MINISTRY AND LEADERSHIP

“Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant” – Matthew 20:26

Our Lord desires that we His followers make God-glorifying Impact in both MINISTRY and LEADERSHIP: “But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant” (Matt.20:25-26). Although such scriptures that link Ministry and Leadership emphasize Service, Humility, and Stewardship, confirming their interrelationship, there are a few distinctions between Ministry and Leadership that should be acknowledged.

Ministry is the overarching call to all believers for humble service to God and humanity, while leadership is a specific function within ministry that involves equipping, influencing, and directing others to serve. The core connection is that all leadership must be ministry (service), but not all ministry is leadership. All true leaders are servants, while all believers are ministers (1Pet.2: 9-10. Leadership and ministry are intertwined. Leaders engage in ministry activities like teaching, preaching, prayer, and counselling, while also carrying out the specific responsibilities of leadership – facilitating the ministries of others. Ministry is about “doing the work of service.” Leadership is about ensuring that the work is done effectively to fulfil God’s purposes.

Ministry is at the Base of Leadership. All Christian activity, including leadership, is fundamentally a “ministry,” derived from the Greek word diakoneo – to serve. Our Lord demonstrated this by washing His disciples’ feet, establishing servanthood as the key attitude for all who follow Him (Jh.13:1-17). He says: “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you” (Jh.13:14-15). This is described as Servant Leadership. Christian leadership is not about worldly power, authority, or personal gain, but about serving the best interests of others (vv.25-28). The more effectively we serve, the more God raises us to positions of influence.

In essence, Christian leaders are ministers who are entrusted with the stewardship of developing other ministers and directing the collective effort of the church to accomplish God's purposes. They are appointed by the Lord “for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ” (Eph.4:11-12). The effectiveness of leadership is measured not by the leader's personal success, but by how well the entire community is equipped and empowered to minister. 

While ministry focuses on directly meeting the needs of the people, and leadership is the influencing and facilitating agency, both ministry and leadership are driven by the purpose of glorifying God, building up the Body of Christ, fulfilling the Great Commission, and advancing the Kingdom of God.