51 experience, the pattern remained that God would prepare the heart of the leader first so that the leader would be truly ready with his/her own resilient faith. Out of those inner springs of strength rooted in faith in God alone, the leader was equipped to lead others to do the same. Once the leader was prepared individually, we see several images of the type of spiritual leader that God desired them to be for His people. Three biblical images, in particular, work together to provide a robust picture of what God intended for the spiritual leaders he raised up for His people. These include the image of the servant, the shepherd, and the steward.13 In the coming sections, we will analyze each of these biblical metaphors and see how they provide a comprehensive picture of spiritual leadership for Christian leaders in crisis. THE LEADER AS SERVANT The first biblical image that provides a foundation for spiritual leadership in crises is the image of the servant found in Mark 10:42-45. While most of the people of Jesus’ day would have viewed this as an image that connoted a lowly, forsaken, insignificant individual, Jesus elevated this mindset of humble service when He told His disciples: You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. At the heart of this image of leadership was a mindset of service to God first, then to others. The biblical servant leader must first see himself as primarily a servant of God, and out of that service to God comes a heart of service for others. As Don Howell notes: A heart in pursuit of God’s glory and the spiritual welfare of God’s people nurtures resilience because it releases one from being inflated by triumphs or dismayed by setbacks. One who seeks to please God above all else possesses a kingdom perspective that facilitates partnerships with others of like faith, sublimating egocentric agendas and the need to be someone for a greater legacy–the building up of individuals into communities of worship and witness. Such a person shares the servant posture of the LEADING ONESELF AND OTHERS IN CRISIS SITUATIONS
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