Much like the title above, this post is a reflection filled with helpful questions rather than well-formed answers.
What moves you to lead?
What are your deeper motivations for ministry?
When the disciples were pursuing places of honor and status, and jockeying for position in the coming kingdom, Jesus responded with a teaching that was both counter-cultural and counter-intuitive (Mk 10:35-45). He said that the greatest in the kingdom will be those who lead like Jesus, who came to serve. We know that though he was God from eternity, as the incarnate Son Jesus he emptied himself of glory and his position of authority and took on instead the position of a servant.
It seems like Jesus is talking here about more than just his role and actions. Is he not also teaching that serving was his intent, that he pursued it? His leadership and mission were motivated by service.
Are we aware of our deeper motivations for ministry? How easily could you make a short list of words, or write a concise sentence that would be an honest answer?
How would we be different if service was clearly our deepest motivation?
How could it change what encouraged and discouraged us?
How might it impact our prayer life?
How would it change the conversations we have with those we serve?
In what ways would it change the goals we set and the things we measure to determine progress and success?
What moves you to lead?
Do you feel hesitant about reflecting on the question? I wasn’t ready to reflect honestly on my own answers as I wrote and reflected, so I closed the file and set aside the train of thought. It took a minute, but I came back to it. Maybe you will be ready to answer the questions for yourself after reading some of what God brought to my mind.
I do want to serve. I also want to figure out how to make church and community work better. I want to be seen as the kind of leader who can do that. I want to make those communities grow as a way to validate my solutions. When those groups grow and at least partially validate my solutions, I like the affirmation I receive and the space it opens for me among other creative leaders. I don’t think it is a terrible thing that God has used these things to move me into service, but they are imperfect motives. Now that I see them, I am more ready to reflect on the rest of those questions.
What moves you to lead?