Leadership vs. "Power Plays"

​I have always had an appreciation for power. Some of the forms that drew my attention when I was a child were superheroes and tractors. As I got older I was still impressed by power, but it moved more in the direction of prestige, position and wealth. I like power tools, power boats and power naps but I dislike when I believe other people are using a power grab to fulfill their power-mongering tendencies. In a nutshell I like power when it works for me and not against me.
 
As I thought a bit more about my history of appreciating power I became aware of a couple side effects that always seem to be present in one way or another. Those two things are a personal discontentment and a desire to be superior somehow to others. I don’t necessarily mean in a blatantly evil way. Most of the time it manifests itself as simply missing out on the joy God intended for me in just being me or appreciating the many gifts God has given to me to enjoy in the moment. The pursuit of power always wants more!
 
The human problem with power is as old as time. On my own I will want to build my power base by “leading” and using people. Life becomes one big power play chasing more and more. It is very different in God’s Kingdom – our hearts are changed so that we want to lead others by serving and loving them. Even though the Church is to operate with this complete paradigm shift, it is important we acknowledge that we will often still struggle with a tendency to believe we should build God’s Kingdom through power methods, instead of God’s methods of grace, love and truth.
 
This Sunday we will be looking into God’s invitation for us to influence our world on His behalf. Each one of us are called by God to follow Jesus into a life of service and significance. There is a pervasive lie in our culture that significance doesn’t come through serving, but through being served. Jesus clearly disagreed with this through his words and His actions, but the dissenting voices of our world are often loud and appealing. Where will you turn for the answers of your heart cries? What voices will speak into your soul and guide your mind and actions? How will you view other people?
 
Consider the following quotes:
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“He who dies with the most toys wins.”
Malcolm Forbes
 
“Humanitarianism is the expression of stupidity and cowardice.”
Adolf Hitler
 
“Hollywood is a place where they'll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and fifty cents for your soul.”
Marilyn Monroe
 
“I have come to seek and to save the lost. I have come not to be served but to serve.”
Jesus
 
The Church has been set apart by God to lead others to freedom. Leading by serving will also set us from discontentment and pointless pursuits of power.
 
Serving and leading with you,
Pastor Nick