A Serving Leadership Philosophy

In the KNOWING part of our serving leadership framework, we must first consider how God's philosophy contrasts sharply with that of the world.

Whereas the world's perspective on leadership is that it is all about exercising positional authority and power over followers, Jesus shows us that it is primarily about serving others. His perspective is best captured in Matthew 20:25-28: “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority 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 your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Consider two different perspectives on people. God loves people and desires that they experience fullness of life (see John 3:16 and 10:10). In contrast, the world sees people in terms of usefulness and how they can be controlled to accomplish certain aims.

Finally, think about two different perspectives on work. The creation narrative provides evidence that all work is sacred, not just ministry (see Genesis 2:15). Whereas the world believes work is all about earning a living and making a person look good, the Biblical perspective is that it is all about glorifying God (see John 17:4).

Serving leaders align their perspectives on leadership, people, and work with God’s view rather than with that of the world’s.

[Next week we will learn about discovering God's will.]