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.

November 13, 2024

Paul’s description of a thriving body that grows and becomes stronger and stronger is a powerful image for any organization and a healthy model for any leader to follow.

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. We have already looked at the actions of clarifying and embedding the vision, values and mission and building teams on strengths. In this final issue, we focus on how serving leaders share their power with others. The Serving Leader Model® calls this “Upend the Pyramid” as this concept turns the traditional model of leadership upside down! Serving leaders spread their power.

Serving leaders spread the power by delegating.

Paul says that the work of the leaders is to “equip his [God’s] people for works of service.” Many leaders see their work as doing the work. They work hard and demonstrate how much they can do. They insist on doing the work themselves and want to keep all the power. But serving leaders realize that the work of leadership is to delegate power to others who are called to do the work. They recognize that they are in power to empower others. Their work is to serve those doing the work. They reflect on what tasks they are doing that others could do. Then they delegate that work to others and give them the corresponding authority.   

Serving leaders spread the power by equipping others.

Delegating releases power to others; equipping trains them to do the work well. Some leaders assign tasks to others but assume that they’ll learn how to do it on their own. But serving leaders spend more and more of their time equipping others. They recognize that as they grow others, they are developing other leaders not simply followers. As they do so they are also growing an organization where people thrive.

Serving leaders spread the power by preparing for succession.  

When leaders are spreading the power, growing and developing others around them, they are effectively preparing the organization for the time that they will no longer be in the leadership role. Some leaders work hard with little thought to what will happen after they are gone. But serving leaders prepare for the long-term success of their organization by delegating responsibility, sharing their power and equipping others to do the work. Little by little the organization becomes mature and able to thrive even in their absence. Where leaders spread the power people thrive!

For further reflection and discussion:

-Reflect on your own leadership in the areas of delegation and empowering others. How effectively does my leadership release power? How does my leadership in this area impact the thriving of our team?

-When is the last time I delegated something to others? Was it primarily to develop them or to avoid doing the work myself? Did I clearly articulate what I expected from them and what level of authority I was giving them? What was the result and what can I learn from it?

-How much of my time is spent doing the work and how much time is spent equipping others to work? What can I do to increase the time I spend on equipping others?  

-What would happen in my organization if I was suddenly gone? Would it survive? Thrive? What does this say about my leadership and what can I do to better prepare for the time I will be gone?

-Read again the scripture above (Ephesians 4:11-16) considering your organization in the area of empowering others. 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 look at a new series!

Click here for a resource from Center for Serving Leadership to help you in this area: UTP Empowerment Planner Complete A4 v.17

We have reflected on two actions that serving leaders take which produce a thriving world—they shape the vision and set the values. A third action serving leaders take to produce thriving is to share the mission. Again, consider Paul’s vision of the church body.

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 of speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, 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). 

Paul describes a thriving world in which each part is doing its part and the body is growing to healthy maturity. In this issue, we focus on how serving leaders share the mission of the organization. The Serving Leader Model® calls this “Blaze the Trail”.  Mission addresses the question, “What do we do that brings value to those we serve?” 

Serving leaders share the mission by clarifying priorities.

Paul reveals the mission of the body in this passage. There are “works of service” and an acknowledgment that “each part does its work.” There is work to be done and clients, customers, or members to serve. Each member has a part to play in fulfilling the mission and every organization has a unique way in which they add value to the world. Many leaders focus on making sure everyone is busy. But serving leaders share the mission with everyone by clarifying priorities so that everyone is busy doing the right things. They make it abundantly clear to everyone what work serves the customer/client/member in ways that ensure the mission is accomplished. 

Serving leaders share the mission by teaching.

Paul encourages the leaders to “equip his [God’s] people for works of service.” He understood that thriving required the leaders to teach others how to do their work. Many leaders, especially founders of organizations, intuitively understand the special value that they bring and what special “flavor” of service they bring to the world. And they assume that in time others will learn it from them. But serving leaders realize that mission critical work must be taught. They are quick to say, “Let me show you how we do this in this organization and why doing it this way helps us accomplish our mission.” They teach, train, observe, correct and instruct until the work is done in the right way.

Serving leaders share the mission by removing obstacles.

Paul talks about the “waves” and “winds” that will distract people from the real work of the church. He recognizes that it will be easy to lose focus and start doing things that don’t really produce maturity. Over time many leaders slowly allow excessive reporting, unnecessary meetings, redundant tasks, and inefficient workflows to develop. But serving leaders work continually to remove obstacles to the mission.

Where the mission is clear and everyone knows how to do their part to accomplish the mission people thrive!

For further reflection and discussion:

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

-How clear is our mission? What do I need to do as a leader to clarify what activities are mission-critical in our organization?

-What percent of my time is invested in teaching others how to do their work? What should it be? What do I need to do to move in the right direction?

-What areas of waste exist in my organization? (Consider inefficient movements, wasted time, meetings that are not focused, paperwork, time spent on email and other areas.) Which one of these will I do something about today?

-Read again the scripture above (Ephesians 4:11-16) considering your organization in the area of your mission. 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 look at how serving leaders create thriving by synchronizing their teams.

Click here for a resource from Center for Serving Leadership to help you in this area: BTT Success Factors Discovery Tool A4 v.17

#384  Serving Leaders
Produce a Thriving World: They Share the Mission October 16, 2024Snippet:  Reflections for Serving Leaders, latest issueWe have reflected on two actions that
serving leaders take which produce a thriving world—they shape the vision and
set the values. A third action serving leaders take to produce thriving is to
share the mission. Again, consider Paul’s vision of the church body. 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 of speaking the truth in love, we will
grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, 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).  Paul describes a thriving world in
which each part is doing its part and the body is growing to healthy maturity.
In this issue, we focus on how serving leaders share the mission of the
organization. The Serving Leader Model® calls this “Blaze the Trail”.  Mission addresses the question, “What do we
do that brings value to those we serve?” 
Serving leaders share the mission by
clarifying priorities. Paul reveals the mission of the body
in this passage. There are “works of service” and an acknowledgment that “each
part does its work.” There is work to be done and clients, customers, or
members to serve. Each member has a part to play in fulfilling the mission and
every organization has a unique way in which they add value to the world. Many
leaders focus on making sure everyone is busy. But serving leaders share the
mission with everyone by clarifying priorities so that everyone is busy doing
the right things. They make it abundantly clear to everyone what work serves
the customer/client/member in ways that ensure the mission is
accomplished.  Serving leaders share the mission by
teaching. Paul encourages the leaders to “equip
his [God’s] people for works of service.” He understood that thriving required
the leaders to teach others how to do their work. Many leaders, especially
founders of organizations, intuitively understand the special value that they
bring and what special “flavor” of service they bring to the world. And they
assume that in time others will learn it from them. But serving leaders realize
that mission critical work must be taught. They are quick to say, “Let me show
you how we do this in this organization and why doing it this way helps us
accomplish our mission.” They teach, train, observe, correct and instruct until
the work is done in the right way. Serving leaders share the mission by
removing obstacles. Paul talks about the “waves” and
“winds” that will distract people from the real work of the church. He
recognizes that it will be easy to lose focus and start doing things that don’t
really produce maturity. Over time many leaders slowly allow excessive
reporting, unnecessary meetings, redundant tasks, and inefficient workflows to
develop. But serving leaders work continually to remove obstacles to the
mission. Where the mission is clear and
everyone knows how to do their part to accomplish the mission people thrive!   For
further reflection and discussion:Reflect on your own leadership in this
area. How effectively does my leadership share the mission of our organization?
How does my leadership in this area impact the thriving of our team? How clear is our mission? What do I
need to do as a leader to clarify what activities are mission-critical in our
organization? What percent of my time is invested in
teaching others how to do their work? What should it be? What do I need to do
to move in the right direction? What areas of waste exist in my
organization? (Consider inefficient movements, wasted time, meetings that are
not focused, paperwork, time spent on email and other areas.) Which one of
these will I do something about today? Read again the scripture above
(Ephesians 4:11-16) considering your organization in the area of your mission.
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 look at how
serving leaders create thriving by synchronizing their teams.   Click here for a resource from Center
for Serving Leadership to help you in this area: Success Factors Discovery Tool
 

Timothy quickly learned that a significant part of leadership is passing on to others what he knew and believed. He learned to teach. Reflect on the following instructions from Paul to Timothy:

And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful (2 Timothy 2:24, NIV).

Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.  2 Timothy 4:2 (NIV)

¹You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ² 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 2:1–2).

These are the things you are to teach and insist on (1 Timothy 6:2).

Timothy was a gifted teacher and served well by teaching well. All leaders, even those whose primary gifting is not teaching, can learn from him how to better serve those they lead through effective teaching.

Timothy learned to teach by defining his motive.   

Timothy first needed to learn to teach for the right reasons and with the right heart towards those he led. So, Paul instructs Timothy to check his motives for teaching. Some leaders teach to win an argument or prove their point. But Timothy learned that serving leaders are not to be “quarrelsome.” Some leaders teach with resentment towards those who know less than they do and are impatient with the learners. Timothy learned that serving leaders are not “resentful” and they have “great patience.” Serving leaders get their hearts in the right place before they open their mouths to teach.

Timothy learned to teach by determining his message.   

Timothy next learned to think critically about the content of his teaching. He learned from Paul to focus on “…the things you have heard me say…these are the things you are to teach.” Timothy learned that not every message is of equal importance. He learned to give careful thought to what he would teach. Some leaders teach whatever happens to be at the top of their mind in the moment. But serving leaders give careful thought to the content of their teaching and methodically share what is most important. Serving leaders focus their message on things that really matter for the organization, especially the vision, mission, and values.  

Timothy learned to teach by developing his methods.  

With the right motive and the correct message, Timothy also learned how to use effective methods as a teacher. He heard Paul insist that he be “able to teach” and to train those he served to “be qualified to teach others.” Timothy understood that effective teaching requires continual growth in learning what methods best serve the audience. Some teachers assume that it is the work of the audience to figure out what they are saying and what needs to be done in response. But serving leaders strive to use teaching methods that make the message crystal clear. They learn from their mistakes and adjust their style to serve those in the audience. They observe and learn from other communicators how to communicate effectively. And they ask for feedback from others to continually strengthen their teaching methods because they understand that teaching well is serving well.  

For further reflection and discussion:

• How can I develop the ability to teach others in my own life? In the three areas we examined (motives, my message, and methods) where am I strongest? Weakest? When I examine my own heart and motive for teaching others, what do I discover? How carefully do I consider the content of what I teach others? What are the next steps for me to strengthen my ability to teach well?
• Reflect on those you lead. What steps can I take this week to help them develop their own ability to teach others?      
• In addition to the verses we used in this issue, consider the following: 1 Timothy 6:2-5; 2 Timothy 1:6, 13-14; and 2:14. What additional insights do you find from these verses about how Timothy learned to teach?         

In this series we have been looking at the life of Timothy. If you haven’t already this would be 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 a final characteristic of Timothy’s leadership, how he learned to fight!

Paul chose Timothy to be a traveling companion and future leader. But even before they left Lystra Paul recognized that some preparation needed to be done before Timothy was ready to travel with the team.  

 Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek (Acts 16:3, NIV).  

Most modern leaders don’t consider circumcision as a part of their leadership development program! But we can learn much from Paul’s example about how serving leaders prepare those chosen to be on their team.  

Serving leaders prepare others by exposing the cost.  

Timothy certainly experienced physical pain in the act of circumcision and at one level that accomplished Paul’s objective. But at a deeper level, Paul was teaching Timothy that leadership involves pain and sacrifice. Before Timothy took the first step on the journey, he needed to count the cost and Paul wanted to make sure Timothy had some “skin in the game.” He was also checking Timothy’s motives. Did Timothy just want an adventure and the trip of a lifetime? Or was he ready to pay the price of leadership? Perhaps Paul had learned a painful lesson from his experience with another young leader, Mark, who went on the first journey. Mark turned back when things got tough. (See Acts 13:5, 13; 15:36-41) In any case, Paul ensured that Timothy understood that leadership is a journey that carries a cost.

Some leaders try to encourage emerging leaders to step into leadership by focusing on the perks of leadership and emphasize the rewards. But serving leaders put the pain on the line and realize that if the new leader won’t cross the threshold, they are not ready for leadership.  They might assign a difficult task to see whether the emerging leader rises to the challenge with a good attitude. Serving leaders prepare others by exposing the cost.

Serving leaders prepare others by eliminating obstacles.

  If Paul allowed Timothy, a Jew, to be uncircumcised, it would be offensive to all Jews. While Paul adamantly argued that Gentiles did not need to be circumcised, he did not want Timothy’s ability to influence others to be hindered. So, he eliminated that obstacle for Timothy who was likely oblivious to how critical it was. Some leaders ignore obstacles or expect the young leader to learn how to overcome by themselves. But serving leaders look for ways to remove obstacles. While pain is important to confirm motives, serving leaders seek to eliminate any obstacles that will hinder the effective work of the emerging leader. 

Serving leaders prepare others by equipping for success.  

By requiring Timothy to be circumcised Paul was equipping him for success as a leader. If Timothy would not have been circumcised he would have been unable to enter the synagogues where Paul always went first in his strategic church planting efforts. And he would not have been able later to effectively lead churches with Jewish believers. So, with circumcision, Paul equipped Timothy to succeed.

Some leaders focus on their own success and see their team as a means to help. But serving leaders focus on what their team needs and equips them to succeed. Serving leaders measure their success by the success of others.

For further reflection and discussion:

• Think of a person you are considering as a potential team member, or a current member you are considering for a higher responsibility. What actions can you take to help them count the cost of that change?
• Paul used pain to expose the cost of leadership. But he also removed obstacles for Timothy. How do you decide when it is helpful to allow some pain and when an obstacle needs to be removed for those you serve?
• Identify one younger leader on your team. What is an obstacle they face and how can you remove it for them?
• In what ways are you setting your team up for success? What additional actions can you take to ensure that they will be successful?                   

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler In the next issue, we’ll examine how Paul loved those in his leadership pipeline.

Serving leaders have a passion, not only for their own personal growth, but they want to see those they lead also growing. They are in the growing people business! So, they attend to their own growth and then quickly turn their attention to the growth of those they lead. They have a vision from God to impact their world and they know that they cannot do this alone. They call a team to help them, and the team also needs to be growing if they are to scale the mountain. They have the same perspective towards the growth of those they lead as the writer of Hebrews.

¹² In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! ¹³ Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. ¹⁴ But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil (Hebrews 5:11-14, NIV).

Serving leaders desire to see those the lead flourishing and growing into their full potential. So, they often ask their followers, “How are you growing?”

Serving leaders ask “How are you growing?“ to encourage change.   

The writer clearly expects growth and progress. An infant is expected to drink milk, but a mature person should be eating meat. Serving leaders expect growth from those they lead and this requires change. Serving leaders are not content with followers that simply continue to do their work at the same level. They desire growth and ask their followers how they are growing to assess the level of change. Simply asking the question helps the follower to understand that growth is encouraged and expected. By asking “How are you growing?” serving leaders encourage their followers to rise and develop the potential that is yet undeveloped.

Serving leaders ask “How are you growing?“ to encourage consistency.

The question of growth is not a one-time question but one that serving leaders use often. The writer says that one of the characteristics of the mature is that they “by constant use have trained themselves…”  A step of growth produces change, but consistent growth is the key to transformation. Serving leaders recognize that many people in a new role, grow quickly as they learn the task, but then plateau when the reach a certain level of capacity. The question, “How are you growing?” encourages the follower to keep developing their strengths and capacity.

Serving leaders ask “How are you growing?“ to encourage continuity.

The writer challenges the readers, “by this time you ought to be teachers…” The expectation is that with growth and maturity there will be a passing on of what is learned to the next generation. Serving leaders take a long view and desire not only the growth of the individual they are leading, but the growth of those who will follow. So, they ask their followers, “How are you growing?” to remind them that they are not only growing for themselves but for those who will follow. They may shape the question even more directly, “Who are you training to take over your role?” Serving leaders ask their followers how they are growing so that they will be encouraged to pass on to others what they are learning.

For further reflection and discussion:

• Do I have a high expectation of growth and change from everyone I lead? How do I communicate that expectation to them? What do I do when someone is not interested in growing?
• Are there persons on my team that have stopped growing? How can I ask them a question that will rekindle their desire to grow?
• How do my followers pass on to others what they are learning? Have I built that expectation into our entire team? Can I see evidence of several generations of training happening in my organization? (An example of several generations would be that those first trained have trained others who are now training others.) If not, what do I need to change?                  

Until next time,

yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll look at/examine a question serving leaders ask themselves, “What should I stop doing?”  

In the last issue we looked at the second action of the The Serving Leader Model^TM*, Raise the Bar, and examined how Jesus clarified values to His disciples. Jesus also clearly Blazed the Trail as He modeled for His disciples how their success would be measured.

⁸ “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. ⁹ Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ ¹⁰ But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, ¹¹ ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’ ¹⁶ “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.” ¹⁷ The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” ¹⁸ He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. ¹⁹ I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. ²⁰ However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:-11, 16-24).

Jesus clarified what success would look like on His team. He taught them to be successful and removed obstacles that would hinder their ultimate success. He Blazed the Trail for His followers and shows serving leaders how to do the same. 

Serving leaders clarify success with communication.

Jesus sent His team out with clear communication about the way success would be measured. Their mission was to proclaim the message He had given them. But their success would be tied to the great purpose or vision which He had shared with them, that workers would be raised up for the “harvest field.” He now tied their success to the accomplishment of that great purpose. He is clear that some would welcome their message and others would reject it. Their success was not tied to the responses. When they came back from their work and attributed success to the miracles accomplished, Jesus reminds them that their success is only tied to their names being written in heaven.

Serving leaders find a way to communicate clearly what success will look like on their team. It may be sales targets, transformed lives, new attendees or customers. Whatever the measurement, serving leaders communicate clearly what success looks like and what it is not! And they always tie success to their great purpose.

Serving leaders coach for success by teaching.

Jesus didn’t simply clarify what success would look like, He provided practical teaching for His team that helped them be successful. He instructed them about the message they were to share and gave them specific instructions. He wanted them to succeed and coached them.

Serving leaders provide the training and coaching that is needed for their team to reach success. They serve others by teaching which sets their team up for success.

Serving leaders compound success by removing obstacles. 

Jesus knew there would be problems on the road to success. So, He removed the obstacle of rejection by telling the disciples to expect it! He removed the obstacle of pride when they returned full of joy with what they had done. He reminded them that their success was not measured in the outcomes but in their relationship to Him.

Serving leaders anticipate problems on their team and remove them. They find ways to help deal with unexpected obstacles so their team can succeed.  

Serving leaders recognize that their success comes when those they lead succeed. So they focus on clarifying how success is measured and train and coach for success. And they remove obstacles along the way. They blaze the trail!

For further reflection and discussion:

• Read the entire passage of Jesus sending out the 72 disciples in Luke 10:1-24.  Reflect on what He was doing as a leader and how it demonstrates Blazing the Trail by clarifying success, teaching for success and removing obstacles to success.      
• Does my team understand clearly what success looks like? Have I communicated clearly how success is defined by our great purpose? Does my team know what standards do not measure success?
• What have I done to coach my team for success? Are there specific areas on which I need to plan more training for them? When will I do this?
• What obstacles to success does my team face? What have I done to remove these obstacles? Are there systems or regulations that are wasting time and energy on my team? What can I do to remove these?

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll examine how Jesus built on strength as He sent His disciples.

Copyright, Center for Serving Leadership 2020. 

*The Serving Leader Model^TM, was developed by Dr. John Stalh-Wert, author of “The Serving Leader.” See www.CenterForServingLeadership.com for more information.       

Whether it means turning the church over to a young leader, handing over the reins of a family business to the next generation, or releasing our children to be adults, the task of passing on the baton is difficult. Your sons will take the place of your fathers; you will make them princes throughout the land (Psalm 45:16). The verse sounds easy enough, but around the world, more often than not, the baton is not passed well to the next generation. Several things are lacking in leaders who find it difficult to pass on the baton.

Passing the baton is difficult because of insufficient security.

When leaders are not secure in their positions and in who God has called them to be, they will find it difficult to raise up other leaders. Our key verse says, “your sons will take the place of your fathers.” Many fathers don’t want to give up their place! They are proud of what they have accomplished and their sense of personal worth is tied to their achievements. Proud and insecure leaders want their name to remain on the organization forever. Servant leaders accept God’s call as a trust given to them for a limited time. They are not threatened by the gifts and callings of emerging leaders. They are secure enough to give up their “place” by humbly empowering and blessing the next leader.

Passing the baton is difficult because of insufficient vision.

Some leaders simply don’t have a vision for passing on to the next generation what God has entrusted to them. They are shortsighted and see little beyond their own lifetime. Many leaders have developed skill and competency over time. They love what they do and they do it well. They focus on the task at hand and miss the long-term goal. Servant leaders recognize that the vision which God has given to them is much bigger than their time of service. They see that God’s vision is to use their leadership gifts to multiply leaders for the next generation.

Passing the baton is difficult because of insufficient trust.

It is often difficult to trust a younger, less experienced leader with the tasks we have learned to do. The new leader will make mistakes and will probably not do the job as well, especially at the beginning. Servant leaders show faith in God by trusting others. They reflect on their own life journey and acknowledge that they also made mistakes and learned along the way. With this perspective, they learn to trust that God will guide the next leader just as He has guided them.

Passing the baton is difficult because of insufficient training.

Sadly, most of us received very little training in the art of passing on the baton. On the track, coaches run drills to teach the runners the skill of passing the baton. Where are the coaches in our churches, homes and businesses? Servant leaders, even if they have not seen this skill modeled, accept the call to pass on the baton. They look closely at Biblical models for training in this art and ask God for wisdom to do it well. (Our next issue will look more at how we pass on the baton.)

Saul is an example of a leader who failed to pass on the baton. He had personal insecurities and was deeply threatened by the gifts and call of David. His vision focused on his own desire to establish a family dynasty rather than God’s ultimate purposes for the nation. He held tightly to his position of power until his tragic death.

For further reflection and discussion:

• Reflect on the four insufficiencies mentioned (security, vision, trust, training). Which of these is the most significant for your leadership? What steps is God calling you to take to change?
• Reflect on “your place.” What does it feel like to envision someone else in your current position? What does this indicate about your heart and motives in leadership?
• Think about your vision for the group you lead. Is your vision primarily concerned with what happens during your lifetime, or is it a bigger vision of what God will do through future generations? Take a few moments and ask God to enlarge your vision.
• Have you recently taken any steps to show that you trust a younger leader? If so, what was it? If not, what can you do this week to demonstrate trust in an emerging leader?

Leadership Nuggets from Ephesians, #4

Servant leaders are uniquely gifted to lead in ways that produce results. Paul recognizes the power of leaders who use their gifts for God’s glory when he says, “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 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” (Ephesians 4:11-13). In this passage Paul lists several different leadership roles and provides insight into how God planned for servant leaders to function.

Servant leaders recognize the source of their gift.

“It was he who gave….” While they take seriously the responsibility to develop their leadership abilities to their highest potential servant leaders recognize that their gift of leadership is not from their own training or intelligence; it is a sacred gift from God to be used for Him and His purposes.

To think about: Do I see my leadership as a result of my own effort or as a sacred gift from God?

Servant leaders distinguish the gift of leadership and service.

“To prepare God’s people for works of service…” Paul lists two very different roles, doing works of service and preparing, or equipping, the workers. Leadership is equipping the worker, not simply doing the work. Many servant leaders falter on this point. They are called to serve and have developed competence in serving skillfully. They have a servant’s heart, and it is easier to keep doing the work than to make the effort to train others to do it well. Pride and insecurity make it even more difficult for some leaders to stop doing the work. But Paul understood that servant leaders are gifted to lead. They realize that the best way they can serve their organization is to equip everyone to do their part in the group. If leaders fail to equip, the workers will not do the acts of serving and God’s vision will never be accomplished. Followers need servant leaders who understand their unique call to provide leadership.

To think about: What percentage of my time is spent equipping others to work and what percentage am I actually doing the work?

Servant leaders use their gift to release growth.

“…so that the body of Christ may be built up…” The combination of leaders who equip and followers who are busy serving brings growth to the church, school, business or any other organization. Paul asserts that it builds up the body, promotes unity, and defines maturity. The reverse is also true. When leaders fail to use their gift to equip others, organizational growth will be limited.

To think about: Does my leadership release the growth potential of my organization?

You are gifted by God to lead, don’t neglect the opportunity to build and equip followers for service. Take some time today to equip one of your followers for a specific task.

For further reflection and discussion:

• Have I acknowledged God’s gift in my life to lead others? In what way does my recognition, or lack of it, affect my leadership?
• How effective am I as an equipper of others? How seriously have I taken my call to equip others to serve?
• Some leaders who are not followers of Jesus have learned to equip others and the results in their organizations are positive. What is the difference between their motivation and that of a servant leader?
• How is equipping others an act of serving? What does it say about the value of all persons?
• How does my organizational culture reflect the value of equipping? Are there ways that we can improve?