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Leadership Through Service
by Bernie Parsons
Leadership
Through Service
In the church, we need
to rethink our concept of leadership. The
world says that we are to climb the ladder to success, often trampling others on the way
up. If we reach the top, we are successful leaders. This is not God’s way.
Luke 22:24 And
there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.
25 And he said unto them,
The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority
upon them are called benefactors.
This is worldly
thinking, Gentile thinking, Western philosophy—that a man should rule others,
ordering them about--and then expect to be called great, and beneficent. This is not
leadership: a commander commands, a leader leads.
Luke 22: 26
But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and
he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
27 For whether is
greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but
I am among you as he that serveth.
Mark 9: 33 And he
came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed
among yourselves by the way?
35 And he sat down, and
called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be
last of all, and servant of all.
In the kingdom of God,
the greatest is not the toughest, the loudest, the harshest, or the most
demanding—the greatest is the one who serves the most and the best. To succeed as
leaders in the church, we need to work down the ladder to a state of servitude to our
brothers and sisters.
Another thought—I
have heard many say that as they climb toward heaven they try to pull someone along with
them. Let’s rethink that. What if we get below the person and push them up toward
heaven? Then, when we get to the top, we will have pushed someone ahead of us. That would
be a great feeling of accomplishment--leadership through meeting the needs of others.
For example, elders are
to serve the flock, by leading them—not Lord over them.
I Peter 5:1 The
elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings
of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
2 Feed the flock of God
which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not
for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3 Neither as being lords
over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
4 And when the chief
Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Do you really want
people to hold you in high esteem, and look to you for leadership? If you really want to
hold sway over others, make yourself indispensable to them. Serve them so well that they
feel that they cannot get along without you. Now that’s power!
Jesus gave the ultimate
example of leadership through service.
John 13: 1 Now
before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should
depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he
loved them unto the end.
2 And supper being ended,
the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;
3 Jesus knowing that the
Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to
God;
4 He riseth from supper,
and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
5 After that he poureth
water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel
wherewith he was girded.
6 Then cometh he to Simon
Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
7 Jesus answered and said
unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
8 Peter saith unto him,
Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part
with me.
9 Simon Peter saith unto
him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
10 Jesus saith to him, He
that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are
clean, but not all.
11 For he knew who should
betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
12 So after he had washed
their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye
what I have done to you?
13 Ye call me Master and
Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
14 If I then, your Lord
and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
15 For I have given you
an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
16 Verily, verily, I say
unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than
he that sent him.
17 If ye know these
things, happy are ye if ye do them.
Then He said, “Ye
should do as I have done to you” and “If ye know these things, happy are ye if
ye do them”.
Philippians 2: 1
If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship
of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
2 Fulfil ye my joy, that
ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
5 Let this mind be in
you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
8 And being found in
fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of
the cross.
Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye
have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by
love serve one another.
14 For all the law is fulfilled in
one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
We have freedom in
Christ Jesus, but instead of abusing the freedom, we need to use it to serve one another
in love. Not only can we use this to assist
our brothers and sisters in a material way, but also in spiritual growth.
Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be
overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of
meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and
so fulfil the law of Christ.
3 For if a man think himself to be
something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
4 But let every man prove his own
work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
Brothers, when we check
on our family in God, perhaps when they miss an assembly, we should not call to reprimand
them as I have seen some elders and preachers do. Instead, we should call from a sense of
love and concern for their well-being. Instead of tearing them down our efforts should be
to help them become stronger in the Lord.
And, brothers and
sisters, when we see one of our spiritual family stumble and fall, rather than kicking
them while they are down, we should kindly and lovingly put or arms around them and pick
them back up. Then we should see if we can help them from falling again.
Hebrews 10:24
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Hebrews 3:12-13 Take heed, brethren,
lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened
through the deceitfulness of sin.
Romans 14:19 Let us therefore follow
after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
Romans 15:13-14 Now the God of hope
fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the
power of the Holy Ghost. And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also
are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 Wherefore
comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
12 And we beseech you, brethren, to
know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
13 And to esteem them very highly in
love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves.
14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn
them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all
men.
15 See that none render evil for
evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all
men.
Reprove=scold or direct,
usually in a gentle way.
Exhort=urge strongly,
make urgent appeals.
Provoke=evoke,
call up or call forth.
Edify=build,
establish.
Admonish=indicate
duties or obligations, usually in a gentle way.
Comfort=give
strength and hope. (Root words: fortify together.)
Support=from
root meaning “to carry”.
2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 And if any
man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that
he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Jude 1:21-23 Keep yourselves in the
love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some
have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the
fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
Ephesians
4:2-3 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in
love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Forbear=do without.
Longsuffering=long and
patient endurance of offense.
Patient=bearing pain or
trials calmly and without complaint.
Colossians 3:10 And have put on the
new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
11 Where there is neither Greek nor
Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is
all, and in all.
12 Put on therefore, as the elect of
God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness,
longsuffering;
13 Forbearing one another, and
forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you,
so also do ye.
14 And above all these things put on
charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Humble: from
“humus”, earth, dirt. We must remember our origins.
Genesis 3:19 In
the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of
it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
Job 42:6
Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
2 Corinthians 4:5-7 For we preach
not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For
God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have
this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not
of us.
We are but dust and
ashes. Yet God has been mindful of us to elevate us to the status of His children, if we
are followers of Jesus, His Son. Have you put on this new man? Have you been conformed to
the image of God? If not, we ask you to do so tonight. Let God put His great treasure in
you, let His glorious light shine in your heart.
