Leaders: You Gotta Serve Somebody

Leaders are great at words.  Some of the most common – and disingenuous – are words declaring the identity of the people they serve.

In my country of Canada, this has come to a head as political leadership’s decisions have, with more hypocrisy than usual, revealed who they truly serve. The typical rhetoric of leadership will eloquently identify and woo a constituent community to be served. However at some point down the road it’s the leaders’ practice, policy & behavior that become the actual ‘speech’ that reveals the priority constituency.

Politicians will state: “Once elected, we serve all people”. However, examine their policy decisions, budget allocations and patronage appointments and it’s clear that they mostly serve the survival of their party into the next election. 

Corporate leaders will say:  “We serve the client”.  Ask most clients and you will discover the truth is that they are merely the ‘target market’.  The real client is the investor.

Faith leaders state emphatically that: “We serve God and His mission to this world”.  However, decisions, budgets and programs reveal it’s the preservation of the institution and the ongoing security of the donor base/congregation that is the focus of their servant-hood. 

Leaders - STOP DECLARING whom you serve as though that is enough to preserve your reputation or elicit loyalty.  Instead, REVEAL who you serve through your decisions and actions.

Bob Dylan sang a truth that although you have choices of who to align with in this life, at some point “You’re gonna have to serve somebody”.  Centuries before that, Jesus Christ affirmed you can only follow one master and it is dangerous to try serve two.  The reason? Because the result is you will actually hold contempt for the one while serving the other. Contempt? Yes. That’s what happens when you do not lead consistent with your public declarations.  Your decisions, attitudes and actions will always lean toward your REAL master.  Then the neglected constituency experiences at minimum a benign neglect and at worst, a blatant contempt.  

The truth is, you already serve only one master.  Have you figured out who or what that is?

Faking Faith

It took a personal burn out and a long reflective walk on the Camino to clarify for me how much I had led a leadership life that faked faith.  I said I believed in Gods’ power.  I acted as though it was all mine.

The ministry work ethic and leadership drive of North American Christian leadership culture places a great deal of importance on effort, skills, high-quality materials and events, performance evaluations and KRA’s.  What is ironic (and tragic) is that we as leaders will publicly use a rhetoric of faith in God’s leading and power, but then our execution demonstrates something very different.  It’s a vocational hazard of leaders to inspire with words but lack aligned execution.  I find it especially poignant when faith leaders speak of ‘trusting God’ and ‘prayer first’, but then spend tremendous leadership, organizational and financial energy to organize their efforts as though God’s involvement didn’t matter.

Many of us act out of a functional atheism concerning the sovereignty of God.  However the truth is, only He can produce faith.  Only He can draw people to Himself.  Only He can restore the world to Jesus.   

He is the Master Builder.  I am the worker. How does that relational dynamic show up in your daily efforts?  How much better to lead, live & love in the world and space you occupy with a calm trust in the sovereignty of God to do what only He can do.  

Maybe I am saying slow down and ‘faith up” because I just don’t want to work so hard anymore.

Maybe I am saying all this because after 35+ years of ministry I am tired.

Maybe it’s because my burnout stole something from me.

OR...

Maybe I am finally discovering what it means when Jesus said His yoke is easy & light.

When was the last time you felt that your yoke of ministry was ‘easy and light’?  Was Jesus lying to you about this or is something else off?  Perhaps it’s time for you to step away and re-examine whether you are faking faith in your leadership activity.