How does a general servanthood model demonstrate what Biblical concepts would look like when translated into
workplace activity? By creating
linkages between Biblical doctrine about God and His character and attributes,
major servanthood elements, transformational leadership perspectives, and
specific workplace competencies, it's easier to understand how the model could operationalize spiritual principles.
The servanthood model consists of 3 broad elements: relationship, duties, and accountability. Such operationalization reflects a fusion between the spiritual dimension and the intellectual and social dimensions and serves as a method for granting God control over the daily activities of one’s work. The linkages
are illustrated in the table:
Elements of servanthood model →
How it helps turns Biblical principle into daily
action ↓
|
Master-Servant
Relationship
We serve a master
|
Master-Servant
Duties
The master's priorities must become our priorities
|
Master Servant
Accountability
We must gain a return for the master
|
Person and
attributes of the Trinity
|
God’s sovereignty
as the attribute of the Trinity that grounds the relationship.
|
Christ’s
sufficiency as the attribute of the Trinity that reconciles the world to God.
|
The Holy Spirit’s
strengthening as the attribute of the Trinity that enables followers to
achieve great things for God.
|
Christ's work
|
Christ’s position
as the only door to the Father as the manifestation of God’s relationship
with people.
|
Christ’s teaching
of obedience as the evidence of being reconciled to Himself.
|
Christ’s Great
Commission as the tangible goal given His followers to achieve.
|
Transformational
leadership perspective
|
Calling-based
leadership as the transformational leadership perspective that manifests the
individual as God’s agent.
|
Servant leadership
as the transformational leadership perspective that positions the individual
to integrate diverse stakeholders.
|
Global leadership
as the transformational leadership perspective that manifests the Great
Commission challenge in terms of the complexity of the modern world instead
of a national church perspective.
|
Workplace
competencies
|
Alignment as the
workplace competency domain that operationalizes the relationship in
projects.
|
Integration as the
workplace competency domain that brings diverse business functions and people
into harmony on projects.
|
Management as the
workplace competency domain that operationalizes the achievement of the Great
Commission.
|
Faith-work tension
|
The tension
between achieving business objectives and God’s objectives as the central
issue confronting transformational leaders in this area.
|
The tension
between assessing people’s workplace performance and judging their worth as
humans deserving of God’s love as the central issue confronting
transformational leaders in this area.
|
The tension
between relying on management methods and relying on the Holy Spirit’s
strength as the central issue confronting transformational leaders in this
area.
|
