“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. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:43-45 (NIV)
In its simplest form, ministry is caring for others and sharing Christ to meet people’s physical and spiritual needs. C.W. Brister wrote, “The servant motif of ministry was established … as the Bible’s most characteristic way of viewing the people of God. The church, like her Lord, is to be in the world as one who serves.”
In the Bible, there are images Jesus used to depict his view of his followers, identifying their relationship or role — brother, sister, believer, chosen, worker, friend, disciple, sheep, light, salt, etc. Of all the metaphors he used, I think one image most clearly expresses what he wanted then and wants today from all his adherents. That image is servant. The servant image is the leading image because it epitomizes the ethos (character and culture) of the kingdom of God and is what Jesus himself exemplified.
Jesus came into this world to be the Servant of God. He came into the world to serve the highest and best interests of humanity. He came to serve rather than to seek service. By his own example, our Lord encourages us to define our purpose in terms of being servants of God and servants to others (John 12:26).
From Mark chapter 10 and John chapter 13, servant leadership is the humble service of others, grounded in our love for them. Here is a snapshot of servant leadership characteristics: humility as to its manner (how), service as to its essence (what), others as to its recipients (who), and love as to its motive (why). It’s about humility, not ego; service, not status; giving of oneself, not taking for oneself; focusing on benefiting others, not self; and showing the depth of love by being willing to get dirty.
Jesus’ statement in Mark 10:43-45 follows a request from two of his followers, James and John. They approached Jesus, asking him to grant whatever they would ask. They wanted the top positions, seated to the right and left of Jesus, in the anticipated kingdom he was expected to establish (Mark 10:35-37). James and John simply wanted to satisfy the all-too-human desire for power and prestige. The disciples were looking for thrones, but Jesus proposed and demonstrated that it’s about working with a towel — washing feet.
Jesus’ teaching on preparing for their future leadership roles is instructive for us. Don’t take cues from the world about how to be great in the kingdom of God. If you want to be a leader with authority over others or to be honored highest in God’s sight, follow Jesus’ example; don’t desire to be served, but seek opportunities to serve.
As with James and John, we sometimes get it backward about how to be elevated and honored from God’s perspective. With Jesus as our prime example, servanthood is a mindset grounded in humility (Philippians 2:6-9). In the kingdom of God, a humble servant receives high honor. Yet the key is this: humility is our part, not God’s; exaltation is God’s part, not ours (James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6).
I must admit there have been times I’ve had to check myself and examine whether my ambition was godly or selfish, based on this understanding — godly ambition is not rooted in position. A useful test for questionable ambition is to ask, “Am I doing this or wanting this based on how God views me, or how people will view me?”
The lesson is clear: servanthood underpins leaders and laity alike because it serves the greater good of the kingdom of God, eliminating turf wars and breaking down barriers.
Rev. Johnson Beaven III is a speaker, theological educator, interim pastor, and ministry mentor. For more information, visit linktr.ee/johnsonbeaven. Contact him by email at jb3ministries@gmail.com or on X at @jbiiiministries.
Rev. Johnson Beaven III is a speaker, theological educator, and ministry mentor. For more information, visit linktr.ee/johnsonbeaven. Contact him by email at jb3ministries@gmail.com or on X at @jbiiiministries.
