Servant Leadership
Workshop
Cornerstone International Christian Church
La Puente CA
MIKE McGUFFEE
Ministerial Leadership
Healthy Church Group
C.S.B.C.
Servant Leadership…
In too many
churches
today, head
tables have
replaced the
towel and the
wash-basin as
symbols of
leadership
among God’s
people.
Those who
lead in God’s
Kingdom
should lead
from a
kneeling
position,
dressed
like a
servant,
meeting
the needs
of those
who follow
them.

Leadership is the sphere of influence which
inspires people to follow the leader in the
attainment of mutually agreed upon goals.
 The leader gives leadership by providing
both the influence and inspiration that
causes people to want to follow.

We understand servant leadership by
looking at Jesus’ life. Jesus came as a
servant:
“who, although He existed in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God a thing to
be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the
form of a bond-servant, and being made in
the likeness of men.”
Philippians 2:6-7
Servant Leadership…
God’s greatest
oxymoron!
Oxymorons








Military Intelligence
Exact estimate
Jumbo shrimp
Closet exhibitionist
Airline food
Soft rock
Found missing
Pretty ugly







Working vacation
State worker
Alone together
Government
organization
Genuine imitation
Legally drunk
Passive aggressive
What, then, is a servant
leader?
A servant leader is one who sees the needs of
people and sets out to meet some of those
needs.
Serving Christ As Lord

Doulos – Bond Slave — Our primary
relationship to our Lord. This takes care of
the vertical relationship.

Diakonos – Servant/Minister — Our
relationship to those around us. This takes
care of our horizontal relationship.
Biblical Qualifications
Enhance Servant Leadership
1 Timothy 3…
 Christian dedication (3:8)
 Truthfulness in speech (3:8)
 Disciplined Christian living (3:8)
 Integrity in Christian conduct (3:9)
 Proven spiritual maturity (3:10)
 Christian family life (3:12)
Ministry Actions

Personally care for people.
 Exercise encouragement.
 Partner with other caregivers.
 Model a sacrificial spirit.
 Train for effective ministry.
 Organize for effective ministry.
The Seven Principles
of Servant Leadership

Servant leaders humble themselves and wait
for God to exalt them. Luke 14:7-11
 Servant leaders follow Jesus rather than
seek a position. Mark 10:32-40
 Servant leaders give up personal rights to
find greatness in service to others.
Mark 10:41-45
The Seven Principles
of Servant Leadership

Servant leaders can risk serving others
because they trust that God is in control of
their lives. John 13:3
 Servant leaders take up Jesus’ towel of
servanthood to meet the needs of others.
John 13:4-11
The Seven Principles
of Servant Leadership

Servant leaders share their responsibility
and authority with others to meet a greater
need. Acts 6:1-6
 Servant leaders multiply their leadership by
empowering others to lead.
Exodus 18:17-23
A Basic Definition
of Leadership
who
influences
PEOPLE
A leader
to
accomplish
a
is a
PERSON
DOING!
PURPOSE
Church Growth…
The result of God’s supernatural
work through His people to
accomplish His Kingdom’s
purposes and of God’s people
obeying His will and His word
in the world.
Kingdom Principles
A Healthy Church

Is multi-dimensional
 Glorifies God
 Reproduces through evangelism
 Produces disciples
 Enables its members to exercise their
spiritual gifts
A Healthy Church

Relates positively to its environment
 Is open to change
 Assimilates newcomers
 Trusts God
Rick Warren & Leith Anderson
Balanced Church Growth

Numerical growth
 Spiritual growth
 Ministries expansion
 Missions
Characteristics of
Growth Leaders








Commitment to God’s leading
Openness to proper change
God size vision for the future
Faith filled boldness
Willingness to work in a team
Living faith in God’s abilities
Unselfish spirit
Great Commission world view
Spiritual Growth…
The process of cooperating with
Christ in developing and living
out Christ-likeness.
Ephesians 4:13
Spiritual Growth Principles





Is NOT inevitable
Takes time
Is measured by God’s
standards
Is intentional
Occurs rapidly and
slowly
Can’t be kept a secret
 Makes use of good
and bad times
 Starts in present
reality
 Motivated by a
commitment to our
Lord.

Areas of Spiritual Growth

Personal relationship to God
 Personal and corporate worship
 Honoring others in interpersonal
relationships
 Ministry motivation
 Christian stewardship
Growth in Relationship to God

In being set apart to God as the priority of
our life.
 In being controlled by the Spirit of God.
 In developing spiritual fruit.
 In having the mind of Christ.
 In sharing in the mission of Christ.
Servant Leadership…
Servant Leadership is
recognizing God and others as
MORE important than
ourselves.
Serving God by serving
others…
“Be kindly affectionate one to
another with brotherly love; in
honor giving preference one to
another.”
Romans 12:10
Values That Motivate Us








Material possessions
Public recognition
Pleasing someone
Sense of
accomplishment
Being a good person
Inner harmony
Friendship
Concern for family







Competition
Being intelligent
Pursuit of wisdom
Excitement
Immediate
gratification
Future gratification
Personal freedom
Our priority value…
Pleasing
God
through
finding
and doing
His will.
Levels of Commitment
Response

Commitment
 Enrollment
 Compliance
– Genuine
– Legal
– Grudging

Apathy
Commitment Danger Signals

Procrastination
 Doubt about involvement
 Responding to inadequate motivators
 Complacency
 Loss of purpose
Keys to Proper Commitment

Growing personal relationship to our Lord
 Strong feeling of God’s leadership
 Realistic understanding of the
responsibilities
 Sense of importance of the
tasks
 Proper stewardship of time
priorities
 Feeling of satisfaction and
achievement
THREE MODELS OF
CHURCH MINISTRIES
 Watch
 Help
 Be
the Minister
the Minister
the Minister - Ephesians 4:11-12
WHO IS THE MINISTER
OF YOUR CHURCH?
YOU ARE!
Tasks of the Pastoral
Ministry
PROCLAIM
CARE
LEAD
Tasks of the Pastoral
Ministry

To proclaim the gospel to believers and
unbelievers.
 To care for church members and other
persons in the community.
 To lead the church in
PROCLAIM
achieving its mission.
CARE
LEAD
Christ … left you an example
for you to follow in His steps.
“…whoever wishes to become great
among you shall be your servant,
…just as the Son of Man did not
come to be served, but to serve, and
to give His life a ransom for many.”
Matthew 20: 26-28
The Purpose of Deacons
In Your Church
What do you understand your Role
to be as a Deacon?
The Purpose of
Deacons
Are Deacons…
• leaders or servants?
• administrators or laborers?
• spiritual or social?
• necessary or optional?
THE MINISTRY OF A
DEACON
The meaning of “deacon” diakanos
servant, slave
35 times in New Testament
5 times “deacon” noun
The Origin of
Deacons
“Select from among you…
men of good reputation,
full of the Spirit and of
wisdom, whom we may put
in charge of this ministry.”
Acts 6:3
Historical Synopsis
of Deacon Ministry
New Testament and Early Centuriesservant leaders, discipleship, worship, solved fellowship
issues
Middle Ages 500-1500- formal office, worship,
clergy
Reformation 1600’s- servant leaders
Late 1700’s to Mid 1900’s -board of directors,
business managers
Mid 1900’s to Present- family ministry, teams
The Requirements for
Deacons
DEACON QUALIFICATIONS
 Acts
1
6:1-7
Timothy 3:8-13
DEACON QUALIFICATIONS
ACTS 6:1-7
1.
2.
3.
4.
A Believer v.3
A Good Reputation v.3
Spirit-Filled v.3
Full of Wisdom v.3
DEACON QUALIFICATIONS
1 TIMOTHY 3:8-13
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Dignity v.8
Speech v.8
Addictions v.8
Greed v.8
Holding to the mystery of the faith v.9
DEACON QUALIFICATIONS
1 TIMOTHY 3:8-13
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
Clear Conscience v.9
Tested v.10
Beyond Reproach v.10
Husband of One Wife v.12
Good Manager of their Children and
Household v.12
A GODLY DEACON





GROWING IN HIS
WALK
1.Saved
2.Spirit Filled
3.Servant
4.Supportive
A GODLY DEACON




GROUNDED IN
THE WORD
1.Know
2.Apply
3.Live
A GODLY DEACON
GLOWING IN HIS
WITNESS
Stephen Acts 7
Phillip “the evangelist”
A GODLY DEACON
GIFTED IN HIS
WORK
S.piritual Gifts
H.eart
A.bilities
P.ersonality
E.xperience
The Roles of Deacons
THE ROLE OF
DEACONS
 BOARD
OF DIRECTORS?
 BUSINESS MANAGERS?
 PASTORAL MINISTERS?
Deacon Ministry Is Pastoral
Ministry?
“Pastoral ministries is a term that refers to
guiding, protecting, feeding, and nourishing
a church in order that the church may grow,
develop, and reproduce itself in the
world…pastoral ministries in a church is
implemented primarily through the pastor,
staff, deacons and church council.”
Organizing Deacons for Ministry

Deacon ministry is one of the most complex
areas of ministry in the church.
 Deacons address every area of pastoral
ministry: bereavement, administration,
hospital ministry, family ministry, spiritual
development, evangelism, new member
orientation.
 Deacon ministry is based on needs ministry.
Tasks of the Pastoral
Ministry
PROCLAIM
CARE
LEAD
Tasks of the Pastoral
Ministry

To proclaim the gospel to believers and
unbelievers.
 To care for church members and other
persons in the community.
 To lead the church in
PROCLAIM
achieving its mission.
CARE
LEAD
THE ROLE OF
DEACONS
 BOARD
OF DIRECTORS?
 BUSINESS MANAGERS?
 PASTORAL MINISTERS?
 DEACON MINISTRY TEAMS!
What is a Ministry Team?
A ministry team is a group of Christians
joined in a cooperative effort to minister to
a specific need in the church or community
Characteristics of a Ministry
Team
 Focused
 Last
on meeting a need
only as long as the need exists
 Open
to involving any volunteers
Advantages of Deacon Led
Ministry Teams

Individual choice of assignments

Cooperation with other deacons

Invitation for the congregation to
participate
Identify Needs in the Church and
Community
1. Physical needs
2. Intellectual/Mental Needs
3. Emotional Needs
4. Spiritual Needs
Transition to Team Ministry

Identify current functions performed
– Example:





Hospital visitation
Ordinances
Grief ministry
Shut-in visitation
Allow each deacon to volunteer to lead only
one function
 Develop Teams from deacon volunteers
 Enlist and train membership to assist
 Add new functions as needed
Practical Suggestions to
Increase Team Ministry

Focus on serving people

Encourage servants to enlist others to help

Share the need in public meetings

Encourage members to ask for help

Emphasize on-the-job training
Practical Benefits of
Deacon Led Ministry Teams

Personal choice of assignments
 Flexibility in the ministries offered
 Expanded workforce
 Positive influence in the church
 Other deacon styles may be included
 People needs are better met
 Practical witness in the community
RESPONSIBILITIES
OF DEACONS

Servant Models in
the Church
1.Worship
2.Fellowship
3.Evangelism
4.Ministry
5.Discipleship
From Deacons Servant Models in the Church
by Henry Webb
RESPONSIBILITIES
OF DEACONS

Servant Models in the Church
Building Healthy Relationships
1.Pastor-Deacon
2.Deacon-Deacon
3.Deacon-Congregation
Ministering to needs
From Deacons Servant Models in the
Church by Henry Webb
MINISTRY TO THE
BEREAVED

Power of Presence
 Listen
 Practical Service
 Follow-up
Understanding Grief
Grief, although unique to every person,
brings a different reaction from every
person.
Ministry To The Grieving
• Use the power of your presence.
• Provide practical support.
• Provide spiritual support.
Ministry To The Grieving
What can you say to the bereaved?
• Do say your are sorry.
• Do say, “I do not know why this
happened, but I do know God loves
you.”
• Do allow them to express their grief.
• Do allow them to talk as much as they
want.
Ministry To The Grieving
What can you say to the bereaved?
• Do give attention to other family
members. Especially the children.
• Do pray.
• Do call or visit often afterwards.
• Do make contact on the one-year
anniversary of the death of the loved
one.
Ministry To The Grieving
What you should not do or say.
• Don’t avoid the bereaved.
• Don’t say, “I understand.”
• Don’t tell stories.
• Don’t cry.
• Don’t say, “God has a purpose in this.”
Ministry To The Grieving
What you should not do or say.
• Don’t say you ought to be feeling better
by now.
• Don’t say anything.
• Don’t avoid mentioning the deceased’s
name.
• Don’t ignore the family and act as if
nothing has happened.
Ministry To The Grieving
What you should not do or say.
• Don’t point out at least they have someone
else to take the deceased’s place.
• Don’t say, “let me know if I can help.”
• Don’t suggest they did not get proper
medical care.
The Grief Cycle
Death of a
loved one
Reorganization
Peace
Release
Renewal
Understanding
Pain
Anger
Confusion
Anxiety
Denial
Apathy
Isolation
Resignation
Withdrawal
DETACHMENT
Anguish
Depression
Distress
MINISTRY IN
CONFLICT

Peacemakers Matt.5:9

Seek Reconciliation Matt.5:23ff

Loving
Confrontation Matt.18:15ff
The purposes of conflict management
are to end the conflict and restore or
reconcile people who are in dispute.
Ministry to
People in Crisis
During times of crisis, people are more open to
and accepting of ministry efforts in their behalf.
Therefore, this is a prime time to communicate
a positive Christian witness.
Crisis
Any event or set of circumstances which
threatens a person’s sense of well-being and
interferes with his usual routine.
MINISTRY IN
CRISIS

Reach Out

Resources within the Church

Resources outside the Church

Encourage
MINISTRY IN
EVANGELISM

Lifestyle

Testimony

Plan of Salvation
Ministry Is...
A
ministry that provides a natural
opportunity for witnessing to nonChristians.
 A ministry that can serve as a natural
communication channel for the church.
MINISTRY TO THE
ILL

Human touch

Listening

Empathy

Prayer
Prepare for the Hospital Visit
Plan for spiritual ministry…Hospital
ministry is a time for serious, well-planned
visitation.
 Imagine yourself in the other person’s
situation…Gather all the information that
you can about the patient, and their family.
How serious is the illness?

Prepare for the Hospital Visit

Get in touch with your own feelings…It is
important to be natural with this ministry
opportunity. Be more concerned about the
patient’s feelings than your own.
Heed Hospital Signs
Visiting Hours…Observe the hours set
by the hospital.
 The “No Visitors” Sign…Check at the
nurse’s station.

Heed Hospital Signs
The Light…Make sure the patient’s
needs are met before entering.
 The Closed Door…Knock before
entering, you are entering someone’s
bedroom.

Heed Hospital Signs
The Sleeping Patient…It could be the
patient needs his rest more than a visit.
 Name Tags…You will get appreciative
response from those recognizing the
importance of your visit.
 Let Medical Care Take Priority…Doctor
or Nurse.

Minister To The Patient

Do position yourself where the patient
can have easy eye contract with you.
(Don’t stand on the oxygen cord.)
 Do be sensitive to the patient’s comfort.
 Don’t touch the patient unless he or she
offers to shake hands.
 Don’t give medical advice, or interpret
medical equipment.
Minister to the Patient
Don’t visit if you are sick, call instead.
 Don’t rush the visit.
 Don’t stay too long.
 Do watch for visitor overload.

Minister to the Patient

Do speak to others, and if it is a semiprivate room speak to the other patient.
 Do listen more than you talk.
 Do remember you are there in a pastoral
role.
 Do respect the prayer needs of the patient,
and remember to pray for the other patient.
Minister to the Patient

Do follow-up after the patient is at home.
 Do visit every member that is assigned to
you who is hospitalized.
 Don’t make commitments you cannot
fulfill.
 Do wash your hands after each visit.
Ministry To The Dying

Always tell the truth.
 Never set inflexible times.
 Always listen with sensitivity.
 Find ways to respond to needs.
 Minister to the Caregiver.
Ministry To The Dying

Never allow the dying person to feel
abandoned.
 Be as available as possible, within
necessary limits.
 Never give medical advice or interpret
medical opinions.
Ministry To The Dying

If necessary, protect the person from
harming himself or herself.
 Always hold out hope, at least in God’s
love.
 Provide consistent, spiritual support.
Ministry To The Dying
“In our own pride we like to think we can
control our own destiny. The reality is
that nothing in this world is certain. True
security and stability come only from
trusting in God.”
MINISTRY OF
JOY

Rejoicing

Honoring

Encouraging
Care Ministry Is Meeting
Needs
Go Do It!
THE
END