Issue #397, April 30, 2025
Effective leaders grow the people around them and continually delegate more and more responsibility to their teams. This builds leadership depth and prepares the organization for the time that they will no longer be the leader. Faith leaders take a long-term perspective to their work believing that God’s design is for one generation to build on the foundation of the previous. The Serving Leader Model® (*see note) calls this action Upend the Pyramid™, to reflect the way serving leaders turn the traditional leadership model upside down. Paul demonstrated this action in so many ways. Consider these examples:
He [Paul] was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia (Acts 20:4, NIV).
The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. (Titus 1:5)
14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so no one can say that you were baptized in my name (1 Corinthians 1:14-15)
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others (2 Timothy 2:2).
Paul grew his people.
Paul was hardly ever alone in his work; he always traveled with a team, sometimes as many as 8 others (Acts 20:4 mentions 7 plus Luke who was writing). What was his goal? He was deliberately growing people and strengthening his team. He selected people in whom he saw potential and then grew them into strong leaders. He poured significant time and energy into writing detailed instructions to Timothy and Titus to help them grow as leaders.
Some leaders prefer to work alone and take pride in their personal achievements. Serving leaders, like Paul, grow others around them and boast that others are doing the work!
Paul delegated authority and responsibility.
Paul continually delegated authority and responsibility to his team as fast as they were capable. He first baptized 2 or 3 in Corinth; then others did the rest. He first appointed elders in the churches; but later sent Titus to do the same in Crete. He sent Timothy to Ephesus, Corinth and Thessalonica. He empowered Titus to handle a significant financial contribution for the church in Jerusalem.
Some leaders believe that the only way to get something done right is to do it themselves. But serving leaders see the potential in others. They delegate power and authority and rejoice to see the work expand far beyond what they are able to do alone.
Paul prepared for sustainability and scalability.
Paul’s vision was huge; he wanted to reach the world. He knew that he could not accomplish this alone and needed strong leaders to help him. He knew it would take much longer than his own lifetime to accomplish. So he grew others and delegated authority and responsibility. He challenged Timothy to pass it on to the next generation of leaders. By these actions Paul ensured that his vision would expand exponentially and continue on long after he was gone. We are a testimony to the success of his model.
Some leaders fail to reflect on what will happen after they are gone. But serving leaders turn the pyramid upside down and prepare their team to not only survive but to thrive for generations to come.
For further reflection and discussion:
Am I willing to invest the time and energy that Paul did to model the way, encourage and train others to do the work I now do? How will this impact my leadership legacy?
What is my plan to grow the people I lead? Who on my team is ready for greater responsibility and authority? What is needed from me to make this happen?
What would happen today to my team if I was gone? Are they ready to thrive without me? If not, what is needed to prepare them for that time? Reflect on what happened when Paul was imprisoned for years and how his leadership model laid a foundation for continued growth without his presence. How can I prepare my team in the same way?
In addition to the scriptures used in this issue, read and reflect on how the following passages also illustrate how Paul acted to Upend the Pyramid™: Acts 14:23, 18:18-26, 19:21-22; 1 Corinthians 16:10-11; 2 Cor. 8:16-24; Ephesians 4:11-13, 6:21-22; Philippians 2:19-30; Colossians 4:7-9; 1 Thessalonians 3:1-2, 6; 1 Timothy 1:3, Titus 1:5.
Until next time, yours on the journey,
Jon Byler
In the next issue, we’ll look at a new series!
*Note: The Five Actions of Serving Leadership™ were recognized by Dr. John Stahl-Wert and illustrated in the book The Serving Leader. These actions have been applied by many organizations to integrate serving leadership into everyday leadership practices. See www.CenterforServingLeadership.com for more information.
If you would like all five issues of this series on Paul, click here for a PDF copy.