A Biblical Approach to Teaching Leadership Skills for Future Public Administrators

Leadership is an ambiguous term. Many people think they know the meaning, yet, when they describe it, vagueness and ambiguity show a lack of understanding. Public administrators must demonstrate clarity in their leadership. To address this, a class activity was crafted to equip future public administrators by defining and teaching the art and techniques of leadership. The activity combined biblical text, scholarly models, and current events in a small discussion-based public administration class. A verse-by-verse reading of Genesis 3 and 2nd Samuel 11-24, paired with academic models such as Fairholm’s (2004) Leadership Perspective Model (see Figure 2) and current events studies, prepares future public administrators for leadership. The discussion-led activity pushes students beyond their current understanding into the study and practice of leadership.