May 2010
Pastoral Letter
May 2010
“But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over
them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your
servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man
came not be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:25-28
ESV).
Fellow Servants:
While I was at ILC attending the recent Co-ordinating Council meeting, I listened to a chapel
address reminding us that the greatest quality for leadership in Jesus’ Church is service. This
is contrary to the thinking of the world. The apostles were incensed because the mother of
James and John had asked Jesus that her two sons be permitted to sit at the right and left
hands of Jesus in his kingdom. The apostles were indignant not because she had asked, but
because James and John might have gotten in the front of the line. Jesus acknowledged that
this is the way it is among the rulers of the Gentiles who lord it over you. But Jesus said, “It
shall not be so among you.” Jesus turned everything upside down, “Whoever would be first
among you must be your slave.”