Pastor, you are called to serve. A servant’s heart is not optional for those who lead God’s people.
Over the years, I have watched men start out so well with a heart to serve the Lord and a heart to serve His people, end poorly because they become so entitled and stop serving.
Jesus’s life and ministry makes it clear:
Mark 10:45 (NKJV) “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
True spiritual leadership is rooted in humble service.
Pastoral leadership is not about position.
Pastoral leadership is not about recognition.
Pastoral leadership is not about gaining a name for yourself.
Your role as a pastor/shepherd is about quietly and faithfully serving others in the name of Jesus.
Pastor leadership is to be filled with men who are the servants of all!
Ask the Lord to give you a servant’s heart and ask Him to enlarge it daily. Then, live it out. Don’t wait for someone to assign you a task. Look around with spiritual attentiveness. Identify the needs within your congregation, team, and pastor, and step in to provide assistance. Some of the most powerful demonstrations of God’s love are found in simple, consistent acts of kindness and service.
Jesus set the example when He washed the feet of His disciples. He laid down His life for those who loved Him and for those who rejected Him. You are called to walk in those same footsteps, serving with humility and love.
Matthew 23:11–13 (NKJV) “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. “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.”
Never think that pastoral ministry is about being above others. You’re not and never will be. Rather, it’s a place and a poisition to lift others up. It is noticing when something needs to be done and doing it without waiting for recognition. It is stepping in to encourage, pray, and support others, even when it goes unnoticed by people, knowing that God sees your faithfulness.
Look for ways to serve that reflect the love of Jesus. Help the staff, care for your team, notice those who serve behind the scenes, and encourage those who feel unseen. A pastor with a servant’s heart helps to foster an environment of kindness and humility in the church, pointing people back to Jesus through everyday faithfulness.
Men, let us pursue the heart of a servant each day, asking the Lord to keep our hearts soft and willing to serve.
Follow the way of Jesus. Carefully.
Adapted from the book, Sure and Steady by Pastor Ed Taylor. Chapter 12
