Spiritual Leadership
Evie Stevens is the principal at Good Shepherd Lutheran School, Para Vista in Adelaide, SA. Michael Dutschke is the pastor of the co-located congregation, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Para Vista. This article, first published in the LESNW and LEA principal publications in February 2026, Evie speaks of her and Michael as being ‘in partnership as co-leaders and co-warriors’ within the Good Shepherd community. She shares of how they meet regularly to listen to Jesus, and test what they hear, see or sense.
Evie and Michael’s relationship shows how a congregation-school community is enhanced by leaders who view themselves as co-warriors in their own spiritual growth, as well as in mission and ministry.
When I was asked to share something for this publication I was led to this topic of Spiritual Leadership. Below is a piece of my story, but I share the writing of this article with the pastor of my congregation and my co-warrior, Pastor Michael Dutschke, for whom I am extraordinarily grateful.
Many at my site have heard me say that I take my role as Spiritual Head of our learning community very seriously. While prayer has always been an extremely important part of my faith walk, understanding the authority I have as a daughter of God is still relatively new in the context of life.
Earlier in my career as the principal at a small rural school, the spiritual attack that I experienced was subtle, but also physically real during sleep time. Over this period, I learned to use and trust the power of Jesus’ name during these attacks. His name provided often an instant change in the atmosphere, comfort and a sense of protection, but birthed so many questions. I formed a relationship with a local lady from the Catholic community who walked with me through discussions of the spiritual realm.
It was in my time away from formal leadership that I learnt more about how prayer and the authority that I carry as a child of God can be used in my everyday life; the spiritual authority that I have, to cover my children and home. Now as a leader in a school community, I can use this authority to defend, protect and lean into God as we move forward into the future.
While healing through prayer has been part of my journey, hearing from Jesus and the protection that his name can bring to our community provides me with confidence and peace that surpasses understanding.
While the sceptic in me about hearing Jesus’ quiet voice still rears periodically, my understanding of hearing Jesus through words of knowledge and wisdom, discernment and through his Biblical words of encouragement is something that I continue practice and practise!
I know that asking Jesus to reveal what he wants me to know in a protected space, leads to less fear and more peace. I can now acknowledge that the first thought or word is often from God.
I am in a blessed place, where Michael and I meet regularly to listen to Jesus, and test what we hear, see or sense. We have journeyed the last six months in partnership as co-leaders and co-warriors within our Good Shepherd Community.
Michael shares:
‘In his letter of instruction and encouragement to the new followers of Jesus in Ephesus, the Apostle Paul told them that the struggles they had with people were not just struggles in the human realm. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12
Whilst I do not claim that the struggles we have in schools are all spiritual, Paul makes it clear that there are spiritual forces at work that are impacting what happens in our schools. Human struggles can be addressed with human solutions, but when there is also a spiritual reason contributing to the struggle, that needs to be dealt with spiritually. Discerning what struggles are spiritual, and then how to deal with them (using the weapons) Jesus arms us with, is what Evie (as Principal and spiritual head of the school) and I (as Pastor and spiritual head of the congregation), regularly meet to do.
Whilst bringing struggles to God in prayer, and asking him to sort things out, is a good thing to do, we are also learning what it means when God calls us to use the authority and the weapons he has given us to deal with the spiritual forces working against God’s purposes in the school.’
Being installed as the spiritual head of an organisation brings with it an authority that I guess I had never considered. Not only can I use the blood and name of Jesus to defend myself against the attacks of the evil one, but I can also do this in a corporate space.
I don’t do this alone. My prayers with and for our community – specifically in the spiritual fight – are done strategically with others who support and understand my authority. The repentance and forgiveness that has occurred with that authority is humbling and God’s work never ceases to amaze.
An important daily practice that I have is putting on the Armour of God.
Ephesians 6:13-18 clearly describes what we need to put on to protect ourselves in this battle. ‘Therefore, put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.’
This armour does not stop the ups and downs and the reality of the challenges that we face as principals and leaders in our spaces. But a timely-placed prayer or uttered ‘Come Lord Jesus be my shield’ can both change the atmosphere and my heart.
I pray that in your leadership journey you have been able to experience the presence and protection of Jesus. Not only in the rearview mirror, but in the moment as he fights the battle that is not yours to fight.
What a privilege it is to stand with Jesus – declaring his name and sharing it with those in our communities and beyond. May the peace that surpasses all understanding be real for you in increasing amounts.
How amazing is God!
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