In John 13, Jesus showed the full extent of his love for his followers when he took off his outer clothes, wrapped a towel around his waist, and washed his disciples feet. Today, let’s push ourselves to show the full extent of our love for the people in our orbit or sphere of influence by putting on the towel and serving them in some unique and practical ways. Let’s take off the outer clothes of selfishness, pride and self-consciousness, image management and put on the towel of sacrifice and servanthood, and wash the feet of:

our spouse

our children

our friends 

our staff or team 

our co-workers

our boss 

our neighbors

or, even a perfect stranger

As take off your clothes and wash feet today, there will be a mysterious cleansing effect in your life and in the lives of the people for whom you sacrifice and serve. Who are some others we can serve? What are some practical and unique ways we can serve them?

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As leaders, attempting to move an organization, family, ministry team, department, or small group forward, people can be our most vital assets, and they can be where we receive the greatest resistance. I believe each outcome is determined by how we relate to people. The way we relate to people reveals a lot about our leadership temperment, potential, and success. R.E. Thompson suggests these questions:

1. Do other people’s failures annoy or challenge you?

2. Do you use people, or cultivate people?

3. Do you direct people, or develop people?

4. Do you criticize, or encourage people? 

5. Do you shun or seek out the person with a special need or problem?  

Are there other questions you can add? Based on these questions, how do you relate to people? What does it say about your leadership temperment and potential? In which of these areas do you do an excellent job? In which of these do you need the most work? Weigh in on the convo. 

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Early Monday morning Grand Rapids was hit by a terrible storm. My family told me that, at one point, the storm was so intense that thunder shook the house. “Why did your family have to tell you this?” I hear someone asking. Well, they had to tell me this because I slept through the whole thing. I sleep so hard that, when my oldest was about two or three years old, my wife had him sit on my head and bounce up and down to try and wake me. I never woke up. I don’t want to even imagine the other things she’s done and does to me while I sleep. Lol!  My name is Marvin, and I am a hard sleeper. I would imagine if you are anything like me, there are times you feel like Jesus is a hard sleeper, too. I mean: 

Storms shake the house  
Waves overwhelm us 
We’re alone in the middle of the lake,
We’re groping through the darkest point of the night,
We’re straining as we attempt to make appreciable progress. 
There feels like great distance between us and Jesus 
Even if he does come, it looks like he’s blessing everyone else, and it feels like he’s going to pass by us.  

And we call on Jesus and call on Jesus and call on Jesus, and there is no answer. Like the disciples in Luke 8:22-25, sometimes we feel like Jesus is a hard sleeper, totally unaware of the relational, financial, emotional, and spiritual terrorists that stalk and terrorize our lives. 

I want to assure you that he is not a hard sleeper. He is fully aware and fully present. He sees us when we don’t see him, He comes to us when we can’t get to him, and he speaks to us when we can’t speak to him. This is what he says to us:

Take courage!

It is I.

Don’t be afraid.

When have you felt like Jesus was a hard sleeper and was unaware of your storms? How did you respond? What was the hardest part about trusting him in the middle of the storm?

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As I was running the other day, I realized something that really disturbed me - I don’t need God. I mean, I never actually said it with my mouth, nor was this an arrogant declaration; I am way too spiritual and “elder brotherish” for that. lol! But, I say it with my actions all the time. For what I believe determines how I behave and how I behave reveals what I really believe. Here are some I don’t need God indicators that the Holy Spirit revealed to me:

When I fail to pray.  

When I depend on my creativity and gifting more than seeking to be empowered and used by the Holy Spirit.

When I secretly take the credit for God’s work through me and fail to thank God for his gifting and use of those gifts to advance his kingdom. 

When I consult my mentors before I consult God for personal guidance and important decisions. Or, when I don’t consult God at all. 

When I think God’s help and power is nice but not absolutely necessary.

When I am a practical atheist – saying that God exists, but living as if he doesn’t.

When I allow people’s positive or negative opinions of me to define me and my ministry. 

When my money, possessions, social media make less and less room for God.

I need God and I know I need God. I just want to make sure I am living like I need God. 

What about you? Do you think this list is accurate? What are some other postures that we take that indicate we don’t need God? Please join the conversation and invite others.

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The Leadership Summit challenges me every year to be a better leader. This year was no different. This year’s faculty was phenomenal and they challenged me in many ways. In no particular order, here are highlights and points that caused me to reflect the most:  

1. Have an adequate personal replenishment strategy
2. Rogue waves provide the perfect conditions for greater ministry and our steepest learning curves.
3. Redemption and renewal are more important than church programs
4. Bring the gospel to people’s hearts instead of pounding their wills
5. Create an environment and context for the Bible to work
6. Celebrate what we have instead of complaining about what we don’t have
7. Love the fringe 
8. Relationships trump vision 
9. Our most courageous act of leadership can be done in our darkest moments
10. Live with a cause in your heart
11. Reflect on our leadership – Be a reflective practioner 
12. Read! Read! Read!
13. Understand and conquer your dark side
14. We might not have a person problem, but a situation problem
15. Big problems are solved by small solutions
16. Help people to anticipate adversity
17. Bright spots help people realize that they are capable of change

Here are a few “simple things” that I have recommitted to doing as a leader as a result of the Leadership Summit 09:

1. Spiritual: Bible, prayer, reflect and journal at least an hour a day
2. Physical: Go to bed by 10:30 each night
3. Physical: Workout 3-5 days a week
4. Emotional: Understand, articulate and conquer my dark side and flesh patterns as a leader by September 30th
5. Intellectual: Read at least an hour a day and journal my insights daily

These are not difficult goals, but they do require hourly, daily, weekly, and yearly consistency. These are the “simple things,” and if I am consistent, these habits can sharpen my leadership gifts and positively and powerfully change my leadership practices and trajectory.

What highlights above speak to your life and leadership the most? What are some “simple things” you can do to change the direction of your leadership?

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