The Bible teaches us many things about
the nature and quality of Christian leadership. Perhaps the most profound
insight comes from the life of Christ himself and Christ’s clear teaching
regarding servant leadership.
Ø Christ is the model of servant leadership.
In his incarnation, Christ embodies the
message of servant love. The cross is the ultimate message of self-giving love
(Phil. 2:1-11; John 13:12-17).
Ø Authority in the New Testament entails both power and
servanthood.
Jesus Christ himself exemplifies both:
he rules with power “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion”
(Eph.1:21), but he also stoops down to wash the feet of his disciples (John
13). We can see this same example of power combined with servanthood in the
role of parenting. In their relationship with children, parents have authority
that includes right and power; good parents also love their children with a
servant love, and use their authority through this love. Authority, power, and
servant love, all properly understood, are not set over against each other in
the New Testament—and thus should not be set over against each other in
discussions of leadership (Matt. 20:25-28).
The New Testament emphasis upon servant
leadership reminds leaders to be careful in their exercise of power and
authority. Leaders must realize the ways that positions of leadership can inherently
create an imbalance of power, and must take seriously their responsibility to
exercise power as servants of the one who has all power and authority
Ø The practice of servant leadership is one of the
ways
Christians “put on” Jesus Christ.
In John 13:14 Jesus makes it clear that
those who follow Jesus must practice his servant love: “So if I, your Lord and
Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another feet.” In
Ephesians 5:1-2, Paul calls believers to imitate God in his self-giving
actions: “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love,
as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and
sacrifice to God.” Leadership in Christ’s church must be different from the
Gentiles’ “lording it over” approach to leadership. The goal of servant leaders
is to love and serve those they lead by helping them find and productively use
their gifts in the ministry of the body. Leadership in the church is
essentially and radically a matter of servanthood, love, forgiveness,
redemption, sacrifice, justice, and obedience.
Title : “SERVANT LEADERSHIP”
Description : The Bible teaches us many things about the nature and quality of Christian leadership. Perhaps the most profound insight com...