It’s important to understand that choosing to be the very last and servant of all does not mean that you are then elevated, because of your humility, to first place; — it means that leadership in my kingdom is always from below — This misunderstanding about “who is the greatest” has done much damage in my church and causes my church to operate according to the world’s top-down system. To lead from below means that you lead by example, influencing others by your life not by your authority. To lead from below means that you are motivated by the question, “what will serve them best?” Not by, “what will serve me best?” To lead from below is to refuse special privileges and titles, not out of a sense of false humility, but out of a deep desire to give me all glory for the fruit of your leadership. My church would be transformed by this one kingdom principal, that anyone who wants to be first would choose to be the very last and the servant of all.
— June 15, 2020
“Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” (Mark 9:35)