Leadership Thought: If You Ain't Serving, You Ain't Leading

Dear Friend,

This morning’s Leadership Thought comes from Dan Britton, and executive with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. As many of you may know it was  in 1962 at a conference like the one described below that I committed my life to Jesus, so this story has particularly meaning for me. 

“After a terrific week of training middle school and high school students on how to impact their campus for Christ, Larry got up to share. He was a five-foot-tall seventh-grader from inner-city Kansas City, and he was a hit with the campers. He was funny, lovable, charming and outspoken. His contagious laugh and raspy voice made him stand out from the others, and he became the camp favorite."

"The open mic session had already gone 30 minutes too long when Larry stood to be the last in line to share. Larry was never short of words, but when he leaned into the microphone, he shared a single transformational leadership statement. His one sentence hit me between the eyes." 

“If you ain’t serving, you ain’t leading!”

"Then he turned around, walked off the stage, and sat down. Larry, the Great Theologian, had spoken. I was in awe. I’d read hundreds of leadership books and articles, listened to tons of leadership talks and podcasts, written devotions about leadership, and I had just heard the ultimate leadership challenge—from a 13 year old! In seven words he communicated one of the most profound concepts I’ve ever heard on leadership."

"That was a watershed moment for me. Larry’s words still ring in my ears. His insight has changed the way I lead and serve. “If you ain’t serving, you ain’t leading!” has become my personal definition of leadership…thanks to a seventh-grader God used in my life."

"It’s all about serving, not leading."

"Imagine if our response in the midst of crisis, tragedy and conflict was serving not leading. Our communities, culture and countries would shift. Serving needs to be our posture, mindset, default and foundation. I love the story of when Billy Graham’s wife, Ruth, stated to the president of Wheaton College that the college trained leaders, he quickly replied, “No, not leaders, but servants.” All of us need to go into training to become servants, not leaders."

"In 1 Peter 4:10-11 (NLT), the apostle Peter writes:

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen."

"The end-result of our serving is for His glory."

"After we have served others, they should think, “God is good,” not, “You are good.” The purpose of serving is to lift the name of Jesus. Rick Warren says, “We serve God by serving others. The world defines greatness in terms of power, possessions, prestige and position. In our self-serving culture with its me-first mentality, acting like a servant is not a popular concept.” But when we serve, we represent to the world what Jesus looks like."

"Today, let the Larry Principle burn in your heart: “If you ain’t serving, you ain’t leading!” Ask the Lord who you can serve today."

"Father, I ask for a heart to serve. Teach me Your ways. It is hard to serve others with a pure heart. Forgive me for the times I serve with the wrong motives. I desire to serve at full strength. Use me for Your Kingdom work. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.”

Yours in faith and friendship,

Pastor Tom