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nurturing servant leaders in religious education - Scholarly ...

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Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship<br />

over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be<br />

among you; but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your m<strong>in</strong>ister: And<br />

whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be <strong>servant</strong> of all 12 (Mark 10: 42-44).<br />

It seems through this example that by stress<strong>in</strong>g <strong>leaders</strong>hip through service the<br />

common tendencies of traditional top-down models of <strong>leaders</strong>hip visible <strong>in</strong> the<br />

Gentiles i.e. unbridled dom<strong>in</strong>ion over others, pride, and <strong>leaders</strong>hip born of self-<br />

<strong>in</strong>terest, could be combated.<br />

In analys<strong>in</strong>g Christ’s stated reasons for com<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to the world, it is evident that<br />

service as love was a motivat<strong>in</strong>g factor beh<strong>in</strong>d His actions (John 4: 34). Christ came<br />

to do for others what they could not do for themselves. He went around do<strong>in</strong>g good,<br />

heal<strong>in</strong>g the sick, caus<strong>in</strong>g the lame to walk, and show<strong>in</strong>g genu<strong>in</strong>e love even to those<br />

who would be his eventual killers. His whole life was an act of service, mov<strong>in</strong>g<br />

towards a f<strong>in</strong>al act of service that ended <strong>in</strong> death and subsequent resurrection. Christ’s<br />

love was outwardly expressed through His unfail<strong>in</strong>g service to others.<br />

The teach<strong>in</strong>gs of Jesus Christ were revolutionary for the time <strong>in</strong> which they were<br />

given. Christ’s teach<strong>in</strong>gs represented a shift <strong>in</strong> worldview that highlighted <strong>in</strong>dividual<br />

responsibility for action and obedience, open<strong>in</strong>g doors for heightened creativity and<br />

critical thought <strong>in</strong> help<strong>in</strong>g others. No longer was “an eye for an eye” the creed of the<br />

day, but rather to turn the other cheek was declared div<strong>in</strong>e (Matthew 5: 38-39). Love<br />

was to be characterised not by action it excluded, but by the <strong>in</strong>f<strong>in</strong>ite possibilities of<br />

how it could be showed, strengthen<strong>in</strong>g the giver and the receiver <strong>in</strong> simpatico. This is<br />

further substantiated through numerous accounts <strong>in</strong> the Bible illum<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g the<br />

scripture “God is love” (1 John 4: 7).<br />

Modern outgrowths of <strong>servant</strong> <strong>leaders</strong>hip<br />

Build<strong>in</strong>g upon ancient text and other early examples of <strong>servant</strong> <strong>leaders</strong>hip, scholars<br />

have sought to build a grow<strong>in</strong>g literature base <strong>in</strong> which to rigorously exam<strong>in</strong>e the<br />

12 Similar references to the same admonition can also be found <strong>in</strong> alternate places <strong>in</strong> the New<br />

Testament (KJV). Matthew 23:11; Luke 22:24.<br />

26

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