KINDLE Servant Leaders

18. Pray Unceasingly
Pray continually alone and with others

Jesus, my Lord, beloved Jesus, true God and searcher of the secrets of the heart, you know I love you better than the earth and all that is in it. You are dearer to me than heaven and earth. My heart desires to love you more. Lord, grant and permit me to love you so much as I desire and ought, so that all my undertakings, my deeds and thoughts be directed toward you, and I may always so live as will be well pleasing to you, and, finally behold your face with joy. Amen.       -J.K. Wilhelm Loehe

17. Study Scripture
Discover and apply the truths of Scripture in various settings

Servant leaders spend time with the Word, daily. The Word is alive—it works on us, all the while we’re working on it. I just came across this tool for receiving the Word audibly. Daily Audio Bible is a daily reading of the Bible (ESV). Could listen while you do dishes or other chores, while you’re eating, or whatever. They even have a Daily Audio Bible for kids! Check it out here.

11. Build the Community
Help groups be transformed into Christian communities

My staffmate, Bekah Freed, has come up with what I think is a BRILLIANT idea. In her role as Director of High School and Young Adult Ministries, using her passion for running, she has decided to do some of her runs in the neighborhood of the high schools in our area. She writes the names of the kids in that school that go to our church and prays for them as she runs. She prays for the principals, teachers and families at that school. You can read more about it, here and here and here.

I’m thinking about stealing it with a couple differences:

1. I don’t run. (But I do like to walk)
2. I will walk in the neighborhoods of our kids’ elementary schools and homeschools.

As I chose a KINDLE practice to fit with this post, it occurred to me that it could go with several. While I am building the community with First Trinity families, I am also pursuing wellness (Practice 7), for one. I love it when God connects so many things up. Win. Win. Win.

Next step: do the research on our schools and put the dates on the calendar. Hoping to start with one walk next week!

18. Pray Unceasingly
Pray continually alone and with others

Eternal Light, throughout all ages shining, shine once again upon this heart of mine. Thy flaming glory knoweth no declining—rekindle now my waning light by Thine.  – Dwight Bradley

1. Set the Example Follow the example of Jesus Christ and behave in ways consistent with that of a servant leader

The Classic KINDLE cluster that I am a part of is reading “The Emotionally Healthy Church” by Peter Scazzero. I highly recommend it! One of the the things it talks about is that leaders need to lead from their own brokenness before the Lord, rather than pretending to have it together when they don’t. This blog post (worth the read) is by a pastor (Jesse Winkler) who is saying this same thing about parenting (one of the all-time most important servant leader roles!!).

What kind of example are you setting for those you lead? Do they see you as a humble servant who understands his/her need for grace daily or as someone who feels pressure to act like they don’t need any help?

16. Embrace Sabbath Living Eagerly worship, partake in Holy Communion, and nurture additional behaviors which foster spiritual renewal & rest

In an effort to get the work of the Lord done, we often lose contact with the Lord of the work. —A.W. Tozer

Ain’t it the truth? Today, may we not lose contact with the Lord of the work.

20. Serve Others
Present your life as a living sacrifice, responding in graciousness and hospitality

Jon Acuff wrote a great post yesterday that basically says you can tell if you’re a leader with one sentence. If you ask “What can I give to this person?” instead of what can I get from this person?”, you are a leader. A Servant Leader, I would add.

Jon Acuff: I agree.

A related question I ask myself and other leaders I work with is : “What is your responsibility to those you are leading?” Same deal. The issue for leaders is not what their followers can do for them, but exactly the opposite. Jesus said it first:

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Even the Son of Man. So how do you know if YOU’RE a leader?

18. Pray Unceasingly
Pray continually alone and with others

Lord isn’t your creation wasteful? Fruits never equal the seedlings’ abundance. Springs scatter water. The sun gives out enormous light. May your bounty teach me greatness of heart. May your magnificence stop me being mean. Seeing you a prodigal and open-handed giver let me give unstintingly like a king’s on like God’s own. Amen. 

                                   -Helder Pessoa Camara

18. Pray Unceasingly
Pray continually alone and with others

O Lord, take away from us all coldness, all  wandering of the thoughts, and fix our souls upon thee and thy love. O merciful Lord and Saviour, in this our hour of prayer. Amen.

                 -Edward White Benson

18. Pray Unceasingly
Pray continually alone and with others

Give us, Lord, a humble, quiet, peaceable, patient, tender and charitable mind, and in all our thoughts, words and deeds a taste of the Holy Spirit.  Give us, Lord, a lively faith, a firm hope, a fervent charity, a love of you.  Take from us all lukewarmness in meditation, dullness in prayer.  Give us fervor and delight in thinking of You and Your grace, your tender compassion towards us.  The things that we pray for, good Lord, give us grace to labour for; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.  (Thomas More)

This prayer was shared by Michelle Pavasars at the beginning of a recent KINDLE Program Team meeting.