The Call to Community

Perhaps my favorite word in the Bible, right after salvation, redemption, love and the like (OK, there’s a lot I like in the Bible), is community. Community means that I am part of something bigger than myself, that I am not alone and that my contribution counts.

There should be no division in the body, but its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ and each one of you is a part of it. I Corinthians 12:25-27

Jesus lived community, and set examples for how we should live out our expression of community. He knew that our idea of community would consist of power over each other, of selfish desire and of self-promotion. He lived the exact opposite, and expects us to follow his example.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus; who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant… Philippians 2:5-7

Jesus lived community by becoming a servant. He reduced himself to fit into a human body, just so he could save us. He suffered death and rose again, and then he left, sending his Spirit to unite us and make use one body, his body. 

One of my favorite examples of how we are to live in community occurred just before Jesus’ arrest. Jesus knows his time is up. The meal is served, Judas has already left to betray him, and Jesus was getting ready to go home.

Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. John 13:1b

What follows is what John considers the full extent of Jesus’ love for his disciples, his earthly community.

He got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples feet, drying them with a towel that was wrapped around him. John 13:4-5

Jesus great power was expressed in servanthood. Whoever had booked the room for their feast that night had neglected to arrange for a servant to look after their needs. The roads were dirt and dust, and they wore sandals. It was the servant’s job to wash their feet. Not one of them lowered themselves to do the job of the servant. Jesus lived servanthood, and admonished them to do the same. He who would be great in Jesus’ kingdom must be servant of all. Jesus was the greatest in all regards.

Peter was aghast. He objected to allowing Jesus to wash his feet. Jesus was no servant! He was Messiah! Peter should have been washing Jesus’ feet. The thing is, if Peter had lowered himself to be a servant, had offered to wash feet, Jesus wouldn’t have been wrapping that towel around his own waist. Jesus doesn’t rebuke him for not serving, but offers him the choice; “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” Unless you accept my gift of servanthood, you can’t be part of my community.

I struggle with community. I don’t want to be your servant, but even more, I don’t want to allow you to serve me. I have just as difficult a time accepting your gifts as I do wanting to give you mine. Maybe harder. But that’s the nature of community. I use my gift to teach you and build you up. You use your gift to encourage me and make me stronger. We are better together than we are alone. Community means mutuality. Serve and be served. Wash and be washed.

Pick up the basin. Wrap that towel around your waist. Sit down and take off your sandals. Engage in community. Jesus is here. There is no better place to be.

Leadership Equals Servanthood

         When a business or secular organization is looking for a new Director or President, they often have a very specific list of qualifications they want in the man or woman they choose.  He must have attained a certain level of education, preferably from the right school.  He must have a certain reputation in business circles.  Perhaps it’s leadership development skills that are being sought, or a certain style or philosophy of leadership.  Often a qualifying factor is the success record a leader brings with him, either in profits earned or products sold.  We judge a man by the way he presents himself and the record he brings with him.  We may also factor in how impressive he looks and the charisma with which he speaks.

         When Christian ministry is looking for a leader, it often tries to use the same approach.  We look first at education level and denominational background.  Perhaps we then look at the church or ministry that is being left and how much success was achieved, how many people were converted or the numbers involved.

“…Whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” 

Mark 10:43-45

         Jesus points us to a different measuring stick.  When we are looking for leadership we are to look directly at the heart.  “He who shall be great among you shall be your servant.”  A leader in the body of Christ is to be the one who is willing to set himself aside and wash feet.  He is the one you might mistake for the gardener or janitor when you come upon him unexpectedly, and indeed he might be the gardener or janitor.  He is the one who is willing to do whatever is needed for the good of the Church.

         “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant…” (Phil. 2:5-7).

         We don’t often look for a servant’s heart as the primary qualification of our leadership.  We like talented people, people with a little flash and charm.  We forget that God values humility, a willingness to be obedient regardless of what is asked.  He wants us to be like Him. God lists very specific qualities that are to be present in the people we choose to teach and lead us. 

Leadership, done God’s way, is very different from worldly leadership.  Ministry is not a business.  Perhaps one of the most important qualifications of a church or ministry leader is that he knows the difference.

Do you want to be great in God’s kingdom and do big things for Him?  Get out the basin and the towel.  Practice a servant’s heart.