Great leaders focus on the needs of others—but do not neglect caring for themselves. As we have already seen, they take care of their souls and their bodies. They also find ways to grow and develop their own gifts and calling. Paul calls Timothy to this aspect of self-care: 

¹⁴Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. ¹⁵Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress (1 Timothy 4:14-15, NIV).

⁶For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ⁷For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:6-7).

In these verses, Paul calls Timothy to nurture and develop the gifts given to him by God. Timothy’s growth would impact his leadership, just as our growth impacts ours, in several ways.

Taking care of your growth enlarges your capacity.

Paul tells Timothy to “fan into flame” the gift God has given to him.  No leader begins with maturity; it requires growth and practice. Leaders need to invest time to grow and develop capacity. Paul was a great model for Timothy to follow but Timothy had to take care of his own growth and development. The Irish proverb reflects this truth: “You’ve got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was.” When a leader grows, the people under them benefit. They will experience better leadership and be challenged to grow themselves. Some leaders are content to rely on their previous success and focus on maintaining their role. But serving leaders are passionate about growing themselves and developing their God-given gifts and roles. They invest time and money to enlarge their own capacity.

Taking care of your growth expands your impact.

Paul urges Timothy to grow his gift “so that everyone may see your progress.”  He connects Timothy’s development with a life characterized not by timidity but “power, love and self-discipline.” His growth would expand the impact he would have on the lives of others. As he developed greater leadership capacity, his impact would expand, enabling him to lead people more effectively and to serve more people.  Investing time and resources in your own growth is not selfish—it prepares you to serve with greater impact. 

Some leaders seek to grow only to benefit themselves and advance their own power and authority. But serving leaders want to bless others—so they grow themselves.  

Taking care of your growth expresses appreciation to God.

Paul makes it clear to Timothy that the gift he has is not for himself; it is the “gift of God” which came through the “laying on of my hands.” He wants Timothy to be clear that he is a steward of his leadership capacity and that the best way he can express his appreciation to God is to fan the gift into flame! Gifts are not given to us as mature and fully developed; we are called to develop them. God provides the flicker, then invites us to fan it into a flame.

Some leaders grow themselves because they want to achieve greatness for themselves. But serving leaders grow themselves because they want God to be glorified in their leadership. Their commitment to personal growth is an act of worship and it makes them better leaders.   

For further reflection and discussion:

Do I see my leadership as a gift from God that He expects me to nurture and develop? How does this impact the way I invest in my own growth?

In what ways do I invest time and resources in my own growth as a leader? Are there changes I need to make in this area?

In what specific ways am I currently growing and developing my leadership gift? Are positive changes in my leadership evident to those around me?  If not, what do I need to change? 

What additional insights about the need for growing myself do I gain from the following passages? Matthew 25:14-30; Ephesians 4:15-16; Hebrews 5:12-14; Philippians 3:12-14; Romans 12:6-8; 1 Peter 4:10-11; 1 Timothy 4:7-8.

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

Do you want this series in one document? Click here to download.

In the next issue, we’ll begin a new series. 

Leaders often focus on the task at hand and the mission they hope to accomplish, but pay little regard to their own bodies. Paul cautioned Timothy that his leadership was not only a matter of taking care of his soul but also taking care of his body. Consider these verses:  

For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come (1 Timothy 4:8, NIV).

Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses (1 Timothy 5:23).

Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers (1 Timothy 4:16).

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20).

Taken together, these verses remind us that our physical bodies matter to God and should not be neglected as we seek to lead well.  

Taking care of your body is spiritual.   

Paul calls Timothy to “Watch your life,” a broad call to pay attention to himself. Elsewhere, Paul makes it clear that this includes paying attention to the physical. We are each tempted to separate our lives into the physical realm and the spiritual realm with the spiritual being the most significant and worthy of all our focus. But Paul brings them together for Timothy and in his instructions to the church in Corinth.  It is possible to “honor God” with our bodies!

Some leaders see their care of their bodies as unrelated to their spiritual pursuits. But serving leaders recognize that God cares about how they treat their bodies—so they also care!

Taking care of your body is valuable.

Paul says “physical training is of some value…” Yes, godliness has more eternal implications than our physical health, but Paul concludes that both are valuable. He recognizes that Timothy’s “frequent illnesses” are worthy of attention as a leader. He urged Timothy to pay attention to his body! Years later, Robert Murray M’Cheyne, a Scottish minister, reportedly said, “God gave me a message to deliver and a horse to ride. Alas, I have killed the horse and now I cannot deliver the message.” He died at 29.

Some leaders prioritize their leadership growth around books, seminars, podcasts, and mental training with little regard to their bodies. But serving leaders seek to balance their physical and intellectual growth.

Taking care of your body is practical.   

Paul tells Timothy to take a little wine for his stomach.  He is not here addressing the broader question of the ethical use of alcohol; he’s giving Timothy practical medical advice. He wants Timothy to pay attention to what he puts in his stomach! When a stomach is growling, upset, or bulging, leaders should take practical steps to make needed changes. For other leaders, it may not be a food issue, but one of getting enough rest or getting sufficient exercise.

Some leaders focus on their vision and mission and the practical steps they will take to accomplish them. But serving leaders also get practical about taking care of their bodies and implement practical steps toward maintaining physical health. They are better leaders because of it!

For further reflection and discussion:

Are there ways I have seen my physical health as somehow less important or less spiritual than the care of my soul? How has this impacted my leadership?

What priorities have I established—or will establish—in my own life in the following areas:

• Adequate rest
• Healthy diet
• Sufficient exercise
• Appropriate medical attention
• Establishing Sabbath rest in my rhythms       

 What additional insights about the need for care of my body do I gain from the following passages? (Exodus 20:8-11; 1 Kings 19:4-8; Psalm 127:2; Matthew 11:28-30; Mark 6:31; Luke 5:15-16; Ephesians 5:28-29; and Romans 12:1).

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll look at how we care for our own growth.  

Self-care is not selfish, it’s essential for healthy leadership.  But what does it look like in practice? We’ll examine three specific areas in which we need to care for ourselves: our souls, our bodies and our gift. First, in this issue, how we take care of our inner life, our relationship with Jesus—the matters of our soul. Consider Paul’s instruction to Timothy:

  ⁷Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. ⁸For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come (1 Timothy 4:7–8, NIV).

Paul challenges Timothy to train himself to “be godly.”  This training has great value both now and in the future. Physical training, which we will examine in the next issue, has value but is not as significant as issues of the soul. Paul’s instruction provides several starting points for the kind of training that will help us care for our soul.

Taking care of your soul requires avoiding distractions.

Paul begins his exhortation to godliness by telling Timothy to avoid “godless myths and old wives’ tales.” It is easy to dismiss Paul’s instruction as advice for a different generation. He is specifically warning Timothy about spiritually unprofitable teaching, but the principle applies more broadly: some things consume our attention but do not nourish our souls. Perhaps if he were writing today he might say, “Have nothing to do with endless scrolling on social media, political debates on Facebook, and schedules packed with activity—but train yourself to be godly.” Soul care requires saying ‘no’ to some things that others may practice habitually. This kind of saying “no” is at the heart of the spiritual discipline of fasting which addresses our need to say ‘no’ to things we crave in order to focus more fully on the our soul’s craving for God. 

Some leaders measure their health by outputs: how much they produce and how full their schedule is. But serving leaders feed their souls by avoiding distractions.

 Taking care of your soul requires intentionality.

Paul tells Timothy, “train yourself.” He calls Timothy to actively focus on the care of his soul. The care of our souls requires intentionality; it will not happen simply because we keep living and leading. For centuries, spiritual disciplines have helped leaders take the time and energy needed to care for their souls. Disciplines such as meditation, prayer, fasting, Bible reading and solitude are a part of the training needed for godliness. Intentionality may require a long walk, blocking out time to be alone for reflection and listening or simply slowing down.  

Some leaders assume that if they are leading and goals are being met, all is well in their inner world. But serving leaders make their goal to walk with Jesus and cultivate a healthy soul. They intentionally structure their lives in ways that tend the garden of their heart. 

Taking care of your soul requires consistency.

The training Paul instructed Timothy to do is not a one time event. Building a life of godliness is a long-term objective, not a short-term accomplishment. Paul tells Timothy that godliness impacts both “the present life and the life to come.” It requires consistency over a long period of time. 

Some leaders are content to think of being godly in the future and neglect the daily habits that will take them there. They hope that an occasional seminar or book on prayer will take care of their soul and develop godliness. But serving leaders build regular rhythms of life that over time nourish and strengthen their souls. As they do, they become leaders better equipped to serve those they lead.

For further reflection and discussion:

What are things in my daily life that are distractions to my soul care? What is God inviting me to change so that I can avoid these distractions?

How well am I doing with these disciplines: fasting, Bible reading, meditation, prayer, solitude? What do I need to change?

What habits do I cultivate in my life that help me care for my soul? What are my daily, weekly, monthly and yearly rhythms that help me keep my soul strong? Are there changes I need to make?

What additional insights about the need for soul care do I gain from the following passages? (1 Samuel 30:6; Matthew 14:13, 23; Mark 1:35-38, 4:19; Luke 5:15-16; John 15:1-5; Acts 13:2-3; 1 Timothy 4:12-16, 6:11-12, 20; 2 Timothy 2:15-16)

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll examine care of our bodies.

Much of serving leadership is about others. It’s about meeting their needs, serving them, developing them, equipping them, encouraging them.  But before leaders can take care of others, they must take care of themselves! In this series we’ll reflect on the advice Paul gave to Timothy about the need to take care of himself. 

Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers (1 Timothy 4:16, NIV). 

Paul challenges Timothy to watch his life and doctrine closely. It is a call to pay close attention to himself.  Self-care is not selfish! Selfishness makes the leader’s needs the goal; self-care attends to the needs of the leader so they can fulfill their calling. What does self-care have to do with our leadership?      

Taking care of yourself is an initial act of leadership.

Long before airplanes instructed passengers to put on their own oxygen mask before assisting others Paul told Timothy to “watch your life…” Before watching others, leaders need to watch themselves. Before caring for others, leaders need to take care of themselves. Before teaching others, they need to take a close look at their own doctrine. This is not a selfish act; it is a necessary part of ensuring that we are ready and able to help others.

Some leaders feel guilty when they focus on themselves or take time to attend to their own needs. But serving leaders recognize that the first act of service is being ready and able to serve. They take care of themselves first.

Taking care of yourself is an intentional act of leadership. 

Both “watch” and “closely” imply focused intentionality. Perhaps Paul recognized that the demands of leadership could quickly become the focus of Timothy’s actions and he warned him to be intentional about caring for himself. This act of leadership will not happen by accident. The needs of others are often more apparent to us than our own needs.

Some leaders become so engrossed in calling for action, producing outcomes, and reaching goals that they fail to stop and look at how they are doing. But serving leaders intentionally make sure they take good care of themselves so that they are able to care for others.    

Taking care of yourself is an impactful act of leadership.   

Paul concludes this exhortation by observing that if Timothy will take care of himself, it would “save both yourself and your hearers.” His point goes beyond what we are calling self-care, but the principle is clear: how leaders care for their own lives impacts those they lead. The attention to caring for self would impact Timothy and those he was leading. Effective self-care is impactful leadership. Leaders who are action-oriented and focused on a mission can easily assume that some shortcuts here and there on how they care for themselves won’t impact their leadership effectiveness. They neglect their own physical, emotional and spiritual needs. And for a time, they may appear to succeed. But in the long term, they—and those who follow—will pay for their neglect. 

Some leaders assume that they can care for others even when there are gaps in how they care for themselves. But serving leaders recognize that the best gift they can give those they serve is a strong, healthy leader. They recognize that they cannot continue drawing from an empty well. They are better leaders because they care for themselves.

For further reflection and discussion:

As I focus on the needs of others, how well do I pay attention to my own needs? How does this impact my leadership?

In what way(s) am I intentional about ensuring that I am taking care of myself? What am I doing about my physical condition? My emotional health? My spiritual depth? My own growth?

Are there ways that I have been neglecting self-care, believing that it would not impact those who follow me?   What steps do I need to take to change?   

What additional insights about the need for self-care do I gain from the following passages? 1 Samuel 30:6, Matthew 7:3-5, Luke 5:15–16, Acts 20:28, Galatians 6:1

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll look at the need to care for our soul. 

Many leaders live in tomorrow—and miss the blessings of today.  While looking ahead and solving problems is a needed component of leadership, it can lead to a lack of appreciation for what is. Serving leaders learn to lead with gratitude. Consider Paul’s leadership:

³³ Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. “For the last fourteen days,” he said, “you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food—you haven’t eaten anything. ³⁴ Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.” ³⁵ After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. ³⁶ They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves (Acts 27:33–36, NIV).

Paul was one of 275 passengers on this boat during a life-threatening storm. He has no position or title but leads the crew and passengers with his words of encouragement. Then, he pauses to give thanks—a powerful picture of leading with gratitude.

Leading with gratitude is a choice.

Paul took bread and “gave thanks to God in front of them all.” What could he give thanks for in this crisis? All around him was fear of the future and a sense of doom. We don’t know what he said, but perhaps he gave thanks that they were still alive, that they had bread to eat, and that they were not alone in the storm. Perhaps he thanked God for His presence or for the vision that gave him much hope a few days earlier. But whatever he said, Paul chose to give thanks. The choice to express gratitude refocused his attention and all those around him on their blessings instead of their fears.   

Some leaders look around and see problems on every side. They call their team for a meeting to solve the problems and address the issue. They have no time to stop and give thanks. But serving leaders choose to look beyond the problems and give thanks for what is good. Even when they lead a meeting to address challenges, they begin by publicly giving thanks as Paul did. They lead with gratitude.  

Leading with gratitude is concrete.  

Paul’s gratitude led to a concrete tangible action, “he broke it and began to eat.” He acknowledged that the sailors and passengers were physically hungry and would need some energy. He also understood that two weeks of watching the wind and the waves had taken an emotional toll and brought a sense of helplessness. So, he invited them to take a small but significant step of action over their own future.

Some leaders pause to give thanks, but don’t invite others to act on their gratitude. But serving leaders use gratitude as a call to action. They invite their team to give to others, to volunteer for a project or to write a note of appreciation. They lead with gratitude. 

Leading with gratitude is contagious.

Paul’s gratitude was contagious, “they were all encouraged and ate some food themselves.” Paul’s actions changed the atmosphere on the boat as people ate together for the first time in weeks. An attitude of gratitude is contagious; it impacts the lives of others and helps them to also give thanks.

All leaders impact others with their attitudes. Some leaders focus on the problems and ignore what is good. (They would do well to wear a mask that kept their attitude to themselves!) But serving leaders seek to have an attitude of gratitude and share it with everyone in the room. They lead with gratitude. 

For further reflection and discussion:

• Is my natural impulse to look at what could be or to be grateful for what is? How does this impact my leadership?
• In what current circumstances do I need to stop and focus on gratitude? How can I do this publicly?
• What can I do to demonstrate my gratitude in concrete ways? In what ways can I call my team to actions that express gratitude?
• What attitudes are spreading under my own leadership? What can I do to make a greater positive impact?           

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll focus on incarnational leadership, a Christmas theme.

Healthy leaders understand that their heart shapes everything they do. They pay attention to their emotions—not to be ruled by them, but to guide them in the right direction. Great leaders don’t suppress emotions; they shepherd them. Our heart can be guided in the right direction. Consider these scriptures:  

Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me (John 14:1, NIV).

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6–7).

Listen, my son, and be wise, and set your heart on the right path (Proverbs 23:19).

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5–6)

These verses make it clear that we have a responsibility to guide our hearts and emotions. How can we guide the direction of our heart?

We guide our heart by refusing its wrong directions.

Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” He addressed their fear of the future and anxiety over His departure. But His words clearly indicate that we have the power and the responsibility to refuse to live with emotions that take us in the wrong direction.    

Some leaders learn to acknowledge their emotions but do not make any effort to change them. They might say to their team, “That’s just the way I feel and nothing is going to change it.” But serving leaders identify emotions that take their heart in the wrong direction and they refuse to dwell there. They say, “That’s the way I feel, but I’m not going to move in that direction!”

We guide our heart by replacing its wrong directions.

Jesus’ words to the disciples implied that the way to be set free from their troubled hearts was to focus on their belief in Him. Paul makes the same point clear when he talks about anxiety in Philippians. He recognizes that when our emotions lead us in the wrong direction it is not enough to refuse the wrong emotion, it must be replaced with another.  So, he instructs us to replace anxiety with prayer and thanksgiving. Focusing on prayer with thanksgiving will result in “the peace of God” replacing anxiety. It is difficult to be anxious and thankful at the same time!

Some leaders acknowledge that their emotion is not healthy, but don’t do the hard work of replacing it with a better one. But serving leaders ask God to help them find a replacement for that emotion. They are willing to spend time in prayer or giving thanks when they feel anxiety welling up within them.

We guide our heart by redirecting it in the right direction.

 How does this apply to our emotions and hearts? Not only are we invited to refuse to allow our emotions to go in the wrong direction and to replace specific emotions as Paul instructed, but the writer of Proverbs invites us to redirect our hearts on the right path. A path implies a direction that continues over time leading to a destination. Finding the right path happens as we learn to “trust in the Lord with all your heart…lean not on your own understanding…submit to him.” This is a lifelong process of learning to put our trust in the Lord and to submit to His ways. We learn to submit our hearts and emotions to Him, openly acknowledging what we feel but then submitting those feelings to Him and asking for His power to set our emotions on the right path.

Some leaders try to change their hearts on their own by sheer willpower or effort. They tell themselves, “I won’t get angry again!” But serving leaders acknowledge that without God’s help, their hearts will not follow the right path. They submit their emotions to Him and find the right path. They cry out, “God, I don’t want my heart to follow a path of anger, please redirect my emotions to your path.”

 Effective leaders pay attention to the condition of their hearts and take the journey towards emotional health. This allows them to lead others from a place of peace instead of anxiety.

For further reflection and discussion:

• In what ways has my leadership been led by my emotions? (If you are unsure, ask a trusted friend for their input.)
• Have I viewed my emotions as within my control or out of my control? How has this impacted my leadership?
• What emotions do I experience regularly that take me in the wrong direction? How aware am I of how these emotions impact my life and leadership? Who receives the greatest impact of these emotions?
• What replacements could I make for these emotions? Are there actions I could take that would help to replace these emotions with more helpful ones?   
• What is the general “path” of my emotional health, is it heading in the right direction or the wrong direction? How is this a reflection of my capacity to not lean on my own understanding, but submit to God?
• In addition to the verses mentioned in this issue, read and reflect on the following verses about the heart: Deuteronomy 6:5-6; Psalm 37:4, 42:5, 51:10, 119:11; Proverbs 4:23, 23:17, 24:17; Ezekiel 36:26; Matthew 6:21; Colossians 3:15.     How do these verses deepen my understanding about how to guide my heart?     

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll begin a new series!

If you want a single document with all three issues of this series, click here.

Note: Some of the thoughts for this series were inspired by the book, The Wholehearted Leader, by Simon and Ceri Harris.  The book focuses primarily on the emotions of the heart and their impact on leadership. While the biblical view of the heart is broader than emotions, it certainly includes emotions, which is often overlooked in leadership. The book offers great insight on how leaders can lead with healthy hearts.

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.

Great leaders build teams around them to help accomplish the vision. They understand that there is no such thing as a well-rounded leader, but there are well-rounded teams. Build on Strength is the fourth action in the Serving Leader Model® (*see note). It means leveraging the strengths of each individual to build a high-performing team. Faith leaders acknowledge the need for teams and their power as something God put into the DNA of the universe. Paul was a great leader and relied heavily on his team. Consider these verses:

⁵ What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. ⁶ I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow….¹⁰ By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. (1 Corinthians 3:5-6, 10, NIV). 

³ For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. ⁴ For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶ We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us (Romans 12:3-6a).

Paul built teams based on strengths that greatly expanded his work.

Paul was aware of his team member’s strengths. 

Paul was aware that he was not good at everything, his work was to lay “a foundation” and allow others to build on what he established. He also recognized the gifts of those on his team. He taught them about the different parts of the body and how each part is needed to accomplish all that needs to be done.

Some leaders think they should be great at everything, but serving leaders humbly acknowledge that they need others. They look at themselves “with sober judgment” to assess their own strengths and to see areas in which they need others. They have conversations with their team to understand where each one is strong.  

Paul aligned each person’s work to their strengths. 

Paul carefully aligned his team members to their own individual strengths. He allowed Luke to use his strengths as a doctor and historian. When a church needed strong leadership to straighten out problems Paul sent Titus to Crete. When the need was for nurturing and strengthening relationships he sent Timothy to Ephesus. (See references below).   

Some leaders focus on the task that needs to be done and assign a worker to do the task. But serving leaders focus on the person and align the task to their strengths. 

Paul used strengths to develop high functioning teams.

As Paul aligned the assignments of his team members to their strengths, the team performance increased. The individuals thrived and were fully engaged in their work and loved what they were doing. They were able to acknowledge the strengths of the others and affirm them in their roles. They could share responsibilities with others on the team based on strengths.  

Some leaders assign teams to accomplish a goal with little thought or communication about the strengths needed for the assignment. But serving leaders openly talk with their teams about individual strengths and affirm what each one brings to the team. 

 Serving leaders know the only way to build strong teams is to build teams on strengths. They acknowledge that their strength lies in recognizing the strengths of others.

For further reflection and discussion:

What are my top three strengths as a leader? In what areas do I need others around me to complement my strengths?

How well do I understand the strengths of my team? Do I assume that because someone is doing a job well that they enjoy doing it? When will I meet with them to ask what activities really bring them joy?

When I understand the strengths of my team members, what adjustments can I make to bring greater alignment between individual strengths and assignments?

How well do my team members understand the strengths of others on the team? If we have not already done so, when can we meet as a team to talk about strengths?  

In addition to the scriptures used in this issue, read and reflect on how the following passages also illustrate how Paul acted to Build on Strength:  Romans 12:3-8; 1 Cor. 3:5-10; 12:1-31; Ephesians 4:7, 11-16.

Also consider how Paul referred to Timothy and Titus in these passages and the different roles to which he assigned them. (Timothy: 1 Corinthians 4:17, Philippians 2:19-23; 1 Timothy 4:12-16. Titus: 2 Corinthians 8:16, 23; Titus 1:5)  

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll examine how Paul grew others and prepared his team for succession.

*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.

Successful leaders maintain a laser focus on the organization’s success and ensure everyone is aligned with accomplishing the mission. This is the third action of the Serving Leader Model®, Blaze the Trail (*see note). This action reflects what organizations do—their mission. Faith leaders, like Paul, see their organization as a part of God’s plan to make the world a better place so they have added reason to carry out the mission. Consider these verses reflecting Paul’s leadership:

¹⁵ Neither do we go beyond our limits by boasting of work done by others. Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand, ¹⁶ so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. For we do not want to boast about work already done in someone else’s territory (2 Corinthians 10:15-16, NIV).

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, (Hebrews 12:1. **see note).

Paul helped his team focus on the factors that were critical to the success of the mission.   

Paul clarified key success factors.

Paul’s mission was clear: to preach the gospel, especially in “the regions beyond” where there was no church. He defined both his objective and the geographical area in which he would focus. This was his unique contribution to the growth of the church. Every leader and every organization has a unique contribution to make to the world, a “special sauce” that makes their organization distinctive. Some leaders, especially founders, understand this intuitively but don’t know how to clarify this for their team. But serving leaders make these factors clear to everyone on their team. They are able to state with confidence, “These are the things that make us unique.”

Paul taught for success.

Paul calls his followers to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us…”  The markers along the way show the runners where to focus. Paul devoted his life to training others how to achieve the mission. Leaders who Blaze the Trail mark the path of success so that others can follow along behind them. They establish standard patterns of operation that can be taught to new team members.

Some leaders expect team members to figure out on their own how to succeed but serving leaders take time to teach what is needed. They are able to say with conviction, “These are the actions we take to succeed and this is how we do it.”

Paul removed obstacles to success.

Paul does not want anything to hinder the focus on the mission. He urges, “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.”  Great leaders name the obstacles to success and do whatever it takes to remove them. They work hard to eliminate wasted time and energy. These obstacles may include lack of training, missing information or necessary equipment, distractions, unnecessary paperwork, wasted time and energy, etc. Some of these activities may be good things, but when they keep people from success, they need to be removed.  Some leaders press workers for success but do little to help them remove obstacles. But serving leaders aggressively look for and remove obstacles from their teams.  They are able to say with courage, “These things will keep us from success.”

 The world needs leaders who “blaze the trail” by showing their teams the way to success.

For further reflection and discussion:

-Do I clearly understand what makes my organization (department, team, etc.) uniquely special? If not, what will I do to clarify what brings us success? Who do I need to talk to? What questions will I ask them?

-How well does my team understand our mission? What can I do this week to remind them of the activities on which we need to focus? 

-How well do I teach my team what actions bring us success? How has this impacted my leadership capacity? In what ways can I strengthen the training processes with those I lead?  

-Take 10 minutes to reflect on waste in the organization you lead. What are the 3 main areas of waste? (See the short list of suggestions above for ideas). What will I do to remove them?  

-In addition to the scriptures used in this issue, read and reflect on how the following passages also illustrate how Paul acted to Blaze the Trail:   Acts 20:20-24; 26:19-20, 2 Timothy 2:2, 22-23; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-11; Philippians 1:27, 3:7-14; 17; 1 Corinthians 4:14-17, 11:1, 15:58; Colossians 1:28-29, 3:2; Galatians 2:7-8; and Ephesians 5:8.

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll look at how Paul build teams based on strengths. 

*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.

**Note: It is not known if Paul was the writer of Hebrews although it was traditionally attributed to him. However, even if Paul was not the author, it was almost certainly written by a close disciple or associate of Paul and was in alignment with Paul’s leadership and teaching.

Effective leadership begins with a compelling purpose. But the vision will not be accomplished unless teams are built around shared values that align peoples’ actions with the vision. Values guide the actions of everyone on the team and shape the culture. Values are expressed when someone says, “That’s how we do things here!” Raise the Bar is the second of The Five Actions of Serving Leadership (*see note) and focuses on values.  Values are grounded in faith and great leaders, like Paul, make their values clear to the entire team.

¹As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. ² Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. ³ Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:1-3, NIV).

Paul’s life and leadership provide a model of how serving leaders build a culture of values.

Paul identified and defined core values. 

In this passage, and many others, Paul identifies five distinct values that he calls others to follow. Later in this chapter, he will explain what these values look like in real life. Again and again, in Paul’s writings, he calls people to live out the values that express their faith. There was no ambiguity in how he lived and how he called people to behave. (See additional references below.)

Some leaders ignore values and focus primarily on getting the work done. They do not realize that every organization has values even when they are not identified and explained. But serving leaders take time to identify values that best reflect their unique purpose. Then they make sure that everyone on the team understands what these values look like.

Paul embedded core values in his team.  

Repeatedly Paul talked about the values that he believed were essential for the church. He talked about them, preached about them and wrote about them. He “caught people in the act” of living out the values and shared their example with others. (See Philippians 2:19-30 for two examples.) These stories encouraged everyone to live up to the same values.

Some leaders put values on the wall. But serving leaders embed values into the hearts and lives of their people. They model the way and are not afraid to say, “That’s how we do things here.” They create a culture of shared values. 

Paul addressed values gaps.

Paul often faced situations where people did not live out the values he had defined for them. This is a huge challenge for all leaders. What will we do when someone does not live out the value we have identified? Paul was quick to address these gaps. (See Gal. 2:11-14 for one example and others below.)

Some leaders ignore values gaps in hopes that the misalignment will go away and not impact the team. But serving leaders address values gaps by coaching people towards change. If the person is unwilling or unable to change, the leader serves the team by removing that person rather than compromising the value!

Serving leaders take full responsibility to build a culture of values on their team.

For further reflection and discussion:

What happens when the values of a leader are not clear?

Have I clearly identified the values of my organization? If not, what will I do to begin this process?

Does everyone in my organization understand what these values look like in real life? If not, what can I do to guide my team to a better understanding?

What do I do this week to remind my team of our values? How can I embed this into the regular life of our team? What story can I tell of someone who demonstrated one of our values?

Do I currently have team members that are not living up to our values? If so, what do I need to do to “Raise the Bar”?

In addition to the scriptures used in this issue, read and reflect on how the following passages also illustrate how Paul acted to Raise the Bar:   

Identifying values: (Galatians 5:19-26; Ephesians 5:1:15-20; Philippians 1:27; 2:1-11; Colossians 1:10; 3:12-14)

Embedding values: (Phil. 1:3-5; 4:15; 2:19-30; I Thessalonians 1:2-3; Rom. 16:1-4; Philemon 1:4-7)

Addressing values gaps: (1 Tim. 1:19-20; 1 Cor. 1:10-12; 3:1-4; 5:1-2; 6:1-8; 13:13; 2 Tim. 4:10; Titus 1:10-13; Gal. 2:11-14; 2 Thessalonians 3:11-15)

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll examine how Paul clarified his mission for the team. 

*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.