MISSION, SERVICE, AND LEADERSHIP

In John 13:15, Jesus sets an example for us to follow. After washing His disciples' feet, an act of
love, humility, and service, He encourages us to follow His lead and serve one another. "I have set you
an example that you should do as I have done for you," Jesus says. Jesus, the Son of God, the Most High
King, Lord of Lords, never placed himself in a position above others. He led by serving, and He loved
by serving. He washed feet, he fed thousands, he walked to visit and heal the sick and dead, he stopped
to touch and heal a sick woman, he spent time with those no one else cared to spend time with. Jesus
lived a life of humility. He showed us that serving others and humility go hand in hand. To be a servant
means we genuinely need to care about people. It’s keeping our eyes, hearts, and schedules open for
divine appointments. Jesus was not stressed by time, what others thought of Him, or a list of tasks to
accomplish each day. Jesus was led by the Spirit of God and followed His promptings to serve, love, and
help others. No task was ever beneath Jesus, and no person was ever unworthy.
The Bible is clear that the Christian life is not a playground, but a battleground. God has not
saved us so that we can live comfortably, happily, and self-centeredly. He has conscripted us into His
army. We have a mission given to us by our Commander-in-Chief, to take the message of His salvation
and Lordship into enemy territory, to win captives from the forces of darkness. As in every war, our
mission requires combat and struggle. If we forget our mission and get caught up with our own comfort,
we will be quick to desert the cause when the enemy attacks. Our mission is to proclaim the faith of the
gospel. We fulfill that mission by walking consistently as a citizen of heaven; by working cooperatively
with our fellow teammates; and, by warring confidently with our fellow soldiers. When we face
hardship or criticism or ridicule because of being a Christian, we have to remember that it’s for the sake
of Christ who someday soon will triumph over all His enemies and reign as King of Kings and Lord of
Lords. And if we are able to endure, we will also reign with Him (2 Tim. 2:12).
Regardless of our starting point, we can grow as leaders. Usually, people who take leadership
classes feel empowered because they have learned skills to better lead a congregation or ministry. They
learned to lead, inside the gift set and wiring God had already given them. Therefore, whether leadership
comes naturally to us or not, we can learn to lead better, often by developing skills. Sometimes those are
pure leadership skills, but sometimes they are skills that support leadership. When it comes to
leadership, growing in specific skills allows us to better serve God’s people by leading them well.
Growing as disciples personally includes developing as a leader specifically. Christian leadership— the
kind that honors God— is not about the accumulation of power. Rather, it is about empowering others.
When we find ourselves in positions of power, we have to be willing to view our role as leaders as
opportunities to serve others through love. We have to remember our purpose is to help others and bring
glory to God. Understanding the role of power in leadership helps us do both of those things. Great
leaders who understand how to use their power will take more blame than they deserve, give more credit
to others,, and give their leadership authority away to others whenever possible. If we define Christian
leadership as obediently following God’s leading by using the gifts God gives us, then humility and
openness can help us to develop as we lead others towards God’s kingdom. Thus, leaders need people
speaking into our lives as well. Our role as Christian leaders should be focused on the God we follow
and the people we serve. When those realities are present, we will lead well.