Inspired LeadershipEsimerkki

A servant leadership 

During his college years, Samuel Logan Brengle was a law student who was very talented in speaking. God called him into the sermon ministry. After he received his Bachelor's degree, he became a preacher at the Episcopalian Methodist church.

During the following years, he was known as an excellent preacher. He received a recommendation to be appointed as a pastor in a large city church. The leader even saw the potential in him to become a bishop. As a result, Brengle decided to enroll in the Boston Seminary to get a theology degree before accepting more responsibilities.

At that time the Salvation Army was founded in Boston, and Brengle was very interested in joining them. He decided to resign from the Methodist Church and offered his services to the Salvation Army. This meant that he must attend a training period to learn all the ins and outs of the Salvation Army’s service. That's when he wondered if he had made the wrong decision!

His first assignment was not to preach in front of a large crowd, but to clean and polish the co-workers’ boots at the training ground! He was placed in a small room with 18 pairs of muddy boots, shoe polish and the temptation to stop. For him, this was a waste of time and talent. He had proven himself to be a great speaker; a preacher with a very promising future. He asked himself, "Is this the best thing they can do for me in the Salvation Army? Did I make a mistake?"

Then in his mind, he saw a picture: Lord Jesus was washing the feet of His disciples! He wrote in his journal, "I can see my Lord - who came from an eternal Father with the glory of heaven and the admiration of all his inhabitants - bent to wash the feet of uneducated and abusive fishermen and take on the form of a servant. Immediately I knelt and prayed, "Lord, You washed their feet; I will polish their boots."

Brengle learned an important principle at that time in Christian leadership: a call to respect and serve others with humility.

Leadership is less dependent on a position than action. (John Maxwell)

Reflection: Great achievements are usually born from great sacrifice and never from the results of selfishness. A leader must serve, not crave for service. Sincerity in serving is an attitude that absolutely must be owned by the leader.