When I go low, you’re lifted higher,
When I’m face down, I see you face to face,
I can’t remain in this old religion
When on the floor is the highest place
On this floor is my highest praise
Not my will but yours be done
Your Kingdom come,
Your Kingdom come.
When I go low, you’re lifted higher,
When I’m face down, I see you face to face,
I won’t remain in this old position
When on the floor is the highest place
When on this floor is my highest praise
Yours is the Kingdom
Yours is the power
Yours is the glory
Forever
Gethsemane written and performed by Luke Finch and Grace Finch
I heard Bill Johnson say this, ‘He knows who he’s made us to be, so when he gives us a directive of any kind it’s always so that we can fully enter our design. It’s never to violate our identity. It’s always to enter our design. He will not violate my true identity but will often put me in situations to expose to me if I’m willing to learn what’s in my thinking or my behaviour. What needs to go so he puts me with people who rub me up the wrong way – it’s called God’s gift!’
There is nothing wrong with wanting God to use us in amazing ways, after all the Holy Spirit lives inside of every born-again believer.
Jesus spoke these words, “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!” John 14:12-14 NLT
The disciples, having spent most of their time with Jesus on ministry trips, were not immune from displays of insecurity and pride as they fought amongst themselves as to which one of them was the greatest.
'The disciples bickered over which one of them would be considered the greatest in the kingdom. Jesus interrupted their argument, saying, “The kings and men of authority in this world rule oppressively over their subjects, claiming that they do it for the good of the people. They are obsessed with how others see them. But this is not your calling. You will lead by a different model. The greatest one among you will live as one called to serve others without honour. The greatest honour and authority is reserved for the one who has a servant heart. The leaders who are served are the most important in your eyes, but in the kingdom, it is the servants who lead. Am I not here with you as one who serves?' Luke 22:24-27 TPT
Things haven’t really changed much today! When leaders gather, one of the first things asked is often, ‘How big is your church?’ I’m not a great fan of networking. I want the Holy Spirit to connect me with the right people so that I can connect with them on a heart level. When God puts me in new relationships it’s often with people who deal with things differently than I do! This can be challenging at times, but if we allow the Holy spirit to smooth our rough edges, we can achieve more together than alone!
‘Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand! All your enemies will fall beneath your sword.’ Leviticus 26:8
Here are some key principles that I have learnt, most of them through painful experiences, which I pray will help you in your journey of being a servant leader.
Honour others before yourself.
We should respect people of all positions through our words and behaviour towards them. When we publicly honour someone we are acknowledging their greatness, their contribution to society or in a family, an event, or a simple act of kindness or service to others. Without the ones making the tea, greeting the people, those with organisational skills, those who pray or those clearing up the room, all those tasks that others do to make us look great that we often take for granted and fail to honour results in less of an anointing on the worship or preaching! At times the world does a much better job of honouring others than the church does!
Illegitimate honour is when people are respected for the wrong reasons. It comes at the expense of other people; people accrue it by robbing others of dignity. Sure, humiliating you makes me appear superior; but such status is illegitimate in God’s eyes.
This kind of honour is temporary - the house of cards eventually collapses. Illegitimate honour is destructive - relationships are sacrificed to pursue status. This kind of honour is ungodly—it contradicts God’s purposes.
Giving and receiving this kind of honour is acquired by sinning and ends in shame. “For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled.”Luke 14:1 & Psalm 35:26
Every stream thinks they are the river. Randy Clarke
King Nebuchadnezzar forced everyone to worship him and many did, but that honour was fleeting. Illegitimate honour is a defining characteristic of “Babylon” throughout the Bible.
Eli and sons honoured themselves by keeping the preferred sacrifices, but at the expense of despising God.
Jesus told the Pharisees to not seek the places of honour at a feast, lest they be humiliated.
‘But Moses' hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.’
Exodus 17:12 ESV
Here we have an example of two other leaders helping their leader!
Whose hands can you hold up today?
Inspire vision
Helen Keller wrote, “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight with no vision.”
Help others to realise how their role contributes to the bigger picture. Every day there are leaders around the world going 100 miles per hour in no specific direction and getting nowhere. But great leaders work to establish a vision that goes far beyond what they can see, and embrace the contributions from their team. Vision from leadership and buy-in from teams produce an inspiring atmosphere where anything becomes possible.
Be ethical, with people and finances
Look what happened to Judas; now compare that to Zacchaeus!
Empower others before personal gain.
“It’s amazing what you can achieve if you don’t care who gets the credit.” President Harry S. Truman
We observe unmeasurable qualities in a few leaders who intentionally create a team environment that empowers their people to become better leaders themselves. Nobody should want a group of yes people around them, we should want to surround ourselves with those who aren’t afraid to share their ideas and gifting, who may disagree at times but can greatly contribute to the vision. I think that church leaders should be looking to mentor and release everyone into their God given calling. Go into all the world……. What a sight that would be!
‘Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.’ 1 Peter 4:10
The story of the good Samaritan perfectly illustrates this principle.
Serve with humility.
Pride is poisonous, and arrogance makes you seem unapproachable.
Entitlement is a scary thing!
Failure to acknowledge our mistakes stops others admitting to theirs.
‘And whoever makes himself high will be made low, and whoever makes himself low will be made high’. Matt 23:12
Jesus washed the disciples’ feet - say no more!
I want to see the dreams of others explode so they can become who they were created to be. I want to facilitate and help others to really know who God is, to know He’s good, to know who they are in Him, to know their calling and be equipped to fulfil their God given destiny. To become the very best version of themselves, to become more and more like Jesus and go from glory to glory!
Now I’m not stupid to think that I could do this all on my own - other ministries, their preaching, their teaching, their giftings are all needed. I couldn’t survive if I had a constant diet of chicken and salad, I would be longing for a steak, a Balti, or my favourite food - Chinese; that’s without desserts or drinks! It’s the same for the body of Christ - we need a varied diet which includes food to chew on, not just swallow. If you’re a seasoned Christian and you’re still on milk, then it’s time for a radical dietary change!
I want to share my dream with you. I’m asking the lord to give me a substantial building that can help resource other churches and ministries to hold events without cost. I recently was looking for a church to hire a room for a training day. I called over fifty churches and only one could accommodate; most only hire out for children’s parties! Two of those fifty were closing their doors this July!
In this building I want a dance studio, a recording studio, an art studio, breakout rooms, a coffee area, a counselling suite, a Transformation Centre. I could go on and on!
If you’re an entrepreneur and the Holy Spirit is quickening your spirit to invest in this venture I would love to connect with you.
Some of you may be thinking, ‘How could she ask that?’
Well, I’m just casting my net out.
Be generous: Invest in acts of charity.
Charity yields high returns.
Don’t hoard your goods; spread them around.
Be a blessing to others. This could be your last night.
When the clouds are full of water, it rains.
When the wind blows down a tree, it lies where it falls.
Don’t sit there watching the wind. Do your own work.
Don’t stare at the clouds. Get on with your life.
Just as you’ll never understand
the mystery of life forming in a pregnant woman,
So you’ll never understand
the mystery at work in all that God does.
Go to work in the morning
and stick to it until evening without watching the clock.
You never know from moment to moment
how your work will turn out in the end. Ecclesiastes 11 MSG
God has put something of significance in your heart that can only be achieved by being yoked with other people.
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