BIBLE COURSE SLB101

GRACESTAND

LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

{GSGC BIBLE SCHOOL}

                                      

LEVEL ONE: CERTIFICATE

COURSE TITLE: SERVANT LEADERSHIP

COURSE CODE: SLB 101

GRACESTAND GOSPEL CHURCH UKRAINE

Clemzyclementministry.blogspot.com

gracestandleadershipacademy@gmail.com

TABLE OF CONTENT

COURSES                                                                             PAGES

Course Objectives                                                                                       2

Introduction                                                                                               3

Styles of leadership                                                                            3-4

Biblical models for leadership                                                                     5

Concept of leadership-shaped by unworthy ambition                                5

Perspectives of Christian leadership-shaped by worthy ambition     5-6

The essence of servant leadership                                                     6 -7

The nature of the servant leader                                                       7-8

The characteristics of servant leadership                                          8-9

The wherewithal of servant leadership                                                       9

Jesus is the source of the servant nature                                           9-10

Conclusion                                                                                                 10

Bibliography                                                                                               11

                             

COURSE OBJECTIVES

At the end of this course student should:

1.   Define what servant Leader is all about

2.   The challenge for servant Leadership

3.   Styles of Leadership

4.   Biblical models for Leadership

5.   Concept of Leadership-shaped by unworthy ambition

6.   Perspectives of Christian Leadership-shaped by worthy ambition

7.   The essence of Servant Leadership

8.   The Nature of the Servant Leader

9.   The characteristics of Servant Leadership

10. The wherewithal of Servant Leadership

SERVANT LEADERSHIP

Scripture: Matt. 20:20-28; Mk. 10:35-45

INTRODUCTION                 

We would like to start by a definition of a couple of terms:

1.     Servant

There are two principal Greek words used for servant in the New Testament: doulos and diakonos. The word doulos is a relationship word which literally means a “slave”, one who belongs to someone else in total commitment. It is a relationship to Christ that finds fulfillment in service, gladly giving one’s love and allegiance to Him.

Diakonos, on the other hand, is a functional word stressing what we do for other rather than what we tell them to do for us.

2.   Leadership:

This term has generally been defined as follows:

a.      “Leadership is influence, the ability of one person to influence others.” Sanders

b.     “Leadership is the capacity and will to rally men and women to a common purpose, and the character which inspires confidence.” Lord Montgomery

c.      “That quality in a leader which inspires sufficient confidence in his subordinates as to be willing to accept his views and carry out his commands.” Admiral Nimitz

d.     “A leader is a man who knows the road, who can keep ahead and who pulls others after him.”John R. Mott

e.      “A leader is a person who has the ability to get others to do what they don’t want to do and like it.” President Truman

f.       “The leader is a member of a group who is able, by virtue of his election or emergence to lead that group toward its goals.” Kenneth Gangel

g.     “Leadership is an act or behavior required by a group to meet its goals.” Engstrom

Jesus’ master principle of leadership is servanthood. In the New Testament, leadership was characterized by servanthood. What the church needs today in order to accomplish her mission and maintain her relevance in the world is servant leadership.

STYLES OF LEADERSHIP

Many studies have been done, and volumes have been written on leadership. From these, several styles of leadership have been presented. For our purposes today we shall look at four styles of leadership.

1.   Laissez-Faire

a.      Leader gives minimum direction and provides maximum freedom for group decision.

b.     Leader allows everything to run its course.

c.      A non-directive leadership.

d.     Leader shrinks from responsibility.

2.   Paternalistic leadership – Benevolent Autocracy

a.      Leader has a father-like concern for the people.

b.     He identifies closely with the people.

c.      This tends to make the people too dependent and too weak.

d.     It can degenerate into mere admiration and pseudo-worship.

e.      Discipline is hard to maintain, and co-ordination often suffers.

3.   Autocratic Leadership

a.      The leader is trait-centered in the stereotyped way in which he views his own role.

b.     He feels that he alone can direct the activities of the group satisfactorily.

c.      He feels that because of his greater knowledge or ability the people must implicitly obey his commands.

d.     The tendency is to confuse scriptural authority with divine right of authority.

e.      In Christian groups and organizations, the people tend to regard some as being led by the spirit or will of God. Beware of the likes of Jimmy Jones and other President/Founders.

f.       The leader tries to do everything, not that he wants to serve, but in order to make himself indispensible and wield real power.

g.     The leadership answers to no one.

h.     He uses people and rides their aspirations to increase his own authority.

i.        He often gets the people’s consent, but this is done by manipulation, hiding the facts, and through the means of control and threat.

j.        The leader becomes power-drunk. A famous statement of the last century has it, “Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

4.   Democratic Leadership

a.      Here leadership is a guiding relationship in which the group-oriented leader provides general supervision.

b.     The leader shares responsibilities of decision making and planning with members of the group.

c.      Decisions are made for the people through representation.

d.     He motivates others by involving them in decision-making.

e.      He creates goal ownership and feeling of shared purpose.

Biblical Models for Leadership

The Bible is the infallible word of God. It is the Book of the Church, the standard for faith and conduct among the Christians. The need of the Church today is good leadership. From our text, we discovered that Jesus gives the master principle of leadership which is servanthood. We need to look at the Bible for models of servant leadership.

Both in the Old and New Testaments leaders were always appointed to serve. Joseph regarded his position in Egypt as an opportunity to serve the people. In Josh.1:2, it is not “Moses, my leader,” but “Moses, my servant…” it is said of King David that he “served his generation.” When Aaron was consecrated as high priest among his people, the prescribed garments of his office were symbolic of the service that was required. The Lord’s prophets were called “servants.”

In the New Testament, we see the following:

1.     The lord Jesus Christ

a.      He taught the theory. Mt. 20:25-28; Jn. 13:15-17; Lk. 22:27

b.     He put in practice the lesson of servant leadership: Washing the disciple’s feet, cooking breakfast for the disciples.

2.     Peter, the Apostle – 1 Peter 5:2-5

3.     Paul, the Apostle – taught, exhorted, and practiced servant leadership.

4.     The Early Church Fathers

5.     The Early Missionaries

CONCEPT OF LEADERSHIP – SHAPED BY UNWORTHY AMBITION

1.     The problem of the disciples is still our problem today. They sought for rulership and authority in the wrong way.

2.     It is building the kingdom of God or building an empire for ourselves?

3.     It leadership seen as a position or a responsibility?

4.     Should it not be the office that seeks the man, rather than the man seeking the office?

5.     Is true greatness, true leadership achieve by  reducing men to one’s service or giving oneself in selfless service to them?

6.     Is it what we can put into God’s work or what we can get out of it?

7.     The wrong concept of leadership will lead men to doing whatever they can to get to it.

PERSPECTIVES OF CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP – SHAPED BY WORTHY AMBITION

Jesus told the disciples, “Not so with you” (Mt. 20:26 NIV)                     

1.     We are building the kingdom of God, not personal empires. We must follow the plan laid down by the Master.

2.     Spiritual leadership is a call to service.

3.     Our ambition is to fit into God’s plan.

4.     We are under-shepherds; Jesus is the Chief Shepherd.

5.     The need of the church is Servant Leadership.

THE ESSENCE OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP

In this section we want to look at certain elements that constitute servant leadership.

The Spirit of The Servant Leader

The Messianic passage, Isaiah 42:1-5, fore-viewed the features that would qualify the coming Messiah as the ideal servant of the Lord.

1.     DEPENDENCE – “Behold My Servant whom I uphold.” (v.1) Jesus voluntarily “emptied Himself” (Phil. 2:7) of all the powers and prerogatives of deity and became dependent on His Father.

2.     APPROVAL – “My chosen one in whom my soul delights.” (v. 1)

a.      Jesus, the ideal servant, delightfully served the Father when in another Messianic passage the son said, “I delight to do thy will, O my God.” Ps. 40:8

b.     God pronounced His approval of the service of Jesus, “This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.”

c.      The servant leader seeks the approval of the Master.

3.     MODESTY – “He will not cry out or raise His voice…in the street.” (v. 2)

a.      Today there is blatant and arrogant self-advertisement among gospel ministers.

b.     Many times Jesus resisted the temptation to show off His power.

c.      The servant leader will not blow his own trumpet.

d.     His lifestyle is modesty, self-effacing, contentment, and hidden service.

e.      Paul – acts. 20:13-21; 24-27; Phil. 3:5-10

4.     EMPATHY – “A bruised reed He will not break, and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish.” (v. 3)

a.      Jesus ministered to all classes of people because His heart was full of compassion.

b.     No matter how highly placed, the servant leader must be touched by the condition of the people.

c.      Some pastors are known to be church killers.

d.     The ideal servant of the lord will help the falling back to their feet, mend bruised reeds, and fan the flickering wick into a brilliant flame.

5.     OPTIMISM – “He will not be disheartened or crushed, until He has established justice in the earth.” (v. 4)

a.      The servant of the Lord is not easily discouraged.

b.     A pessimist never makes an inspiring leader.

c.      Winners never quit, and quitters never win.

d.     God’s servant will be optimistic until His full objective is obtained.

6.ANOINTING – “I have put My Spirit upon Him.”(v.1)

          a.       Jesus was anointed with Holy Spirit and power. Acts 10.38

          b.       it is the anointing that supplies the zeal to serve the Lord

          c.       The anointing makes the difference and breaks the yoke

The Nature of the Servant Leader               

Robert Greenleaf, in his book Servant Leadership, says that there are two kinds of leaders.

1. The strong natural leaders, who naturally try to take charge of things, make the decisions and orders. 2. The strong natural servants who assume leadership simply because they see it as a way in which they can serve.

a.   The servant leader is first and foremost a servant by nature.

b.   Servanthood is the motivation that drives his behaviors

c.   There are those who serve only to rise to a position where they no longer have to serve people but have other people serve them.

d.   Some leaders get involved in a lot of serving activities only because they don’t trust others to do the job properly. They grumble about having to do too much.

e.   Others do too many thinking they are irreplaceable.

2. Nature, Not Style.

a. the word servant in leadership refers to the leader’s nature, not style

b. the way a leader operates any style of leadership is largely innate

c. the leader’s nature affects his style of leadership.

d. Servant leadership can be found in all leadership styles

3. Nature, Not Role.

a. the leader’s character or nature which is servanthood is not affected by the role which he fills

b. he can be given leadership or it can be taken away from him, he remains willing to serve. The inbuilt, natural motivation is simply to serve.

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP

1.     The paramount (highest) aim is the best interest of the people.

a.       The leader knows and understands his people to know what their best interests are.

b.     The best interests of the people have priority over the leader’s best interests.

c.      The leader, as a good shepherd, lays down his life for the sheep. Acts 21:13-14

2.     The highest satisfaction lies in the growth and development of the people.

Paul delighted in the progress and success of his churches. 2Thessalonian 13:3-4

3.     A willing acceptance of obligation.

a.      Generally, leaders do not like to be obliged to do things, but they put other people under obligation.

b.     Servants have no problem with obligation or duty.

c.      The willingness to accept obligation is one of the hallmarks of servanthood. Rom. 1:14

d.     Total submission – devotion to the Master’s will.

4.     Faithfulness and the desire for accountability.

5.     A caring love for the people.

a.      There is regard for the people’s needs, their sensibilities, their convenience, and their best interests.

b.     The leader as a father should be the source of caring love that:

·        Knows needs before they are asked. Mat. 6:8

·        Gives the child what is good for him. Mt. 7:11

·        Rewards intentions rather than results. Mt. 6:4

c.      Jesus enjoined the disciples to feed the sheep if they loved Him.

6.     A willingness to listen

a.      Servants listen to find out the desires of the Master.

b.     Servant leaders must listen to get the mind of God over every issue.

c.      Jesus, the servant leader, was always attuned to the Father. Isa.50:4-5

d.     Sometimes God would speak to leaders through other people. Moses listened to his father-in-law.

e.      The servant leader should not become defensive or belligerent at any suggestion that questions his performance.

f.       He should be open to criticism and advice, but make up his mind.

g.     He should listen to the complaints of the people.

7.     An honest assessment and awareness of one’s abilities and deficiencies.

a.      Solomon at the beginning of his reign asked for God’s wisdom.

b.     He enjoins, “Trust in the Lord and lean not on thine own understanding.”

c.      Some people overprice themselves because of attainment of degrees, positions, or wealth.

d.     The servant leader must remember the Master’s word, “without me, ye can do nothing.” John 15

e.      The servant leader must always depend on God.

8.     A willingness to share power with others.

a.      Delegate authority.

b.     Train others to replace you.

c.      We are laborers together with God.

THE WHEREWITHAL OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP

We have looked at the challenge or need for servant leadership in the church. We tried to spell out what servant leadership is all about. Let us now round up with the question, “How do we do it?” or “How do we get it?”

“Where do we get servant leaders?” or “How do we become servant leaders?”

Many books have been written on the subject of leadership – spiritual and secular. In them you can find all the information on the qualifications of spiritual leaders and the principles of spiritual leadership. This discussion does not intend to belabor your mind with those obvious issues. Since our concern today is an endangered species of leadership, which is a nature, we shall end up with how to get that nature of servanthood in leadership.

JESUS IS THE SOURCE OF THE SERVANT NATURE

1.     He was “In very nature God.” Phil. 2

2.     He made Himself nothing, literally “emptied Himself.”

3.     He took the nature of a servant.

4.     He humbled Himself and ministered in humility.

5.     He became obedient to death as a criminal for the redemption of humankind.

6.     To have the servant nature, the aspirant to the servant leadership must come to Jesus.

The Servant Leader Must Experience The Servant Nature Of Jesus Christ

1.     It is sometimes appalling to see the type of people our pastors and leaders are recommending for Bible school to become spiritual leaders.

2.     Is it not possible that there could be some people manning our pulpits today who have not genuinely been regenerated?

3.     The attitude of the servant leader must be the same like that of Christ Jesus. Phil. 2:5 NIV

4.     There must be a falling to the ground and dying – to sin, to self, to the world. John 12:24

5.     There must be a crushing to produce fruit juice.

6.     There must be a drinking of the cup that Christ drank, a baptism with which He was baptized. Mark. 10:38

7.     There must be a carrying of your cross and following. Those who evade the cross will miss the crown.

The Servant Leader Must Minister In The Spirit And Attitude Of Servanthood. Phil. 2:5

1.     Servants indeed – Doulos/Diakonos

2.     Wisdom to know and courage to accept where best I can serve; not minding what role I play or the position I hold.

3.     Driven by one passion; living for one purpose; to please the Master.

4.     Not minding how much I get out of what I am doing. But how much I put into the building of the kingdom of the Lord.

5.     Trusting that His will cannot lead me where His grace cannot keep me.

6.     Glorying only in the cross of Jesus my Lord.

CONCLUSION

SERVANT LEADERSHIP! Sounds old fashioned to some ears. “Not for our jet age,” some fast guys may say. But that is what the Church needs today. That is what Jesus recommended. That is what He practiced.

“Wherefore God also has highly exalted Him, and given Him a name…”

Discover the joy of servant leadership today. And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, we will receive the exclusive Crown of Glory as we hear Him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” Mat. 25:21

BIBIOGRAPHY

Eims, LeyRoy. be thou Leader you were meant to be. Wheaton, IL:SP Publications, 1982

Engstrom, Ted W. the making of a Christian leader. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1976.

Gangel, Kenneth O. so you want to be a leader. Harrisburg, PA: Christian publications, 1973.

Marshall, Tom. Understanding leadership.Chichester, England: Sovereign World Ltd., 1991

Osei-Mensah, Gottfried.Wanted: servant leaders.Achimota, Ghana: Africa Christian Press 1990

Perry, John. Effective Christian Leadership.Ibadan, Nigeria: scripture Union (Nig.) Press, 1983