Servant leadership qsn 4

There are dozens of characteristics in which servant leadership can be envisaged and these are
humility,visionary and able to inspire and delegate,loves all,obedience for service ,etc great indeppth of
analysis shall be demonstrated in due course.

One of the chief charactersistic of servant leadership is to share the vision and ispires others.a true
leader is not selfish nor suffer from the dilemma of role overload,rather he
encvourages,motivates ,patient and a good listener,hence this can be best postulated by jethros case in
which moses was given the idea to delegate to the other servant elders.this resonates well with the
incarnational model of jesus in which he trained the twelve disciples and the seventy elders.if a pastor
delegates through motivation like training the church boeard members and evangelism training,he is
nurturing the church to be alive and it will grow.

Bells highlighted that true leadership is coupled with servanthood .This is truly the philosophy of Jesus
on leadership in the New Testament is diametrically opposed to the philosophy of the world
management. The world’s approach to management and leadership is often to use power to control
others. William Hendriksen amplifies authoritarian leadership :They spend all their energies in order to
get to the top; and, once having reached that peak, they cause all others to feel the weight of their
authority.... These worldly rulers ... often think of themselves alone, and cause all their subjects to quail
under the crushing weight of their power. Their rule, in other words, is oppressive. But Jesus proclaimed
what should be a foundational passage for leadership in Matt 20:26-28: “Whoever wants to become
great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave.hence if a
pastor uses consultative leadership style it motivates people to participate in a program such as
evangelism or businessmeeting in which he respects the grassroots stackholders.this will help the
church to grow as it removes apathy.

One of bells servant leaders ship is obedience for service .According to Jesus, a leader in His Kingdom
would have to become a servant, and only then will he/she become great in the Kingdom of God.Jesus
continued about His mission on this earth, “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and
to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matt 20:28). Jesus demonstrated this mission for His incarnation
by His action in humility and shame in the washing of the disciples’ feet (John 13:4-17). In his recent
book, A Time to Serve, Skip Bell says, “It was degrading to wash another’s feet. The humblest act of a
servant. It was certainly not appropriate behavior for a great teacher or ruler. Yet it is exactly what Jesus
did.”Jesus has placed servant-leadership at the core of His teachings and He expected His followers to
do the same. Jesus’ emphasis was that leadership “is not on position, status, and high prestige, but on
loving obedience of service.”hence it is valid and important to be loyal ,truly reflects servant leadership

. Jesus took the image of the hepherd as a primary metaphor to represent and describe His relationship
to His followers as personal, intimate, and mutually affectionate.In John 10, Jesus says,I am the good
shepherd; the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.... I know My own, and My own know
me.... I lay down My life for the sheep.... My sheep hear My voice ... and they follow Me; and I give
eternal life to them, and they shall never perish, (w. 11,14-15,27-28)Thomas Oden lists the elements of
the shepherd imagery found in this passage. Thomas Oden lists the elements of the shepherd imagery
found in this passage.1 2. He holds them in his arms. This speaks of tender care and loving support.He
calls them by name. This speaks of an intimate personal relationship. He enters in by the gate of the
sheepfold. He does hot come in some other way, as would a thief or a robber.The flock hears and
responds to the shepherd’s voice. They do not follow another. This alludes to the trust the sheep have
for the shepherd.The shepherd leads them out of the protective sheepfold into “green pastures and
beside still waters.” This analogy pertains to the feeding and providing service of the shepherdhence if
the pastor do visitations such as visiting the beareaved,the needy and the district as awhole it helps to
retain members in the church..

Another characteristic of true servant hood is in service of love, Jesus voluntarily and humbly adopted
the role of the servant and, at the same time,He was voluntarily abandoning His rights. He even lay
down His life in the service ofothers. On this voluntary sacrifice, White explains in Desire Of Ages,He
could have withstood the advances of death, and refused to come under its dominion; but voluntarily
He laid down His life, that He might bring life and immortality to light. He bore the sin of the world,
endured its curse, yielded up His life as a sacrifice, that men might not eternally die. As a good shepherd,
Jesus will offer protection, guidance, and friendship (1 Pet 2:21) and will be our Shepherd throughout
eternity (Rev 7:17).Theodore W. Engstrom summarized this concept: “Jesus teaches all leaders for all
time that greatness is not found in rank or position but in service. He makes it clear that true leadership
is grounded in love which must issue in service.”Thecharacteristics are the principles of leadership
shown in the life of Jesus, the model for servant-leadership

Gene Wilkes provides important insights on humility. In his book, Jesus on Leadership, he says, “Servant
leaders humble themselves and wait for God to exalt them. Jesus says that “for everyone who exalts
himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11). God humbles and
God exalts. Peter points out this truth, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God,
thatHe may exalt you at the proper time” (1 Pet 5:6). In other words, when one exalts oneself,it is a
worldly carnal nature..Self-exaltation is nothing but pride, which goes before destruction. Voluntary
humility before God—allowing Him to work in a person’s life and seeing one’s true self before God and
God’s call on one’s life—results in God’s exaltation of that person.Manz interprets the humility:Don’t
seek honor. Rather, let it seek you in its own way and when the time is right. Don’t even think about it.
Go about your business pursuing constructive work and focus on honoring and recognizing the
contributions of others rather than your own.hence in the ministry when a gospel minister approaches
people with humility and love he draws many to Christ rather than arrogance and fault finding will repel
church members way.

One of bells characteristic for essential leadership is ,treating others equally without partiality or
segregation.An among relationship also means one treats others as equals. Jesus declared Himself to be
related to God yet mingled with prostitutes, thieves, and tax collectors. Jesus, representing God, treated
everyone as His equal—His brother and sister (Matt 12:49-50), and He showed respect by meeting
people where they were and accepting them for who they were (Matt 8:9; Luke 19:5; John 4: 7-26). In
the light of this acceptance, people wanted to be better, try harder, and do the good and right thing. His
respect empowered them.* In other view, an among relationship represents being with the people.
Jesus promised His disciples, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matt 28:20).
Weems says, “It is extremely difficult, perhaps impossible, to be a leader without generous presence,
time, and attention with the people who look to you as the leader. That presence will take many shapes,
forms, and expressions.”To be among others emphasizes equality and identity between persons. This
relationship has communication that flows between the parties hence if the pastor visit both the poor
and the rich without segregation nor overlooking others he will win even non believers to Christ.

apart for the work of a prophet (Jeremiah 1:5). This staggering truth did not stop Jeremiah from
responding, “Ah, Sovereign LORD . . . I do not know how to speak” (verse 6). But the call was irresistibl
Qsn wwhat does it mean to be called by God?HOW DOES ONE GET TO KNOW THAT GOD IS
CALLINGHIMOR HER.IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING PASTORAL PERSONS,WHATNEED TO BE KEPT IN
VIEW.

The words call and calling are used in a number of ways in the New Testament, and the call to the
ministry is not the first call from God an individual receives. First Corinthians 1:1–9 provides a typical
example. The primary call is to fellowship with God’s Son Jesus Christ (verse 9)—a call to union with
Christ and all its gloriousbenefits. The second call is to holiness (verse 2). Calling and justification bring
the inevitable consequence and privilege of sanctification. The third call is to service, and frequently to
specific service. In Paul’s case, his primary service was to be an apostle (verse 1). God’s call to be a
shepherd and teacher is a specific call

The prophets’ experience exemplifies the manner in which God works in commissioning His servants.
The Old Testament prophets found God’s call irresistible, much as sometimes they shrank from its
implications. The call came in a variety of ways and circumstances, but it was essentially the same. For
Moses it came forty years after his failure to wait God’s time as he foolishly took matters into his own
hands by physically defending a fellow Hebrew. At the time of his call he was carrying out his daily
occupation of caring forsheep in the desert (Exodus 3). He wasimmediately aware of God’s holiness
(verse 5), and he was so overwhelmed at the implications of God’s call that he asked, “Who am I, that I
should go . . . ?” (verse 11). Isaiah’s call came when he visited the temple during a period of national
crisis(Isaiah 6:1). He, too, was acutely conscious of God’s inexpressible holiness. But in hearing God ask,
“Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” he could do no other than say, “Here am I. Send me!”
(verse 8). Jeremiah was told that before he was formed in the womb, God both knew him and set him

calling originates with god ,the callingis overwhelming and it involves leaving your comfort
zone,accompanied with the promise of gods protection normally calling comes to those who have a
wiilling heart to serve and obey god.this can be best made manifest by jremiah 1 vs 4- and the case of
samuel .calling is personal and it is through the initiative of god.

calling is often overwhelming ,one goes through immensity of challengees and atimes it humbles and
scares.to god ity will be a crucible or a furnace of affliction to purify his or her servant.this can best be
postulated by exodus chapter 3 and 4 in which moses had to tarry 40years in the midian wilderness.it is
the grooming process in which god would want to prune and straighten his servant towards the higher
mission. Largely, the discourse around call ignores social structure as a significant factor in determining
where people end up. Social position can have a conscious impact on someone’s ability to enact a
calling, and the resultant compromise can be painful. Where economic survival is the priority, calling
would be hard to present as relevant. Moreover, there are structural inequalities in accessing positions
that might be associated with a calling.

There are obvious signs of the genuineness of our call. First, we will recognize that all our gifts belong
not to ourselves but to Christ and His people, and we will want to use them faithfully to administer
God’s grace in its various forms (1 Peter 4:10–11). We will appreciate that our gifts are God-given and
therefore a trust. Second, when we speak, we will do so as those uttering the very words of God (1 Peter
4:11), as those approved of God to be entrusted with the gospel (1 Thessalonians 2:4). We will not want
to impress our opinions upon people but to release God’s Word in their lives. We will not be mindful of
our own authority; our God-given sense of call will authenticate our ministritry. is imperative to expose
that the calling must be obeyed.other considerations such as the wave of fame ,applause,power have to
be shunned.drifting away from the calling hurts the called in person and others,this truly demistifies the
wooing grace of god to position the one being called.this can be best put to light by the case of jonah in
which god had to usethe storm to remind jonah of his deflected mission .

The trands which need to be kept in the ministry are faithfunees,obedience ,humility ,sailing higher in knowing
God,honest and true to duty,despite it is a calling the gosplel minister has to strive academically,fiduciary and
professionally but above all to be spriritual as a need to the pole.