JR Woodward :: Blog :: Servant Leadership Part I

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There was a talk that John Ortberg gave on servant leadership that I thought was really helpful for those who serve in some leadership capacity.  So I thought I would pass on a few quotes and a summary this coming week.

It was Jesus who said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles Lord it over them.  Not so with you.  Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  Mark 10:42b-45 TNIV

“Jesus says, "Not so with you." Now, because power and leadership can be abused and can be dark in the hands of fallen people -- because Jesus has warnings about it -- some people get distrustful about any form of leadership or the exercise of power. They don't initiate, they don't challenge, they don't stretch those who are around them.

They hold back from leading when they ought to lead, and they hold others back from leading. That is not a good thing. Their families, their churches, their organizations suffer because part of human nature in this world, unless there is leadership and people being envisioned and challenged and stretched to grow, people will suffer.

To lead is a good thing. At the very beginning, the Bible says that God created human beings to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, subdue it and have dominion. Jesus doesn't reject leadership or even the use of power or greatness for that matter, but he redefines it, he redeems it.

As he says here, Jesus himself is the ultimate example of redeemed leadership. He says, "I didn't come to be served," which is generally the measure of leadership in our world. How many people are underneath me serving me?

He says, "I came to serve." That's what servants do. Here's a real key point. In Jesus, to lead is to serve. In Jesus, leadership is simply one form of servanthood. In God, to lead is to serve those he leads.” - John Ortberg

In the next post on this series, we will take a look at how Jesus served, since we are called to imitate him.