The Church, Culture & Leadership

This morning, as we continue our series Church & Culture and talk about The Church, Culture & Leadership, I thought it would be interesting to ask this question: Is the term “servant leadership” an oxymoron?”

The Corinthian Christians have lived under largely selfish, self-seeking leadership models in their culture, and despite what they saw in Paul’s servant leadership among them, they are letting this selfish, self-seeking leadership model seep into the leadership of the church in Corinth.

And, it’s unfortunate, because on the most basic level, servant leadership actually works. In fact, this is one way we see the Church, and more particularly Christ, transforming culture.

There is more talk today in corporate America about servant leadership than there has ever been, and I believe this is largely because of the influence of Christ and His Church on culture—and we should celebrate this!

James L. Hesekett, Professor of Business Logistics, Emeritus at Harvard Business School, sees this, as he states in his Harvard Business Review article:

Now it appears that a group of organizational psychologists, led by Adam Grant, are attempting to measure the impact of servant leadership on leaders, not just those being led. Grant describes research in his recent book, Give and Take, that suggests that servant leaders are not only more highly regarded than others by their employees and not only feel better about themselves at the end of the day but are more productive as well. – James L. Hesekett

Because more and more people are beginning to see this, one reader of Hesekett’s article asks the question: "Where do you go to learn how to lead this way?"

Hesekett gives a couple of suggestions in his article, BUT this morning we’re going to find two better places to go to learn how to lead this way:

You Go To Paul: This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. (1 Corinthians 4:1) ….. I urge you, then, be imitators of me. (1 Corinthians 4:16)

You go to Jesus: But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28)

Maybe a BETTER QUESTION than, “Where do you go to learn how to lead this way?” is “Why should we learn to lead this way?”

There has to be a WHY beyond increasing productivity, respect and self-esteem.

The good news this morning is that there is a ‘why’ beyond these things, and its connected to our Good News for our morning:

Good News: Jesus led us to Himself as a servant and steward, so we can lead others to Him as servants and stewards

It’s not just that we’re meant to lead like Jesus (how). We are meant to lead to Jesus (why).

In this sense, every Christian is a leader.

(1) Leading Like Jesus & To Jesus Means Leading Like A Servant

This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. (1 Corinthians 4:1)

This is not just a Corinthian context, this is a biblical context, a universal context. This isn’t just true for the Corinthian culture, or our culture. This is true for every culture. This is true for every Christian in every culture:

In 1 Corinthians 4, Paul paints a portrait of this scope of servant leadership:

For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. (1 Corinthians 4:9)

I urge you, then, be imitators of me. That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church. (1 Corinthians 4:16-17)

What does this servant leadership look like?

Servant (hypēretēs): under rower (as unseen and insignificant as you can get)

This has as much weight for us corporately as it does individually. If we truly want to not only lead like Jesus, but lead others to Jesus, we’re all going to have to row at the same time, and in the same direction.

• serving in step with all those around us

• putting yourself on an equal plain with everyone else

If everyone is trying to row their hardest apart from one another, we’ll just go in circles.

Paul not only uses a vivid example of what servant leadership looks like. He gives us a vivid description of what servant leadership looks like:

To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things. (1 Corinthians 4:11-13)

• It looks like serving SACRIFICIALLY – “ … we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless.”

• It looks like serving VOLUNTARILY – “… and we labor, working with our own hands.”

• It looks like serving MEEKLY – “When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we entreat.”

This is the way Jesus served us— THE GOSPEL:

SACRIFICIALLY - … even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:25-28)

VOLUNTARILY - No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. (John 10:18)

MEEKLY - When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. (1 Peter 2:23)

This is the way Jesus served us, and this is the way we should serve each other.

Are you a servant leader?

(2) Leading Like Jesus & To Jesus Means Leading Like A Steward

This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. (1 Corinthians 4:1)

What does this steward leadership look like?

Steward (oikonomos): the manager of the household or household affairs

It looks like having the most important kind of responsibility for the most important things in life. In our context it might look like:

• Godparents

• Executor of Your Will or Estate

We are stewarding something even more significant than our children or our resources— the mystery of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Stewards of The Mysteries of God (The Gospel)

This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. (1 Corinthians 4:1)

• Stewards PROTECT what has been entrusted to them.

• Stewards GROW what has been entrusted to them.

In some mysterious way, we have been entrusted with the responsibility to protect and grow the Good News about Jesus Christ in our context, in our culture.

They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. (1 Timothy 3:9)

This is not an Apostle thing, or an elder thing, or a deacon thing. This is a Christian thing.

How are you helping to protect and grow the mystery of the Good News of Jesus Christ?

Biblical leaders are not only stewards of the mysteries of God, BUT stewards of the gifts of God.

Stewards of The Gifts of God

Later, in chapter 12-14, Paul will talk about this in great detail. For now, what he wants them, and us, to know, is that we don’t own the gifts he has given us, we steward them. They are not ours, but God’s.

Because of that, we’re not to think more, or less, of ourselves or others, or the gifts that we have, or the way they help to make the Good News about Jesus all the more clear to those around us.

Paul tells us that he and Apollos had different gifts, and one was not necessarily better than the other. They were both used by God, in complementary ways, to help the Corinthians see who Jesus was.

I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. (1 Corinthians 4:6)

The Corinthians saw Apollos, one leader, as better than Paul, another leader— although Paul and Apollos didn't see it this way. Because of that, the Corinthians applied that same kind of thinking to one another—measuring themselves up against one another.

What does Paul say to this?

For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it? (1 Corinthians 4:7)

Paul says, “you are a steward, not an owner.”

Its so easy for us to think that these are our gifts, and begin to use them for our purposes, instead of His gifts, used for His purposes.

Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you! (1 Corinthians 4:8)

We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. (1 Corinthians 4:10)

Paul wants them, and us to remember—we are stewards of the gifts of God, NOT owners.

Jesus Was A Steward Leader

This is the way Jesus stewarded the Gospel of God and the gifts of God, and this is the way we should do likewise—this is the way we will lead each other to Jesus, and to lead others to Jesus.

Are you a steward leader?

This kind of servant leadership is so important that Paul is willing to do whatever he needs to do to see it happen.

But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people but their power. For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power. What do you wish? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love in a spirit of gentleness? (1 Corinthians 4:19-21)

This is something that we take seriously at The Village Church – humble, servant, steward leadership.

This is something that we, as pastors, have trained people in over the years with “love in a spirit of gentleness,” and this is something we have disciplined, with the rod so to speak, with those who didn’t want to lead humble servants and stewards.

You should feel SAFE & SECTURE here. We want to create an environment were you feel safe – safe from arrogant leaders who think they are owners, and safe to lead as a servant and steward leader. Safe to lead like Jesus, and safe to lead to Jesus.

Good News: Jesus led us to Himself as a servant and steward, so we can lead others to Him as servants and stewards