By Nancy Kingdon
Faith and obedience are inseparable. A. W. Tozer says, “The Bible recognizes no faith that does not lead to obedience, nor does it recognize any obedience that does not spring from faith. The two are at opposite sides of the same coin.”
Biblical leadership isn’t about power or position—it’s about surrender. Leaders who obey God show love for Him, model integrity for others, and create the conditions for blessing and success. Obedience is the foundation of godly leadership.
Steve’s Story
Growing up in Ontario, Steve recalls that when he was 18 years of age, God got hold of him. He knew he had a decision to make. Would he follow Jesus, as his first priority, or not? He decided ‘yes’.
He then entered business school, pursuing a four year degree. Upon graduation, Steve faced a second challenge. After sensing God wanting him to spend a year doing missions, a large business recruiting firm offered him an exciting full-time job. He chose missions, obeying God’s call. Later, he attended Tyndale full-time to obtain a seminary degree, as a further act of obedience.
Once married, with two young children, aged two and one, Steve again faced a life-changing decision. He was invited to accept a great position at Arrow Leadership, a ministry focused on Christian leadership development. But it was located in British Columbia. Uprooting from family and friends to start a brand new chapter in his life felt daunting. Yet he obeyed. That led to a blessed nineteen year career with Arrow!
When asked for practical advice on obedience to God, Steve says, “you can’t go wrong choosing to trust Jesus, even at a high personal cost; if you believe that Jesus is with you, that means He’s able to help you meet all needs.”
In other words, learn to walk with Jesus, not ahead of Him, not behind Him, but WITH Him!
Another blessing of obedience is receiving godly wisdom that is timeless, unchanging and totally dependable. That truth is especially important in today’s world where there are so many variations on my truth, your truth and no truth at all!
To avoid one of the pitfalls of disobedience, ask yourself, ‘who gets the glory?” It is only as you submit to God’s will, laying down your own will, that you will truly succeed in pleasing God’s heart.
Two Case Studies
When the founder of Chick-fil-A decided not to open his restaurant on Sundays, at the cost of forfeiting many preferred retail locations, he was obeying God’s prompting to keep the Sabbath holy. Consequently, God expanded his business!
Vischer, founder of Veggie Tales, the animated show for children with veggie characters such as Bob the Tomato, initially became a business success plus a powerful tool for discipleship.
However, when Vischer decided his “BHAG or “Big Happy Audacious Goal” would be to make Veggie Tales one of the top four family entertainment companies able to impact this world with the gospel message, disaster struck. Surely that sounds like a worthy goal that would glorify God, doesn’t it? Yet something was missing. God was not consulted. Vischer was chasing after IMPACT instead of after God Himself! The result? Bankruptcy. What did he learn? Disobedience has consequences. For more details see Vischer’s book Me, Myself and Bob.
Biblical Principles
Obedience shows love and trust. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commands” (John 14:15). For leaders, obedience is an act of devotion and a declaration that God’s wisdom is higher than human strategy.
God entrusts authority to the obedient. Leaders in the Bible who followed God’s commands—like Joshua (Joshua 1:7–9) or Nehemiah—were strengthened and given success. Their influence flowed not from personal ambition but from faithful obedience to God’s word.
Disobedience brings consequences. King Saul lost his kingdom because he disobeyed God’s command (1 Samuel 13 & 15). Leaders today must remember that neglecting God’s direction can harm both themselves and those they lead.
In conclusion, when Steve was asked to share his top prayer focus for his Columbia Bible College students, he said it was: “to stir each heart with awe for Jesus.” Why? Because with awe, students will grasp the full vision of becoming a follower after Jesus, trusting and obeying Him!
It takes courage to obey God. Finding Courage, is Steve Brown’s latest book. It’s a 28 day devotional about finding courage and giving it to others. “Courage” he defines as “choosing to follow Jesus even when your knees are knocking.”
Yet, Steve will tell you, obedience to God is always the right choice! Charles H. Spurgeon agrees when he says, “Obedience to the will of God is the pathway to perpetual honor and everlasting joy.”
Nancy Kingdon is an author and freelance writer proudly serving CCBF ministries as their Story Writer. Her newest book release in March 2025 is Magnolia Grace Gardens: A Collection of Devotional Poetry. Visit her website at: http://writinglegacy.com
“Connecting Your Sunday Faith to Your Monday Work”
The Canadian Christian Business Federation exists to support business leaders in the study
and application of Biblical Leadership Principles with peers, in order to transform lives,
strengthen businesses, and positively influence and impact our world. www.ccbf.org
