“It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 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 20:26-28
Leadership among, by, and for Christians MUST look different from leadership in any other situation. Christian leadership is servant leadership. A leader must set the example of service and sacrifice for the well-being of these he or she leads. Christian leadership should never look harsh, arbitrary, or dictatorial. Christian leadership must never be about the perks, benefits, titles, or respect due the leader, but about what the leader can give away of him or herself in serving the group.
We’re able to lead this way because this is how Jesus leads us. Jesus Christ, the eternal and all-powerful Son of God, took on a human nature and body and walked among us to lead us into new life and new creation. But that leadership is through the suffering and humiliation of the cross on which He died. Because there was nothing He didn’t give of Himself to serve and save His flock, He calls and empowers every Christian leader to do the same.
So whether you’re leader of one or two, a leader of ten or twenty, or a leader of hundreds, are you leading like Jesus? Is your leadership humble and sacrificial? Are you excited to serve those you lead or have you slipped into thinking they should serve you?