Spritual Leadership #3 - Servant - Sanders
# 3 in series of blogs on Spiritual Leadership by : J. Oswald Sanders
In ch. 3 Sanders writes, "Jesus was a revolutionary, not in the guerrilla warfare sense, but in His teaching on leadership. The term servant speaks everywhere of low prestige, low respect, low honor. most people are not attracted to such a low-value role. When Jesus used the term, however, it was a synonym for greatness. And that was a revolutionary idea."
Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. Matt. 13:3-5
I learned early in our church plant that usually people who wanted to lead without serving first were just looking for power. I have heard John Maxwell say to never make someone a leader unless they were willing to mop the floors first. Even in a small new church there are people who just want control and influence. They say, "Never go grocery shopping when you're hungry." I say, "Never choose a leader when you are desperate."
At first I was looking for people that were breathing and willing. I made some bad choices out of desperation and paid with pain, heartache, and set-backs.
Sanders writes that there are two principles of leadership that the church must never forget. Jesus teaches us that leaders are 1) called and are 2) willing to suffer the cost of servant leadership.
Jesus said, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?”
The sovereign calling of God to lead is important. I think it is impossible to servant lead without the calling. Jesus said it costs to serve in My kingdom. It costs you your self. Someone that wants to lead to gain power will not be serving God's Kingdom. Sanders wrote; "Men and women leading in that task must have eyes wide open, and hearts willing to follow the Master all the way."
Sanders gives six qualities of a servant leader.
In ch. 3 Sanders writes, "Jesus was a revolutionary, not in the guerrilla warfare sense, but in His teaching on leadership. The term servant speaks everywhere of low prestige, low respect, low honor. most people are not attracted to such a low-value role. When Jesus used the term, however, it was a synonym for greatness. And that was a revolutionary idea."
Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. Matt. 13:3-5
I learned early in our church plant that usually people who wanted to lead without serving first were just looking for power. I have heard John Maxwell say to never make someone a leader unless they were willing to mop the floors first. Even in a small new church there are people who just want control and influence. They say, "Never go grocery shopping when you're hungry." I say, "Never choose a leader when you are desperate."
At first I was looking for people that were breathing and willing. I made some bad choices out of desperation and paid with pain, heartache, and set-backs.
Sanders writes that there are two principles of leadership that the church must never forget. Jesus teaches us that leaders are 1) called and are 2) willing to suffer the cost of servant leadership.
Jesus said, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?”
The sovereign calling of God to lead is important. I think it is impossible to servant lead without the calling. Jesus said it costs to serve in My kingdom. It costs you your self. Someone that wants to lead to gain power will not be serving God's Kingdom. Sanders wrote; "Men and women leading in that task must have eyes wide open, and hearts willing to follow the Master all the way."
Sanders gives six qualities of a servant leader.
- Dependency on God
- Approval - seeking the approval of God
- Modesty - "God's servant conducts a ministry that appears almost self-effacing."
- Empathy
- Optimism - "Pessimism and leadership are at the opposite ends of life's attitudes."
- Anointing
"May we follow close to the great Servant, and receive the Spirit who shows us more of the Master."
posted by Royal | 8:18 AM
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