The other day in my routine reading I came across Mark 10:35-45. Which got me thinking that within the church, the idea of leadership training keeps coming up more frequently all the time. Sometimes a church will even go as far as to have a workshop or host a seminar on the subject. Yet, Biblically speaking, shouldn't it be servant training? Service is a rather crucial part of discipleship after all. A very neglected part of discipleship I dare say. Which begs the question, why is this?
For one, servanthood has a rather negative stigma in our self-indignant culture. If we did indeed try to host a servant training seminar, rather than a leadership one, how much response do you think we would seriously get. Yet are the kind of people who would be turned off by the humble role of a servant, the kind of people we would want as leaders of the church. Yet, aren't such people the ones with the most influence in the church right now? Is this not a sign that worldly values may have too much influence within the church?
However, the desire to possess authority is not the only thing that dissuades people from servanthood. Sometimes it is just the opposite. There are plenty of people who have absolutely no desire to take on the daunting task of leadership, but such people are not necessarily interested in the responsibility of servanthood either. Presently there is a rather large group of people in the church that only wants to be served. An attitude that stems from a sense of inadequacy, brokenness, or they are just too wrapped up in their battle with self to get involved with servanthood. A sign that far too many people are fighting their battles all alone. Which is an indicator that our leaders haven't served the church the way they should be, by standing by them, and advising them through their battles with the flesh. Nor have we taught them to walk with God or seek his council in our spiritual struggles in a practical enough a way.
I contend that if we were embracing Biblical servanthood as we should, we would be inspiring people to become servants themselves. Plus, we would be getting past this shallow faith that is so common right now. Instead, I see a bunch of broken soldiers. Many of which are going awol when our leaders push them onto the front lines of outreach. The ones that remain seek only the emotional boost the church offers once or twice a week. A boost that they have grown dependent upon to ease the pain of their wounds, since their two-dimensional doesn't get them any farther than that.
I think it is time we consider the role of servanthood in our discipleship again. Without it, we will remain stuck where we are.
Jesus' example on servanthood
John 13:1-17
Joshua's instructions for taking over Moses' role as servant.
Joshua 1:1-9
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