Leadership and Authority: Jesus-style (ii)

"But you are not to be called `Rabbi', for you have only one Master & you are all brothers.  9 And do not call anyone on earth `father', for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.  10 Nor are you to be called `teacher', for you have one Teacher, the Christ.  11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." (Matthew 23:8)

 Jesus-shaped leadership can look profoundly attractive – leaders who sacrificially serve, who persevere when tested, who lead with commitment, competence and character, and work collaboratively to encourage others. But Jesus’ model leadership was as much about shaping the private life of his leaders and the public persona.

What does Jesus-shaped leadership mean in the private world?

1. They are moved by Compassion not Calculation

Jesus made time for people who others overlooked or despised – lepers (Mat..8:1ff); the bleeding woman (Mat.9:18ff – while on the way to raise the daughter the important man!); the Canaanite woman (Mat.15:21ff); etc. Jesus gave himself as much to the lowest and least as the high and mighty. It isn’t a Jesus-shape ministry that gives the best of time only to students and young families, rather than the Alzheimer’s ward of the nursing home. The modern obsession with ‘strategic’ use of time isn’t necessarily godly if it means no-one talk to the homeless alcoholic or ‘awkward’ person with mental health challenges.

But that Jesus-shaped leadership will mean recognising that not all will want to receive your servant ministry. Jesus let the rich young ruler (Luke 18:18ff) and grumbling crowds (John 6:60ff) walk away when they could not face the cost of discipleship. Accommodation to people’s unbiblical compromises is not true compassion. But it will hurt to see them go – Jesus loved the rich young man but had to let him go (Mark 10:21ff)!

2. They are moved by Prayer not Plans

At every key moment in his ministry, Jesus is moved by prayer: it refocuses his priorities (Mark 1:35-37), directs key decisions (Mk3:13); follows successes (Mk6:46); enables breakthroughs (Mk9:29); builds faith (Mk11:24); galvanises his resolve (Mk14:32ff); and it is this example that the early church follows: Acts 1:14, 4:23ff, 6:4 etc…

Plans and strategies have their place, but breakthroughs and revivals have only ever been the fruit of prayer. I wonder whether we need to help each other make this the priority Jesus made it? Quiet times can be eroded by the app culture, spoon-feeding us pre-digested thoughts; when it is prayer warriors that are needed more than activists! Jesus-shaped leadership makes prayer its priority personally, corporately, faithfully, systematically and passionately.

3. They are moved in Action not Reaction

Jesus’ ministry saw many moments of crisis – storms, threats to his life, betrayals, trials; but he is characterised by a stable confident response – calming the storm (Mk4:39), walking through the mob (Luke 4:30), sending out Judas (John13:27), speaking truth to power (John 18:28ff). It is a feature of godly leadership to quickly take responsibility and act first in a crisis, rather than react later to circumstances. Jesus instructs us to make the first move, when we can, when we become aware of a problem (Eg Mat5:23), rather than hoping the problem goes away, leaving it until hurts may have festered. Our actions may not always be right- forgiveness and repentance may be required afterwards sometimes, but taking a wrong action with a  right motivation earns only gentle correction not stern rebuke from Jesus (Eg Mat 17:24ff).

4.  They are moved to Proclaim God’s Word, not just Preach it

It is a false dichotomy, but in some circles a right priority to preach God’s Word can be interpreted as only professionally, skilfully and faithfully presenting it from the pulpit. Jesus-shaped leadership calls for God’s Word to be proclaimed – to ensure it confronts, challenges and (by grace) changes people. That is the emphasis in Jesus’ leadership guide in Mat.23:8-12. Leadership is not about being in charge (like a rabbi v.8), or showing responsible care (like a father v.9) or discipling competently (like a teacher v.10), but rather sacrificially serving others – enabling them to become what God is calling them to be. Jesus contrasts this approach with the Pharisees who ‘do not practice what they preach’ Mat 23:3. So the challenge for Jesus-shaped leadership is not just to deliver truth faithfully, but actively and sacrificially help others in the transformation of their lives through God’s Word. Leadership training must be more than learning skills, it must be focussed on changing lives through God’s Word. A Rwandan Archdeacon once told me they will not ordain a minister until he has planted two new healthy churches (presumably in case you could manage one by accident!). It is my experience that usually pulpit ministry is only a catalyst for changing lives; serving others sacrificially roots it!

Thinking about these aspects of Jesus-shaped leadership might lead us to a deep sense of our own inadequacy for all this. But as Jesus anticipates that in John 16:1ff, we are not alone; our hope and his promise is that our called to Jesus-shaped ministry is only ever to be a Jesus-empowered and Jesus-present ministry. As Paul puts it in 2Cor4:7ff, we are only jars of clay, the kingdom, the power and the glory are all His!

The 2023 Fellowship of Word and Spirit Conference, LEADERSHIP RESET, will address more of these issues facing the church and its leadership today. Get more details and book now to join us as we consider what it means to 'lord it over others as the Gentiles do', as we ask 'who can tell you to do something you don't want to do?', and as we think about what the Bible teaches and what wisdom we might learn from the world about how to lead well.