Lesson 5: Servant Leadership

The last meal Jesus had with his disciples was the Passover celebration. It was a custom that at a formal dinner a servant would wash the feet of the guests. This job was usually given to the lowest of the servants.

At this meal, only Jesus and the disciples were there. At the beginning, nobody did the job of foot washing. None of the disciples volunteered for the job because they did not want the position of a servant. Each of them was still hoping for a high position in the new kingdom.

We can imagine that Peter said quietly to John, “Somebody needs to do the foot washing; you should do it.” Maybe John answered, “No, I’m not going to do it; James should do it.” None of them was willing to take the role of a servant. At the end of the meal, Jesus got up, took water and a towel, and began the task. Surely the disciples felt ashamed then.

Peter refused to let Jesus wash his feet at first, implying that he respected Jesus too much to allow him to do such a lowly task. Jesus said to Peter, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me” (John 13:8). He was using the small task to represent the great purpose of his life and death – to serve all humanity by providing salvation. He said at another time, “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). The service he gave with his death was represented by his many other acts of service, including the foot washing on that occasion. If a person does not accept Jesus’ service, he is not part of Jesus’ kingdom.

After Jesus had washed his disciples’ feet, he asked them, “Do you understand what I have done to you?” (John 13:12). He explained that in the world’s system, the leader expects to be served. But in God’s kingdom, a leader serves (Luke 22:25-27).

To lead is to use influence to serve others; that is the right motive for leadership. A person who observes the needs of people and finds ways to meet those needs will become the leader. People want a leader who cares about them and is able to meet their needs. People are willing to give authority to the person who will use authority for their sake.

Some soldiers were building a house of logs. They were struggling to lift a heavy log, and their sergeant was shouting at them. A man was passing by and stopped to watch. He said to the sergeant, “Why don’t you help them?” The sergeant angrily replied, “I am a sergeant.”

The man joined the soldiers and helped them lift the log, then opened his coat to show his uniform. “I am a general,”[1] he said. He was General George Washington, who later became President of the United States.

A customer was outside a large bank building one morning, waiting for the bank to open. A man arrived and parked his car. The man noticed some pieces of trash in the parking lot. On his way inside the building, he picked them up so that he could discard them. When the customer went inside, he saw the man who had picked up trash. The customer asked someone, “Who is that man?” The answer was, “He’s the president of the bank.” Because the president was committed to the success and reputation of the bank, he would not leave trash on the ground, even though he was in a high position.

Even in the world’s system, the desire to serve leads to promotion. Where the people have the privilege of choosing their leader, they choose the one they think is able and ready to help them. A leader rises by responding to needs – people begin to listen to him because they see that he cares and that good things happen for them under his direction.

The responsibility of leaders to serve is recognized in the titles of some positions: for example, the highest position in the government of Great Britain is Prime Minister, which literally means “first servant.” The greatest leaders of history have been those who served the needs of people. Leaders in the world do not always serve for the right motives, but a follower of Jesus should serve with a willing, humble heart and with a desire to benefit others.

A college president arrived at his office with several bags. When he asked a student to help, the student replied, “I am not a servant.” Another student immediately said, “I can help; I am a servant.” Many years later, the second student became president of the college.

What is servant leadership? Here is a simple definition:

Servant leadership is leading for the sake of those who are led.

► Look at 1 Peter 5:1-4 together. What does this scripture imply about ministry leadership?

To lead does not mean people serve you; it means that you serve people. A leader serves by leading because the people benefit from his leadership.

Robert Greenleaf writes, “...The very top people of truly great organizations are servant-leaders. They are the most humble, the most reverent, the most open, the most teachable, the most respectful, the most caring, and the most determined.”[1]

Some people who have formal authority or positional power refuse to use it unless they must. Instead of forcing others to obey them, they calmly reason with people and persuade them. These leaders are kind, understanding, and trustworthy. Greenleaf says that people’s confidence in these leaders grows as a result of the character they demonstrate. People learn to trust these leaders to make decisions that are right and good.

A leader (or someone who hopes to become a leader) must have a servant’s heart. But it is also important for him to continue to see himself as a servant when it is time for him to step down from his leadership role.

A man in Alaska described the work of the dogs who pull sleds. Some dogs become lead dogs. They are first in the harness because they are strong, fast, and intelligent. After a dog becomes the leader, he does not want to be put into any other place in the harness. The problem is that when the dog becomes old, he is not able to lead. He would be able to serve in a different position, but he refuses. Owners sometimes must kill old dogs because they are expensive to support and refuse to serve in a different position.

The Philippians Model

The Apostle Paul was very focused on the need to develop leaders. He started ministry in many places, but he knew that the work could not be continued and expanded without many leaders.

► Look at Philippians 2:19-21 together. Why did Paul sometimes lack a person to send for a ministry responsibility?

Sometimes Paul lacked a person to send for a ministry responsibility because the people available were interested only in their own benefit. These were people involved with the church and helping in some way, but they could not be trusted to serve with the heart of a servant. This problem made them useless for serious responsibility.

The letter to the Philippians described several people who served without personal benefit.

[2]Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25-30) worked so hard in the ministry that his health was affected, and he almost died. Paul said that we should admire people who have this kind of devotion. That does not mean that we should not be careful of our health, but Epaphroditus’s devotion to God’s work made him a hero to the church.

In Philippians 2:17 and in other epistles, Paul said that he himself had this kind of devotion (2 Timothy 2:8-10, 2 Corinthians 11:23-29). He did not try to make a profit from the people he served (1 Corinthians 9:14-15, 1 Thessalonians 2:9). Paul said that Timothy followed the same values (Philippians 2:19-22).

The supreme example described in this letter is Jesus (Philippians 2:5-8). He did not hold to the honor he deserved but was willing to lay aside his status and become a servant. He gave himself completely, even to death.

A Bad Example

Gehazi was the servant of Elisha, the leading prophet of Israel. Perhaps he had been chosen to replace Elisha someday, since he was serving Elisha just as Elisha had served Elijah before replacing him.

When Naaman came to be healed, he offered a large payment, but Elisha refused it. Gehazi was frustrated because usually they did not receive large offerings. He secretly went out to find Naaman and took part of the payment.

Elisha told Gehazi that he was wrong to be seeking wealth instead of focusing on the ministry (2 Kings 5:26). Gehazi received the leprosy of Naaman and could never be a prophet.

Serving with Humility

Some people go into ministry because they desire personal success. They think that ministry is the opportunity to get a leadership position. They do not surrender self-interest. They do not follow love for God; instead, they follow self-interest in their ministry.

[3]The desire for ministry should come from the desire to serve God by serving people. A person with this motive will desire position only as an opportunity to serve (1 Timothy 3:1). He will want to be sure that God is directing his promotion. His desire to succeed is based on his desire to be faithful to God.

Total devotion to God is often expressed as humility. We cannot honor God properly unless we take a humble role in relationship to God.

Because devotion to God is humble, devotion means...

• I depend on God’s power so that he will be glorified.

• I am unhappy if my abilities honor me instead of God.

• I am willing to do low-status tasks and work in obscure places.

• I endure the scorn of people who do not understand my heart.

• I am not motivated to improve my status with possessions, achievements, responsibilities, or relationships.

• I trust God to choose whether or not I am promoted.

You cannot do the work of the body of Christ without the spirit of Christ. The church needs leaders who demonstrate the spirit of Christ. You cannot speak for God until you have listened to him, not just to be inspired and guided, but to be shaped. You listen in order to be transformed.

► What is the first qualification for ministry leadership?

The love of Christ motivates us (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).

People do good things for many reasons. Sometimes they are good people who have good reasons, but not the best reason.

God planned for Peter to be a great leader in the church. After Peter denied Jesus, Jesus had a conversation with him in order to restore him and call him again to ministry.

Three times, Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me?” This emphasized that love for Jesus is the most important qualification for ministry (John 21:15-17). Human abilities are not the most important. Love for people is very important, but it is not the most important. The most important qualification for ministry leadership is love for Jesus.

If you love Jesus, you will imitate him and become like him. If you love him, you want others to know and love him. The best motivation for ministry is the desire to bring others into relationship with Jesus.

The first qualification for ministry is love for God. Love for God is demonstrated by love and service to people. God does not have any physical needs; he has all resources and power. But Jesus said that when we meet the needs of his people, we are serving him (Matthew 25:40).

► For whom do you work?

Every pastor should understand that he is working for God and has ultimate accountability to God (1 Corinthians 4:1-5). We serve God by serving people because that is the responsibility God has given us.

When we serve others, it does not mean that they have authority over us. For example, children are served because they are incapable of taking care of themselves, but they cannot direct the ones who care for them. A baby is the most served person in a household, but he cannot have the authority. Even though the served one is not in authority, the leader must listen to and understand the needs of the people he leads.

The Bible uses the term steward for a person in ministry leadership (1 Corinthians 4:2). A steward is a person who manages people and resources for someone else. He serves the people that he manages, taking care of their needs; but he is accountable to the person who made him steward.

Albert Mohler described the role of ministry leaders this way:

• We are the stewards of human lives and their welfare.

• We are the stewards of time and opportunity.

• We are the stewards of assets and resources.

• We are the stewards of energy and attention.

• We are the stewards of reputation and legacy.

• We are the stewards of truth and teaching.[1]

Jim Collins has studied businesses to find out why some become great and then stay great for many years. He found principles that apply to any organization. One of the primary characteristics of great businesses was that they have what Collins calls a Level 5 leader.[1]

According to Collins’ description, the first level of leadership is a person who is capable of doing very good work. This gives him influence.

A good team member is at the second level of leadership, because he works well with the group.

A competent manager is at the third level. He manages people and resources so they can accomplish the goals that are given to him.

The Level 4 leader motivates the people of the organization to commit and to put energy into achieving a clear vision.

The Level 5 leader builds an institution to long-term greatness through a combination of personal humility and determination.

The people in all of these levels are valuable, and any organization would be happy to have them.

The Level 4 leader has all of the qualities that most people expect a great leader to have. He is not just a manager who organizes and supervises what is there. The Level 4 leader can motivate people, communicate a clear vision, and lead people to share goals.

The Level 5 leader has one characteristic that may not be in Level 4. The Level 5 leader gives himself to make the institution great. He is humble; he considers the institution to be more important than himself. He is not using the institution to promote himself; instead, he is giving himself for the institution. If a leader’s main concern is to receive honor and credit for the accomplishments of the institution, he is not a Level 5 leader.

Humility does not mean that he is timid or uncertain. Humility makes him courageous and determined because he is more concerned about the institution than about himself.

There have been many leaders who seemed great because of their talent. They made an organization grow. They made many good changes. However, they used the institution as a place to build their own reputation. After their period of leadership, the institution did not continue to be great because they did not build it to be great beyond their personality.

Let’s consider how this principle relates to servanthood. The Level 5 leader is convinced that he is working for an institution that accomplishes good for people. He gives himself to the advancement of that institution because of the good it does. In this way he is serving people.

Jim Collins was not trying to teach Christian principles, but his research is consistent with the teachings of Jesus. The truly great leader is the one who gives himself in service.

There was an occasion when visitors from another nation came to see Jesus (John 12:20-22). Perhaps the disciples were excited, thinking that their ministry would soon become international. But Jesus kept his focus on the purpose of his coming.

Jesus said, “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24). Jesus was not interested in becoming famous as a religious leader. He came to accomplish something that would serve all people.

Servant leadership begins in the heart. The problem is that we all begin life with a heart that is self-centered. Because of this, we have a tendency to seek our own benefit above all else.

A ministry leader who wants to please God by serving others typically needs to go through a spiritual process of death to personal ambition. A Christian should continue to surrender his ambitions to God and allow the Holy Spirit to guide his actions with love. Many leaders have become truly great only after experiencing a deep cleansing of the heart.

If a leader resists this complete surrender to God, he tends to be a leader that works for his own advancement.

► A student should read 1 Corinthians 13:1-8 for the group. Look at the verses together and discuss what leadership is like when it is based on love.

To be the leader God wants you to be, you must have a change of heart. Recognize that until now your leadership has been self-motivated. Identify specific goals that were wrong because of self-interest. Identify attitudes that were wrong because self was the priority.

Have you resented the success of others? When you imagine success, do you think mostly about the honors that can come to you, or about the help that you can be to others?

Identify specific actions that should have been different. Determine to apologize and correct wrong words and actions—list them specifically.

Explain your new perspective to the people you lead. A public explanation of your change of heart will strengthen—rather than undermine—your influence if you consistently follow through. Don’t be angry if some people are skeptical of your new commitment. Consistency will convince them. Pray for God’s help when you experience temptation to seek honor and power for yourself.

You must trust God to transform your heart, rather than thinking that your change of mind is sufficient. Your nature does not change just because you realize it is wrong. Only God can change your nature.

► How do you expect to change your goals or actions because of this lesson?

1. Servant leadership is to lead for the sake of those being led.

2. People are willing to give authority to the person who will use authority for their sake.

3. Love for God is demonstrated by love and service to people.

4. The Level 5 leader gives himself to make the institution great.

5. Only God can change your nature so that you can serve sincerely.

1. Write a paragraph summarizing a life-changing concept from this lesson. Explain why it is important. What good can it do? What harm could result from not knowing it?

2. Explain how you will apply the principles of this lesson to your own life. How does this lesson change your goals? How do you plan to change your actions?

3. Memorize the Five Summary Statements for Lesson 5. Be prepared to write them from memory at the beginning of the next class session.

4. Before the next session, read Daniel 1:8-15. Write about Daniel’s characteristics (shown in this account) that affected his future leadership.