News ¢ Sheri Goh is the Editor of Methodist Message. / The Cathedral Podcast visual courtesy of St Andrew’s Cathedral
Spiritual leadership
This article is extracted from a podcast interview with Bishop Dr Gordon Wong, “Spiritual Leadership”, by The Cathedral Podcast, set up and founded by St Andrew’s Cathedral Singapore, and is published with permission. The full podcast can be found at https://cathedral.org.sg/podcast
Distinguishing between spiritual leadership and other forms of leadership In the context of Mark 10:41 onwards, where James and John ask Jesus to give them a seat on His left and right, Jesus says, “Those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, […] but it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.” Jesus does seem to be saying that the type of leadership and the way we rule should be different from the way the world rules. The type of leadership Jesus Himself, as a perfect human, exercises should be a model—not just for Christian disciples—but for all human leaders. Jesus came to accomplish a task and He is King, Lord and leader. And yet His leadership style was one in which He ended up being crucified. When Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews” (Jn 18:36). It pretty much means that His style of leadership does not come out of the world’s style of leadership—it comes out of the way heaven exerts leadership. Even secular leadership bandies about the term “servant leadership”, but we see the way in which Jesus’ servant leadership worked out. It’s a leadership that is willing to sacrifice self rather than one that tries to retain a position—you’re there to serve, for however long or short you’re there; you’re serving and seeking to bless the people under your leadership.
Programmes and people When Jesus was asked what the most important commandment was, His straightforward answer was to love God with all your heart, soul and mind, and to love your neighbour as yourself [Mt 22:37–39].
METHODIST MESSAGE June 2021
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