Followership

“Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant.”

Matthew 20:26(NIV)

What is leadership?

There are several different definitions of leadership. Although these definitions of leadership are related, the differences in these definitions do make a profound difference in how we view leadership. Websters provides three definitions of leadership: 1. The office or position of a leader; 2. Capacity to lead; and 3. The act or instance of leading. Because Jesus is very clear that we are not to seek the position of a leader for its own sake, I will reserve the first definition regarding positional leadership to later articles. Instead, I will focus more upon how we can all implement our God-given capacity to lead so that we may lead by Christ’s example.

Christian leadership

Christian leadership begins with followership. By that, I mean that the Christian leader is a follower of Christ. We begin by acknowledging our own unrighteousness and seeking the righteousness of Christ. We then seek to emulate Christ in all that we do, understanding that we cannot truly emulate Christ through our own strength but through the Holy Spirit. This has two primary implications: The Christian leads where Christ leads them and the Christian leads how Christ leads them.

Jesus is very straightforward when he speaks of what a Christian leader must do: “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever, wants to be great among you must be your servant and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:25-28)”

To be a Christian leader means that we do not seek positional authority to expand our leadership potential. When we serve, we do it in true humility, understanding that we do not lead through any merit of our own but through the strength of Christ.

All Christians will be called by God at some point in our lives to achieve something that will require us to walk in faith. We hear the call by reading and meditating upon God’s word and by praying for His will. At some point, we will hear a call that will require some element of faith on our part where we are called to either give up or risk something that is dear to our hearts. One of the strongest Biblical examples of this was Abraham who left his homeland when God told him to (Genesis 12) and trusted God even when he believed God wanted him to sacrifice his only son (Genesis 22). Jesus’ first disciples also left all to follow Jesus. For example, when Jesus called Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John, they all left their boats and followed him without hesitation (Matthew 4:18-22).

It is at that point where we can either walk in faith, as Abraham and the disciples did, or we resist the call either out of fear or because we value other things in our lives more than we value God. As we step out in faith, we may go through a period of sorrow as we grieve this thing that we either must give up or that we risk giving up. But the reward to this action is greater faith and greater joy in our relationship with God. As we answer this call and turn over more of our will to Christ and His will, we put ourselves in the position where we can lead in the way that Christ leads us.

Heavenly Father,

Grant me the desire to seek your voice amongst the noise in my life.

Grant me the courage to do your will and to answer the call that I hear.

Grant me the fortitude to continue in your will when doubts set in.

Grant me a measure of your love, that I may lead others to know you and your grace and love.

In Jesus’ name I pray.

Amen