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Developing a Servant-Driven Church
Dan Dumas
 Pastor of Assimilation and Conferences
I
NTRODUCTION
 
In some ways I feel like I am singing to the choir with this topic. However, we all need fromtime to time a fresh reminder regarding God’s expectations for leadership. Equipping people to become servant leaders will be a task of the church until Jesus returns. Therefore it is imperativethat we keep the mentality of a slave at the forefront of our ministries.Jesus, the greatest leader of all time, was unquestionably a servant-leader. The crown of hisservant-leadership was a crown of thorns.
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The symbol of Rome’s leadership—a sword
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The symbol of the Greek’s leadership—a pen
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The symbol of secular leadership—a chair 
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The symbol of the Christian’s leadership—a towel and basinMaybe a better title for this topic would be, “Developing a Foot-Washing-Driven Church.”To say that the Bible places a primacy on servant-leadership is the understatement of a lifetime.
T
HE
P
ROBLEM
 
In the last 50 years, “the church” has been experiencing an identity crisis. She has unfortunately been receiving her cues from the secular market place rather than the authoritative Scriptures.Pastors have courted the world’s philosophy so long it’s become second nature, the norm, andembraced as a viable style of leadership.The by-product from this type of secular thinking is a spiritual aristocracy in the pastorate (2 Cor.4:5). Service, not status, is the goal of a leader who has Christ as his master.
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 Natural Ability vs. Spiritual Giftedness
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CEOs vs. Shepherds
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Executives vs. Servants
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Managers vs. Leaders
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Mega churches vs. Ministry-minded ChurchesThe church does not need SNL (strong-natural-leaders). The church needs SSL (strong-servant-leaders).
 
Two many pastors are building resumes rather than people and churches.
“Most of us would have no objection to being masters, but servanthood holds little attraction.”- J. Oswald Sanders
 
 
2
 
T
HE
P
ARADOX
 
A leader starts by first being a follower.A servant-leader is not a
title
or 
position
. It is a lifestyle.The principle is simple
 ─ 
The way up is the way down in God’s economy.A successful servant-leader in ministry descends not ascends. So many leaders excel at climbingthe ladder but fail at coming down the ladder.The more authority, giftedness and natural abilities you have the more you have to work atservant-leadership. The flesh is a menace to servant leadership. Me-ism is the idol of today’sleadership and it is antithetical to Christ leadership style.
 Let me draw your attention to some key texts:
 Mark 10:35-45 (The scene is a borrowed guest room in the city of Jerusalem)
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This, without question, is the key text in the Gospels to define Christ’s leadership style.
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Christ has already made three predictions about his soon crucifixion (Mark 10:32-34 being the third).
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James and John ask an inappropriate question that is still being asked, or at least beingthought, today.
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Jesus’ closest disciples were looking for a messianic “secretary of state” not a sufferingservant.
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 Notice that their ambition is not wrong. However, their ambition is certainly misinformedand misguided. Notice they are not condemned for seeking greatness. Aspirations are notwrong as long as they would seek the right kind of greatness. Their error is in the goal.(Self-centered vs. Others-centered)
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On the spot, Christ transforms their concept of greatness. Jesus redefined greatness and being first. True greatness is when you serve. You are first when you are a slave.
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The paradox of all paradoxes is the way to the top is through the bottom!
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God’s standard for leadership is selfless-servanthood! Servant-leaders give up personalrights to find greatness in service to others.
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Jesus spent his whole life and ministry serving others. The cross, a case in point, is theultimate sacrifice/service to others. Jesus wanted James and John to know that followinghim would cost them their lives, not gain them places of position.
 
 
3
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Servant-leadership is two-sided. On one side it requires drinking the cup and being baptized with the baptism of Christ’s suffering (Mark 10:38-39). On the other sideserving others is a tremendous privilege (Acts 20:35).
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These exhortations are unqualified! Jesus did not call us to servant-leadership only whenit…is convenient, fits our schedule, or if fits our personality.Servant-leadership is God’s standard for spiritual leadership! To say it another way, servant-leadership defines spiritual leadership.
 I Timothy 3:1-13
As we move into the Epistles, especially the Pastorals, we find two different offices established inthe church.
•
 
Elders (1 Tim.3:1-7). Character and specific roles are defined (Timeless or Supra-cultural)
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Deacons (1 Tim. 3:8-13). Character and unqualified service is defined (Need-drivenService)Elders serve the people by laboring in the word and prayer. (1 Tim. 5:17; Acts 6:1-4)Deacons serve in any and every way possible. Notice there is not a specific responsibility like theelders’ list.Deacons by definition are
 servants
. This word servant (
diakonia
) is the most comprehensive biblical word in the New Testament.
•
 
The largest usage is the reference to menial and mundane activities such as waiting ontables. The word emphasizes the servant’s role in relationship to what he or she is askedto do.
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Servants voluntarily give of themselves to others.
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Servants voluntarily humble themselves.
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Servants are highly and supernaturally motivated by the love of Christ.
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Servants are focused on pleasing their master. When applied to leadership they areconsumed with giving God the Glory. (1 Cor.10:31)One writer puts it this way:
“Ministry” is not the activity of an elite class, but the mutual caring of a band of brothers. Such service is personal and practical, rather than institutional. A “ diakono” is onewho by choice and position has come to be under the authority of his Master and who therefore serves others in love and gratitude.
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