The congregation praying for us as we finished our time with them
According to Robert K. Greenleaf, “The servant-leader is servant first . . . it begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first . . . to make sure that other people’s highest priority needs are being served.”
Last week I was in Uganda as part of an 11 person team from the United States to minister to a partnership church in Pader. The Ugandan pastor’s name was Enoch. He is not a man tall in stature, but he is certainly a man tall in heart.
He had asked a few of us to speak to the congregation on leadership, highlighting that this was a great need among his people. I was nervous to make my first presentation. The African culture has a long history of strong patriarchal leadership . . . almost always focused on one strong man at the top. Servant leadership has a different agenda, a different approach. But would that leadership teaching and style be accepted in this rural Ugandan church setting?
My fears were allayed when Pastor Enoch introduced myself and the rest of our speaking team as those who would teach on the topic of servant leadership. I was surprised and in awe of this culture breaking leader who wanted to see every member of his church better understand how they could have unusual influence through the concept of servant leadership.
Pastor Enoch not only espoused servant leadership . . . he lived it. Here are three attitudes I saw lived out through his life while we were in his midst.
1. Deference
Pastor Enoch briefed us before we began as to the needs and desires of the congregation. Each evening of our visit he would update us as to how the present day had gone and what we might consider teaching on the next day. Yet, he always wanted to know what we thought might be most appropriate as we taught principles of servant leadership. And he almost always deferred to our suggestions.
This was his congregation of some 200 people. He was the spiritual shepherd. He had to live with the consequences of our teaching . . . we could get on a plane and go home.
He was equally concerned for our well being as he was for the well being of is congregation. He bowed to the perceived expertise of our teaching team. He did not do so without consultation or without feedback . . . but he did do so. And it make our ability to stand and deliver so much easier.
2. Flexibility
Every day Pastor Enoch would adjust the schedule and the suggested content for the needs of his people. He would prayerfully assess their emotional and spiritual stability. He would change the pace, the breaks, the prayer times, and the meals to best ensure a listening and attentive audience . . . because he wanted them to benefit and be better people . . . better leaders.
This was not about him. Its always easier to run a routine program. The hard thing is to listen carefully, inspect closely, and make adjustments so that the deepest needs being met. That begins with a servant first orientation.
3. Inclusion
Pastor Enoch took a broad view of leadership. He strayed from the cultural norms by seeing men and women as people of great potential influence. He allowed my wife to speak on the topic of servant leadership . . . twice.
One evening we convened a dinner for leaders of the church. Pastor Enoch invited over 20 men and women to participate. There were young leaders and older leaders. There we committed members of the church and those who were only participating in our mini conference. He invited other leaders from other congregations. He included many that many more might be blessed. He was able to see beyond his own territorial borders to the broader needs of the community. Their well being was upper most in his mind.
I learned a lot from Pastor Enoch. My leadership improved by observing and experiencing his leadership.
“The servant-leader is servant first . . . “
Pastor Enoch with my friend Brian
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