Setting the example: an ideological analysis

This study seeks to employ ideological texture analysis, precisely on exemplary leadership to examine James 2: 14-26. James calls for practicality in Christianity by emphasizing that faith must have works, otherwise it is dead. He uses practical examples to show that faith without actions absolutely makes a Christian fruitless. Just as Christians expect God to bless them physically as well as spiritually, they too must demonstrate the same character and help their needy neighbors. The study sheds light on pertinent areas in James 2: 14-26 and informs potential advanced study in the field of leadership with the approach on the five exemplary leadership practices. To a large extent, this study on the second chapter in the book of James from verse fourteen to twenty-six primarily takes an ideological texture analysis to determine the elements of exemplary leadership and their significance in the life of a Christian. In these verses, James speaks on the need for faith with actions to profit a Christian. This analysis thus examines exemplary leadership in light of James 2: 14-26. It looks into the five exemplary leadership practices and includes the following sections: a) model the way; b) inspire a shared vision; c) challenge the process; d) enable others to act; and e) encourage the heart.

The context surrounding James 2:14–26

The letter from James is officially written to the believers in diaspora where no leader was following them. As the leader of the church in Jerusalem, James uses this letter to address the believers on the conduct of a Christian ( Jesuroga & Faith, nd ). The letter is considered to have a paraenetic approach as it makes exhortations on particular forms of conduct in the life of a Christian. Since the letter bears a resemblance to paraenetic literature on encyclical wisdom, its design takes on an arrangement abundantly similar to the proverbs in presentation of ideas. Thus, it is exceedingly essential to look into the immediate context surrounding James 2:14-26 where a strong emphasis on works in the life of a Christian is made in this scripture. From chapter 1:19, Christians are urged to live devout lives in a practical way. He exhorts them to be swift in listening but slow in speaking. He advocates that Christians show control over anger as it is impossible to depict the righteousness of God through wrath. James composes a list of wicked acts that Christians should shun with an emphasis that obedience to the word has the ability to save the soul ( Jesuroga & Faith, nd ).

As he further discusses through chapter 1:22-25,James puts further stress on works by imploring Christians to be not only hearers of the word but doers of the word as well for hearing the word without living it was a deception in itself. In chapter 1 verses 26-27, James gives details on undefiled, practical religion stating that “to visit orphans and widows in their trouble and to keep oneself unspotted from the world”. The verses that precede chapter 2:14-26 have progressively emphasized on works. In chapter 2:1-4, James puts forth a warning to Christians about being partial as it is a sin. He exhorts Christians to fulfil the royal law in chapter 2:8. Further ahead in chapter 2:12-13, James urges believers to keep in mind that they will be judged by the law of liberty and thus should speak and act like so. Through these verses, James places massive emphasis on works with the bottom-line being that the believer’s good works reflect their faith ( Moo, 2000 ). He is concerned with making Christianity practical by depicting the relationship between a believer’s conduct and their salvation through faith.

Ideological analysis

Ideological analysis of a text is an agreement by various people that they will dialogue and disagree with one another with a text as a guest in the conversation (Robbins, 1996). Ideological texture is concerned with biases, opinions, preferences and stereotypes of a writer and a reader and it focuses on the relation of individual people to groups (Robbins, 1996). This section presents the ideological texture of James 2: 14-26 with due focus on the essential aspect of works to complement faith .It looks into the five exemplary leadership practices and includes the following sections: a) model the way; b) inspire a shared vision; c) challenge the process; d) enable others to act; and e) encourage the heart.

Leadership principles drawn from James 2: 14-26

Leadership through works

The scripture in the book of James 2: 14-26 presents important leadership principles. One of the leadership principles is that actions speak louder than words. James outlines faith in 2:14–26 in various aspects in comparison to the genuine, redeeming faith. He defines a kind of faith which has no works which is the same as words without actions. Particularly, this kind of faith does not yield good works and hence is incapable of attaining salvation (Verseput, 1997). In verse 14, James asks, “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?” This rhetorical question on such a faith has the no answer to it as James intends it. By stating that “Can faith save him?”, James makes reference to the aforementioned faith which has no good works. As such he does not talk generally about faith but only that which has no good works (Verseput, 1997). 

These words by James point out that every leader needs to have good actions that reflect their words. He categorically condemns the empty rhetoric tendencies of leaders who only profess values without actualizing them. Moreover, it is clear that James emphasizes the essentiality of a leader to commit their words through actions as it is the only way of practically earning the trust of followers. As such, a leader without good works will have no followers and is incapable of claiming to be a leader with no one following. In reference to first Corinthians 3:1-3, Sungenis, 1997argues that this passage in James challenges individuals to shows their actions to prove their sincerity in Christianity. It is the actions that show whether a person is deemed blameless before men in the practicality of life while at the same time indicating the spiritual solemnness or the carnality of every believer. Likewise, the seriousness of the words uttered by a leader are proven by their works before all people which eventually form the leader’s legacy.

Leading by example

To lead by example implies that instead of using words to try and influence change, a leader needs to show their followers by his or her own example, the change needed. James makes it clear that faith without works is dead. Action is the example that a leader needs to set for the followers to emulate. To some extent, it can be argued that faith could be parallelized with leadership to imply that a leader who does not lead by example is dead. Dead could mean useless or of no value to anyone. Although the message was intended for the believers in Diaspora, the detailed approach on how to depict faith is similar to leading by example. (Dowd, 2000). Specifically, James urges the believers that their faith had to bear good works and save hence be the exact opposite of dead faith. In leading by example, James asserts that he has the true faith in him for he could certify it through his works. He states in 2:18 that “Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works”. 

Although faith cannot be touched, it is measured through every aspect of life as it practically unfolds to the believer and those around him/her. As Webb, & Kloppenborg, 2007discuss their point of view, they state that “while works play no role in justification, they are the result of true faith”. Likewise, every leader must show their values as a means of standing up for their beliefs. James is clear to insert the word ‘claim’ or ‘say’ in his rhetorical question to indicate that the faith he disapproves of is self –proclaimed with no actions to verify it ( McKnight, 2011) . This scripture agrees with the scripture in Mathew 12:33 which outlines that a tree is known by its fruit. 

A leader impacts change

Being a leader entails more than just setting goals and objectives. Despite the mastery of facts that a leader may profess, their leadership is only felt through the change they bring. Some scholars argue that James uses faith to mean the acceptance of specific facts. In support of this statement, reference is made to chapter 2:19 where James notes that even demons acknowledge the one true God but gain no salvation from it. He states that “The demons also believe and shudder,” (James 2:19). By shuddering and trembling, the demons acknowledge the divine judgment awaiting them. Their faith delivers no salvation to them but causes them anguish since their works condemn them (Dowd, 2000). In other words, acknowledging the facts on the state of things without making a change remain in anticipation of poor outcomes.

From a socio-cultural perspective, the information is of critical importance to leaders. A leader who sets objectives but later abandons them is unlikely to impact positive change. As a result, the leader will always be feeling condemned and ashamed for having abandoned their objectives. Socially, a leader lays bare their objectives and outlines the means of achieving them. However, if the leader fails to walk the talk, self-condemnation bears upon them as the people will always look at them with judgmental eyes. Thus, every leader should set achievable goals that will have measurable outcomes to ensure that he or she is approved for the changes impacted through his or her work.

A leader is concerned with the welfare of the less fortunate

Quoting from James 2:15-16, the message is that “if a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled..” the flow in this verse outlines the various needs that present in the society. A major point is that the needy are always in the society and are always needing practical solutions to their problems. Through this message, James gives practical examples of situations that could be changed practically in improving the welfare of the less fortunate. As a leader, it is indeed wrong to live an affluent life yet many poor people live in your neighborhood. This principle of sharing with the less fortunate in the society is demonstrated by Jesus where he fed the 5000 men who were following him to hear his sermons. Other than sending them away hungry, he Jesus came up with a solution that depicts his leadership character. Throughout the life and works of Jesus, helping the poor was prioritized and it seems that the trait was passed on to his disciples.

James seems to have borrowed from the practical behavior he had observed as a disciple of Jesus in urging the believers to help the less fortunate. He shows it as the best way of showing the love of God to the poor instead of trying to comfort them with empty words. Thus, every leader must help the less fortunate as James implores the believers. 

The principle of sacrifice

James makes mention of this fact from 2:20-21n where he states that “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? The example of Abraham is what made him to be regarded as a father of faith for he made a remarkable deed that outlives his mortal life. To be an inspiration on the principle of sacrifice, Abraham willingly offered his only son as a sacrifice to God ( Sungenis, 1997 ). Through this sacrifice, he inspired Christians to live selfless lives and seek the common good, even if it means incurring a loss. Looking at a different scripture, John 3:16 mentions that God gave his only son for the redemption of humanity. The action shows the sacrifice that God made to inspire salvation to humankind and the eventual rise of Christianity. 

Sacrifice for a leader entails foregoing certain pleasures of life to create time for the service of the people. Just like Abraham was willing to sacrifice his own son in pursuing his quest for godliness, so should leaders show relentless efforts in their service to the people. In other words James calls for practical sacrifices that people can identify with. The work of convincing the people that a leader is up to the task involves massive sacrifices that leaders must commit to. For instance, a leader may sacrifice their time to engage in community activities or may make other forms of sacrifice that touch the hearts of the people. Essentially, a leader must give up some aspects of their lives that impede their progress. 

At times, due fear of failure, leaders tend to shy from making sacrifices that could propel them further. Moreover, excuses come in as another aspect that needs to be sacrificed for a leader to realize their true potential. One of the important excuses is on time which never seems adequate for anyone. Nevertheless, a leader needs to sacrifice some of their leisure time to gain new perspectives on improving themselves, losing what can be lost to gain what cannot be lost. In fact, leaders have to make significantly larger sacrifices than everyone else where at times, they have to give up their rights. Abraham was willing to give up his right to have a son for the sake of the greater good. Due to the high level of leadership that he sought, there was no single sacrifice that he was not willing to offer. Throughout his journey, Abraham was giving rather than receiving and in so doing, he progressed tremendously in his quest for godliness. Likewise, leaders have to always be giving and seldom receiving from the people as such actions prove invaluable to the people. A leader must sacrifice their comfort and work extra hours to deliver their mandate to the people and ensure unceasing progress. 

The principle of being visionary.

In this principle, James refers to the example of Rahab where he states in verse 25 that “Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works…” Going through a detailed approach on the story of Rahab, being visionary is clear. In the Old Testament, Rahab dwelled in Canaan before the Israelites had taken over. However, when the Israelite spies went to spy the land, word spread that they had been seen and were to be killed. However, Rahab chose to side with the spies as she knew that the Israelites would eventually take over the land of Canaan. This vision made her to hide the spies and later sent them away in a different route where they could not be captured. Eventually, Rahab, for being visionary became part of the new Canaan of the Israelites. Through this example, James seeks to urge leaders to be visionary and also support long term ideas. He seeks to condemn the myopic nature that presents in leaders where they consider only the present. Being visionary entails seeing beyond the immediate and is necessary for every leader to lay his vision bare to the followers.

The principle of decision making . 

At times, hard decision present before leaders and James seeks to shed more light on decision making. As James speaks out in chapter 2:21, Abraham made the difficult decision of sacrificing his son. As a result, he attained greatness as James acknowledges in chapter 2:22-23; “Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? In this context, having faith entailed believing and making the decision to do the extra ordinary which Abraham successfully achieved. The aspect of decision making is indispensable as every leader needs to know when and how to make difficult decisions. 

Further, James refers to the example of Rahab to illustrate decision making where he states in verse 25 that “….when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?” The question at the end of the statement is rhetoric, serving to trigger the reader to visualize the tough decision that Rahab had to make. Agreeing to save the spies was an act of treason and if discovered she could have been murdered. Nevertheless, she was able to evaluate the situation and make the right decision that proved effective in the long run. In the socio-cultural context, James does not advocate for wrong actions but urges leaders to set visions with a panoramic view of the future. In other words, the vision should be possible to integrate with both expected and unexpected future changes 

Comparison of the leadership principles with the five pillars of leadership

Model the way

From their analysis, Kouzes & Posner, 2003 state that to model the way, credibility is a prerequisite. In their work, they state that “If you don’t believe in the messenger, you won’t believe the message” (Kouzes & Posner, 2003). In the first pillar of exemplary leadership, modeling the way, it entails s etting a good example through ensuring that actions go hand in hand with the professed values. In his analysis of the first pillar of exemplary leadership Kouzes &Posner, 2003 pose a question that every leader should ask themselves; “What have I done today that demonstrates the values that I hold near and dear?” They asserts that deeds are the true reflection of a leader and hence indispensable to every leader. A leader cannot claim to be kind yet has not actions to prove their claims of kindness. Furthermore, they agree that actions must present in the life of everyone who claims to uphold certain values. They seem to advocate for people to walk the talk and not just eloquent speeches without progressive works. No matter how much an individual talks, without deeds, people will have no reason to follow him or her (Kouzes &Posner, 2003). 

In the same way, James calls for authentic faith through works that makes a credible Christian as an illustration of the principle of leading by example. Essentially, modelling the way is through practical demonstration of what a leader stands for. In James 2:15-16 the message is on kindness to the poor. That if a leader seeks to make a difference in the lives of others, he or she should portray it in deeds. In fact, James seeks to assert that empty words and promises may cause the followers to abandon the leader for his/her inaction. In advocating for kindness to the needy, a leader needs to spearhead such operations and even give the highest contribution to set the pace for the followers. Further, James states that his own works were a proof of the example he was setting. Thus, the two sides agree on leaders being models to influence the followers to follow suit. 

Inspire a shared vision

To inspire a shared vision entails making the vision clear to all and making everyone to own it (Kouzes &Posner, 2003). Although the vision is seen by the leader, he/she has a duty to make others see it in the same perspective as a way of bringing them on board. For a vision to come to fruition, the people must accept it and attach ownership to the vision. As Kouzes &Posner, 2003 assert, “a person with no constituents is not a leader, and people will not follow until they accept a vision as their own”. For people to be committed to the vision, the leader needs to inspire the people through his/her own actions. A leader must uplift the spirits of the constituents with an ennobling point of view on the need to strive for improvements and not be contented with the state of affairs. Leaders channel inspirational motivation to the followers and thus influence them to realize their full ethical and intellectual capabilities (Johnson, 2013). 

To recruit people to join the vision, a leader is obliged to be well acquainted with the constituents and understand their language. Kouzes and Posner state that “other people must believe that leaders understand their needs and have their interests at heart if they are to sign up for journeys into the future”. As such, it is the duty of leaders to create a united resolve by showing constituents the common good in the vision. Leaders, through their language and style of expression, manage to inject life into visions. Without directly expressing their vision to constituents, no matter how good, the vision is bound to die (Johnson, 2013). Words alone cannot suffice to push a vision forward but actions do the lion’s share of the job. 

Similarly, the transformational leadership theory looks into the indispensable importance of actions in inspiring a vision that extends beyond the immediate outcome (Johnson, 2013). For all leaders that embrace transformational leadership, there is a guarantee that they will leave a legacy of positive influence on their followers. Nevertheless, the transformational leadership theory urges leaders to come in to trigger corporate responsibility. For instance, a transformational leader heading a company dealing in manufacture of products will feel the need to improve the lives of the community living near its premises (Johnson, 2013). Furthermore, transformational leadership makes leaders custodians of the resources and values that look after the needs of future generations and the environment at large.

This is synonymous with James’ emphasis on the principle of leading by example. James refers to the example of Rahab where he states in verse 25 that “Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works…” As such, the commitment of Rahab went beyond words to actions that inspired the visions of the spies. Nevertheless, James calls for prudence in inspiring a shared vision as the threats of the vision might be significantly dangerous. Rahab did not share her vision with anyone else as the risk and the consequences of being found out were too great. Thus, the insights point towards decision making where the leader has to be aware of the visions to share and the visions to keep to themselves. 

Challenge the process

As the third pillar of leadership outlines, every leader needs to pursue and accept a challenge ( Kouzes & Posner, 2003) . To raise the standard and achieve greatness means accepting and overcoming a challenge. Notably, every great leader in the books of history had to overcome a challenge or challenges and in so doing managed to lead others into prominence. The same trend continues to date where change is realized after challenging the process. Kouzes & Posner, 2003 point out that any leader worth mentioning faces challenges and triumphs over them in pursuit of their vision. It is not the position of a leader to conform to problems that ail the society yet they are in a position to change the situation. 

From the transformational leadership theory, it is clear that people seek leadership that is transformational and authentic. Citing the examples of Mahatma Gandhi and Franklin Roosevelt, Johnson, 2013 highlights the basics of transformational leadership to be based on practical objectivity in addressing human needs beyond the basic. Such human needs include esteem, self-actualization, self-fulfillment, and competence. Moreover, the transformational leaders yield tremendous success in positively influencing the culture and ethics of places such as institutions and organizations. Additionally, transformational leaders effect long term positive influence on their followers in their quest for positive change in the society.

As James speaks out in chapter 2:21, Abraham ventured out and met the challenge of sacrificing his only son. As a result, he attained greatness as James acknowledges in chapter 2:22-23; “Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God”. In this context, having faith entailed believing and taking the step to do the extra ordinary and Abraham proved worthy in successfully completing his challenge ( Adamson, 1976) . Further, James out rightly shows the total meaninglessness of claiming that one has faith yet has no good works. He likens this meaningless through showing the lack of any profit in commanding a blessing on a poor sister or brother who is lacking in basic necessities such as clothing and food and clothing without addressing their needs ( Walther, 2014). Challenging the process is not easy and it requires tremendous sacrifice. Nevertheless, it serves as an opportunity for innovation, growth and improvement.

Enable Others to Act

This pillar of leadership emphasizes that no leader can make it as a lone ranger. Leaders recognize that they cannot stand alone but need the input of their constituents as team effort is crucial to every successful leadership ( Johnson, 2013) . As such, empowerment, trust, and teamwork essentially strengthen the entire team to ensure that the goals set are achieved. Group effort facilitates partnerships to effectively function. Consequently, leaders have to involve all persons who are essential to making the projects successful ( Kouzes & Posner, 2003 ). Collaboration cannot be limited to minor groups of supporters. It is up to the leaders to provide opportunities for each and every member of the team to carry out all tasks including the less obvious tasks. Furthermore, cooperation is entirely dependent on trust. Leaders have to fashion a trusting environment. They recognize that mutual respect is the backbone of supporting and sustaining extra-ordinary efforts. As soon as leadership is implicitly depicted as an association established on assurance and trust, individuals; keep programs, make changes and take risks towards keeping the organization progressing ( Kouzes & Posner, 2003 ). On the other hand, in a leadership that is short of trust and confidence, individuals have no willingness to take risks and hence no change is realized ( Kouzes & Posner, 2003 ). In other words, fear prevails in leadership lacking in trust and confidence.

Creating an enabling environment where people are engaged in the running of activities serves to reinforce their morale. It is fundamentally needed in making followers to assume roles of leadership with the capability of tapping personal resourcefulness ( Johnson, 2013) . Leadership involves recognizing that individuals hit their top levels of performance after feeling a sense of their own power and ownership. As such, the duty of leaders is reinforcing the strength, capability, information, and the connectedness of the constituents. In agreement, the theory of transformational leadership applies the concepts of building the capacity of other members of the organization to enable them to act on their own initiative. The transformational leader motivates the entire team and in so doing, influences them to realize their full ethical and intellectual capabilities. As a result, maximum productivity is achieved with the best interests of everyone considered ( Johnson, 2013) .

On the other hand, James gives a varied view through the examples of Rahab and Abraham. They acted without the input of the masses and reaped tremendous success. As such, the principle of decision making seems opposed to enabling others to act by some extent. Nevertheless, through the principle of leading by example, James agrees with the pillar of enabling others to act. The example of Abraham and Rahab serve to enable others to act on their objectives without excuses. Although it may be difficult, the example of James urges leaders to have the drive to move forward with their eyes fixed on the end result. By stating “shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works, James presents a view on how faith should be acted upon ( McCartney, 2009 ). Rather, he is in a bid to enable others to act in producing works to demonstrate their faith. Accordingly, James holds that works are the proof of genuine faith ( Rakestraw, 2014) . He shows the true character of a leader by using himself as an example of authentic leadership that has credibility through good works ( McCartney, 2009 ).

Encourage the Heart

Since the journey in achieving change is laborious and extensive, individuals can grow weary, frustrated, disenchanted and exhausted and the temptation to give up bears on them heavily ( Kouzes & Posner, 2003 ). Honest acts of concern uplift the morale and pulls the people onwards. Exemplary leaders fix their eyes on extraordinary standards and uphold great prospects for their establishments. Leaders as well expect the finest from the people and generate self-fulfilling predictions regarding the ability of ordinary people to realize extraordinary results ( Kouzes & Posner, 2003 ). Through upholding a positive outlook, offering encouragement, paying attention, and personalizing appreciation, every leader could manage to rekindle the energies of his/her constituents ( Johnson, 2013) . 

A significant portion of the duty of a leader is demonstrating gratitude for the input of the people and to craft an environment of celebration. Leaders acknowledge that, in the victorious team, the participants must to share in the recompenses of their hard work ( Johnson, 2013) . Open celebrations allow everyone to discern that the whole team is committed to one course. Through celebrating the accomplishments made by individuals visibly and in large settings, leaders construct and ensure the sustenance of the team work. Through founding organizational fetes on the achievements of fundamental standards and targets, they keep the team members well focused. Thus, encouraging the heart is majorly linked to the practicality of leaders in bonding performance with esteemed values and rewards ( Johnson, 2013) . 

On the other hand, James shows the rewards of leading by example as a key element in the life of a leader. Consequently, it can be inferred that outlining the rewards of following a certain course of action motivates the people to follow the vision. From Moo, 2000 point of view, “a faith that does not work, does not work”.

Learning to Lead

One of the myths attached to leadership is that it is for the chosen few. This myth is propagated on a day-to-day basis and masquerades behind the question of whether leaders are born or made ( Kouzes & Posner, 2003 ). Leadership has been ascertained to have no genetic basis. Most definitely, leadership is not a mystical subject that cannot be comprehended by average people. Research show that leadership encompasses a set of practices that can be observed and learned ( Kouzes & Posner, 2003 ). As a matter of fact, research has progressively compiled legacies of individuals who were just average but led their people to massive accomplishments. Moreover, millions of stories exist on exemplary leaders who were born out of ordinary circumstances. The conviction in the belief that leadership is inherently acquired and not learned serves as a prevailing constraint to its advancement. As Kouzes & Posner, 2003 state, “If there is one singular lesson about leadership from all of the cases we have gathered, it is this: Leadership is everyone’s business”. 

He further emphasizes that the individual confidence vital to lead arises from knowledge of self. To lead, one must understand their talents values, and skills as well as one’s weaknesses ( Johnson, 2013) . Self-confidence matures as the individual builds on their strengths and learns to rise above their weaknesses. Although formal education and training may contribute towards this end, learning from the experiences of exemplary leaders augment the entire process. Individuals who turn out to be the paramount leaders are quick to note and utilize every opportunity of learning. They attempt to achieve, experience failure, and pick up from their faults ( Johnson, 2013) . Eventually, leaders progress best when they are whole-heartedly engaged in effecting change. 

On the other hand, the principle of sacrifice from James agrees with the pillar of learning to lead. James makes no mention of born leaders but insists that their actions made them leaders. Citing the examples of Abraham and Rahab in verses 23-26, James shows the significance of sacrifice in learning to lead. Specifically, verse 24 emphasizes on the example of Abraham to bring out a reasonable inference that through his works, Abraham was justified ( Rakestraw, 2014) . James shows the willingness of Abraham to learn and earn his leadership. He actually mentions that the faith of Abraham was perfected through his works, implying that unrelenting in his quest for perfection ( Walther, 2014) . Verse 25 continues the line of discussion with the example of Rahab serving to back the inference that James puts across on the justification through works. 

Conclusion

James 2:14-16 has brought out incredibly insightful advice to the believers and more so, to the exemplary leader. Through the analysis, the five exemplary leadership practices; model the way, inspire a shared vision, challenge the process, enable others to act, and encourage the heart have been found to be linked with some of leadership principles drawn from the message from James. From the transformational leadership theory, emphasis is laid on leaders to fervently display confidence in their push to make a difference. They have to portray a yearning to make improvements on the state of affairs and never show satisfaction with the status quo. In the same way, James writes to the believers urging them to practically seek to make changes on the lives of others. Nevertheless, James presents the aspect of sacrifice that is largely missing in contemporary leadership. As such, sacrifice is essential to every leader who seeks to lead by example and set the pace for the followers. Despite this difference, the contemporary leadership theories have an important role and should be augmented with the leadership principles from James to improve leadership at all levels. 

References  

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Moo, D. J. (2000). The Letter of James. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans .

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Walther, N. (2014). Does James Disagree with Paul on Justification? An Exegetical Comparison of Romans 3: 27-4: 3 and James 2: 14-26 (Doctoral dissertation).

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