Shaping Your Leadership Around Serving Others.
Experience the Joy of Serving Like Jesus.
True leadership in God’s Kingdom means rolling up your sleeves, noticing the needs around you, and being willing to serve—even when it’s quiet, messy, or unseen. Yeshua invites us to lead by loving, putting others first, and choosing compassion over position. When we follow His example, our influence grows not through power, but through humble acts of kindness that reflect His heart.
Jesus showed us that real greatness is found in serving, not being served. Whether you’re leading at home, at work, or in your community, your leadership shines brightest when you look for ways to lift others up. Every kind word, every hidden act of help, and every patient prayer can become a lifeline to someone in need.
Let the Spirit guide you—see people with compassion, offer your gifts with joy, and trust that every small act matters in the Kingdom.
Pause and journal: Who is God placing on your heart to serve this week? How might you show the love of Christ in a practical way? Ask Ruach HaKodesh to lead your steps.
As you embrace a lifestyle of service, may you become a living example of Jesus’ love, changing your world one act of kindness at a time.
Please log in to add a journal or testimony.
Scripture lookup is available for registered members.
Log in or Create a free account to view scripture for this activity.
Learning Objectives
- Cultivate a leadership style that reflects Christ’s servant heart, putting the needs of others first.
- Lead with compassion, prioritizing the well-being of others in your leadership role.
Intro
Rooted in Service: The Heartbeat of Christlike Leadership.
If you’ve ever been in a church kitchen after a fellowship lunch, you’ve probably seen what real leadership looks like. It’s not the person up front with a microphone, but the one rolling up their sleeves, stacking chairs, scrubbing pots, or quietly listening to someone who needs a friend. In the Kingdom of God, leadership isn’t about position, platform, or power—it’s about serving. This was the way of Yeshua, and it’s the call on every Servant Leader’s life today.
Jesus made this radically clear in Matthew 23:11-12: “But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” In a culture that pushes us to climb higher, Jesus gently calls us to go lower, to take the humble place, and to love people more than we love the spotlight.
The greatest leaders are often the quietest ones—those who notice the needs around them and act without being asked. When John writes of Jesus washing His disciples’ feet (John 13), he paints a picture that’s as earthy and everyday as it gets. Jesus, knowing who He was and where He was going, “took a towel, girded Himself,” and began to wash the feet of men who would soon scatter and deny Him. This is what servant leadership looks like: not waiting for others to change, but being the first to serve.
Philippians 2:5-7 says, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant.” Yeshua didn’t cling to privilege—He emptied Himself, entering the mess and the mundane, so others could know the love of Yahweh up close.
Pause for a moment. Where is God inviting you to go lower? Is there someone you’re called to serve without recognition? Take a moment to journal your response—let Ruach HaKodesh speak to your heart and shape your motives.
Let’s pray: Father Yahweh, give me the heart of Your Son. Help me to lead like Jesus—never above anyone, always alongside. Let humility and love be the story my life tells. Ruach HaKodesh, show me today how I can serve, right where I am. In Yeshua’s name, amen.
Please log in to add a journal or testimony.
Point 1
The Power of a Towel: Jesus’ Example in Action.
In the Gospels, there’s a moment that never fails to move me—a moment when Yeshua, the very Son of God, puts aside His outer garment, wraps a towel around His waist, and kneels to wash His disciples’ feet. John 13:3-5 says, “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands… rose from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel.” Here’s the King of Glory, the One who spoke the universe into being, choosing the posture of a servant.
In our English context, we might not be in the habit of foot washing, but we all know what it’s like to need someone to notice the mud and weariness we carry. Sometimes, servant leadership means literally getting our hands dirty—cleaning up after a church BBQ, visiting someone in hospital, or just quietly helping behind the scenes when there’s no applause. It’s about showing up, not just for the big moments, but for the small, hidden ones that truly test the depth of our love.
The world often says, “Look out for number one,” but Yeshua says, “Love your neighbour as yourself.” Galatians 5:13-14 reminds us, “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word… you shall love your neighbour as yourself.”
Let’s be honest: serving others can sometimes feel like a thankless job. Maybe you’ve felt unseen, or you wonder if your small acts make any real difference. But in God’s Kingdom, no act of service is wasted. When we pick up the towel, we step into the very footsteps of Yeshua—and we make His love visible in a hurting world.
Pause and reflect: Who around you needs a simple act of kindness this week? What’s one practical way you can serve someone, just as Jesus did? Journal your intention, and ask Ruach HaKodesh for the courage and compassion to follow through.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for showing us what real love looks like. Help me to notice the needs around me and to serve without expecting anything in return. May my actions bring You joy and point others to Your goodness. In Your precious name, amen.
Please log in to add a journal or testimony.
Point 2
Leading with Compassion: Love That Sees and Serves.
Servant leadership isn’t just about the tasks we do—it’s about the way we see people. Yeshua had a knack for noticing those others overlooked: the leper at the city gate, the woman at the well, Zacchaeus hiding up in a tree. Compassion was His default setting. He saw people, not as interruptions, but as precious children of Yahweh—each one worthy of love and attention. That’s the kind of leadership we’re called to cultivate: a leadership rooted in compassion that puts others first, not out of duty, but out of genuine love.
The apostle Paul captures this heart in Galatians 5:13-14, reminding us, “Through love serve one another. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’” It’s easy to get caught up in our own to-do lists and ministry goals, but Spirit-led leadership always leaves room for people—especially those who can give us nothing in return.
There’s a story I love from a local English church. An elderly gentleman would come in early every Sunday, long before anyone else arrived. He’d set out chairs, make sure the heating was on, and leave fresh tea bags by the urn. No one ever announced his name from the front. But when he wasn’t there, people noticed. His quiet acts of service set the temperature for the whole church, literally and spiritually. That’s the impact of servant leadership: it shapes an environment of love and welcome without needing applause.
Paul says in Philippians 2:5-7, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus… He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant.” When we let compassion lead, we carry the fragrance of Christ into every room, every conversation.
Journal prompt: Where in your life is God asking you to see someone with new compassion? Who is the “overlooked one” that He’s placing on your heart? Write down their name, and ask Ruach HaKodesh to help you love and serve them this week.
Let’s pray: Yahweh, give me eyes like Yours—eyes that notice, care, and serve in love. Fill me with Your compassion for every person I meet. Let me lead by lifting others up, even when no one sees. In Yeshua’s name, amen.
Please log in to add a journal or testimony.
Point 3
Stewarding God’s Grace: Serving as a Lifestyle.
The call to servant leadership isn’t just about what we do on Sundays or during special projects. It’s about making service a way of life—a daily stewardship of the grace and gifts Yahweh has entrusted to us. 1 Peter 4:10-11 puts it plainly: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.”
In the English church, you might find people serving tea, driving the minibus, visiting the lonely, or running the sound desk. Some are up front, some are quietly in the background—but each one is vital. The Kingdom of God runs on these acts of faithful stewardship. It’s not about grand gestures; it’s about consistency, heart, and faithfulness in the ordinary.
It’s easy to think, “I’m not gifted enough,” or “What I have to offer is too small.” But the Lord delights in small, faithful acts. A kind word, a meal dropped off for a neighbour, or a prayer whispered in the secret place—these are seeds that the Spirit uses to build up the Body of Christ. Sometimes the simplest acts become someone’s lifeline.
Servant leadership is powered by Ruach HaKodesh, not by our own efforts. When we lean on His strength, we find joy and endurance to keep going, even when we feel overlooked or tired. Our service is never wasted. Every moment offered in love and obedience becomes worship that rises before the throne.
Pause and reflect: What gift or skill has God given you to steward for others? How can you offer it this week, in a way that quietly glorifies Yeshua? Write down your thoughts, and invite the Spirit to use you afresh.
Prayer: Father, thank You for every good gift. Help me to serve joyfully, using what You’ve placed in my hands, big or small. Strengthen me by Your Spirit, and let my life be a song of praise to You. In Yeshua’s name, amen.
Please log in to add a journal or testimony.
Prayer
Activation: Becoming a Living Example of Christ’s Love.
As we bring this message home, let’s remember: servant leadership is not just a principle to be admired but a lifestyle to be lived. Yeshua has set the example, and now we’re called to walk it out—at home, in our workplaces, at church, and in our everyday relationships. The world is desperate for leaders who will choose the path of humility, compassion, and service over the pursuit of personal status.
There’s a legacy being written in the hidden places. Every time you put someone else’s needs before your own, offer a word of encouragement, or quietly serve when no one’s watching, you’re writing a chapter in God’s story. The Kingdom advances on the backs of faithful, servant-hearted believers who simply say “yes” to love.
In the wider journey of the Servant Leader path, this is a foundation for so much more—discerning the right yes, championing the unseen, building partnerships, leaving a legacy of honor. But it all starts with the daily, intentional choice to love, to serve, and to steward God’s grace wherever He places you.
Let’s take a moment to journal and pray. Where is Ruach HaKodesh inviting you to step up your service? Is there a specific person, ministry, or need you’re sensing God’s nudge about? Write it down. Offer it to Yahweh, and ask Him to make you a living example of Christ’s love in action.
Prayer: Yahweh, thank You for the privilege of serving others in Your name. Let my life reflect the humble, sacrificial love of Yeshua. Fill me afresh with Ruach HaKodesh—strengthen my hands, soften my heart, and give me eyes to see the needs around me. May I lead by serving, and serve by loving, so that Your Kingdom comes on earth as it is in heaven. In Yeshua’s name, amen.
As you go, may you do the simple, hidden things with great love. Remember, it’s the Servant Leaders who carry the fragrance of Christ into every place, one quiet act at a time. 🌿
Please log in to add a journal or testimony.
Let’s Reflect: Take the Quiz
Log in or create a free account to record your progress and unlock achievements.
You can still take the quiz and check your answers!
Blessing for Servant-Hearted Leadership.
May Yahweh, your Shepherd, clothe you with the humility and compassion of Yeshua as you lead and serve.
May Ruach HaKodesh empower you to notice the unseen, lift burdens quietly, and love deeply—even when no one else sees.
May every simple act of service become a song of worship, and every hidden kindness a seed for Kingdom fruit.
The Lord bless you with gentle strength, hands ready to help, and a heart steadfast in love.
As you serve, may you reflect the fragrance of Christ and inspire others to follow His humble way.
Please log in to add a journal or testimony.