The Model Is Servant-Leadership

[Joseph Gill]

Really, when we talk about God-given authority in the home
(or in the church), we shouldn't think of hierarchies. Jesus
set up a new paradigm:

"Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion
over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon
them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will
be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever
will be chief among you, let him be your servant..." [Mat.
20:25-27]

For us, the image is one of servant-leadership. The service
that is provided by a husband, a father, or even a pastor
will compel submission from his charges. There is an onus
on a "leader" to exhibit selflessness and nurturing love...
this is the price of leadership done God's way. Men who take
the initiative to be caretakers of their women will find the
women will allow them to take charge. But there are a whole
lot of guys who want authority without taking up servanthood.
That mindset makes for strife.

[Joseph Gill]

Scripture is essential to our getting a biblical
notion of servant-leadership. Jesus specifically stated
that his apostles would not "exercise lordship" over
others, in the manner of earthly monarchs. This is
expressed in the synoptic parallel verses (e.g., Mat.
20:25) as well as in 1 Pet 5:3. Jesus had to confront
the disciples' ambition for "greatness"; he upbraided it
as follows: "...but he that is greatest among you, let
him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that
doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at
meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat?
but I am among you as he that serveth." [Luke 22:26-27]
Now, it's clear that Christ contrasted his own role as a
servant with that of earthly leaders, who all want to BE
served. And even though secular wisdom would hold
that "he that sitteth at meat" is greater than "he that
serveth," we should have no doubt that Jesus was
establishing service to others as the genuine measure
of "greatness."

In this sense, offices in the Church are positions with
responsibility for the kind of service that Christ
commanded. This is why Peter could charge the "elders"
to "[f]eed the flock of God which is among you, taking
the oversight thereof... [1 Peter 5:2a]." The authority
given (the oversight to be taken) is to become a servant
to the Church (to feed the flock).