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. 

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.

When the vision, values and mission of any organization are clarified and embedded deeply into the culture of the organization people thrive. But Paul’s vision also includes two more actions serving leaders can take to build a thriving world. 

¹¹ So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, ¹² to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. ¹⁴ Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. ¹⁵ Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. ¹⁶ From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work (Ephesians 4:11-16). 

In this scripture, Paul describes a thriving world, one in which each person is contributing their best to the whole. In this issue, we focus on how the serving leader synchronizes the team. The Serving Leader Model® calls this “Build on Strength”.

Serving leaders synchronize the team by acknowledging strengths.  

Paul’s vision of the church body is diverse. He mentions a variety of gifts for the leaders and concludes by saying that the body will grow “as each part does its work.” Each part has a unique work. No part can do every work. Some leaders assume that if someone can do a job well, it must be a strength. But serving leaders look for areas of service that are life-giving to people. They first identify their own strengths and then work with their entire team to help each one identify areas in which they are not only good at doing but also enjoy doing.

Serving leaders synchronize the team by aligning strengths to tasks.   

When strengths are identified it is possible to begin to align assignments to those strengths. Paul would not ask the evangelist to prophesy; he would expect the evangelist to bring in new members. In the same way, serving leaders identify activities that bring life to their team members and then as much as possible align their assignments to that area. Each one will use the strengths that they have to bring their best to the team. Many leaders assign people to tasks simply based on what needs to be done and who is available. But serving leaders recognize that each person is uniquely wired to thrive at specific tasks. Wherever possible they adjust responsibilities to align with strengths.

Serving leaders synchronize the team by adjusting team roles.   

The beauty of teams is that each part needs the others. Paul implies that no leader with one of the gifts mentioned will be able to lead alone. They need the others.  Some leaders believe they should be able to do everything well. But serving leaders acknowledge that there is no such thing as a “well-rounded leader” but there can be well-rounded teams! They deliberately work to bring people around them that will help strengthen them in complimentary areas. And they work to align their teams to thrive by adjusting roles as much as possible to get people working in the areas of their strengths. Where teams are synchronized, people thrive!

For further reflection and discussion:

-Reflect on your own leadership in this area. How effectively does my leadership synchronize my team? How does my leadership in this area impact the thriving of our team?

-Are there things I am good at but do not enjoy doing? What should I do about this? What about those on my team? Do I actually know what they enjoy doing most? How can I find out? 

-When I identify strengths on my team, what can I do to shift their assignments towards areas of strengths?

-How can we talk as a team about individual strengths and make adjustments as much as possible and appropriate?

-Read again the scripture above (Ephesians 4:11-16) considering your organization in the area of teamwork and finding the right place for every person. What is one step you can take this week to improve?        

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll examine how serving leaders create thriving by spreading their power.

Click here for a resource from Center for Serving Leadership to help you in this area:  BOS Functional Strengths Identifier.

Leaders influence and impact the realm where they have authority. This may be at home, in their office or department, in the church they lead or in the business they operate. They naturally feel a sense of ownership of that entity, especially if they founded the organization or business*. But serving leaders recognize that the business is not their business. They view their business as reflected in the following scriptures.  

The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it (Ps. 24:1, NIV). 

‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the LORD Almighty  (Haggai 2:8).  

⁶I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. ⁷So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow (1 Corinthians 3:6-7).     

For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not? (1 Corinthians 4:7).  

Serving leaders see themselves as stewards rather than owners, they surrender ownership of their business/organization and it deeply impacts the way they lead.  

Serving leaders surrender the organization by acknowledging God’s ownership.   

God loudly declares that everything in the world is His! The land and the financial resources all belong to Him. This includes property deeds, bank accounts, property, equipment, etc. God allows His people to use His property for the time that they are alive. Serving leaders recognize that they are simply stewards of what He has entrusted to them. They seek to be responsible and faithful for what they have to manage whether little or much.  

Some leaders see themselves as owners and work in the business to bring profit to themselves. They take full responsibility for all that happens and focus on success as they define it. But serving leaders acknowledge God’s ownership. They are grateful for the opportunity to manage the organization and seek to do it with excellence. But they do not carry the weight and pressure of ownership. They find peace in being stewards.  

Serving leaders surrender the organization by acknowledging others’ contributions.  

Paul openly acknowledged that his success was dependent on the contributions of others. He “planted” but Apollos “watered” and ultimately God was the one “making it grow.”  

Some leaders only recognize their own contributions and tie their effort to the success of the organization. They start early and stay late because they think that without their diligence the organization will fail. But serving leaders acknowledge that success is not the result of one person’s efforts, but the work of a team. They gladly point out the contributions that others are making to the organization’s growth and ultimately give God the credit for the healthy growth they experience.  

Serving leaders surrender the organization by acknowledging their gifts.     

Paul acknowledged that he planted seeds that produced fruit. But he also recognized that the gifts he possessed were a gift from God, not something he produced on his own. Some leaders see themselves as superior to others and take credit for their own gifts. But serving leaders acknowledge their gifts as a blessing from God. They do not minimize how they are gifted, but they also do not take personal credit for that which they have received.   

Remember, it’s not your business! Serving leaders serve their organizations by surrendering ownership.  

For further reflection and discussion: 

• How do I view ‘my’ organization, as mine or God’s? Do I feel pressured to make things happen and tie the success of my organization to my value as a person? How can I daily live in the reality that it all belongs to God?  
• When I reflect on the success experienced in my organization, do I look first at my own contributions, or do I focus on the contributions of others? How can I acknowledge the contributions of my team this week?  
• Reflect on Paul’s words, “What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” This week, how can I thank those who invested in my own growth and development? (Think about teachers, mentors, persons who opened doors for you, introduced you to significant relationships, those who believed in you before you produced results, etc.)  

Until next time, yours on the journey, 

Jon Byler 

*Note: In this series we’ll use “business” to apply to any type of organization whether for profit or non-profit. The principles of this series apply to for-profit enterprises, non-profits (such as churches or NGO’s) and any other domain of work and service.   

In the next issue, we’ll examine how serving leaders shape the business.  

We have examined several significant actions of secure leaders and recognized that secure leaders are serving leaders. They demonstrate their leadership security as they serve by encouraging, delegating, embracing differences, and accepting mistakes. These actions all lead to the final one, developing others. Developing others is both the outcome of these actions and a deliberate act of secure leaders. Apart from Jesus, Paul is perhaps the best example of a secure leader that developed many other leaders, including Apollos. When the Corinthian church started quarreling about who they should follow, Paul had this to say:  

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. ⁷ So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. ⁸ The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. ⁹ For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building (1 Corinthians 3:5-9, NIV).

Paul’s response demonstrates why secure leaders serve as they develop others.

Secure leaders develop others because they recognize their role.  

 “What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants…” Paul recognized that he was the founder of this church. But he also saw his role as a servant. He was in a role to serve others and to meet the needs they had. He served by developing Apollos, another servant. Paul was secure in his role and did not need to defend his superiority.   

An insecure leader in the same situation would loudly defend their own role and remind people of their title or position. But secure leaders do not need to argue, they recognize their role and are content to serve in the place of influence they occupy whether that is high or low.

Secure leaders develop others because they respect the gifts of others. 

“…as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it…” Paul knew his own gifts but recognized that Apollos had distinct gifts. Paul was secure in who he was called to be and had no problem with one of his disciples being gifted differently.

Insecure leaders cannot affirm the unique gifts of others, especially when they seem to outshine their own. But secure leaders respect the gifts others bring and welcome them to use those gifts to serve.  

Secure leaders develop others because they realize the vision.  

 “For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.” Paul was able to develop others and allow them to flourish because he realized that the vision was much bigger than him. Paul’s vision was not only to plant churches but to see a reproducing movement of churches. He realized that he could not accomplish this alone. He was secure enough to invest in developing others so the work would multiply in subsequent generations.

Insecure leaders limit the vision to what they can accomplish through others but they don’t develop others to multiply the vision for the next generations. Their focus on self produces a short-term vision. But secure leaders see a larger vision of work that will continue long after their own time. So, they invest in the lives of others, developing them to carry on the vision.

Your security as a leader matters! Consider the questions below to grow in your own leadership security.   

For further reflection and discussion:

• When I look at my own leadership, do I primarily see things I have accomplished myself or ways that I have developed others?  How does this reflect my own level of leadership security?
• How do I see my role as a leader? Do I have a need to be at the top or be recognized as the most important leader in my organization? If my title was taken away, would I be content to continue serving in whatever role I had?
• When I see gifts in others, do I feel threatened by areas in which they excel beyond me? How does this impact the way I talk about other leaders in my organization?
• Is my vision limited to what I can accomplish in my lifetime, or do I see a larger picture of what can be accomplished in the next generations?   
• Where I see insecurity in my leadership, what steps do I need to take this week to become a more secure leader? Who can I talk with that can help me grow or hold me accountable to take the steps I need to take?           

Until next time, yours on the journey,

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

Secure leaders serve those they lead by embracing differences.  Instead of being threatened by differences, they see differences as a strength.  The leadership team in Antioch was filled with five remarkably secure leaders.  

¹ Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. ² While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” ³ So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off (Acts 13:1-3, NIV)

This team modeled how and why serving leaders embrace differences. 

Secure leaders embrace different backgrounds because they provide perspective.

This group came together from remarkably diverse backgrounds. Barnabas came from the island of Cyprus and was a Jew but spoke Greek. Simon (a Jewish name) and Lucius (a Latin name) were Africans and likely black. Manaen was a Palestinian with Greek background who grew up in the center of the political world in Judea. Saul, who would become Paul, was a well-educated Jew from Tarsus.  The team was clearly multi-racial and multi-ethnic. Their different backgrounds gave them the diverse perspectives they needed to lead the growing church in Antioch with its mixture of Jews and Gentiles. Their different backgrounds and perspectives made them a dynamic team.  Where there was a need for someone to speak in a Jewish synagogue, Paul was prepared. Barnabas could speak Greek. Manaen could speak to the Gentile politicians and Simon and Lucius could connect with immigrants. This diversity could have caused significant conflict, but these leaders were secure enough to embrace the different perspectives each brought to the team.

Insecure leaders see different backgrounds as a threat and a distraction. They look for people who think like themselves and see the world in the same way. But secure serving leaders serve by embracing those from different backgrounds.

Secure leaders embrace different gifts because they produce strength.

There were many different gifts represented in this circle of leaders, some were prophets, some were teachers. Barnabas was an encourager, a giver and a man of faith. He recognized the need to bring Saul to Antioch to help with the young church (see Acts 11;19-26). Saul was a strategic visionary. With the others, they were a strong team because of their different gifts.

Insecure leaders don’t readily accept and affirm the gifts of others. They feel threatened when others do things better. But secure serving leaders see different gifts as a strength. They acknowledge and affirm the value that other gifts bring. They serve by embracing different gifts.  

Secure leaders embrace different callings because they propel innovation.  

As the team worshipped and fasted it became clear that two were called to go. As they released Barnabas and Saul, they launched a new age of church expansion and innovation that would go to the ends of the known world!

Insecure leaders can’t see beyond their own work or envision greatness beyond themselves and their own calling. But secure serving leaders recognize that different callings can lead to innovative expansion. They serve by embracing different callings.

For further reflection and discussion:

• How diverse is my team in terms of backgrounds? Gifts? Calling? How does this impact my success?
• In what ways can I encourage the different perspectives on my team?
• Have I tended to bring around me people with gifts that are similar or different from mine? How has that impacted my leadership capacity?
• How clearly have I recognized and affirmed the different gifts on my team? Who can I talk to today to express my appreciation for the gift they bring which is so different from mine?
• What has been my attitude towards those whose calling is quite different from mine? Have I been able to bless and release these gifts in ways that produce new initiatives? Who on my team currently may have a call to something new and different? How can I encourage them to follow that call?   

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll examine how secure leaders accept mistakes.

In the previous issue we looked at how Jesus was a secure leader because He knew His authority, identity and destiny. His security allowed him to serve His disciples. Now, we’ll look at several ways that secure leaders serve those they lead—first by encouraging. The story of Barnabas gives us a beautiful picture of a secure serving leader, expressed in his encouragement. His name meant “son of encouragement” (see Acts 4:36) and one of his first actions was to encourage the church in Jerusalem to accept the newly converted Saul. Later, the leaders in Jerusalem sent him on an important mission to a new church in Antioch.

²² News of this reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. ²³ When he arrived and saw what the grace of God had done, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. ²⁴ He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. ²⁵ Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, ²⁶ and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. (Acts 11:22-26a, NIV).

Barnabas arrived at this new church and “encouraged them.” We can learn from his example why secure leaders encourage others well.  

Secure leaders encourage because they focus on others.

Barnabas went to Antioch and saw “what the grace of God had done” in the lives of those in the church. He focused on them, not himself. He did not try to show how important he was and display the credentials that brought him to Antioch. Instead, he focused on those he could serve. Insecure leaders can’t get beyond themselves; their world revolves around their own goals, ambitions and objectives. They want others to focus on them. But secure leaders recognize that their leadership is not about them, it is about others. They are able to focus on those they serve.

Secure leaders encourage because they rejoice with others.

Barnabas arrived and saw evidence of good progress in their lives. He knew he was a “good man” but he was secure enough to be ‘glad’ to see others doing well.  Insecure leaders are not confident in their own ability so they look to others to validate their accomplishments and affirm their progress. They work hard to impress others and call attention to their own achievements. They love to hear followers say how good they are and want others to rejoice with them. But secure leaders are confident in their own roles and look at the success of others and rejoice with them.  They serve by encouraging the progress they see in others.

Secure leaders encourage because they value others.

Barnabas not only encouraged the believers in Antioch, but he also looked for Paul to come and help in the work. He valued the teaching gift that Paul would bring to this team and was not threatened by his gifts. He was secure in his own value so could value others.  Insecure leaders are not confident in their own capacity and calling, so they compete with others in their attempt to get to the top and prove their value. They see the gifts of others as threats to themselves. But secure leaders know who they are, they honestly acknowledge their own strengths and weaknesses. They are not in leadership to push others down or to show how good they are. They value the gifts of others and serve by encouraging all the gifts on the team.    

For further reflection and discussion:

• Would those around me describe me as a person who encourages them? (If you’re not sure, ask them!) How does the life of Barnabas challenge me to grow in the area of encouragement?
• How much of my leadership is focused on myself and how much is focused on others? In what practical way today can I focus on and encourage someone on my team?
• When others do well, what is my default response—to rejoice or be envious? Reflect on a recent example where someone else did well and was recognized for that. Evaluate how you responded. In what way did your response impact your leadership?
• In what way do I value the gifts of others on my team? What can I do today to acknowledge and affirm the gift of a colleague or team member?         

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll examine how secure leaders delegate.

Timothy had a gifting and calling to the leadership roles in which he served, especially in his leadership of the church at Ephesus. But there were many years of growth and development that preceded this assignment and during that time Timothy was clarifying his calling.  Consider these instructions Paul gave to Timothy:

Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you (1 Timothy 4:14, NIV).

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands (2 Timothy 1:6).  

Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well (1 Timothy 1:18).

In these passages Paul encouraged Timothy to be clear about the call he had received to be a leader. There are several steps Timothy took to clarify his call which serve as a model for all serving leaders.

Timothy recognized the call to lead.

Paul reminds Timothy that there was a time that a body of elders laid hands on him and prophetically identified the calling and gifting that was in Timothy. We can’t know for certain when this happened but since Paul later reminds him to remember the call, it is likely that it was early in his leadership journey, perhaps when he first left home to travel with Paul. In any case, when this happened it was the beginning of recognition of his gifting and calling. Like most leaders Timothy did not likely see his own abilities and needed others to speak into his life to confirm his gifting. Serving leaders receive this as a part of their journey and they also seek to do the same for others around them.  

Timothy reinforced the call to lead.

Paul encouraged Timothy to “not neglect” and to “fan into flame” the gift that was within him. This is a call to nurture and develop what has been identified.  There would be many steps of learning and growth that were required before Timothy was ready to lead the church at Ephesus and we’ll look at many of these later in this series. For now, suffice it to say that the gifts in Timothy were clearly given but also needed to be reinforced. He would have to learn to lead as the prophecies foretold. He would practice and sometimes make mistakes but continued learning and growing. Timothy would also learn to acknowledge that he was not gifted in every way, he had his unique strengths but he would not be excellent at every aspect of leadership.  Serving leaders acknowledge that they are called and gifted to lead and at the same time recognize the diverse gifts that are needed around them. They “fan into flame” their own gifts as they learn to lead well.

Timothy remembered the call to lead.

Paul admonishes Timothy to “recall” the prophecies that had been spoken over him years earlier. What was the purpose of this reminder? Perhaps Timothy was going through a difficult time in his leadership journey and needed encouragement. Or maybe he was feeling so successful that he was forgetting the reason that he was serving. Timothy, like all serving leaders, needed to stop and reflect on why he was doing what he was doing. They need to remember their own call to serve others with their leadership gifts.

Paul wanted Timothy to remain in Ephesus…maybe it was difficult and Timothy felt like giving up. We need to remember the purpose behind our serving. Encouragement is needed.

For further reflection and discussion:

• Where did I first recognize that I was gifted and called to leadership? Were there others who affirmed this in me and if so, have I expressed my appreciation to them for this gift?
• Who around me has leadership gifts that I can identify and affirm? How and when will I do this?
• What are my greatest leadership strengths and what am I currently doing to develop them?
• How deeply have I accepted that I will never excel at every element of leadership but I can bring a team around me to complement my weaknesses? How does this impact my leadership?
• Reflect on those you lead. What can I do to encourage them to clarify their own calling?        
• In addition to the verses we used in this issue, consider the following verses: 1 Timothy 4:15-16; 6:11-12, 20; and 2 Timothy 2:14. What additional insights do you find from these verses about how Timothy clarified his call?       

In this series we are looking at the life of Timothy. It’s a great time to read through the two books in the Bible with his name, written to him by Paul. As you read, reflect on what Timothy did to grow as a leader and how his actions apply to your own growth. 

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll look at how Timothy learned the Word.

We have reflected on several deliberate actions that Paul took to develop his leadership pipeline strategically moving people from one level to the next in their capacity. One action that Paul continually practiced was encouraging those he wanted to develop. Consider these examples from his communication with Timothy:

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands (2 Timothy 1:6).

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity (1 Timothy 4:12).

¹⁹ I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. ²⁰ I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. ²¹ For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. ²² But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel(Philippians 2:19-22).

We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith (1 Thessalonians 3:2).

Paul provided Timothy with both private words of encouragement and public affirmation of his gifts and calling. He understood that encouragement results in better leaders and his example shows serving leaders what encouragement produces.

Encouraging leaders produces growth in others.

Paul encouraged Timothy to grow and develop, to “fan into flame” the gifts that he had. Imagine the impact it had for Timothy to hear from Paul that he had a gift within him. An emerging leader often does not even imagine their leadership capacity and it takes someone else to point out their gifts. When an established leader points out the gifts of an emerging leader it is a great encouragement and provides a desire to grow. Paul also called forth what was to become a flame, likely only a tiny spark at the time. But Paul focused on what Timothy would become. What a motivation to grow and develop! Some leaders point to their own gifts but serving leaders highlight the gifts of those they lead. As they do they develop leaders who are growing.

Encouraging leaders produces confidence in others.

As Paul encouraged Timothy, he became a strong leader that “proved himself.” Paul’s public encouragement of Timothy’s strength must have inspired confidence in him. What a confidence builder to know that a mature leader believes that I can do this!

Some leaders believe that pointing out the weaknesses of others will help them become strong. Serving leaders don’t ignore weaknesses, but they encourage and affirm signs of positive growth. And as they encourage, serving leaders build confident leaders.

Encouraging leaders produces reproduction in others.

Paul encouraged Timothy and it is not surprising that Timothy would “strengthen and encourage” the believers in Thessalonica. Encouragement cascades from one leader to another.

Some leaders think they can reproduce leaders by training. But serving leaders reproduce by their example, they model the way. They recognize that leadership is more often caught than taught. So they encourage, and reproduce encouragers!

Do you want growing, confident and reproducing leaders? Lead with encouragement!

For further reflection and discussion:

• Would those who follow me describe me as an encouraging leader? Why or why not?
• Do I more easily offer private words of encouragement or public words? What step can I take to balance both?
• Which person who follows me would I like to encourage? (When you have identified that person answer the following questions about him/her.)
• What gifts do I see in that person?
• What will these gifts produce in the future?
• How can I communicate this privately?
• How can I communicate this publicly?
• When will I do this?

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler In the next issue, we’ll examine how Paul developed his leadership pipeline by loving them.

There’s not a specific verse in scripture that talks about the humility of Barnabas, but there is plenty of evidence that he served with  deep humility. First, while he was a prominent figure in the life of the church, when the people chose the first deacons, his name was not included (see Acts 6:1-6). This might have been a great disappointment to him, but nowhere is there any evidence that he resented this lack of recognition. An even stronger indication of his humility comes in his relationship with Saul (later called Paul) and how they are noted by the historian Luke who wrote the book of Acts. Early in the story the name of Barnabas is always mentioned first. He was a leader before Paul was even converted so naturally his name was prominent. At the church in Antioch, the name of Barnabas was listed first (Acts 13:1). As they set out on the first missionary journey they went as “Barnabas and Saul” (see Acts 13:6). Barnabas was in the forefront. But very soon this changes.

Paul became the key leader on the team, even in Cyprus, the home of Barnabas. By the time they left Cyprus Luke speaks of “Paul and his companions” (Acts 13:13) and after Mark left it was “Paul and Barnabas” (Acts 13:42). From this point forward their names were nearly always listed in this order. (See exceptions in Acts 14:14 and 15:2, 25). After the disagreement Barnabas had with Paul in Acts 15 (which we will examine in our next issue) Barnabas made a missionary trip that Luke did not even include in his history of the church and the name of Barnabas is not mentioned again. Only a humble leader can continue serving after losing recognition. His humility did not make him a weak leader but a serving leader who focused on others rather than himself. Barnabas shows all leaders how to serve with humility.

Humility serves by spotlighting the gifts of others

Barnabas recognized Paul’s gifting early in their relationship and continually pulled Paul into places where he would use those gifts. He brought Paul to the church leaders in Jerusalem and later called Paul to join him at Antioch. Barnabas was a gifted leader, but he humbly shone a light on the gifts of Paul until they were recognized by all.

Some leaders want the focus of attention to be on their own gifts and feel threatened by the gifts of others around them. But serving leaders are not threatened by the gifts of others. They do not downplay their own gifts but call attention to the gifts of others. They humbly affirm and acknowledge that others are gifted in ways that they are not and seek ways to let others know about those gifts.

Humility serves by strengthening the gifts of others.  

Barnabas not only highlighted the gifts of Paul, but he also worked hard to compliment those gifts with his own. He walked alongside of Paul and brought his gifts to bear to their teamwork. He traveled, preached, and led with Paul. Paul, even when he took the lead, needed the gifts of Barnabas.  

Some leaders look for others to strengthen their own gifts. Serving leaders look for ways to strengthen the gifts of others.

Humility serves by submitting to the gifts of others.

Barnabas faded from the records as he allowed Paul to rise up as a leader. He submitted his gifts to the greater good and the mission of the team. Some leaders resist yielding their gifts to a larger purpose. But serving leaders submit their gifts to team goals. When, like Barnabas, that means disappearing from the scene, they accept that with humility. If they are by gifting a “Paul”, they find ways to affirm the gifting of the “Barnabas” on the team which they acknowledge they also need to succeed.

For further reflection and discussion:

• How does the humility of Barnabas challenge me as a leader? What action can I take this week to be more like him?
• In what ways can I spotlight the gifts of others today instead of my own?
• In what ways do my gifts strengthen the gifts of others? How can I appropriately acknowledge the role of my own gifts while serving others?
• Do I consciously submit my own gifts to the mission of the team, or do I see my gifts as more important than the mission? How does this impact my leadership?
• If I am more of a “Paul” by gifting, what can I do to affirm the role of the “Barnabas” on my team today?   

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler In the next issue, we’ll examine how Barnabas served with failure!