FROM THE CO-EDITOR
Joshua D. Henson, Ph.D.
Regent University
School of Business and Leadership

On behalf of Regent University's School of Business and Leadership and the editorial board of the Journal of Biblical Perspectives in Leadership, I thank you for supporting the journal.

This issue continues our mission of exploring, engaging, and extending the field of knowledge and understanding of the phenomenon of leadership as found within the contexts of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures. The growing conversation on emotional intelligence as central to effective leadership served as a catalyst for our latest issue.

This short issue serves as an exciting transition for the Journal of Biblical Perspectives as we will begin a leadership transition in 2025.

I want to offer a special thanks to Dr. Carlo Serrano for his long-time work as co-editor of JBPL. As his work as president of Manna University must be priority, Dr. Serrano has stepped aside as co-editor. He has been an invaluable leader and resource for the journal.

I will also begin my transition out as co-editor of JBPL in 2025. I have been blessed to serve on the editorial team for the journal since 2017; however, the priorities of my schedule and responsibilities now require fresh vision and leadership for JBPL. I am grateful for the leadership and engagement of Dr. Doris Gomez. She and I look forward to working together to ensure that JBPL continues to be a platform for biblical Christian leadership scholarship for the Regent community.

Grace and peace in the name of Jesus Christ.

Remembering that God chose Abraham to direct future generations to "keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just" (Gen. 18:19), so that all nations would be blessed through him, as God promised. And, reflecting on Jesus, the offspring of the promise, Christlike leadership competency is conceived and constructed. The unique three-dimensional model incorporates relational leadership competency and executional leadership competency. These two dimensions of leadership, which are important in any leadership domain, were operationalized, empirically tested, and validated in the business sector. After respecifying these two existing dimensions of leadership to integrate theological perspectives, a central third dimension is introduced, defined, and specified to reflect leadership under God's authority. This third dimension is labeled humble, passionate, leadership obedience. It captures unique tangible and intangible aspects of being and doing what is right and just, like Christ did. All three dimensions of Christlike leadership competency capture both the property of being a leader and the process of doing leadership work. Its multidimensional and multidisciplinary conceptualization consider the Word of God, extant leadership theory, and words from Christian leaders. Christlike leadership competency is the envisioned antecedent to social innovation outcomes to uplift "the least of these" (Matt. 25:40).

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With history as our guide, tools used in the business world often find their way into being used in the Church, from printing presses to computers. Many expect artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool to be no different. Whereas companies are currently wrestling with questions about the ethical use of AI-focused around topics such as appropriate source attribution, creative and intellectual license, and plagiarism, the Church will naturally be pressed to answer questions about how AI can be used in a biblically informed ethical way. Given the nature of AI, the church will also be asked how this new technology might fit, implicitly or explicitly, into God's redemptive plan. This paper explores how church leaders might use AI and what guidelines and guardrails must be in place to maximize healthy use, minimize implicit and explicit misuse, and reduce or eliminate abuse. To guide our discussion, we draw motivation from the writings of theologian and pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who warned us that "we do not rule; instead are ruled [by technology]". We seek to extend Bonhoeffer's insights regarding technology to the ethical leadership challenges regarding AI that the Church faces today.

Keywords: Leadership Model, Artificial Intelligence, Technology in Church
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Learning organizations are an increasingly popular concept that leaders employ to remain competitive in today's complex environment. However, there is also a growing demand for organizations to act ethically and not abandon values in the process. Senge (1990) identified five pillars for a learning organization: individual mastery, mental models, shared vision, team learning, and systems thinking. Fry (2003) suggested learning organizations require spiritual leadership. This paper offers a conceptual analysis, demonstrating how Jesus, the ultimate example of spiritual leadership, implemented learning organization principles to successfully transform his disciples into change agents for Christianity. Using Senge's five learning organization pillars as the framework, this analysis draws examples from the gospels to showcase the example Jesus provided. From this analysis, several implications for contemporary leaders become apparent. Leaders must model an example of mastery, seeking a continuous journey of uncovering the truth and encouraging others to do the same. They must create forums that engage learners through questions and storytelling that challenge individuals to examine their underlying beliefs. Leaders must embody courage in setting lofty visions that engage others to push beyond the status quo and inspire learning. They should review existing policies and other tacit norms to remove barriers to the learning needed to achieve the vision, providing collaborative opportunities for teams to develop shared meanings. Last, leaders must empower individuals with the agency to affect change and overcome systemic impediments.

Keywords: organizational learning, systems thinking, mastery, mental models, leadership
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