Echoes of Eden: Leading with Influence, Not Control
As a school focusing on leadership this term, in this article I would like to reflect on leadership from a foundational and transformational focus. Whilst leadership is construed as positional power or hierarchical control, scripture and emerging contemporary theory is now affirming that true influence is distributed, relational, and purpose-driven. Drawing from the book of Genesis, leadership is a shared, co-creative calling rooted in God’s design for humanity. It is not a possession of the few, but the responsibility of all – an exercise of influence that mirrors divine stewardship and community.
“let us make man in our image…and let them have dominion”
Whilst the ‘world’ equates leadership to authority, titles, and control, within a Christian worldview leadership transcends hierarchical notions and embraces influence as a relational force grounded in love and service. Cognisant of this alternate construct, leadership in Christian education is reframed as impact, not power. Observation has been that coercion does not inspire genuine transformation, especially among the youth; in fact, it suppresses creativity and initiative. Conversely, authentic influence has been observed to evoke willing engagement and participation in God’s creative and redemptive work. For students, especially in today’s relational and values-driven society, leadership must be reframed as impact through integrity – which translates into nurturing leaders who influence others not by force but by faithfulness.
Genesis 1 situates leadership within the original divine-human relationship. God entrusts humankind with the care of creation, declaring, ‘let us make man in our image…and let them have dominion (Genesis 1:26). This dominion is not about domination, but about stewardship – participating in God’s ongoing creative order and is further reflected in the relational Triune governance. In the garden, humanity was instructed to ‘till it and keep it’. Implicit in this instruction is care and responsibility rather than exploitation. Likewise, in a school setting we are all called to co-create a culture of respect, love, courage, and growth. Leadership therefore begins when all of us begin to take responsibility for the environment God has entrusted to us. This decentralisation of responsibility reveals that leadership is inherently multipolar: influence radiates outward through relationship, purpose, and shared participation. Power in God’s design is not hoarded but diffused.
What are some of the principles that we need to hold onto about leadership in our school:
Leadership is Image-bearing: To lead is to image God – to reflect His wisdom, creativity, compassion, and care. A community built from this values collaboration over competition, empathy over ego, values others over the self, and not forcing outcomes but inspiring action.
Leadership is about Intention and not Titles: To lead is to serve! (Mat 20:28). The question we need to ask ourselves is, ‘What do I want for others’, and not ‘What do I want from others?’. Such intentionality aligns with God’s purposes and inspires others to follow not from obligation, but from conviction.
Live the life you want to Multiply: Leadership that transforms lives is not about charisma but consistency. Paul’s exhortation, ‘Follow me as I follow Christ’ (1Cor 11:1) calls all of us to integrity. The culture we live is the culture we create and hence multiply. Our authenticity, not perfection, is a true mark of influence.
With an understanding of leadership above, as a school we will continue to:
· Promote student-led initiatives
· Strengthen our mentoring structures in discipleship-partnerships
· Encourage reflective practice for everyday leadership moments
· Continue to model servant leadership and demonstrating that true authority is earned through love, not enforced fear
It is our conviction that our school thrives when leadership is distributed, when influence flows across our community. Such a distribution of influence echoes the Body of Christ metaphor, where each part contributes uniquely. Our collective role as adults in our school community is to facilitate this inclusivity by cultivating environments where students are trusted, empowered, and responsible for shaping culture. It is our belief that when schools cultivate such an environment, education becomes discipleship and leadership becomes a form of worship. When all of us lead with intention, connect with compassion, and model integrity, we echo Eden itself – a community where power is shared, creation flourishes, and every voice reflects the image of God!
May God bless our school, state, and country! Emmanuel!
Lifeas Kapofu - Principal
