What is Leadership? – Part I

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death even death on a cross.” – Philippians 2:3-8

One of TeenPact Leadership School’s primary distinctives in the concept of Servant Leadership. This idea is born from the example of Jesus and the idea that the greatest leader in the history of the world was also its greatest servant, and that as we seek to model His example, our eyes should not be focused on power or ambition, but instead on Christ and Him crucified.

The reason for this is simple: the cross puts our lives and our leadership in perspective. It reminds us as believers that nothing we do can be good enough, but that what Christ has done was more than enough. It reminds us that as leaders, we are just vessels blessed with the opportunity to communicate a message that is far greater than anything we have to offer. It reminds us that the message is more important than the messenger.

The cross puts our lives and our leadership in perspective.

I love that concept and preach it to myself daily. It is this idea that we are inherently replaceable because the story of Christ and His resurrection are more important than me, my talents and my abilities. And I love the idea of believing and preaching a Gospel that is far more important than me or any other individual in this world!

In TeenPact, we ask all of our leadership to understand this idea and live it out within our organization. From our Board of Directors and CEO to our volunteer staff and interns, servant leadership should define how we operate. Our actions as leaders should be predicated on our desire to serve those around us, regardless of status or position.

Luke 22:26 tells us that the greatest of us must because the least, and “the leader like the servant.”

This idea rings true not just within TeenPact, however, but in all aspects of life and leadership. As a new father, I am learning how it defines the way I lead my family, and that the greatest thing I can do to lead my son and my wife is to selflessly serve them at the expense of my own desires.

In the political world, elected officials are often referred to as public servants because the goal is to see those in leadership motivated by a desire to serve their community and their country.

Yet when we allow power and pride to divert our eyes from Jesus and His cross, it becomes easy to distort the very foundation of leadership as we elevate the messenger over the message. Instead, we should keep the Gospel message as the foundation of what we do, recognizing that it is not our job to change the world, but to introduce the world to the One who brings change. Because at the end of the day it is not well-trained leaders who bring change!  Jesus Christ is the only One who can really change and reshape a heart, a community and a generation.

It is not our job to change the world, but to introduce the world to the One who brings change.

So as a ministry, TeenPact longs to see young people adopt this heart for Servant Leadership. To reflect Christ to a lost world, to serve others above all, and to trust God and his unwavering grace to “change lives to change the world.” For the greatest leaders will always be the greatest servants, modeling Christ to a world desperate for His gracious rescue.

This is what Servant Leadership looks like, and why it is a core value of TeenPact. We desire to train up a generation of messengers who are passionate about their faith and serving others, and who recognize that the message of hope that they carry is so much more important than the individual carrying the message.

Regardless of where God takes you in this life, whether it is to a career in business or medicine or politics or media or ministry or parenthood or anywhere else, may your leadership be characterized by Christ-like service. Doing “nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility counting others more significant than yourselves.” This is our prayer and our ambition.

Regardless of where God takes you in this life, may your leadership be characterized by Christ-like service.

“Now may the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever.  Amen.”  –Hebrews 13:20-21