Beyond Servitude: The Kenotic View of Leadership of Jesus Christ

Arguably, Jesus Christ was the greatest leader of all time. In life and death, Jesus has and continues to influence millions around the world. In action, Jesus was a servant. Clearly demonstrated throughout the New Testament, Jesus served humanity. However, this service was a reflection of his view of leadership. This paper will argue that Jesus viewed leadership from the standpoint of kenosis, a form of self-emptying, which allows the formation of meaningful and productive relationships. In addition, this paper will compare Jesus’ view of leadership with the view of the author.

Jesus’ View of Leadership

When some people think of Jesus and also think of leadership, a common conclusion is that Jesus had a servant leadership style. There are many examples within the Gospels that demonstrate his commitment to serve others. But more importantly, Jesus’ behavior extended from his view of leadership, which is best described as kenotic.

Jesus as Servant Leader
Jesus was first a servant, and through his service to humanity, he became a leader. Greenleaf (1977) argues that the true servant-leader “begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first” [emphasis his] (p. 13). Further, he attributes more success to the leader, who is first a servant, in contrast to the leader, who leads first then attempts to serve “out of prompting of conscience or in conformity with normative expectations” (p. 14). Moreover, Matthew (20:26–27, New Revised Standard Version) states, “It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant.” Paradoxically, Jesus’ leadership stemmed from his desire to first be a servant, a position from which he eventually derived great influence.

There are many examples of Jesus’ servitude. Specifically, he fed the hungry masses (Matthew 14:15–21; 15:32–39), and healed lepers (Matthew 8:1–4; Mark 1:40–44; Luke 5:12–14), paralytics (Matthew 9:2–8; Mark 2:3–12; Luke 5:18–26), the blind (Matthew 9:27–31, 20:29–34; Mark 10:46–52; Luke 18:35–43), the lame (Luke 6:1–11), and the dying or dead (Matthew 8:14–17, 9:18–26; Mark 1:29–34, 5:22–43; Luke 4:38–41, 8:41–56). He befriended those who were hated (Matthew 9:10, 21:31–32; Mark 2:15; Luke 5:29, 7:36), and he performed the symbolic act of washing his disciples’ feet (John 13:1–17).

Jesus’ service to others was an extension of his view on leadership. Jesus holds a profoundly deep view of the relationship between him and his followers. Jesus, as God incarnate and one aspect of the Trinity (Sire, 2004), wants a personal, authentic relationship with every person (Boa, 2001). “Because the infinite and personal God loves us, he wants us to grow in an intimate relationship with him; this is the purpose for which we were created—to know, love, enjoy, and honor the triune Lord of all creation” (Boa, 2001, p. 27). The construct kenosis most clear characterizes Jesus’ view of leadership.

Theologians have used the word kenosis—a derivative of the Greek word kenao, which means “to make empty”—to describe the concept of incarnation in Christian theism (Bekker, 2006a). “And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). In Philippians, Paul writes a psalm which poignantly describes the sacrificial, self-emptying of Christ:

Though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:6–8)

This self-emptying goes beyond serving others. It epitomizes God’s initiation to join us in our locality and culture, and to meet us and love us on our level.

Kenosis in Leadership
So, how does the concept of kenosis translate into the practice of leadership? “Leaders with the values of kenosis can be been [sic] described as characterised by, voluntary self-limitation, vulnerability, present to the other, voluntary powerlessness, continual purification from self-centeredness, humility, self-sacrifice, and openness to the other” (Bekker, 2006a, para. 2). Further, in his letters to the Philippians, Paul describes five constructs to define kenotic leadership: 1) having an attitude for desiring no reputation (1:15–18), 2) willingness to embrace our own humanity as well as the humanity of others (2:17–18), 3) becoming a servant (2:4), 4) being humble (2:3), and 5) being obedient (2:14) (Bekker, 2006b).

Jesus exemplified his view of leadership as kenosis through his behavior, forgoing any need for stature (Matthew 9:29–30), voluntarily restraining his omnipotence (Matthew 27:27–31), serving his disciples and all of humankind (John 13:1–11), humbling himself in the face of death by the hands of mere mortals (Matthew 32–51), and being obedient to the father at all costs (Matthew 26:39). Thus, Jesus’ service-oriented behaviors were an extension of his kenotic view of leadership as a relationship. Jesus harnessed the power of kenosis in expanding the leader-follower relationship. Christian thinker, Yves Raguin, eloquently articulates the power of kenotic leadership:

We develop an instinctive attitude of listening, trying to understand, letting ourselves be permeated with the atmosphere of our surroundings, passing beyond what is merely heard and seen to reach the personality of the people with whom we love, or those we may meet … [it] is the gateway to mutual understanding, and beyond this, to an intimate sharing that is the consummation of a relationship in union… (Raguin, 1973, p. 111–112)

My View of Leadership

Using Kouzes and Posner’s (2002) definition as a springboard, my current definition of leadership is: “An ethical, transformational, service-oriented, faith-inspired relationship “between those who aspire to lead and those who choose to follow” (p. xxvii). It is within this notion that I will compare my view of leadership with Jesus’ view.

Origin of My View of Leadership
I am a fallen creature (Sire, 2004). Having been born sinful and estranged from my heavenly father prior to accepting Jesus as my savior, my view of leadership is considerably skewed. My own experiences, the examples set by other fallen creatures (e.g., my parents, peers, and supervisors), the public figures operating in the context of a capitalist democracy, and Hollywood, whose goal is to produce grandiose versions of reality, have all contributed to my view. Thus, my views on leadership are hardly kenotic. However, I have developed several foundational views of leadership, including leadership as a relationship, a means to serve others, an avenue for transformation, and a way to glorify God.

Leadership as a Relationship
Like Jesus, I view leadership as a relationship. Leadership relationships mirror other interpersonal relationships. For example, good communication is necessary for a healthy relationship (Beebe, Beebe, & Redmond, 2002). Likewise, other components of healthy relationships are similar to components of good leadership relationships. Respect, loyalty, forgiveness, honesty, and love are all admirable elements of both interpersonal and leadership relationships. Furthermore, like Jesus I enjoy engaging my followers on various intellectual and emotional levels. In the depths of human interaction it is a joyous experience to connect with others deep below the surface of everyday life.

Leadership as a Means to Serve
Another aspect of leadership that Jesus and I agree on is that leadership is a means to serve. I concur with Greenleaf’s (1977) argument that leaders who seek to serve first will lead best. Whether I become the CEO of Merck Pharmaceuticals or the manager of a local McDonalds, I feel—and have always felt—that I am here to serve others. While serving others, I feel closest to fulfilling God’s purpose for my life.

Leadership Transforms
Kouzes and Posner (2002) explained five critical areas of development for exemplary leaders. Collins and Porras (2004) articulated why some companies have what it takes to last. Kotter (1996) showed readers eight steps on how to lead change. These examples are only a miniscule representation of the plethora of leadership authors who, despite their varied methods, steps, and procedures, have only one unified message—leadership transforms. Leadership transforms people, organizations, and societies. Essentially, leadership is the impetus that resolves what Senge (1990) calls creative tension in order to move entities from their current reality to their vision. In terms of transformation, Jesus was perhaps the most effective leader of all time. Collins and Porras stated that creating a vision that takes on a life of its own and will out last the leader is critical to longevity. Jesus’ vision has transformed millions since his time, and it will continue to do so.

Leadership Glorifies God
Since Earth is our temporary home, everything—including our wealth and our relationships—are temporary. Essentially, everything for which we are responsible actually belongs to God. As such, we do not own our wealth or our company’s resources. We are stewards of them for God (Leviticus 27:30). Moreover, when in a leader-follower relationship, we are responsible for God’s children. Thus, if leaders behave and treat others in an ethical manner, it glorifies God. As a Christian leader, I am a representative for God—charged with the responsibility to conduct my relationships with integrity.

Conclusion
Jesus Christ, God incarnate in the flesh, was undoubtedly a great servant leader. He fed the hungry, cured the sick, and exemplified humility and service. Moreover, Jesus operated from a deep desire to have an intimate relationship with his followers, employing a kenotic view of leadership. Ultimately, he set the example of how to lead with the explicit goal of developing a means for “personal transformation of both the leader and follower … and enter into a new union that is marked by equality and service” (Bekker, 2006b).

In comparison, my view of leadership is similar to Jesus in several ways. While Jesus held a kenotic view of leadership—abound with humility, self-sacrifice, and obedience that will likely never be matched—my experiences and influences have led me to several views of leadership similar to those of Jesus. Jesus and I both view leadership as a relationship, a means to serve, an avenue for transformation, and a way to glorify God.

References

Beebe, S. A., Beebe, S. J., & Redmond, M. V. (2002). Interpersonal communication: Relating to others. (3rd ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Bekker, C. (2006a). Dreaming with eyes open: Leadership and kenotic spirituality. Retrieved July 14, 2006, from here

Boa, K. (2001). Conformed to his image: Biblical and practical approaches to spiritual formation. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Collins, J., & Porras, J. I. (2004). Built to last: Successful habits of visionary companies. New York: HarperBusiness.

Greenleaf, R. K. (1977). Servant leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness. New York: Paulist Press.

Kotter, J. (1996). Leading change. In Harvard Business Review. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2002). The leadership challenge. (3rd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

Raguin, Y. (1973). I am sending you (John 22:21): Spirituality of the Missioner. Manila: East Asian Pastoral Institute.

Senge, P. (1990). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization. New York: Doubleday.

Sire, J. W. (2004). The universe next door: A basic worldview catalog. (4th ed.). Downers Grove, IL: InterVaristy Press.