Servant Leadership in the Bible: How Christian Leaders Develop Disciples

Summary

Christian leaders are called to make disciples and nurture both children and new believers. True leadership is driven by love and gratitude, not personal advancement or power. Jesus modeled servant leadership, calling His followers to lead by example and demonstrate how to walk with God. Spiritual health is essential, and progress comes through serving, not waiting to feel fully equipped. Every leader will give an account to Christ, so motivation, humility, and eagerness to serve truly matter.

God’s Call for Christian Leaders

God tasks Christian leaders with making more and better disciples (Matthew 28:19-20, 1 Timothy 2:2). They are to develop people to become increasingly like Jesus. Jesus commanded Peter to feed His lambs (John 21:15). His lambs are young children and new believers. How do we do that in a way that glorifies God?

Trustworthiness with God’s People

About 30 years ago, someone entrusted me with a small key to a padlock. I lost it. I should have been more careful with the key. How trustworthy are we with the lambs Jesus has entrusted to our care?

Motivation Matters

Motivation matters. I have often dutifully done the Lord’s will. That is better than not doing it. Doing it eagerly and willingly is best. God is still working on me in that department.

Love and gratitude are the Manufacturer’s recommended fuel to serve Him and others. Duty fuel tanks often run dry during prolonged, difficult service.

Leadership Isn’t Self-Promotion

Christian leadership is not about self-advancement. Yet, many clergy play the success ladder game. They want to move on to larger congregations, higher salaries, and more prestige. Lay leaders can also get caught up in self-advancement.

Servant Leadership in the Bible

Christian leadership is not about exercising power over others. The test of our Christian leadership is what we do with the power that God entrusts to us.

Jesus said, “Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all” (Mark 10:43-44 NIV). 

Leading by Example

The core task of servant leadership in the Bible is demonstrating how to live for Christ. We are examples to the flock (1 Peter 5:3). We are not perfect, but by God’s grace, we are progressing. Our spiritual health is critical. We model seeking God and trusting His promises. We demonstrate how to walk with God.

We Grow Through Serving

Therefore, we cannot wait to lead until we feel adequate. We learn to lead by leading and serve by serving.

Pulling Others Toward Jesus

We most effectively lead others into sacrificial service by example. It is like moving a piece of string in a straight line on a table. Pushing it does not work. But we can pull it wherever we wish.

We lead best when we pull people by example to be more like Jesus, using our money, time, space, and knowledge as resources to develop them. How we do it matters.

Accountability to the Chief Shepherd

As Christian leaders, we must give an account of our leadership to the Chief Shepherd. After He returns, He will reward us for faithful service performed with the right motivation and recompense us with righteousness, life, and glory.

God calls us to be humbly submissive. We demonstrate it by serving others, by following their orders, and fitting into their plans.

A Call to Action

What must you change today to make more and better disciples more willingly, eagerly, unselfishly, and humbly? See additional free spiritual growth resources for Christians.   #freediscipleshipresources #freeevangelismresources #freechristianleadershipresources 

God has empowered me to write His Power for Your Weakness—260 Steps Toward Spiritual Strength. It’s a free, evangelistic, devotional, and discipleship e-book. Pastors have used it in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia to lead 7,541 people to Christ and teach the basics of Christianity to 17,361 people. I invite you to explore and use it in your setting.

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