Youth Bible Study: Jesus-Shaped Leadership (15-Minute Format)

Big Idea: Jesus leads by loving, listening, and including others. He calls us to lead like Him—with care and collaboration, not pride or control.

Lesson Flow:

1. Welcome & Hook (2 minutes) As I continue my Master's degree journey, I have been reflecting on leadership and what true Christian leadership might entail. You might be sitting there thinking, 'This doesn’t apply to me,' but in reality, it does. Each one of you is a leader, whether or not you believe it to the community around you. This isn’t just a natural thing that happens; it is a Biblical responsibility of ours to be a light on top of a hill, and in doing so, you naturally become a leader. As we reflect on that, it begs the question: Have you ever been on a team where someone acted like the boss of everything? How did it feel?" Jesus shows us a totally different kind of leadership. Jesus is not the king of leaders who tells everyone what to do or even tries to be the boss of everything—He shares responsibility and genuinely cares for others. Jesus is a leader who led with love, care, humility, and teamwork. Today we’re going to see what Jesus-shaped leadership looks like." Ultimately, Jesus led people differently than we might naturally be inclined to lead. He didn’t try to impress others or act like He was too important. Jesus served. Jesus loved. Jesus included. Jesus gave responsibility to others. Jesus showed us a whole new way to lead those around us. Jesus showed us how to serve.

2. Scripture Engagement (5 minutes)

With that in mind, we are going to look at a few quick passages that highlight how Jesus led

Lets read Luke 10:1–2

Luke 10:1–2 NASB95

Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come. And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

Jesus sent His followers out in pairs — two by two. He could’ve just sent them along, but He didn’t. Why? Because Jesus knows we work better when we work together, we each bring strengths that the other doesn’t have, and we complement each other in ministry. Ministry is something we do with each other, not just by ourselves.

Why do you think Jesus sent people out in pairs?

What does this say about teamwork in God’s Kingdom?

Now we are going to read John 13:1–17 together

John 13:1–17 NASB95

Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, “Lord, do You wash my feet?” Jesus answered and said to him, “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.” Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, “Not all of you are clean.” So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? “You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. “Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

Jesus' actions in this passage are huge. In fact, it is because of this passage that I washed my wife's feet during our marriage ceremony. I didn’t realize what I was doing at the time, I felt like it was the right thing to do, but this action I did was telling my wife I desire to love you, take care of you and lead you. But through this action, I was saying I am committing to lead you like Jesus led his disciples, through service and sacrifice. The reality during Jesus' time was that only servants washed other people's feet. People used this as a show of dominance towards their servants, and here was Jesus, the most important person in the room. He got down on the floor and did the dirty work, the work of a servant. Why? Because Jesus loved them. Jesus was showing them that real leadership is about serving others.”

Why would a leader like Jesus do something as lowly as wash feet?

What does this show us about how we should treat each other?

Now we are going to read my favourite passage ever... Philippians 2:3–4

Philippians 2:3–4 NASB95

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

Did you hear those words? Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. That isn’t a request, it is a definitive! It continues, rather in humility, value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. This verse is a precise mirror of Jesus’s life. No one can say that Jesus was proud or arrogant or conceited. Jesus didn’t just talk about humility — He lived it out. When we lead like Jesus, we should think about others first.

What’s the difference between leading with pride and leading with humility?

How do we put this into practice in youth group, school, or sports teams?

3. Practical Application (4 minutes)Say:

"Jesus calls us to lead with care—not bossiness—and to include others, not leave them out. When you serve someone, listen well, or help plan something with others, you are leading like Jesus."

Give 3 Clear Points:

Care first, lead second – Leadership begins with love, not control. (John 13)

Don’t go alone – We grow best when we lead and serve in teams. (Luke 10)

Look out for others – True leadership is about lifting others up. (Philippians 2)

4. Personal Reflection & Challenge (2 minutes)Ask:

When you think of all that, do you think of someone in your life who could use a bit of that Jesus-shaped leadership from you? Maybe it's a younger sibling, a friend who’s feeling left out, or someone on your team, or at school. This week, try leading like Jesus by caring for others, including them in your conversations, and encouraging them.

"Where in your life can you show care instead of control?"

"Who’s someone you can include or serve this week?"

Challenge: "This week, lead like Jesus by helping someone, listening first, or letting others take the lead. Watch what happens when you serve like Him."

5. Prayer (2 minutes)"Jesus, thank You for showing us what real leadership looks like. Help us to care deeply, lead humbly, and include others just like You did. Teach us to be bold and gentle, wise and kind. Amen."

Leader’s Note:This study can be repeated over several weeks using other passages (e.g., Mark 10:42–45, John 21:15–19, Romans 12:3–10) and expanded into a series called “Lead Like Jesus.”