Second Line Leadership: Kajian Biblika dan Refleksi Kepemimpinan dari Kisah Bujang Gideon

Djoko Santoso (Sekolah Tinggi Alkitab Batu)
Elisa Nimbo Sumual (Sekolah Tinggi Alkitab Batu)
Budi Maruli Sitompul (Sekolah Tinggi Alkitab Batu)

EPIGRAPHE: Jurnal Teologi dan Pelayanan Kristiani
Vol 10 No 1: Mei 2026

Leadership is often understood as a role centered on the primary figure, causing second-line leadership to be frequently overlooked. Yet the biblical narrative of Gideon in Judges 6–8 reveals that the supporting figure, Gideon's servant, plays a strategic and transformative role in sustaining the success of a divine mission. This study aims to examine second-line leadership through a biblical analysis of Gideon's relationship with his servant and reflect on its relevance for contemporary leadership. A qualitative descriptive method was employed through a literature review with a hermeneutical approach. The findings indicate that Gideon's servant represents second-line leadership that yields significant impact through loyalty, readiness, and collective courage. These findings are reinforced through the metaphors of conductor and co-pilot as models of modern collaborative leadership. The study concludes that second-line leadership is an essential element in sustaining vision continuity and organizational stability. This research contributes a theological-practical framework for the church in sustainably empowering second-line leaders.   Abstrak  Kepemimpinan kerap dipahami sebagai peran yang terpusat pada figur utama, sehingga di-mensi second line leadership sering terabaikan. Padahal, narasi Alkitab melalui kisah Gideon dalam Kitab Hakim-Hakim 6–8 menunjukkan bahwa figur pendamping, yakni bujang Gideon, memiliki peran strategis dan transformatif dalam menopang keberhasilan misi ilahi. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji konsep second line leadership melalui analisis biblika terhadap relasi Gideon dan bujangnya serta merefleksikan relevansinya bagi kepemimpinan kontemporer. Metode yang digunakan adalah kualitatif deskriptif melalui studi pustaka dengan pendekatan hermeneutika. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa bujang Gideon merepresentasikan kepemimpinan lapis kedua yang berdampak besar melalui loyalitas, kesiapsiagaan, dan keberanian kolektif. Temuan ini diperkuat melalui metafora conductor dan co-pilot sebagai model kepemimpinan kolaboratif modern. Kesimpulannya, second line leadership merupakan elemen esensial yang menjaga kesinambungan visi dan stabilitas organisasi. Penelitian ini berkontribusi pada pengembangan kerangka teologis-praktis bagi Gereja-gereja dalam pemberdayaan pemimpin lapis kedua secara berkelanjutan.