By Katie Pearson

A Powerful Ministry

As soon as you accept the invitation to walk with God, you begin the lifelong journey of becoming a servant leader. I can already hear many of you asking with doubt, “Who, me? A leader?”

Some of you may have the opposite reaction, knowing wholeheartedly that leadership is in your DNA. Whether you feel called to lead or feel completely out of your depth, this article is for everyone who wants a more powerful ministry.

What is Servant Leadership?

While our world recognizes leadership as the ability to wield a particular skillset or have a certain personality, servant leadership isn’t based on position or talent. Servant leadership is God’s high call on anyone who is committed to following Jesus. God Himself has invited us to be on mission to represent His Grace and Truth to a very broken world. We do this anywhere and everywhere we set foot, whether we have an audience of one or fifty. All are called, but very few become the leader God envisioned. But why is that?

Because we are far more interested in serving ourselves and finding followers, than serving a mission that brings followers to us*.* This is where servant leadership, the way Jesus teaches it, radically diverges from typical leadership models. Rather than working to get ahead, or hold a place of honor, He calls His disciples to focus on others first and the unique missions He has created for us to fulfill. When others see your passion for God and commitment to a cause, then they want to get on board.

True servant leaders attract followers to God’s character, plans and purposes—not their own. As a result, visions are realized and God is glorified.

The servant leader who is self-focused will always find her false self and not God. A servant leader who is other-focused will develop leaders who find their true selves and want more of God.

Heart Matters

Even the leaders you admire most have some tendency toward self-preservation and celebrity. It’s who we are without Jesus.

But we are called to more.

How is your heart feeling? Excited? Scared? Discouraged? Hopeful? Keep reading. The Holy Spirit wants to speak to you! Ultimately, excellence in leading God’s way is about the heart, not raw talent. Servant leaders aren’t born, they are developed through a willingness to be transformed by intentionally living in God’s will and being obedient to His Word. While there are plenty of resources to learn about servant leadership, Jesus is the ultimate role model. He embodies what it means to truly give our lives for others. His life and death illustrate that why we lead is far more important than where we lead, or how many follow. It all comes down to motivation. Henri Nouwen writes:

It might sound like a big stretch to find peace and joy through powerlessness and humility in your circles of influence but scripture makes it clear that the gap isn’t as great as you might think—in fact, it’s as simple as washing a few dirty feet.

Put Servant Leadership into Action

One of the most shocking and intentional acts of servant leadership Jesus performed next to His crucifixion was washing his disciples’ feet prior to his crucifixion. While it sounds mundane, this simple gesture illustrates for us what downward mobility looks like in action:

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them (John 13:12-17:12).

Ok, so we can’t go around washing stranger’s feet—that would be weird, right? When Jesus washed the feet of those who served Him, it was a symbolic act intended to teach His followers then and now four points.

4 Ways to Transform Hearts Through Servant Leadership

Step 1) Servant Leaders Put Others First

The radical love servant leaders have for God is demonstrated in the way they give their time, talent, and treasure to those who have nothing to give in return, or have no heart for God.

Don’t confuse godly humility with neglecting or negating yourself. Jesus calls us to love others as we are and where we are. He wants us to get over ourselves enough to serve out of love, not obligation or pride. Again, it’s the heart space of caring enough about others and fulfilling God’s special assignments in our lives to drop our egos and agendas to meet the needs in front of us.

The servant leader’s greatest desire is seeing others achieve God’s best for their lives, even at the cost of their agenda. Giving up control is often the hardest part—but only for a while. It’s one thing to say we care more about others than ourselves, it’s another to truly feel this in the depths of our beings. Only God can transform us into servants who love as He does.

Step 2) Servant Leaders Aren’t Afraid to Love Those Who Can Hurt the Ministry

Jesus made a point of including Judas in the clean foot club after Judas betrayed Him. And Jesus made sure the other disciples had this powerful image imprinted on their minds and hearts before sending them out to the rest of the world.

Judas had the power and means to mortally hurt Jesus, and sadly, we all know people who can harm us and our callings with their actions and words too.

Jesus went further into suffering than He will ever ask us to go, but He does ask us to extend love and grace (sometimes from a safe distance) to those who refuse to reciprocate.

Step 3) Servant Leaders Take the Lowliest Positions Without Grumbling

Washing stinky, smelly feet in Bible times was work for household staff. That same action might look more like cleaning an overflowing toilet , making amends without receiving an apology, or staying up most of the night to pray or care for a sick friend. We all have our own opinions about the tasks and roles we think are beneath us. Guess what? Our willingness to do these tasks anyway might be the tipping point that draws someone to Jesus.

Spend some time considering your own circumstances and where Jesus might be asking you to “go low”.

Step 4) Servant Leaders Choose Their Role Models Wisely

One of the best ways to spur on the process of developing a servant’s heart is to find inspiring role models. “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith” (Hebrews 13:7).

Here are some good questions to ask.

• Who are those individuals who have had the greatest impact on my life?
• Who inspired me to become my best and highest self?
• What qualities do these individuals possess? Integrity? Faith? Commitment to excellence? Humility? Write down their names and the qualities they possess.

These questions help us determine the character of our potential role models. And knowing their character, allows us to see into their heart space. Character is cultivated in the fine stitching of people’s lives but becomes apparent when they are under stress. A true leader makes the right decision even when no one is watching, and it shows up in every aspect of their public life. The greatest opportunity to influence others is born of how crisis, personal obstacles, and failure are handled, not out of what is accomplished.

Some Final Encouragements

Ask God to help you invest as much effort into building your character as you do into growing your skills wherever He calls you to serve.

Building a principled life doesn’t require an impressive resume. In fact, the most influential leaders often bring nothing to the table but a deep faith in the goodness of God and a commitment to becoming more like Christ, regardless of the cost. Servant leadership is the narrow road and runs countercultural to what the world expects, but the return is far greater. By adopting the above principles you can have a far greater impact on those in your circles of influence. What greater honor is there than to serve others in such a way that their greatest desire is to know Christ?