Titles are nothing if we don’t lead like the Good Shepherd

Honouring leaders in church comes with a health warning, says Stuart Blount, in this extract from his new book

I cringe sometimes when I hear leaders insist that their position and authority be recognised. Frankly, titles mean nothing if we are not living and leading in the pattern of the Good Shepherd. Such hierarchical expectations say much more about the insecurity of a leader than they do about their ability or capacity.

Self-serving leadership

Most Christian leaders do not set out to be accused of misusing the influence that comes with the roles they occupy, but there are some who just want to be noticed, recognised and heard. This need to be recognised can sometimes sadly lead to an unhealthy emphasis on the leader alone.

Self-centred leadership is very dangerous, but not unusual in all walks of life. The reason is that word ‘self’. It is at the root of insecurity and is the cause of many a mistake that can be made in the honourable pursuit of leadership. There is another word we have got wrong in church too often, ‘honour’. It has become a notion that entitles some to deference, reward and the avoidance of healthy scrutiny.

There is an encouragement in Scripture for honouring those who “direct the affairs of the church well … especially those whose work is preaching and teaching,” (1 Timothy 5:17). This, however, is not a mandate for building higher podiums and platforms for some leaders. Genuinely respecting those who lead us is a healthy thing, but it also comes with a health warning for us in our generation.

The root of entitlement

The problem of entitlement exists in all denominations and streams of the church. It may not always be visible in a person’s actions, but it can exist in their attitudes. The greater the popularity a leader receives, the greater the challenge to “guard your heart,” (Proverbs 4:23). We have seen the tragedy of well-known leaders exposed for a variety of errors. But have we considered whether the genesis of these problems was a sense of entitlement?

“I deserve to be treated well. I’ve worked hard to get where I am. I made sacrifices you didn’t see and so have earned this level of respect.”

Yet these are not just the thoughts of some of those high-profile leaders whose reputations are now tarnished – they are a problem for all in leadership. They are the thoughts leaders battle with at 3am after a difficult elders’ meeting, or as they deal with the torment of criticism or disagreement.

I fear that in some circles the entitlement that leaders have embraced, and often excused, may be irreversible. But if it is reversible, it will be by a generation of leaders who reject such selfish pursuits in favour of the vicarious servant spirit that we see in the greatest example of leadership to grace this planet.

The servant leader

Nowhere do we find a greater example of servant leadership than in Jesus himself. The regular arguments among the disciples about who was the greatest must have been very tiring and even frustrating for Jesus. But as usual he had a way of teaching them something they would never forget. Something that was shocking and countercultural – he washed their feet.

In Jesus’ time, foot-washing was a normal practice that took place before a meal. The disciples’ view of Jesus as a rabbi and their gradual understanding of his divine identity made this a radical display of humility. The disciples wouldn’t have even thought to wash each other’s feet, let alone the feet of someone with lower status than themselves.

Jesus chose the towel not the title. He demonstrates to his disciples that nothing is beneath those who have placed themselves beneath God’s authority. Here we see that Jesus is so secure in who he is that he is free to serve.

Let’s be candid: it is happening all the time in churches. Little signs of vanishing humility. Gratitude can wear thin when we feel slighted by others, however unintentional. A colleague gets the move to a bigger church you feel you deserved, so you won’t speak to them again. One of the vocalists isn’t asked to sing the lead in the new song, so leaves the worship team in protest.

Your elders forget the anniversary weekend of your arrival to lead the church five years ago, so you cancel the regular elders’ meeting in a sulk because you feel dishonoured.

This isn’t the kind of leadership attitude that Jesus displayed when he knelt in front of his disciples with their dirty feet in his hands. I imagine none of them ever forgot this moment. Towel moments are rarely forgotten by those who receive them.

Choosing the towel

In the quiet moments before a Sunday service, when the building stands empty and expectant, every shepherd-leader faces a choice. It’s the choice that challenged Jesus’ disciples when they argued about greatness, the choice that pastors face when scrolling through social media. Will we hide behind a title, or will we pick up the towel?

The allure of recognition runs deep in church culture. We’ve witnessed the subtle shift from servant to celebrity, from shepherd to CEO. Yet Jesus’ example stands in stark contrast to our cultural instincts. The one who held all authority chose to take off his outer clothing, wrap a towel around his waist and kneel before his disciples. He didn’t just teach servant leadership; he embodied it.

This isn’t about refusing to be called ‘Pastor’ or rejecting all forms of organisational structure. Rather, it’s about understanding that true authority flows from authentic service, not from titles or positions. When Jesus washed his disciples’ feet, he didn’t diminish his authority – he demonstrated its proper use. He showed us that greatness in God’s kingdom looks remarkably different from greatness in our world.

The problem isn’t in the positions we hold, but in how we hold them. Do we grasp our titles like badges of honour, or do we wear them lightly, seeing them as opportunities to serve more effectively? Do we use our authority to create distance between ourselves and others, or do we use it to draw alongside people in their moments of need?

The towel Jesus used wasn’t just a prop for a lesson; it was a symbol of a revolutionary leadership style that would turn the world’s hierarchy upside down.

Let’s be honest: choosing the towel isn’t glamorous. It might mean staying after church to stack chairs when everyone else has gone home. It might mean cleaning up a mess you didn’t make or serving in ways that will never be noticed. It might mean making coffee for your team or giving someone else the credit that others aim at you. But these moments – these towel moments – are where true leadership is formed and where lasting impact is made.

This article first appeared in Direction Magazine. For further details, please click here.