiring.
• v.7 – “A woman of Samaria came to draw water.  Jesus said to her” - Leaders prioritize and initiate relationships.  Leadership is a people business. 
• v. 8 – “For His disciplines had gone away” – Leaders must often stand alone.  Leadership can often be very lonely.
• v. 9 - “For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.” -  Great leaders cross racial, socio-economic, generational, and geographic boundaries to build bridges with others.
• v. 10 – “Jesus answered and said to her” – Great leaders are listeners.  They offer advice hearing the concerns of others first.
• v. 11 – “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep.  Where then do You get that living water?” – Leaders help others define reality.
• v. 12 – “Are you greater than our father Jacob” – Leaders must never be pulled into a game of comparison.
• v. 13 – “Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again.” – Leaders address issues.
• v. 14 – “But whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst.  But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” – Great leaders bring solutions that not only meet temporary needs but bring long-term solutions.
• v. 15 – “The women said to Him, ‘Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, not come here to draw.” – Great leaders demand a response and call others to action.

That’s 10 leadership lessons from a portion of scripture.  I think the team at Passion City Church is right.  Sitting down with an open Bible gives you better perspective and insight than anything else.  Maybe God will bless this post like He blesses their music!!!

Leaders, how has the Bible influenced your leadership style?

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