Grateful Servant Leadership in a Team of Leaders

In a church like ours—rooted in a vibrant tech neighborhood and blessed with many emerging leaders—there’s a constant need to remind ourselves of what biblical leadership truly looks like. At the heart of servant leadership is a posture of gratefulness, not entitlement. Leadership in the body of Christ is never about position, but posture. The towel and the basin—not the title—are our true symbols. Jesus, our model, did not merely instruct; He knelt and washed feet. He didn’t demand loyalty; He demonstrated sacrificial love.

Sometimes, among leadership teams, a subtle disconnect surfaces when few refrain from showing up or standing alongside the team in unity. When leaders selectively engage, it undermines the unity and trust we are meant to cultivate. This signals something deeper: perhaps a drift from servant-heartedness toward self-importance.
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” — Philippians 2:3–4

Our actions speak louder than our titles. A team is only as strong as its shared buy-in. Gospel culture is at stake—not just task execution. When we withhold presence, we diminish partnership. When we fail to show up, we fail to serve.
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” — Mark 10:45

Let’s return to the joy of being grateful servants—eager, present, and supportive. Not because we must, but because Jesus first gave Himself for us. Let’s lead in a way that reflects His heart—faithful in presence, generous in attitude, and humble in posture. The world may value control and credit, but we follow a crucified King.