SERVANT LEADERSHIP

1. SERVANT LEADERSHIP February 26, 2011 Christ Centered Faith Ministry Master J Food Product Purok 5, Aguinaldo Hiway, Brgy. Lumil, Silang, Cavite

2. BORN TO LEAD Gen. 1: 26 - 31 • Being made in God’s Image means we were created to lead (v. 26) • After God says” “Late us make man in our own image”, He says, “Let them have dominion….” One way we can reflect God’s Image is by Leading. • God commanded both male and female to have dominion (V.27) • Both men and women have been given the ability and authority to lead. • Leadership is not generic in nature. 3. We are to rule over the earth, but not necessarily over each other (v. 28) We were not directed to rule each other, but over the earth’s creatures. History is largely the story of how men and women have perverted their God-given roles by trying to rule each other. • All of us are to serve one another in the areas of our gifting and purpose (vv. 29 – 30) • God created everything for a purpose. Our general purpose is to lead, but each of us should ask God, “Lord, what’s my specific purpose?”. 5. Each person’s leadership is best exercised in his or her area of giftedness (v.31) When we discover our gifts, we will naturally lead in those areas where we are most productive, intuitive, comfortable, influential, and satisfied.

3. WHEN GOD CHOOSES A LEADER Exodus 2:11- 4:20 Moses provides a wonderful case study on how God calls a leader out of a crowd to perform an assignment. • God gives the leader an emotional investment in the work. • Moses “bought into” the idea of freeing the Hebrews from bondage even before God called him to the task. • God affirms the leader through others. • When Moses told Jethro about his encounter at the burning bush, his father-in-law affirmed him. 3. God gives the leader mentors. Moses asked for and received help from Jethro, Aaron and others. • God builds on the leader’s strength, experiences and background • God used everything in Moses’ background to help him fulfill his calling; the fine education he received in Egypt; his knowledge of Pharaoh; his understanding of Egypt; and his time in the wilderness. • God often refines the leader’s character in obscurity. • Moses receives a 40 – year “seminary education” in the desert. • God instills in the leader the value of hard work • Moses may not have worked much in the Egyptian palace, but he learned its worth in the dessert! • God sustains that leader with a powerful vision. • Moses caught the vision of the Promised Land long before the Hebrew slaves did. • God brings others alongside the leader to compensate for their weaknesses. • Moses enjoyed the help of Aaron as spokesperson, Joshua as general, and Hur as battle supporter.

4. THE LEADER AS A SHEPHERDPsalm 23:1-6 David described the Lord as a Shepherd Both Old and New Testaments use the term “Shepherd” to illustrate Leadership. The word communicates the love, nurture, intimacy and spiritual care a godly leader provides. • Psalm 23 describes the Ultimate Shepherd performing several functions: • The Shepherd…. • Provides (v.1) • Gives rest (v.2) • Confidently leads (v.3) • Renews and restores (v.3) • Guides and directs (v.3) • Protects (v.4) • Corrects and comforts (v.4) • Feeds and anoints (v.5) • Loves (v.6) • Furnishes permanent shelter (v.6)

5. The Commitment of a Leader Deut. 7:7 - 9 Good leaders model commitment before they ask anyone else to do. God promised to keep His commitment to His people “for thousand generations” (Deut. 7:9). He reminds them that he didn’t free them because they deserved it. It is not because they were the largest nation on earth, but because He loved them.

6. THE HEART OF AN EFFECTIVE LEADERActs 20:18-24 Who you are comes before what you do. Leadership is “being” before “doing”. Ingredients of effective leader according to Paul as he spoke to the Ephesians. • Leadership begins with the heart…. • Paul had a HEART THAT was: • Consistent – he lived steadfastly while moving among them (v.8) • Contrite – he acted humbly and willingly (v.19) • Courageous – he didn’t shrink from doing the right thing (v.20) • Convictional – he communicated his convictions boldly (v.21) • Committed – he left for Jerusalem, willing to die for Jesus (vv. • 22-23) • Captivated – He showed that a surrendered man doesn’t have to • survive (v.24)

7. SERVANTHOOD : Leaders Serve Their People and Their Purpose 2 Chronicles 22: 1 - 9 What kind of impact can godliness character have on leaders and nations? We find out in the life of King Ahazia. The young king and several other political and military leaders lost their lives and their positions through self-centered pursuit of power. They forgot that a leader must serve his people and his purpose. Leaders are not given authority to better themselves,to enlarge their income or social status, or to improve their standard of living. They are first and always servants of others, Our Lord Jesus Christ Teaches us about servant leadership: • Human Economy • Pursuit of power and prestige • Improve wealth and status of the Leader • See others as enemies and competitors • Motive is to remove of kill position • The result: the leader is glorified • God’s Economy • 1. Pursuit of love and service to others • 2. Improve the welfare of the people • 3. See others as brothers who complement • Motive is to meet needs and grow the • cause • 5. The Result : GOD IS GLORIFIED

8. RELATIONSHIP : WHEN PEOPLE ARE ESTEEMED, RELATIONSHIP ARE REDEEMED Proverbs 27: 1 - 21 Leader understand that people represent an organization’s most appreciable asset. No resource is more valuable than people. Therefore, people skills represent a leader’s most important attribute. This text presents some fundamentals on relationships. It teaches that if people are esteemed, relationships are redeemed. Leaders can learn at least the following principles from this chapter: • Don’t Brag (vv 1,2) – Leaders understand how little they get from self-promotion • Don’t envy (v. 4) – Leaders sabotage themselves if their motive is to keep up with others. • Be forthright (vv 5,6) – Leaders don’t fear confrontation, but speaks the truth in love. • Don’t forsake your roots (v 8) – Leaders understand the power of relational heritage. • Stay close (vv 9,10) – Leaders work at maintaining relationships and meeting needs. • Add value (v 7) – Leaders sharpen those with whom they come in contact. • Don’t be moved by flattery (v 21) – Stay humble or you will stumble.

9. SERVANTHOOD : The Quality of a Leader Who Lasts(Ecclesiastes 8:1 – 9) Solomon reminds us about our relationship to leaders above us. We are to submit to them, not because the person deserves it, but because the office deserves it and God decrees it. And what about leaders in Authority? Solomon also issues a warning. When leaders try to exercise authority without a servant’s heart, they eventually hurt themselves. Consider what it says: • Role of the follower: • Submit to God-given authority • Trust God to accomplish His • purpose • 3. Don’t quit or become divisive • Roles of the Leader • Exercise authority with wisdom • and caution. • Recognize no Human controls all • of life • Lead others by serving not • bossing them.

10. SERVANT LEADERSHIP MODELLED BY THE MESSIAHIsaiah 52: 13 – 53: 12 Beyond all question, JESUS CHRIST modeled the Law of Sacrifice. He gave up for a time the riches of heaven in order to fulfill his divinely ordained role on earth. Isaiah 53 – describes “THE EXCHANGED LIFE” Jesus took our sin, pain and failures so we could have His righteousness, healing and victory Jesus sacrificed greatly so that we might enjoy the following gifts:

11. LEADERS WHO FAIL TO PRACTICE SERVANT LEADERSHIP BECOME SELF – SERVING Micah 7:3,4 Micah tells us a dim picture of Israel. People couldn’t be trusted, they lied, abuse and destroy one another. WHY???? POOR LEADERSHIP AT THE TOP • Leaders, rulers, princes and judges worked for kickbacks and bribes. • They schemed how they could beat the system and better their own status • They expected the people to serve them instead of them serving the people. When leaders fail to practice servant leadership, inevitably they become self-serving. They find a cause to serve their own interests. Self-service is a thorn to leadership

12. Samples of people who failed servant leadership • With a cause, Samson won many battles; without one, he couldn’t beat the temptation posed by Delilah. • With a cause, Saul conquered kingdom; without one, he couldn’t conquer even his own jealousy. • With a cause, David conquered Goliath, without one, he couldn’t conquer his lust. • With cause, Elijah prayed down fire from heaven and beat 450 prophets of Baal; without one, he ran in fear from solitary woman, Jezebel. • With a cause, Simon Peter preached at Pentecost and 3,000 people were saved; without one, he denied he even belonged to the crowd that followed Jesus

13. Servanthood : JESUS FACED DIFFICULTIES BY PUTTING OTHERS FIRSTMatthew 14:1-4 Scenario • Jesus withdraws to be alone when he heard about the execution of John the Baptist; his cousin who seems to be the only one who understand his mission. • He wanted to be alone to have some quiet time to grieve and gain perspective • But did not get the chance because when the multitude heard about His presence, they went to him • Jesus can say “Can’t you see I need sometime away from you all” • Instead, HE responded by focusing on the needs of others. • He felt compassion for the crowd and began to heal their sick ONE OF THE GREATEST REMEDIES FOR OUR OWN SUFFERINGS IS SERVING OTHERS. SERVANT LEADERSHIP BECOMES A SOLUTION FOR BOTH THE ONE SERVING AND THE ONE BEING SERVED.

14. THE LAW OF SACRIFICE: JESUS’ SIX STEPS OF SERVANTHOODPhilippians 2: 2- 11) JESUS as THE ULTIMATE LEADER made ultimate sacrifice: HE left the glories of heaven and the highest position in heaven not only to join His creation, but to take on the lowest form of the creation. Jesus practice the Law of Sacrifice:

15. SERVANTHOOD : JESUS TEACHES THAT WE LEAD BY SERVING AND SERVE BY LEADING(Matthew 20:25-28) Scenario: As Jesus makes His way towards Jerusalem to be executed, the mother of James and Johnrequest that her sons be given a preferred seat, next to Jesus in the kingdom of heaven. Learning: • Both disciples and their families have become preoccupied with status rather than serving • Jesus’ style of leadership stands in stark contrast to the world’s, • Jesus teaches that the greatest must be the servant. • As responsibilities increase, rights decrease.

16. LEADERSHIP PYRAMID based on Jesus’ Principle of Leadership RIGHTS OPPROTUNITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES RESPONSIBILITIES Rights Decrease as you Climb toward leadership In the church Responsibilities INCREASE as you climb toward Leadership in the church OPTIONS AND RIGHTS If this pyramid represents your life and the base represents the beginning of your leadership journey, your range of option is widest at the beginning. The younger you are, the more liberties you have with your time, vocabulary, money, etc. But as you grow into leadership, you deliberately surrender those rights. SERVANTS PUSH FOR NO OPTIONS AND ASSUME NO RIGHT

17. SERVANT LEADERSHIP: THE WAY UP IS DOWNMark 9:33 – 10:16 SCENARIO: When Jesus caught His disciples arguing about who among them was the greatest, they felt embarrassed – but Jesus didn’t rebuke them for wanting to be great. He simply gave them an unexpected formula: BE A SERVANT In Mark 10:13-16 His Disciples angered Him again when they became more concerned with crowd control rather than with HUMILITY and SERVICE. CHILDREN presented the best example of the required attitude for servant leaders: CHILDREN exhibits humility, wonder, honesty, innocence, trust and dependence

18. LEADERSHIP LESSON FROM MARK 9: 10: The greater the Leader; the greater the servant (Mark 9:35) LEADERS include others when they serve (Mark 9:20) Any service rendered will be rewarded (Mark 9:41) Servant leaders must become CHILDLIKE (Mark 10:13-16)

19. THE LEADERS’ JOBEphesians 4:12-16 Equipping is a tough job, much harder than shepherding. LEADERS MUST EQUIP OTHERS FOR MINISTRY If leaders wish to equip their people, they must give them certain gifts: • I must CARE for them (Communication, Affirmation, recognition and Examples) • I must work on their Weaknesses, but work out their strength • I must give them myself (time, energy and focus) • I must give them ownership of the ministry • I must become a resource person (atmosphere, training, support, tools) • I must make expectations clear • I must eliminate unnecessary burdens • I must catch them doing something good, then reward them.

20. TO GOD BE THE HIGHEST GLORY