A Model Servant

2 Corinthians 4:5

I’ll be honest; I am not very concerned about which form of church government your church may embrace. However, I am immensely interested that everyone involved in that ministry (whether a leader or not) sees herself or himself as one who serves . . . and one who gives.

It’s the attitude that is most important.

Perhaps the finest model, other than Christ Himself, was that young Jew from Tarsus who was radically transformed from a strong-willed official in Judaism to a bond servant of Jesus Christ—Paul. What a remarkable change, what a remarkable man!

It’s possible you have the notion that the apostle Paul rammed his way through life like a fully loaded battleship at sea. Blasting and pounding toward objectives, he was just too important to worry about the “little people” or those who got in his way. After all, he was Paul!

I must confess that caricature is not too far removed from my original impression of the man in my early years as a Christian. He was, in my mind, the blend of a Christian John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, and a Marine Corps drill instructor. I mean—Sir, yes sir!—he got things done!

But that false impression began to fade when I made an in-depth study of Paul—his style, his own self-description, even his comments to various churches and people as he wrote to each one. I discovered that the man I had thought was the prima donna par excellence considered himself quite the contrary. Almost without exception, he began every piece of correspondence with words to this effect: “Paul, a servant . . . ” or “Paul, a bond-slave . . . .”

The more I pondered those words, the deeper they penetrated. This man—the one who certainly could have expected preferential treatment or demanded a high-and-mighty role of authority over others—referred to himself most often as a “servant” of God (see 2 Corinthians 4:5). Amazing. He was indeed an apostle, but he conducted himself and carried himself as a servant.

I find this extremely refreshing. What a model Paul was.

No matter how your church is organized, its leaders must see themselves as those who serve and who give.

Charles R. Swindoll Tweet This

Taken from Improving Your Serve by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright © 1981 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. Used by permission of Thomas Nelson. www.thomasnelson.com

Posted in Christian Living and tagged .

Accuracy, clarity, and practicality all describe the Bible-teaching ministry of Charles R. Swindoll. Chuck is the chairman of the board at Insight for Living and the chancellor of Dallas Theological Seminary. Chuck also serves as the senior pastor of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas, where he is able to do what he loves most—teach the Bible to willing hearts. His focus on practical Bible application has been heard on the Insight for Living radio broadcast since 1979.

ఖచ్చితత్వం, స్పష్టత మరియు ఆచరణాత్మకత అన్నీ చార్లెస్ ఆర్. స్విన్డాల్ యొక్క బైబిల్-బోధనా పరిచర్యను వివరిస్తాయి. చక్ ఇన్సైట్ ఫర్ లివింగ్ కు బోర్డు ఛైర్మన్ మరియు డల్లాస్ థియోలాజికల్ సెమినరీకి ఛాన్సలర్. చక్ టెక్సాస్‌లోని ఫ్రిస్కోలోని స్టోన్‌బ్రయర్ కమ్యూనిటీ చర్చ్ యొక్క సీనియర్ పాస్టర్‌గా కూడా పనిచేస్తున్నారు, అక్కడ ఆయన చాలా ఇష్టపడేదాన్ని చేయగలుగుతున్నాడు-ఇష్టపడే హృదయాలకు బైబిల్ నేర్పిస్తున్నారు. ఆచరణాత్మక బైబిల్ అనువర్తనంపై ఆయన దృష్టి 1979 నుండి ఇన్సైట్ ఫర్ లివింగ్ రేడియో ప్రసారంలో వినబడుచున్నది.