Servant leadership

This Sunday we are looking at some of the passages in Isaiah regarding the Servant of the Lord. The Servant appears many times during the later part of Isaiah and is introduced clearly in chapter 42:
 
“Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will bring justice to the nations…
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
He will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth.
In his teaching the islands will put their hope.”
 
We don’t know how those who heard these passages would have understood them, but as Christians we can see that the Servant referred to Jesus himself.
 
Jesus perfectly modelled servant leadership. When He washed the disciples’ feet in John 13, He showed that true greatness is found not in authority or status, but in humility and service. A servant leader does not seek power for personal gain, but uses influence to uplift others, reflecting Christ’s command: “Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:26).
 
Servant leadership means listening before speaking, valuing people over tasks, and guiding with compassion rather than control. It is leadership rooted in love - choosing to serve even when it costs us time, comfort, or recognition. This approach transforms communities, because it builds trust and inspires others to follow not out of fear, but out of respect and shared purpose.
 
In the Church members’ meeting on Wednesday, we will select Deacons to serve within the Church. The word Deacon is derived from a Greek word which means servant. This reinforces the biblical links between leadership and service. We are blessed in our fellowship to have many people who are willing to work tirelessly as servant leaders in God’s service. These are indeed our Deacons, but also in many other roles, and this should be a source of blessing and encouragement to all of us.

Adrian Rudd