A servant leader has five characteristics of which highlights their authority. Each of these traits are not mutually exclusive but rather mutually inclusive. In other words you can’t have just one and claim to be a servant leader. In my opinion, you must have them all.
First a servant leader leads by example. When Jesus washed the apostles’ feet, Jesus gave to us a great illustration of one who leads by service to others. As pastors, we must be willing to get our hands dirty.
Leading by example tends to bring one to a greater sense of humility. We begin to see ourselves through a different lens that provides a glimpse into the ministry of Jesus. As pastors, this means that seeing ourselves as servants sometimes means that we must do things that take us out of our comfort zone.
When we move outside of our comfort zones we are answering the challenge to go deeper in our relationship with God. Also, we are challenging those in our congregations through our personal witness to move closer to God’s will for their lives. In other words, our authority as a servant leader is about allowing God to work through us to bring others into a deeper relationship with God.
In order to work with others, we must have a greater sense of compassion for individuals. I did not fully understand this until I began working with residents of Virginia’s Correctional facilities. Without a genuine love for these individuals, my witness to them was just another gimmick. I had to first meet the person where they were and not be judgmental. Only through embracing God’s love for them through me could they be moved into a more abundant relationship.
Finally, for compassion to be realized one must be willing to be authentic. Authenticity is very scary for some. This characteristic is the hardest for most because it means making ourselves vulnerable. Making ourselves vulnerable can open ourselves up to be hurt.
