Servant Leadership

 

The concept of servant leadership has its origins in the Bible and is defined as a leadership approach that emphasizes serving others, putting their needs first, and helping them develop and perform to their best ability

​​​

Biblical servant leaders exhibit the following characteristics:

​

          1. Humility: They demonstrate a modest and unassuming attitude, putting the needs of others before their own.

​

          2. Empathy and Compassion: They show understanding and care towards others, seeking to alleviate their suffering and provide support.

​

          3. Integrity and Moral Character: They uphold strong moral principles and act with honesty and fairness in all their dealings.

​

          4. Putting Others First: They prioritize the well-being and interests of those they lead, serving as a source of guidance and support.

​

Biblical Examples of Servant Leaders

​

We discover that the best leaders are those who are servants. We have several examples from the Bible.

​

          1. Moses

​

Moses is referred to as the servant of the Lord (Deut. 34:5). When God presents Moses with the chance to lead a new nation, he declines, putting the nation of Israel above his own spiritual future. Moses was renowned as the meekest man on earth, a true servant leader.

​

         2. joseph

​

Joseph was a confident seventeen-year-old man who proudly assumed the authority his father had prepared for him. His brothers were naturally upset, and Joseph paid dearly for it as he was sold off as a slave. He did not use authority well, nor was he a servant to his brothers. Over the next thirteen years, God prepared him. In the process, he served Potiphar faithfully, but he was falsely accused and thrown into prison. Here, he served both the master of the prisoner and the inmates, the butler and the baker. Finally, when placed in power, he became a faithful servant to Pharaoh. It was under Joseph’s leadership that Pharaoh prospered. It was only after this learning process that Joseph became a man who could serve his family.

​

        3. Joshua

​

Joshua, known as the servant of Moses (Josh. 1:1), willingly served and became a great leader of his time. He was also referred to as the servant of the Lord (Jud. 2:8).:8).

 

        4. Elijah and Elisha

​

Elijah and Elisha were fellow prophets, but Elisha was a servant to Elijah.

​

       5. Disciples of Jesus

​

The disciples of Jesus were focused on attaining positions of leadership in Jesus' Kingdom. However, Jesus told them that spiritual leadership is different from the leadership seen among the Gentiles, emphasizing that it's about being a servant. Jesus encouraged them to follow His example, saying, "Even as 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 ESV).

​

       6. Jesus

​

Jesus' temptation at the beginning of his ministry revolved around the concept of servanthood. The key issue during the temptation was whether Jesus would act independently and autonomously for his own benefit, or if he would faithfully serve the Father by carrying out the Father's will. We know the outcome, as Jesus is the ultimate servant—the suffering servant—whose service made the redemption of humanity's sins possible.

​

       7. Paul

​

Paul was a servant, even referring to himself as a slave. When Paul speaks of his associates, he never refers to them as his subordinates but as his fellow laborers. Paul was a true servant and he speaks much about servanthood in his epistles. When Paul contrasts himself with false teachers and leaders, he said that the false teachers were those who harshly ran roughshod over the people they led. They even slapped them in the face (1 Cor. 11:20), and unfortunately, the Corinthians seemed to love it. Paul, on the other hand, was looked down upon because of his servant spirit.

​

       8. Stephanas

​

In 1 Corinthians 16, Paul commends Stephanas as a leader because he "served" the church well.

​

Servant leaders are the leaders we see throughout Scripture. Although these men held hierarchical positions, they used their positions to benefit others. Although the Assemblies of Christ Int’l is an episcopal system of governance, one of the core values for all the ordained is Servant Leadership. This is a non-negotiable value.