The desire for authentic leadership exposes contemporary communities to servant leadership. That is why the servant leadership topic dominates many management studies and research worldwide. Business people, for example, study servant leadership as a potential arsenal for attracting and retaining talents for competitive advantages. Social settings also perceive servant leadership as the decisive way of promoting social cohesion and harmony. Such necessitates investigating the fundamental tenets of servant leadership from reliable sources like the bible, where Jesus provides the best example of a servant leader. Therefore, the present work examines the relationship between servant leaderships principle of servitude and Christs teaching in the Gospel of John 13: 1-7 in a bid to shade more light on the matter. The discussion thus applies the periscopes of John 13 to realize its purpose. The general social-cultural texture analysis is also utilized to appraise the connection between servant leaderships principle of servitude and Christs teaching in the selected gospel, together with their applicability in contemporary societies.
Worldwide Leadership Search
Leadership plays a substantially vital role in a communitys success. From Adam to the present-day man (man as a species name), humans struggles to realize better leadership are immense. All forms of administration through history, for example, imply the humans desire to realize better administration. Communism, socialism, democracy, humanism, dictatorship, deism, imperialism, colonialism, and communal living are all forms of leadership applied by humans worldwide. However, all these forms fail significantly to deliver utopia to the populations. People believe that a world without power struggles and other leadership-related ills is possible. That is because Gods nature, present in all humans, exhibits an experience with authentic leadership and harmony that people enjoyed in Eden. Warren (2021) says that understanding the relationship between heaven and earth is critical in appreciating humans desire for order, which individuals throughout history seek. The world is a colony of heaven, and, naturally, the human spirit desires to experience what it once experienced in heaven. That is why the search for true leadership is natural among humans.
Servant Leadership in the Periscopes in the Gospels of John 13:1-7
The Gospel of John provides servitude as the fundamental principle of servant leadership. The seven verses contain a parable with deep insight and meaning for persons intending to become real servant leaders. The doggerels prescribe a Christ-like behavior key to inform the actual development of servant leadership among all humans. John 13: 1-7 starts with Christ already in Bethlehem, the point where He is to be persecuted and rendered to His challengers by one of His twelve leadership trainees, disciples. Jesus is in the company of all His disciples during the evening meal. He then picks a basin with water and a towel, removes His outer clothes, and starts washing His disciples feet. Jesus teaches the disciples the principles of servitude and love, which are crucial for servant leadership. Jesus tells Simon Peter that he will comprehend His action with time, in verse 7. The Gospel of Mathew 20: 26, 28 further provides Christs prescriptions for true servant leadership, complementing His activities in John 13. Jesus tells His disciples that whoever desires greatness must purpose to serve others.
Servitude is often defined as slavery or bondage by the English dictionary. However, the principle is what the Gospel prescribes for true servant leadership. Christs move to wash His disciples feet is beyond mere love. The concept depicted by Jesus in John 13: 1-7 reiterates the essence of serving and choosing to be the least. Jesus washes and wipes His disciples feet, including those of Judas, who He already knows will betray Him the next minute. Therefore, the periscopes of John 13: 1-7 show leadership as serving others. Such is the same concept informing servant leadership, making the Gospel of John 13: 1-7 coincide significantly with the concept of servant leadership. Alvinius (2017) argues that a servant leader leads by counting the others first. The parable in the selected gospel reiterates the same concept, making the two ideas coincide.
Socio-Rhetorical Interpretation of John 13: 1-7
Biblical concepts may seem impractical at times when compared to the practical world. That is why socio-rhetorical analytical approaches such as that of Robbins are essential in demystifying the applicability of the kingdom ideologies to the world of the living (Sean, 2019). The present work utilizes Robbins social-cultural texture to appraise the periscopes in John 13: 1-7 as part of the guiding principles for existent servant leadership. The social-cultural texture slant investigates writings social and cultural forms to determine a texts significance to a society based on the manuscripts view of the world and social and cultural values. The socio-rhetorical methodology further investigates a texts attitude and dispositions towards a society to either reject or support the dominant cultural system in the community (Mae & Andrea, 2019). Applying the methodology to the selected verses periscopes thus offers an excellent platform to show the overwhelming link between the scripture and servant leadership. The approach also shows how humans can utilize Christs teachings on servant leadership to polish the leadership style for better effects.
Utopia is a critical subject under the social-cultural texture facet of the socio-rhetorical interpretation domain. The topic refers to the ideal social settings anticipated by all humans. Paradise is a world with genuine leadership, where social ranks do not exist (Gomola, 2018). Such is the place desired by human spirits, thus the reason for the long-time search for better leadership. The creation account in Genesis provides Eden as the place where God placed the first male and female. Edens meaning is Gods presence, where the Lord served as the leader of humanity (Hitchcock, 2018). Under Gods leadership, Israelites had an authentic steward, genuine love for one another, and cherished serving talents for shared happiness. Adam and Eve also lived a harmonious life in Eden, serving God as the leaders of Gods creation. Such means that every human being experienced utopia through Adam and Eve as foreparents. It is that servitude, genuine love, peace, and order that honest servant leadership promises to bring, which is supported by the teachings of the Gospel of John 13: 1-7.
Conclusion
In conclusion, servant leadership and scriptures exhibit significant connection as observed through the periscopes of John 13: 1-7. The two realms esteem servitude as the fundamental aspect of authentic leadership. Servant leadership embraces indiscriminate service to all people, including those that seem not to qualify for the services. The Gospel of John 13: 1-7 further shows Jesus, the Master, and Rabbi, washing his disciples feet and wiping them clean. Christ does that to all His disciples, including Judas, who possibly never deserves the service. Jesus goes down beyond a housemaid by choosing to wash the followers feet during a meal. The master does that to teach his disciples the principle of servitude, which implies humility and genuine service. The Gospel of John 13: 1-7 provides service to others as the prime canon of servant leadership. Applying Robbins socio-rhetorical technique proves the periscopes in John 13: 1-7 as dominant subcultural elements for the constructive social values hunted by all societies through the servant leadership facet.
References
Alvinius, A. (2017). Contemporary leadership challenges. Rijeka.
Gomola, A. (2018). Conceptual blending in early Christian discourse: a cognitive linguistic analysis of pastoral metaphors in patristic literature. Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG.
Hitchcock, R. (2018). Hitchcocks bible names dictionary: Definitions of ancient Hebrew names mentioned in biblical lore. LULU COM.
Mae, E.C. & Andrea, S. (2019). Evangelical theologies of liberation and justice. IVP Academic.
Sean, A.A. (2019). Scholastic Culture in the Hellenistic and Roman Eras : Greek, Latin, and Jewish. De Gruyter.
This article evaluates the action paper in developing leadership and spiritual growth among the Heard My Cry Christian Fellowship Church of Houston, Texas (HHMCF). The action paper presents different findings from the congregation, some of which are qualitative, while others are quantitative. The action paper had ten steps that were followed to achieve the desired outcome. This evaluation follows the same format, one step after the other, to determine the data found in each step, and integrates the findings to create meaning in the entire action paper. The Natural Growth Development Plan (NCD) was used to achieve each steps goals as it sets the fundamental principles that help any church grow from within its structures. The NCD approach provides that each Church is unique in its ways and relying on individuals to discover and develop their talents to build the body of Christ, unlike trying to force people to act in specific ways to conform to norms of the Christian life.
The HMCF congregants were asked to fill the NDC church questionnaire, which was meant to determine the minimum factor score to define the growth processs starting point. The survey used twelve members to collect the information needed in each of the ten steps. The survey produced the following results, as shown in figure 1 below.
Figure 1. The results of the NCD survey.
The survey from the action paper revealed eight characteristics of a healthy church. These features include empowering leadership, gift-oriented ministry, passionate spirituality, effective structures, inspiring worship service, small holistic groups, need-oriented evangelism, and loving relationships. The needed threshold measure required each characteristic to yield a value of more than 65 percent for it to be considered a stable factor. As the graph indicates, Holistic Small Group characteristic scored the lowest point at 64%, and Effective Structures was slightly above the threshold at 66%. Holistic Small Groups low score was concomitant to the small congregational size. Thus, the future did not build any significant concern for its low score. The researcher opted to work on Effective Structures for the beneficial reasons linked to the church structural improvement. NCD suggested ten critical steps to help the congregation improve on Effective Structures. Members were first informed on the correct understanding of structures to develop a conceptualization of the forms and regulations involved in the research.
Findings
Step One. Developing a stronger awareness that the question of structures has spiritual relevance
The developed information on members knowledge inclination on effective structures helped form a basis for integrating new ideas on structures spiritual significance. The results showed that HHMCF was inclined to technocratic understanding, including a static approach to structures, traditionalism, and morphological fundamentalism. The congregants static stand on the existing church structures conformed to morphological fundamentalism reality that church structures are sacred and thus unchangeable and unalterable. In that regard, members intuitively assumed the traditional sacredness of the church structures, and thus any suggestion to change the church structures at this point was to trigger congregational resistance. This inclination may have created previous stagnation on schemas to change the church structures, resulting in a low score on the Formal Structure characteristic.
Nevertheless, the inclination showed that members general understanding of effective structures was measurable to the traditional sacredness of church structures from where spiritual significance emanates. They noted that increasingly developing church structures were objective to meeting or maintaining the sacredness in an effective structures standards.1 Even so, according to members, any alteration to new conformations was not required to alter the necessary structural effectiveness that met Christian standards. NCD information showed that members change of perceptions was subject to openness to current aspects to ensure an increasingly effective structure. Thus, the subsequent NCD steps tried to build on a reasonable understanding to ensure an improved view on improving the effective structure.
Step Two: Taking full responsibility for the structures that currently can be found in your Church
In this step, the responses showed a consensual perception of the church member taking responsibility in ensuring the effective application of the existing HHMCF structures. As hardly noted in other areas where responsibility on the current structures are shoved on others, HHMCF leaders did not identify with the struggle to practically develop or exercise their full responsibility in the current HHMCF structure. The problem among the member was on the proper communication of the structure to the new church plant He Heard My Cry that insisted on the structures purpose. There was not identified any alarming concern about innovatively and creatively improving the current structure. However, the ranking on Effective structure identified this issue as critical, and the inexistence of an issue on the exercise of responsibility of the Church was unfavourably insensible.
Thoughtfully, member perception may have sprouted from their technocrat understanding. But this was yet to be determined, noting that members were more concerned with the communication of the current structure to the member to regard its inviolability. According to the members, the leaders responsibility was subject to actual and systematic implementation, which was not literarily altering or changing its composition. In other words, no leader was to claim to have contributed to the genesis of the current church structures, and the new leaders had the responsibility to ensure the exercise and implementation of the structures was sacredly built from its traditional, static, and unchangeable formation. This new perceived understanding provided a window that would have opened up to improved Effective structure.
Step Three: Defining the church mission statement in writing.
NCD data showed new individual ideas on their God-given responsibility and how they form up in the definition of church mission. Based on NCD information, the search for individual God-given responsibility created a collective members responsibility to exercise and implement the church structure. NCD data showed members perception that God- given responsibility of each member should be in line with church missions. In this case, each members cumulative spiritual role formed the mission statement that defined the Churchs uniqueness and the church structures. The member desired to explore different options that involved the regular exercise of the churchs responsibility as defined with the existing church structure in line with the demands of Gods Word.
The options shared by members on the true definition of the church mission, according to Gods word, involved Seeking, Saving, and Serving , Shining Gods Light in n a Dark World, and becoming a place where Gods Love is practiced. Thus members had an understanding that the mission was an inscription of Gods demand to the Church inscribed in His Word. The communication of this mission was equally critical. Whereas, other members who had a conceptualization of the Churchs need based on Gods Word had reservations on the missions need. Other members were concerned with the length and the alliteration that make a mission difficult to memorize. Essentially, members developed a conceptual view that the mission was definitive of the church structure subjects to the dictates in Gods Word.
Step Four: Preparing a church Mission statement
Identifying enhancing and hindering structures
NCD information indicated that 12 key institutions and regulations named by members served the Churchs growth. Some of the named institutions and ministries included worship service, Baptizing, the Lords Supper, Childrens Church, Christina Education Ministry, Usher and greeter Ministry, Deacon Ministry, Trustee Ministry, Media Mistry, and Outreach Ministry. According to the members responses, HHMCF was a new church, and there was not identified and form or structure/regulations that needed an evaluation in using church growth effectiveness criterion. However, NCD data information showed worship service, baptizing. The Lords Supper, Christian Education Ministry, and outreach ministries as unchangeable forms/ institutions and regulation. The conceptualization of the institutions, form, and regulation showed that members had begun developing a better understanding of the church structures and their spiritual significance to the Church.
Step Five: Developing a set of measurable goals for the handling of church structures
At this level, NCD results showed several developed structures by members aligned to the mission statement. Members improved their knowledge in this perceptive, and they provided the following structures and the connection to the scripture set.
Baptizing- Matthew 28:19, Luke 22:19-20, Acts 10:47-48, Romans 6:4, Acts 8:26-39. Following the word of God
The Lords Supper-1 Corinthians 11:23-28, John 4:23-24/- Following the word of God.
Childrens Church-Matthew 19:14, Proverbs 22:6- Feeding the Flock the Word of God/Family Friendly
Christian Education Ministry-Proverbs 16:16, Acts 2:42, Proverbs 12:11, 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, Ephesians 4:28. Following the word of God / Feeding the Flock the Word of God
Usher and Greeter Ministry-Matthew 10:40, Hebrews 13:2, Romans 12:10/ Family Friendly
Deacon Ministry- Acts 6:1-7, 1 Timothy 3:8-13 Following the word of God
Trustee Ministry-Matthew 25:14-28/ Feeding the Flock the Word of God
Music Ministry-2 Chronicles 5: 13-14, Psalms 98:4, Ephesians 5:19, Acts 16:25-Feeding the Flock the Word of God/ Following the word of God.
Media Ministry-Luke 18:11, Romans 10:14-15, 1 Corinthians 12:21 Fellowshipping with the believers
Outreach Ministry- Matthew 25:31- 46/ Following the word of God/ Fellowshipping with the believers
New Member Intake Ministry-Ephesians 3:14-21/ Feeding the Flock the Word of God/ Fellowshipping with the believers
Step Six: Evaluation of structures According to the potential for Manipulation
At this level, HHMCF leaders, using the NCD six principles named worship service, Childrens Church, New Member Intake, outreach Ministry, Media service, and Baptizing as the structures that needed modification to fit the criteria of multiplication. However, their suggestion was dependent on the variability of structure infrastructure in different settings, implying that the suggestion was only applicable to HHMCF. According to leader suggestions, Worship Service kind of change needed Pastor as the sole speaker to add voices. The Childrens Church Kind of change required children above age 10 to have a separate group; the outreach group offered evangelism opportunities instead of only giving ways. The Media service includes church bulletins with more content and baptizing to be unlimited to only First Sunday. Their knowledge of these ministries, based on their suggestion, showed a critical improvement in structural understanding and improved their knowledge to a common understanding of adjustment on HHMCF that will ensure improved/ effective structures.
Step Seven: Applying existing gifts of your members more consistently to the Spiritual Gifts less developed quality characteristics of your Church
In this category, the NCD approach applied a longitudinal approach study approach that included 12 members. Each member was required to identify his/her gift. Overall, the NCD result showed that HHMCF had members with essential gifts that effectively improved the Churchs spiritual characteristics. Note that, for HHMCF to have an effective structure, all Gifts that God had given to the Church should be utilized to develop the Church to maximize the spiritual harvests. The NCD studys findings showed that, among the 12 members, six members had gifts that were beneficial to the spiritual growth of the Church. The NCD identification process opened to new findings on ministries/tasks that helped improve the church quality characteristics, which were significantly essential in improving the church structure. The ministries/ tasks identified involved the introduction of Small Group beyond Bible study and training on small group concepts. These aspects implied members increased openness to new ideas to improve the measure of effective structure. The implementation of the ideas was essential in this category in ensuring effective church structure development
Step Eight: Cut as many programs and activities as possible which do not contribute to the Development of the Church
NCD information showed that the Church did not need to subtract structures but only focus on defining the existing. NCDs approach was to focus on the church programs that were to result in overall church growth. Following down each NCD critical process of developing an effective church structure, there were no programs or activities on their contribution to the overall church growth. The focus on the essential church program was to ensure that the church structure, as suggested by the alteration in other stages, was effective at all levels. Noting that there was still church structure that was named as inessential, the NCD result showed a critical issue with the implementation, definition, and communication of the existing structure as the issue that resulted in the 66% ranking of the church structure. At this level, members were open to insisting on the thorough implementation of the structure identified in NCD stage 2.
Step Nine: Develop and communicate an organizational chart which clearly shows the Responsibilities within the Church
At this level, a new chart was developed that involved revised structures to ensure improved communication efficiency. The new chart showed member incorporation of new ideas in the church structure. Note that, in ensuring full awareness of the new structure, the NCD approach involved communication with all members in a zoom meeting on a revised organizational chart to help deal with communication and effective structure implementation. The NCD focus solved the problem noted in stage 8 and stage 2. However, the strategic application of the new organization charts changes solved the static concern on the alterations of the church structures, allowing a new perception of the changes needed to ensure an effective structure in the Church. The effects of these changes were more likely to improve the effective structure characteristic score.
Step Ten: Monitor the effectiveness of your steps
NCD approach involved conducting a new church profile after six months. The approach is continuous. It helps ensure that the steps suggested in prior approaches are implemented to ensure continuous, innovative, and innovative application of new changes in the Churchs effective structure.
The 3- Colours of Love
Based on the measure of member performance on the fruits of the spirit, the sequential approachs overall impacts on NCD involved the spread of responsibilities. Member response on a common understanding of the church processs functioning and the need for improvement increased. From Jethros Lesson in week one (Exodus 18), a positive move on the NCD application resulted in members taking a common responsibility of performing spiritual leadership roles in line with the bible guidance. Nonetheless, the dictates of performing these spiritual roles were spelled with the application of spiritual fruits. The new knowledge, based on the Word of God and specifically from Jethro advice in Exoduss book, involved the exercise of justices. As Jethro Guide Moses, everyone must know first-hand right from wrong. These lessons, among many, were well related to the church structure. Members improved their keenness on responsibility performance and duty delegation and learned from the Jethro lesson that emanated the structure process to involve patience, goodness, and peace above all Justice.
Consequently, the application of the spiritual gifts was identified in line with Paul is teaching (1st Timothy 2) on pastoral ministry on the noble tasks of ministers that requires truthfulness, among other virtues.2 The issue of trustfulness was tasked with member ways of ensuring they build trust, and in that regard, Paul taught of peace, faithfulness, and self-control. The spiritual relevance build in the effective involved a lesson of Joy in spreading the word of God.3 This was measured church member definition of the church mission, which was taught, from the practical example of church responsibility in the community, to include gentleness, Kindness, and patient. These aspects were identified to involve improved fruits of each church members spirit as dictated in ensuring an effective church structure.
Personal Ministry
The NCD impact was characterized by a members demonstration of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. In general, the processs effect was marked with member implementation of the fists of the Holy Spirit. Member showed a great improvement, and the general assumption was the continual expression of the fruits of the spirit in the reapplication of the NCD process. This act will identify a continual high score of an effective structure as one of the Churchs key characteristics. The factors are identified to involve the Holy Trinitys working in church leadership roles and in church structural implementations that involve setting up a culture to deal with different church spiritual needs and linking the church missions to the demands of Gods Word. Member evaluation after the NCD process shows a great improvement on personal spiritual levels, which marked a better foundation and the Holy Spirits work in ensuring the improved effective structure of the Church.
Bibliography
Crabb, Larry, and Lawrence J. Crabb. Becoming a true spiritual community: A profound vision of what the Church can be. (Thomas Nelson Inc, 2007).
Larry Crabb, Becoming a True Spiritual Community: A Profound Vision of What the Church Can Be (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1999).
Peter Enns, Exodus, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000).
Footnotes
Crabb, Larry, and Lawrence J. Crabb. Becoming a true spiritual community: A profound vision of what the Church can be. Thomas Nelson Inc, 2007, 119.
Peter Enns, Exodus, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000), 271.
Larry Crabb, Becoming a True Spiritual Community: A Profound Vision of What the Church Can Be (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1999), 118.
In any society, religion is extremely influential and reflects the understanding of spiritual entities by the individuals in the community. As society grows, various aspects of religion connect people with how they can relate and the role dominion plays in their lives. For example, various religions have different views concerning politics, leadership, norms, and many more. This paper focuses on aspects of dispensationalism, creation and evolution, homosexuality, the pentecostal movements legitimacy, Christianity, Islamic religion, and the church.
Women in Church, Politics, and Society
As society transforms, the role women play in Church, politics, and society also changes since new expectations and directions are provided. In Church, women played different roles determined by their role in the traditional days. In the New Testament, women should learn in silence with subjection and not have authority over man as Adam was created before Eve (Bible: New International Version 1 Timothy 2.11-15). This scripture shows that women have less power and control in Church compared to men. This has been transformed in some churches in contemporary society, where women are not allowed to hold high positions than men. The case can be compared to cultural life where women are allowed to hold high positions in political seats, and they can have the same power as men depending on their level of education. In this regard, it shows that church life moves slower compared to cultural life.
The discussion of the role women play in the Church, politics, and society is always arguable since people are not on the same page with the opinions offered by others. For example, in Church, women have different responsibilities in the congregation, directed by the Scriptures teaching, which dictates what they should do. The Church can use unity as a unifying factor in the congregation to understand the commitment of Christ and his Word to his Church in relation to allowing women to play an essential role in the Church (John 17.20-23). Many discussions are connected to a society where womens roles are defined by what they can do to help men. These roles have changed in some societies where women can also provide for their families if they have the capacity to do work, get employed or even hustle in various professions.
In contemporary society, women are allowed to participate in politics and rule over society in various aspects. In most democratic countries, women are allowed to compete for political seats with men and have the chance to direct other people and add economic value to the community. This idea was supported by the archetype of the Catholic Church, which was a stronghold for womens chronicles, memoirs, publishing diaries, and writings. Consequently, women learned that society could hear them out, and they had activists who pushed for their rights and wanted them to be equal to men in society. Such knowledge shows that churches are eliminating societal structures that limited womens rights in the past to have a community where females can participate in politics to create a difference and enhance development.
Politics According to the Bible
There should be a good connection between politics and religion for a country to get ruled effectively. The government is responsible for choosing which religion is the countrys dominion. Thus, the Church can be separated from the government depending on its place in decision-making. In the Bible, Christians are expected to respect the government and support them in what they are doing (Romans 13). Therefore, Christians should not disrespect their leaders no matter how they treat them. If the government leaders do not treat the members of the Church well, they should not focus on that since the Bible says that the struggle for the believers is not on flesh and blood, but the emphasis is on God his Kingdoms work (Ephesians 6.12). It shows that Christians will enjoy their citizenship in heaven, where there will be no matters concerning politics and leadership.
Since the Church can be excluded from political decision-making, it does not mean that they should participate in culture and improve society. The respect that Christians have towards the word of God directs them to respect the authority by following what the political leaders are leading them to do. For example, they should pay taxes just like ordinary citizens from other religions and should not be bothered by what the money will do. This instance depicts that Christians are ready to show love to the members of the authority as they care for their life after the second coming of Christ. In the end, the nation will have leaders who follow what the laws of the Lord say about leading other people.
Dispensationalism
Dispensationalism defines the principles and beliefs that direct Christians in their lives. The foundational dispensationalism beliefs show some of the aspects Christians believe in with regard to the Biblical promises, progressive revelation in mind, and the doctrine of Eschatology. Various arguments concerning the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament indicate how Christians have different interpretations of the Bible. According to Paul, when a person reads the Bible, they get an understanding of the mystery of Christ (Ephesians 3.4). In 1 Corinthians 10.1-11, the believers are directed on how they should live and how they should not. From this, it shows that both the Old and New Testament have a role in ensuring that believers understand the word of God, which allows them to know what they are supposed to do to have eternal life. Such ideas from the Old and New Testaments support the foundational dispensationalism of Biblical promises.
The stories in the Old Testament are connected to the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, which makes people consider it irrelevant in the Bible. However, the Old Testament has various teachings essential to the people in society. For example, Psalm 23.1 states that The Lord is my Shepherd, I lack nothing. This means that if a person depends on God, they are guaranteed to have better lives where they do not lack. The theological system of dispensationalism is essential in indicating how both the Old and New Testaments are involved in directing people in the right direction. Every reading in the Bible has a meaning which can help Christians in their lives to know what they should do and what they are supposed to avoid.
Creation and Evolution
Christians and scientists always have arguments concerning the creation done by God since the believers may disagree with what the scientists say about creation and vice versa. The Scripture highlights that God is the creator of everything in the world, and all that He created was due to his likeness. Thus, this shows that the Bible focuses on the theological aspect of the Scripture that indicates God brought everything into existence using his powers. In contrast, according to the theory of evolution, the Bible does not support the account of creation well since there are instances that indicate God used science to create some things. For example, the reason behind the creation of fish or birds is not explained in Genesis, and from this, the scientists believe that Genesis does not support the philosophy of naturalism, yet it is evident that God applied it during creation.
In the contemporary world, creativity has directed people to innovate new things which could not be introduced in traditional times. According to Genesis, God had the power and will to create something in his likeness, but the scientific means or process of creating things is not explained. From this, scientists have the right to demand an explanation of various things that occur. Besides, if Christians accept that creation can be linked with naturalism, there can be an understanding of what some creations mean. The disagreement between theology and naturalism hinders the understanding of creation and what science can do in the modern world. Unequivocally, there should be an in-depth understanding of what theology says about the earth and creation and if it can be connected to scientific beliefs.
Homosexuality from a Christian Viewpoint
The issue of homosexuality has raised concerns in the contemporary world since there is no better understanding of how the case should be handled. In the Bible, homosexuality is classified as a sinful act in that a man should lie down with other males. Particularly, lying down with another man is considered an abomination (Leviticus 18.22). From this, it shows that the Bible does not support the act of homosexuality since it is a sin. On the other hand, the Bible says we should not be judges of other peoples actions, for we are sinners (Matthew 7.1-5). It can be challenging when trying to classify homosexuality as the most significant sin since some of the scriptures are unclear about homosexuality. Since people cannot judge others acts, Christians are not obliged to say that Christ will punish homosexuals poorly. Generally, the debates on allowing homosexuality to be part of us are still on until God comes for the second time as people will understand the rightful deeds concerning the sexuality of a person.
The idea of sexual orientation has sparked discussions since, in ancient times, homosexuality was experienced. It was not condemned that much, making it difficult to compare the phenomenon to the context of Christianity. Although the Bible has multiple opinions concerning homosexuality, there are different expectations from homosexual members. For example, they expect the church to love them unconditionally without bias since the likeness of God creates us. The church should show such members the appropriate direction regarding their sexuality and what the scripture says about homosexuality.
Pentecostal Movements Legitimacy
Pentecostal Movement Legitimacy focuses on the baptism of the Holy Spirit as the direct personal experience of God. The name Pentecostal is derived from Pentecost, an event commemorating the Holy Spirits descend on the followers of Christ and the act of speaking in tongues as defined in the Book of Acts (Acts 1.21-22). Pentecostalism allows a Christian to live a life that the Holy Spirit empowers. The empowerment can include speaking in tongues or the use of spiritual gifts like divine healing, indicating that speaking in tongues is asserted as the first manifestation of Holy Spirit baptism; thus, the gift can be bestowed by the Spirit today to allow the apostle to fill the needed qualifications in directing the followers of Christ. From this, it is evident that the apostles will have the spiritual power for service they acquired through the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Christianity and Islamic Religion
There are different discussions concerning Christianity and Muslims, as they seem to have various doctrines and beliefs. The deity of Christ classifies Jesus as one true God who was in human form. Thus, from the Bible, the characteristics of the deity of Jesus Christ are ascribed as immutable, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and eternal, which also represent the character of Yahweh. Jesus proved his deity through the resurrection of Lazarus, where He wanted to show the disciples that they could rise to a life of glory. In contrast, the revealed character of Allah is that He is Omnipotent, Fairness, Transcendence, Immanence, and Merciful. From this, it indicates that the beliefs of Islam describe the interpreted deity as Allah. Christians understand that God is who he is and He teaches Christians the crucial truths about community and relationships.
In Christian theology, the doctrine of grace defines the divine influence on people and the unmerited gift of divine favor applicable in saving sinners. They are the best biblical doctrines that an individual would come to embrace or know about Jesus Christs Gospel in His grace. In contrast, the Qurans doctrine of grace is achievable by the individuals on earth and those who meet the Qurans criteria. The five pillars that direct the doctrine of grace in Islam: are the core practices and beliefs of Islam, including the Profession of Faith, Prayer, Alms, Fasting, and Pilgrimage. The sacred texts for Christianity include the Christian Bible, and for Islam, we have The Hadiths and the Quran. In Christianity, the Bible can consist of additional books, for example, the one used by the Roman Catholic Church, which has extra books such as Maccabees.
The Church
The Church is an essential aspect of society where believers learn about different doctrines and more about the creator. The human body represents the Church, and whenever three or more people are gathered, it is classified as a holy place or a church where individuals with the same beliefs have gathered. The Church is characterized by Leadership, Worship, Spiritual family, Discipleship, and Evangelism, showing that people in the Church should be connected with the Holy Spirit. Additionally, everyone should boost each others faith by encouraging them to build their faith firmly. Generally, this shows that believers should share the good news of the Lord with others and encourage them to live spiritual life.
Conclusion
In conclusion, discussing aspects such as women in church politics, Bible consideration of politics, Dispensationalism, creation and evolution, and Homosexuality is essential. Such a discourse helps in learning what the current world is all about and connects it to the ancient world. Human society is changing, and values and traditions are transforming with it. Today, circumstances are very different from the historical and cultural context of the scripture creation period. For this reason, it is necessary to consider religious texts and the topics which they reveal through the prism of modern realities. Religion is essential for societys development and many peoples well-being, but it needs to continue to adapt as social conditions transform.
While the contemporary church is in exile, practical theology is essential for ministers to emphasize the role of correct practice. The latter is integrated into the term of orthopraxy, the primary concern of which is appropriate behavior, and some common beliefs are also presented. This paper will discuss church leadership in exile, focusing on theological imagination, creative missional growth, and doubt aspects. It is expected that this exploration will contribute to better understanding of how ministers should act with regard to the 21st century church.
Where Do You See Yourself in the Process of Change?
The theological imagination is an integral part of the 21st century church in exile. The concept of orthodoxy that refers to the conformation with the Christian creeds, truths, and images is beneficial in understanding a Sunday School Teachers expected position in the context of change (Beach, 2015). The biblical narratives are representative of how prophets and apostles responded to challenges encountered by the church and congregation in exile.
Isaiah, the prophet with the Jewish background, develops and deepens the basic idea of the prophet Amos about the primacy of morality over the cult. In His turn, the God claims: For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee (Isaiah 41:13, NIV). A faith-sustaining action and the imagination of a better future were also proposed by Nehemiah, who led the rebuilding of Jerusalem walls.
Accordingly, the church ministers may appeal to people with the idea of recovering from sins and improper behavior. It should be noted that the future of the people depends on their ability to put into practice the ideals of justice as morality is more pleasing to God than mere formal worship. The church should design and offer a new vision of Christianity that would be pertinent to the modern reality (Watt, 2014). People should be invited what God can do for them and that all creation is in Jesus Christ.
How Do You View Your Future Role in the Church?
The paramount role of a Sunday School Teacher ministry is to target the creative missional growth. In the context where the church is in exile, it is critical to imagine innovative forms and practices that cannot be employed. The Western world and the church identity are to be approximated in order to come up with the required missional actions. As Paul said, For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing & in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God (Corinthians 2:15-2:17, NIV). In this connection, the views of teachers regarding the future should be related to serving people as those who disseminate the word of God with a new vision.
The church needs to take the role of a transformational mediator. According to Pillay (2017), the community change is of the mission of the ministry, which is discussed by the author on the example of South African apartheid church and its revival. The ministers are expected to focus on the development of their leadership (Elkington, Meekins, Breen, & Martin, 2015). The Christian worldview is to be enhanced in the process of mentorship and missionary opportunities.
Point of View Based Upon Assessment of This Weeks Topics?
The key conclusion of this week is associated with doubt issues. First of all, doubt is inherent in people, and it is especially critical to those who live near the edge. Second, it is important to make sure that there is a place where people with common beliefs and practices may meet and spend time together in order to strengthen their shared commitments (Beach, 2015). The church is to become the place where people can be understood by sharing their concerns and receiving acceptance and assistance. Third, people should be given the hope of future glory, emphasizing that their faith would be justified.
This recommendation implies that exile is temporary, while faith represents the statement that this life is not all there. In combination, these three issues explain how people live through doubts and how ministers may help them.
While many local churches are closing due to the cultural changes, there is a framework for working through the existing challenges and addressing them. Beach (2015) provides feasible and pertinent motifs and models that can be used by the modern church to assess current and future needs in exile. Even though this framework is not an absolute guarantee, it offers valuable tools to live in the given conditions appropriately and recuperate in the future based on leadership and orthopraxy. Thus, it is significant that the church as the Lords ministry will survive.
Conclusion
To conclude, this essay explored the way the church may respond to the life in exile in the 21st century. It is important to adopt the theological imagination and apply lessons from the biblical narratives. The ministers need to consider the creative missional growth by focusing on leadership development and orthopraxy as common practice. The doubts issues faced by people clarified the way the church should speak with about exile. The framework offered by Beach was identified as one of the options to evaluate existing needs and plan the future actions.
References
Beach, L. (2015). The church in exile: Living in hope after Christendom. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
Elkington, R., Meekins, D., Breen, J. M., & Martin, S. S. (2015). Leadership as an enabling function: Towards a new paradigm for local church leadership in the 21st century. In Skriflig, 49(3), 1-14.
Pillay, J. (2017). The church as a transformation and change agent. HTS Theological Studies, 73(3), 1-12.
Watt, W. M. (2014). Relational principles for effective church leadership. Journal of Leadership Education, 13(2), 125-139.
The Meaning of the Passage of Scripture: I Peter, 5: 1-4
The passage of Scripture is related to the issue of leadership at church. The elders refers to the wise and experienced members of the congregation. These people have respect and authority, and others tend to follow their advice. A fellow elder means that Peter considers himself as the one equal to these experienced men (5:1). The passage explains the need for being sincere and devoted leaders of the people Gods flock who belong to ones parish.
Peter explains that being a good leader is not about having to take care of the flock but wishing to do so. Also, the goals of the leader should be righteous and not dishonest (5:2). Peter emphasizes the need to be a positive example to ones parish rather than lording over people (5:3). Finally, it is mentioned that when Christ returns ( when the Chief Shepherd appears ), good leaders will receive a reward the crown of glory which is the recognition of their honorable and dedicated deeds (5:4).
The Relation of the Passage to the Ethical Perspective
The passage is connected with the ethical perspective because it dwells on the need to be particularly attentive when targeting specific populations in a ministry. The words of encouragement, which are expressed in the final verse, both emphasize the need for communal relationships and suggest advice on living through the end-time sufferings (Perkins, 2012, p. 75). From an ethical perspective, it is noted that caution is necessary for religious leaders.
The reason for such discretion and attention is that singling out vulnerable parishioners will allow the minister to focus on these peoples difficulties and promote their dedication, which will eventually lead to salvation. Being cautious when targeting potential benefactors is also highly important since the church needs financial support (Perkins, 2012). Particularly, a minister should be self-conscious and persuasive enough to show the donors that the church is leading a righteous life and that it is worth supporting it. Therefore, the ethical perspective helps to explain the core goals of church leaders activity.
Clear and Distinctive Positioning
Developing a successful church growth strategy involves clear and distinctive positioning as the core element differentiating church from other services in the community. To establish such positioning, operationalizing marketing is applied. Odia and Isibor (2014) consider two aspects of churches when analyzing them from the marketing perspective: (a) as non-profit organizations and (b) as service providers. Due to churches non-profit nature, it may be difficult to apply market concepts to them. The reasons for such complications are:
churches do not distribute net earnings;
they are focused on societal welfare rather than customer satisfaction;
churches have many stakeholders, but few employees and consumers;
not all cases of non-profit organizations can be analyzed through market and exchange;
demand for services is insistent;
it may be complicated to evaluate performance (Odia & Isibor, 2014).
Viewing church as a service provider is possible due to its intangibility and the high degree of consumer involvement. Odia and Isibor (2014) outline several features of churches as service providing organizations: heterogeneity, perishability of offerings, quality of services, the impossibility of selling church offerings, or assessing its productivity. Taking into consideration the fact that churches are non-profit service providers, it becomes possible to speak about the importance of their positioning and marketing. The major reason why scholars consider it applicable to view the church as a market is that religion presupposes the exchange of value (Odia & Isibor, 2014).
Thus, church marketing is the process of analyzing and planning an exchange between a religious organization and its constituents to gratify the needs of both. The successful positioning starts with investigating and comprehending the mission of the church. Further, the religious organization should select its desirable relationship type based on two aspects: the direction and focus. By direction, churches can choose a vertical or horizontal relationship, and by focus, the connection can be internal or external.
Since churches are not the only non-profit service providers in the community, clear and distinctive positioning is the factor that affects their successful activity. According to Zait, effective positioning involves such factors as goal identification, placement, marketing mix, marketing plan, and the message (as cited in Juravle, Sasu, & Sptaru, 2016, p. 338). To identify its goals, the religious market needs to understand what its main audience is and what objectives it ultimately wants to achieve.
A clear placement is another aspect of successful positioning since it allows finding the niche for a particular church and then identifying the consumers of its services. Creating a marketing plan is crucial since it will allow supervising the activities and checking whether they are performed timely. Finally, a church needs to have a clearly articulated message, which incorporates its mission and vision. With the help of these components, it will be easier for any church to become a successful non-profit organization. People will realize the difference between the religious market and other community services, and they will be more likely to join the church, which will lead to the growth of this market.
References
Juravle. A.-I., Sasu, C., & Sptaru, G. C. (2016). Religious marketing. SEA Practical Application of Science, 4(2), 335-340.
Odia, E. O., & Isibor, F. O. (2014). Operationalizing marketing in the church. Nigeria Journal of Business Administration, 12(1-2), 48-71.
Perkins, P. (2012). First and Second Peter, James, and Jude: Interpretation, a Bible commentary for teaching and preaching. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.
Nowadays, finding a person who has not heard about Jesus of Nazareth, son of Joseph, also known as Christ, is truly challenging. His remarkable leadership had a profound effect on the society of his time, invoking substantial changes in individuals, communities, cities, and nations. Based on the impact Christs approach to leadership had on people around him, it can be considered one of the first applications of a transformational leadership theory.
Methods
There are many factors based on which a leader can be assessed and evaluated. According to Kovach (2018), the main ones include a leaders personal qualities and performance. Consequently, I reviewed the existing literature concerning the leadership qualities Jesus Christ possessed to formulate my thesis statement. Then, based on the obtained information, I researched the existing leadership theories to find what fits Jesus Christs approach best.
Analysis
A literature review has yielded many similarities regarding Jesus personality. Boyers monography (2021) portrays Christ as mentoring, exemplary, authentic, and loving leader. In addition, Darsana et al. (2021) summarize Christs impact on his community as renewing and transformative. Thus, the most fitting leadership concept would be transformational leadership. According to Kovach (2018), transformational leaders clarify the overarching purpose, constantly motivating and leading people to its realization. They serve as an example and foster the development of their followers virtues.
Conclusion
Christs charisma and care could be seen in his actions and speech. For instance, Christ often exchanged the role of a leader and a servant, urging his followers to do the same: Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Mark 10:42-45) A personal example adds incredible strength and validity to the spoken words, which significantly contributed to Christs transformational leadership success.
Any positive progress in every country is absolutely dependant on the political and leadership stability it enjoys. This implies that political instability and poor leadership are the worst setbacks to constructive progress. Consequently, countries that enjoy political stability no matter how limited resources are at their disposal, development is inevitable.
Thus, we cannot talk about the development of any country in the exclusion of its political stability. Therefore, this paper seeks to evaluate the political leadership between Ellen Jonson of Liberia, and Yahya Jammeh of Gambia, so that the most suitable between them is recommended to lead the African continent.
Yahya Jammeh, the current president of Gambia, came into power in 1994 after a bloodless coup. At the beginning of his tenure, president Yahya was seen as a man ready to take the people of Gambia a step higher in dealing with the national affairs.
The people both citizens and western community, expected him to end impunity and particularly corruption which was perpetuated by the previous regime. In one of the meetings with the ECOWAS delegation, he is portrayed as a state man, a man of the people, a generous person fit for the leadership of Gambia.
This was short lived because his leadership was tainted with untold human torture, numerous murders, disappearance of some of the people and especially those who were opposed to his rule, restriction to press freedom, and many other crimes against humanity. The political instability in Gambia under the rule of President Yahya is as a result of poor governance, corruption, absence of democracy, and human resource crisis. His rule is that of a real dictator in the modern world.
On the other hand, Ellen Jonson, the president of Liberia is the complete opposite of president Yahya. Having been elected by the people of Liberia as the first woman president, Ellen did not disappoint her people, but step by step she began to restore their hope.
Ellen took over as the president of Liberia at the moment when virtually every system of governance was collapsing because the county was at war for 25 years. Under her watch, peace has been established in Liberia, schools have been constructed and education quality improved, hospitals and clinics are operational in all parts of the country. Liberias economy has been invigorated through the improvement of agriculture.
President Ellens Zero tolerance to corruption, is the reason behind the magnitude at with corruption has reduced in Liberia. The aid money that Liberia receives from international communities and particularly America is used to construct more universities, technical schools, roads, hospitals and above all to put law and order in all her institutions.
Having evaluated the two presidents namely: Ellen and Yahya, Ellen stands out as the most ideal and fit to lead a continent like Africa; her trail of records speak for themselves.
Although she is the first woman to be elected as a president not only in Liberia but in the whole of Africa, Ellen has shown the people of Africa and the world at large, that an African woman can govern the country even more than her male counterparts. Ellens government has managed to reinstate hope among the Liberians, the reason for which they call her mother and redeemer .
An effective leader is one who is familiar with issues faced by the people he leads. A leader who intends to implement effective public policies should have the support of all people in the society. He or she must encourage all members of the society to collaborate to ensure that policies which are implemented achieve desired objectives.
A leader needs to be familiar with views and aspirations of his people so as to win their trust and confidence. Kettl (2000) reveals for public policies to be effective, a leader should be motivated to uplift peoples living standards (p. 12).
A leader should encourage everyone in the community to cooperate to ensure that set objectives and goals are achieved. A leader should create strong networks at all levels of the society to ensure that viable opportunities are well utilised for the benefit of the community.
A public leader should be well educated to be able to make important decisions regarding policies that need to be implemented. An educated leader makes good choices regarding projects that are crucial for the improvement of the communitys welfare. He is able to set priorities regarding how important projects are going to be funded and how they will benefit the community.
This ensures public resources are channelled to projects needed by the community which minimises wastage of public funds (Trutt, 2010, p. 87). A good leader plans fundamental actions that need to be taken to ensure that societal goals are achieved.
An educated leader is able to formulate effective budgets and technical plans which outline how major projects will be done. He assesses the advantages and disadvantages of every policy decision made before it is implemented.
Trutt (2010) argues that it is important for a leader to have a strong military background in order to implement crucial policies involving the military (pp. 93-95). Military issues are complex and require a leader to be well grounded in all areas that relate to military operations. A leader who is chosen to lead military forces needs to be knowledgeable on security issues and their impacts on the society.
This knowledge is necessary during times of wars, political instability and civilian unrests. For instance, Winston Churchills previous experience as a soldier was crucial to his success as a leader in Britain, during World War II.
He made effective decisions which turned the course of the war in favour of allied forces. His knowledge of military strategy made him implement successful policies which protected Great Britain from threats of external invasion by the Nazis.
Leaders who have travelled widely are exposed to different foreign experiences which make them open minded. They are able to build and sustain strong relationships with other countries in the best interests of their citizens. However, a leader needs to understand the wishes and expectations of his citizens to rule effectively. This will help him to plan and implement policies which are important to those he leads.
A leader who travels a lot may fail to understand issues and problems being experienced by people at home. A lot of exposure to foreign ideals may make a leader to lose interest in critical issues affecting people in his own country (Trutt, 2010, pp. 104-107). An effective leader needs to participate in making decisions which are important for the development of his community.
References
Kettl, D. (2000). The global public management revolution: A report on the transformation of governance. Washington DC: Brookings Institution Press.
Trutt, W.B. (2010). Power and policy: Lessons for leaders in government and business. New York, NY: ABC-CLIO.
The Arabian Gulf region is characterized by leaders who have the potential to achieve their goals. Demographics play a significant role in the leadership of the Arabian Gulf region. For instance, the region is characterized by constitutional monarchies. Such monarchies have specific rulers who monitor the economic goals of their nations (Common 219). This cultural aspect dictates the economic, political, and leadership practices in these countries. The demographics of this region explain why leaders have a lot of influence and power.
The religious values held by many Muslims have a lot to do with leadership. These nations have religious leaders who promote different traits and values. The religion dictates a unique power-distance between religious leaders and their followers (Kabasakal and Bodur 46). That being the case, the issue of religion explains why demographics dictate the quality of leadership in the Arabian Gulf region. The demographics of the Middle East have also been evolving significantly. Many individuals in the Arabian Gulf region have also been acquiring new ideas. Such leaders are focusing on the best practices that can result in successful economies.
Authoritarian leadership is a common practice in the region. The demographics of the region have led to unique cultural relations. For instance, majority of the leaders are always expected to be in front. Women tend to obey their husbands and leaders. Many leadership positions are filled by males. The issue of tenure dictates the qualities of different managers. Demographic characteristics continue to reshape most of the leadership philosophies embraced in these countries. Leadership is also closely associated with culture-specific responsibilities (Jogulu 711). Many organisational leaders therefore dictate, mentor, and monitor the performances of their employees. Such leaders are expected to establish relevant values for their subordinates.
Generational Differences
The region has different generations. The conservative generation is aged 50 years and above (Jogulu 711). Such individuals use authoritarian leadership approaches. Generation X is composed of individuals between 30 and 50 years of age. These persons respect various traditional practices. They receive orders and focus on the best practices. Their authoritarian leaders use specific strategies in order to get the best results. A new generation has emerged in this region. Generation Y has benefited the most from the regions booming economy. More foreign workers are also employed in the region.
For instance, the UAE has over 3.8 million workers from different foreign countries (Hodgkinson 6). Such individuals continue to embrace international attitudes in the workplace (Hodgkinson 6). This generation expects its leaders to support the best work-life balance goals (Jogulu 709). The demands of these three generations have forced many people to adopt the best leadership practices.
How Leadership Has Changed
The wave of globalization has transformed different leadership styles in the world. The world has become turbulent thus calling for effective leadership approaches (Gray 7). Many leaders in the Arab world are embracing a transformational leadership strategy. For instance, such leaders have been using a communal approach to address the needs of their followers. Some leaders and politicians have also embraced the aspects of transformational leadership. A good example is Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Mohammed is currently the Vice President (VP) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The VP uses powerful initiatives to improve the economy of his country. Most of the leaders in this region have embraced powerful traits such as motivation, teamwork, mentorship, and empowerment (Hodgkinson 13). Many leaders are therefore merging these traits with their cultural values.
Works Cited
Common, Richard. Barriers to Developing Leadership in the Sultanate of Oman. International Journal of Leadership Studies 6.1 (2011): 215-228. Print.
Gray, Matthew. A Theory of Late Rentierism in the Arab States of the Gulf. Center for International and Regional Studies 7.1 (2011): 3-50. Print.
The socio-economic and political success of the United States is directly attributed to effective leadership that has been experienced in the country since independence in 1776. The forefathers of this country had a great vision for this country, and they did everything within their powers to ensure that it was realized. They were never concerned with self-gains, and neither were they after fame. They served Americans diligently, always trying to unite the country for a common course.
They ignored their personal needs in order to realize the societal success. They embraced servant leadership as a way of delivering the best service to the people of this nation. George Washington was one such servant leader who was committed to free Americans from colonial rule, and to unite all Americans in order to achieve a common course. In this research, the focus will be to analyze the servant leadership strategies that were employed by George Washington as one of the greatest American heroes of a lifetime.
Discussion
George Washington was the first president of an independent United States of America. Born in April, 1789, Washington joined the military at a tender age to help liberate the United States from the British rule. His military skills and leadership qualities saw him rise to become the Continental Armys commander-in-chief in 1775. This meant that he had to lead the American Revolution that was gaining momentum against the oppressive rule from the colonial masters. This was one of the most dangerous tasks because the colonial army was ruthless and well equipped. However, Washington was willing to face death for the sake of his country.
He led the Continental Army against the British in Boston, and successfully liberated it from the British government. In New York, he was almost killed when his camp was attacked by the British forces as they were advancing to liberate it. This did not deter him from advancing to other states. He captured New Jersey, the fact that earned him massive admiration among the Americans. He went ahead to help in liberating many other states from the colonial rule. This saw him become the first president of the independent United States elected unanimously in 1789. He served the country diligently before retiring in 1797.
Servant Leadership of George Washington
George Washington has been referred as a hero and servant leader who served Americans without any self-interest clouding his thoughts. He was the general who liberated Americans from the chains of the colonial rule till it gained its freedom. However, Miller (2012) says that after liberating the United States, Washington resigned as the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in order to promote democracy within the country.
This was a noble act because he denounced the power he had as the army general to capture power after driving the colonial forces away. However, he preferred to let Americans decide who they wanted as their leader. This is a clear indication that Washington saw himself as a servant. To him, the Americans were the master in this new country, and they had the power of choosing the person they wanted to serve them as their president.
According to Matha and Boehm (2008), George Washington is responsible for the current tradition where American presidents only serve for two terms. Even after being unanimously elected as the United States president, Washington felt that power should not be a preserve for a select few. After serving two terms, he never sought to extend his leadership in this country.
He handed over power to the second president of this nation who was elected in a free and fair election. This was strange because in this period, many countries in the world were ruled by dictators. Some of the democratic leaders would cling to power using all means, but Washington felt that the United States needed to embrace constitutionalism and democracy in the country.
Leadership Communication
According to Miller (2012), Communication is one of the most important characteristics in servant leadership. A leader should be able to communicate freely with the followers in a clear manner in order to influence others to act in a given manner. Flint (2012) says that George Washington was able to win many battles against the British forces because of his ability to communicate properly with his generals. He was always open to discussions, considering the views of everyone important in the fight for liberation of the country.
This motivated his troops who felt that their leader was interested in protecting their interest at all cost. When he became the president, George Washington remained accessible to many, always preferring to communicate directly other than using intermediaries. It is important for a leader to eliminate bureaucracies in communication in order to eliminate distortion of the message (Ferch & Spears, 2011). When systems are created that subject pieces of messages into various systems, the message always get diluted, and by the time it reaches the targeted audience, it may not have the intended information.
This is what Washington was keen to avoid. He would always pass his message directly to the intended audience whenever this was necessary. He also maintained a cordial relationship with other senior government officials and liberators of this country, including those who opposed his leadership. He always maintained that the opposition had a role to play in the country, and that it was necessary for them to be listened to as the alternative government in the country.
Theory X and Theory Y
McGregors Theory X and Theory Y have become very popular theories when analyzing servant leadership in the society. According to McGregors Theory X, people are always lazy and tend to dodge their tasks whenever they have an opportunity. For this reason, a leader must ensure that he or she maintains a close check on such lazy leaders to ensure that they undertake their duties. Most leaders always embrace this principle when leading people, always preferring a hands-on leadership style.
On the other hand, Theory Y holds that with the right motivation, people can always achieve a lot with minimal or no supervision at all in their various workplaces. This is a principle that Washington held so dearly. As an army general, he always insisted on self-motivation among the military officers. He was always in the battle front, the fact that challenged his officers to act positively in their various tasks.
He believed in delegating duties as a way of creating a sense of responsibility among his officers. As the president of the country, he always trusted his staff and the entire cabinet to do what is right without having to be subjected to any strict supervision. It is important to note that this does not mean that he never followed up to ensure that the officers were doing what was expected of them. He was very keen to ensure that they acted as it was expected.
Added value of a servant leader
According to Schuttler and Burdick (2010), a servant leader is a person who is willing to sacrifice the personal benefits for the sake of his or her people. It is a leader who is always willing to do everything in order to create peace and make his or people lead a better life. George Washington was such a leader. He led a successful fight against the colonial rulers and was finally elected to become the first president of the United States. When he became the president, he forgave the colonial masters and considered forming an economic alliance with them for the sake of improving the economy of the United States.
He did not hold grudge against the people who were interested in taking away his life because he knew that such acts would only bring down the economy of this country. This was a unique value that helped him serve Americans as a servant leader. Washington was also a champion of peoples rights. During his lifetime, slavery in the United States was still in existence. Born in a rich family, he too had his own slaves who served in various capacities. However, deep in his heart he believed that slavery was not good. He believed that every American should enjoy the freedom that the country had gained.
He believed that Blacks and Whites, Hispanics and any other Americans of different demographic groups deserved to lead a life free from slavery. That is why in his last will, he freed all the slaves who had been serving his family. This was a gesture to all Americans that slavery was not a good practice in a country that had just been liberated from the colonial rulers. As a servant leader, he gave an example by releasing his slaves. He acted upon the issue, and left the Americans to make their own independent decisions about slavery.
Servant leadership in the current society
As a servant leader, George Washington was able to transform the United States from a middle economy country to one of the fastest growing economies in the world. He saw himself as a servant to his people and was always keen to act in the best interest of the entire country. This is lacking in the current leadership where people are interested in self-gains.
Servant leadership is needed in the current society in order to steer the country towards the path of success as the forefathers did. An organization full of servant leaders would be very successful in the current society (Sipe & Frick, 2009). The employees would remain motivated when they see their leaders taking responsibilities as a way of showing them how to undertake some duties. The servant leaders will always be willing to be at the service of the junior employees and this would improve service delivery.
Conclusion
Servant leadership is very important in the current society. President George Washington was able to achieve a lot as a servant leader. It is true that significant contingencies like rebellion may lean against servant leadership. However, it is important to remember that unity and success is always easily achievable through servant leadership.
References
Ferch, S. R., & Spears, L. C. (2011). The spirit of servant-leadership. New York: Paulist Press.
Flint, B. B. (2012). The journey to competitive advantage through servant leadership: Building the company every person dreams of working for and every president has a vision of leading. Bloomington, Ind: West Bow Press.
Matha, B., & Boehm, M. (2008). Beyond the babble: Leadership communication that drives results. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Miller, K. (2012). Organizational communication: Approaches and processes. Boston, MA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Schuttler, R., & Burdick, J. (2010). Laws of communication: The intersection where leadership meets employee performance. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Sipe, J. W., & Frick, D. M. (2009). Seven pillars of servant leadership: Practicing the wisdom of leading by serving. New York: Paulist Press.