Day by Day

The Servant Leader as Evangelist

Our call to spiritual leadership not only requires us to live a disciplined life of study, prayer, and service, but it also requires us to mentor others into discipleship. As we study and meditate on the Word of God, our aim is not simply to learn Bible facts, we study and meditate with the earnest desire to know the triune God of the Bible. 

As true disciples, we are drawn closer to Christ.  We learn to emulate his lifestyle and we grow in wisdom, faith, discernment and love.  The heart of Jesus becomes one with our hearts and there will develop within us a natural desire to share our experiences of growth and transformation.  The fruits of the spirit become a part of our new nature and we will have a new found compassion for those who are bound, broken and dispossessed. 

The journey toward spiritual maturity continues throughout our lives and our attitude about leadership shifts from being a job or a task, to a privilege and a blessed opportunity to mentor as well as serve.  

A Brief Reflection on Matthew 8-12

When Jesus called the disciples to follow him, he informed them that there would be a great cost associated with the invitation. They were not guaranteed the comforts of a home to rest in, nor were they promised time to care for their families. With him, theirs would be a journey of absolute self-sacrifice.

For a season, Jesus would teach them and equip them as he preached and performed miracles of healing and casting out the evil that held people captive. Before long they were given the authority to engage in the same kind of life giving ministry.

Like the early disciples, we are called to follow Jesus and learn about his mission and his ministry. Through the power and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we are also to become actively engaged in ministries that provide healing and restoration to those who have been broken, betrayed, discouraged and disconnected from God. We are called to preach, teach, heal, proclaim and exhibit the kingdom of God in the world.

Jesus has entrusted us with the authority to participate in the transformation of peoples lives. So often as Presbyterians, we sit back watching and complaining about the work that people of other denominations are doing in the name of Jesus. We have excelled at learning about what Jesus did, but we stop short of putting what we have learned into action. The call to follow Jesus is costly. It is still a journey of absolute self-sacrifice.