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The Grab a Towel mandate: apprenticing to Jesus.

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The foreman screamed across the shop floor… “Tucker… what the ******* are you doing – you’ll lose a finger”. I immediately realised how stupid I was being… seeking to clear metal shards from the rotating drill with my hand. My safety report that week was somewhat humiliating. Being an apprentice on the shop floor had its ups and downs. This was definitely a low point! But I believe in the principle of apprenticing – I don’t think there’s anything quite like on-the-job training.

Earlier this year I posted a blog called Developing Christ-like Character, a fundamental priority for servant leaders. In the post, I included quotes from the late Dallas Willard’s book, Renovation of the Heart.

Since then I’ve been reading another of Willard’s classics, The Divine Conspiracy. As I’ve been reflecting on what he writes, I believe that his book effectively emphasises what I’m trying to accomplish through this blog. Willard outlines what it means to become an apprentice of Jesus.

This blog grew out of the book, Grab a Towel, which focuses on Christ-centred servant leadership. But the more I’ve thought, written, and engaged with people, I’ve recognised that the example Jesus set in grabbing a towel and washing the disciples’ feet, provides a more comprehensive metaphor of what it means to be a Christ-follower. The call is to become his apprentices – constantly and consistently learning from him as he takes us on a lifelong journey of on-the-job training. After-all, at the end of the account in John’s gospel he says:

I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. (John 13:15).

By grabbing a towel and washing his disciples’ feet, Jesus showed that following him is about our attitude and our actions, rather than religious duties. And Christ’s motivation was love: out of love he obeyed his father and out of love he served the disciples. This defined his lifestyle. Willard helpfully sums up what I believe grab a towel is all about:

He does not call us to do what he did, but to be as he was, permeated with love. Then the doing of what he did and said becomes the natural expression of who we are in him. (Willard 2009:204).

When I originally wrote the course material which became the book, my tagline for Grab a Towel was, becoming Christ-centred servant leaders. The emphasis is that when we become a Christian it is the start of a long process – an apprenticeship – in which we need to unlearn our old habits and behaviours as we are transformed to become like Jesus. We learn to clothe ourselves in Jesus (Romans 13:14). The challenge is that, when we become Christians, we are called to take on more than his name, but also his character.

We have a new baby in our house and I get tremendous joy out of pulling faces and seeing her try to copy what I do… sticking my tongue out or blowing kisses. That is the appropriate behaviour for a baby. Jesus’ plan for us is not to behave like babies. As his apprentices, he is leading us on a journey of maturity. The point is, we are not called to superficially copy or mimic Jesus. The Christian life is not about following external rites and rituals that emulate the specific activities of Jesus. No, the journey is one of discipleship. It is not copying his life. It is having his life imbibe ours. Willard again succinctly describes it as follows:

“I am learning from Jesus to live my life as he would live my life if he were I” (Willard 2009:310).

Having this approach will impact how we read Scripture itself. I love the distinction that Willard brings:

We have Bibles with red letters to indicate what he said. Might we not make a good use of  a Bible that has green letters for what he did? Green for ‘go,’ or ‘do it’? (Willard 2009:385).

Grab a Towel is about highlighting what would be the green letters of the bible… the one’s that show us how to just do it (to coin a phrase). I believe that Jesus is not concerned about our doctrine if it doesn’t make any difference to how we live. Willard points out that head knowledge does not necessarily change behaviour. But we will truly know what someone believes by how it impacts the way they live.

This pathway of being Christ’s apprentices is not only counter-cultural to the world, it can also seem counter-cultural to the church. Reflecting primarily on the West, Willard describes consumer Christianity as normative… what a scary thought! This is how he describes it,

The consumer Christian is one who utilises the grace of God for forgiveness and the services of the church for special occasions, but does not give his or her life and innermost thoughts, feelings, and intentions over to the kingdom of the heavens. Such Christians are not inwardly transformed and not committed to it. (Willard 2009:374).

Through this blog and the resources on this site, I want to present a way of following Jesus that is the antithesis to the prevailing consumerism that we see in the church. It involves immersing ourselves into the life and example of Jesus and allowing him to transform our perspective, attitude and behaviour from the inside out. If some of us can get to grips with this vision, then, as we grab a towel and follow Christ’s example, we may perhaps start a ripple effect of discipleship that could radically impact other people… this is surely the ultimate act of service. And I want to challenge you that this is not only necessary if we want to leave a mark for Jesus in this generation, it is also the true pathway to joy.

You lead people to become disciples of Jesus by ravishing them with a vision of life in the kingdom of the heavens and in the fellowship of Jesus… you do this by proclaiming, manifesting, and teaching the kingdom to them in the manner learned from Jesus himself. You thereby change the belief system that governs their lives. (Willard 2009:334).

Grab a Towel means we are committed to standing out from the crowd and going against the flow. It’s not easy to be counter-cultural, but it is necessary if we are to faithfully represent the Gospel in the 21st century. Willard’s challenge to become apprentices is a critical clarion call to all would-be Christ-followers. After all, Jesus himself said, “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them” (John 13:17).

Getting off the Treadmill

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2020 is drawing to a close. I can hear that collective sigh of relief.

In some ways, it feels like we’ve blinked and it’s gone. In other ways, it seems like it’s been the slowest year ever. What is certain, it’s been a year like no other as we’ve had to face challenges the like of which our generation has not experienced before. Many have stated that it’s been a kind of forced sabbatical, an opportunity for a reset. However, it’s also been in the context of much suffering in the face of a deadly enemy (please click here for more information on my book Facing the Future we Didn’t Choose).

Having said that – navigating crises are a part of life. Perhaps the scale of the Covid-19 crisis is unique but some of what I’ve faced this year has felt strangely familiar. In fact, I was going through some old articles I’ve written and stumbled upon one from six years ago. It was a time when I was between jobs and had taken an unanticipated sabbatical. I feel that some of the lessons I learned then are relevant for us now and perhaps you will be able to relate to them. Or, at least, it will encourage you to take time and reflect on what God might be teaching you through this past year.

August 2013

I could not have anticipated the events of this year but I can anticipate that God is always in control because no matter what scrapes I get myself into, He always comes through for me. What follows is a summary of my personal journey as God has been speaking to me throughout this year (2013).

The context for this post is a word someone gave me: that God was going to take me off the treadmill and into a spacious place. This place wouldn’t be just about survival but would be a place where I (and my family) would thrive. At the time I hadn’t realised how much I’d been feeling like Elijah who ran to Mount Horeb (see 1 Kings 19) – and God’s remedy for me was the same as for Elijah… “take a break, Tim”.


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Let’s face it, treadmills are pretty horrible things (in my opinion). All that huff and puff without getting anywhere. It doesn’t matter how fast you run, you always stay at the same place. All the perspiration with very little satisfaction. I believe running shoes are made for the open road… the beach… or on the hills where all of our senses are engaged in the pursuit of health and fitness. Our souls thrive in spacious places. I needed to recover that sense of joy and hope which required getting off the treadmill and finding space to once more breathe the fresh air. To engage all my senses. And to be revived.

This is the biblical principle of sabbatical (or Sabbath). It is a principle that leaders need to hold dearly to so that their followers can also imbibe healthy practices. Sabbatical helps counter the rat-race – the hamster wheel – and the treadmill (choose your preferred metaphor). Because sabbatical is about rest. And God rested. If it was good enough for Him then perhaps it’s good enough for me. But I’m not going to get hung up on whether it should be a day a week or a year every seven. It’s not about religious duty. The primary point is that God has designed us to be at our best when we have balance in our lives. And that balance must include time to rest. [my two favourite books on this topic are The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer or Sacred Pauses by April Yamasaki].

There are three lessons about sabbatical that God has continually re-enforced to me over the past few months.

The first is that sabbatical has to be about his presence. It is about regaining our first love and just enjoying chilling out with our Father. Psalm 62:1-2 “My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; my fortress, I shall never be shaken.” Psalm 63:1 “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you. My body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” The Psalms are a great place to reside if you need to be refreshed in God’s presence.

The second is about gaining a fresh perspective. From a position of rest, we can have our priorities realigned. The things that previously seemed so important, dissipate. And the things we’ve been ignoring can come to the fore. These verses from Isaiah 30 were key for me:

  • “This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: ‘In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength…”

  • “Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him…”

  • “Although the LORD gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’”

And, thirdly, it’s about being reminded of who the source of our provision is. Taking time out in God’s presence and getting His perspective is the best way to remember that He is the provider of everything we need… not the other way round. In fact, when we begin to think that the success of the kingdom of God depends upon our superhuman effort, then we’re on a fast-track to spiritual bankruptcy and physical exhaustion. The closing verses of Isaiah 40 is a lifeline for those of us who have this tendency:

“Don’t you know anything? Haven’t you been listening? God doesn’t come and go. God lasts. He’s creator of all you can see or imagine. He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch breath. And he knows everything inside and out. He energises those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts. For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall. But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, they run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t faint.”

As I’ve read the bible through this lens I’ve found the scriptures replete with promises that, as I wait on him, I’ll be refreshed, revived and restored. There are many passages I could point you to… but I’ll just record these phenomenal words of Jesus:

I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. All things have been committed to me by my Father. No-one knows the Son except the Father, and no-one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:25-30.

After reading these words of Christ in April 2013, I recorded the following prayer in my journal:

“Lord Jesus I come to you as someone who has been weary and burdened. I give you my exhaustion which comes about through operating in my own strength. I lay down my burdens which are idols in your sight – the things I needlessly carry that cause stress and anxiety. My exhaustion comes from my sinfulness… when I focus my faith on the things I do for you rather than on our relationship… when I ‘do’ rather than ‘be’. Forgive me for my pride and my idolatry. My burden becomes heavy when I lose perspective and take responsibility for your mission – your work – your success. And my pride is fed when I take your glory – usurping what belongs to you… a burden I cannot carry because I am sinful. Jesus, I take on your yoke… so I can be directed by you into righteousness. And I ask that you will teach me in your gentle and humble way so that I will find rest for my soul and operate continually from that peaceful dependence upon you.”

November 2020

This year, we’ve metaphorically (and literally) had to get off the treadmill of what seems normal to us. In the midst of the anguish and challenges of this year, I encourage you to take time to see God’s presence, to seek to attain his perspective, and to thank Him for his provision.

As this testing year draws to a close, let’s follow the example of Dutch Sheets who wrote:

I stepped off that treadmill and into the presence of the Lord. I stopped walking and started waiting… We must wait in His presence and allow all ministry, including our [spiritual] warfare, to be born of relationship”

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The question of curiosity

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An unrealistic expectation that many people have of leaders is that they can answer all our questions and solve all our problems. There is a danger that we want our leaders to be omniscient and we fail to recognise that the greatest leaders do not try to be the font of all knowledge. In fact, I’ve been wondering recently if the power of great leadership rather rests in the ability to remain curious by continuing to ask great questions. Those who aspire to be servant leaders, in particular, need to retain a posture of being teachable. And, I believe, teachability requires inquisitiveness; an innate desire to discover more about life, God, and others.

The important thing is to not stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. Albert Einstein.

I recently had the privilege of visiting our community hub in Nyanga. It is an afterschool centre where we engage young people through various activities including sport, the arts, and education. These provide a platform for us to disciple them as we seek to raise up emerging leaders within one of the toughest neighbourhoods in Cape Town.

During the Covid-19 lockdown, many of our regular activities needed to be postponed. However, our local coordinator recognised a unique opportunity to invest in 8 of the teenagers. He formed a Leaders’ Table group and started taking them through the material covered in the book from which this blog gets its name: Grab a Towel. As they are approaching the end of the series of discussions, I was invited to go and share with the lads as part of a Q&A session. Although they were apparently a bit nervous about it, the emerging young leaders took time to prepare questions. What ensued was an incredible 90-minute discussion where their questions sparked deep discussions about the nature, character, role and vision of leaders. What encouraged me was that, rather than providing them with an exhaustive doctrine of leadership, studying Grab a Towel was actually causing them to ask more questions, to grapple with the concepts, and to consider how to relate it within their context. And, as they asked me questions, I also sought to deflect these back to them rather than being some kind of know-it-all guru.

These were Thandile’s questions – one of the Leaders’ Table group members in Nyanga


What an incredible example these young people are to the rest of us. The critical point is that this should not stop as we get older and more experienced. I hope these young men continue to think deeply, ask tough questions and remain inquisitive. So often we read books, attend courses, or go to conferences, with the expectation that some new information will enable us to function more efficiently and effectively. But what if a better outcome is that these encounters fuel our curiosity and lead us to think more deeply about how we can become more effective leaders in our context?

I think we do a disservice to emerging leaders if we seek to answer all their questions. Have you noticed that Jesus seemed to ask as many questions as he answered? I particularly love the interaction he had with his emerging leaders – the 12 disciples. Although he did teach and give explanations (e.g. sharing with the 12 the meaning of the parables), he also asked them questions and challenged them to engage their own minds in order to gain a deeper understanding. One of my favourite examples is in Matthew 16:13-16. Having already spent considerable time with his inner circle of followers, Jesus asks them two questions; “Who do people say I am?”, and “Who do you say I am?”. Jesus could easily have given them the answer on a plate. However, through asking these questions he was ensuring that his disciples were grappling with and owning the answers. Peter’s statement, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God”, is one of the most striking and breathtaking revelations in history. It was Jesus’ well-timed and probing questions that facilitated this response from Peter and were a major stepping stone in him becoming one of the most influential leaders in church history.

A good teacher asks himself the hardest questions, works through to answers, and then frames provocative questions for his learners to stimulate their thinking. John Piper.

It is a sad reality that many people seem to plateaux and stop growing as leaders. Life can have a way of weighing us down and wearing us out. The thrill of learning can fizzle and fade. However, I would challenge you to recapture your curiosity. Let’s not settle – because if we settle then we are not serving the next generation.

If you want to be a good mentor and serve emerging leaders, it’s important that you never stop growing, never stop learning and continue to ask tough questions. So, maybe start with reflecting on this question – what are you currently curious about? If you can recapture your curiosity, then it can open new horizons for you. The great thing about curiosity is that it can breed innovation – so perhaps your greatest discoveries still lie ahead of you.

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Leadership Myth Busting #7… the miracle of multitasking

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Disclaimer: sometimes writing a blog involves rethinking my own approach to leadership.

I consider myself an efficient, outcomes-based, and productive leader. I remember getting my first blackberry (in the late noughties) and the joy of being able to redeem lost time by replying to emails while sitting through dull meetings, waiting in supermarket queues, and sat on the toilet! I’ve felt that technology has equipped me to multi-task effectively, enabling me to spin many plates at the same time and make better use of the limited number of hours there is in every day.

And now, with the Covid-19 lockdown and the utilisation of more technology (Zoom, Teams, Skype et al.), I am increasingly faced with the temptation to do multiple things at once. Particularly while attending online meetings I can simultaneously write an email, respond to WhatsApp messages, check my diary etc. etc. as I nonchalantly Alt-Tab from window to window (as a Microsoft user). I must even confess that I started writing this blog on the myth of multitasking while I was attending a webinar (hypocrite you correctly accuse)!

But I’m reconsidering my position and wondering whether my penchant for muti-tasking is actually a form of ill-discipline… and simply an excuse for not giving one person or task the attention it deserves, while compromising on the excellence of my work and causing myself undue stress in the process. Additionally, beyond multi-tasking, I’m guilty of multi-thinking; not allowing my mind to switch off. At any time of day or night, during conversations and even ‘family-time’, my thoughts can drift back to work-matters, my to-do list, or the next blog I want to write. Is this just how I’m wired? Or is it inherently unhealthy?

As you can see – I’m processing. But let me back up because it was something I read that has led me into this mini-crisis to doubt whether I should truly aspire to be a miracle-working multi-tasker.

John Mark Comer has written an easy-to-read yet challenging book called The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry (a must-read for 21st-century leaders). At the end of the book, he gives 20 pieces of advice to help slow our lives down. Number 14 on his list is Single-Task. Just the word hit me between the eyes. I’ve heard many people laud the qualities of multi-tasking – but I didn’t even think that single-tasking was a thing. Comer says:

I’ve come to realise the obvious: multitasking is a myth. Literally. Only God is omnipresent.

Given that I’m into this “leadership myth-busting thing” I was convicted by his statement. Have I bought into the multi-tasking myth and is my pride in being able to multi-task really a figment of my imagination? Am I really trying to be godlike when I multi-task as this would clearly be overreaching myself? He goes on to say:

Multitasking is just sleight of hand for switching back and forth between a lot of different tasks so I can do them all poorly instead of doing one well

Wow! I’m now on the ropes and Comer gives a knockout punch by quoting theological giant, Walter Brueggemann:

Multitasking is the drive to be more than we are, to control more than we do, to extend our power and our effectiveness. Such practice yields a divided self, with full attention given to nothing.

Oops! I didn’t see that coming!

As I’ve been reflecting on this it has caused me to consider what I’m modelling to others. Does my outcomes-based, productivity-centred, goal-oriented approach model to emerging leaders something that is actually unattainable and potentially harmful to their leadership development? Am I both robbing people of my full attention and sending subliminal messages to those I lead that makes them feel devalued?

Slowing down to properly focus and attend to each task at a time does seem like a counter-cultural leadership practice – and therefore is, more than likely, a Christlike approach to leadership. I’ve been reading the accounts of Jesus life and teaching again recently, and have been struck by his single-task focus. No-one ever got his divided attention!

April Yamaski in her book Sacred Pauses also advocates for greater simplicity – for single-tasking. She argues that moving towards greater simplicity in our daily scheduling is a spiritual practice that can enable us to become more effective. Yamaski writes:

Simplicity is not only about letting go of the things of this life; it also means being centred on what really matters… Simplicity means that I don’t need to be multitasking every moment. Instead, I can slow down to pay attention to one thing at a time.

Maybe the underlining myth is that leading complex, full lives that stretch us to the limit of our capacity is somehow what’s required of us as leaders. Multi-tasking then flows as we succumb to unhealthy and unrealistic expectations. There is no miracle of muti-tasking. The miracle for me is if I can simplify my life in such a way that enables me to provide focused, meaningful, God-honouring attention to one task at a time.

After all, Jeremy Clarkson has reportedly quipped, multitasking is the ability to screw everything up simultaneously!

So I’m going to start an experiment in single-tasking. It’s going to take a fair amount of reprogramming the way I operate. I’ll need to develop some early warning systems to alert me when I revert to type. But let’s see what happens. Maybe I’ll end up in complete agreement that the miracle of multitasking is definitely a myth worth busting.

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Developing Christ-like Character: lessons from Dallas Willard

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Message Live have just aired the second episode of the Grab a Towel series on servant leadership… you can view it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgiivyxJR9A

I am writing this post to supplement the teaching and encourage you to engage in deeper reflection.

The subject of developing Christ-like character is absolutely critical if we are to emulate Christ. We need to imbibe his character. But for those of us on this journey, we can quickly realise that developing Christ-like character does not come about by a surface-level makeover. We can’t sugar-coat our character and simply try to become nicer or better people. We can’t fake it till we make it. Rather, an internal work of the Holy Spirit is required in order to transform us from the inside out.

In my book, Grab a Towel, I write:

Charisma, competence and credentials… all can build a leader’s reputation, but it is having the character of Christ formed within us that will ensure that these are held in perspective, and enable a leader to engage in building the kingdom of God, not their own empire.

A challenge many of us have is that our character has been formed through lifelong experiences and processes, often leading us to recognise that our character falls far-short of Christ’s example. The question is, can we change our character and, if so, how do we increasingly grow to exhibit the character of Christ?

In his incredible book, Renovation of the Heart, Dallas Willard gives great insight into how Christlike character emerges as a result of a transformed heart. Willard calls the renovation of our character a revolution that occurs from the inside out. This happens “through ongoing personal relationship to God in Christ and to one another” (Willard 2002:15).

It is encouraging to me to recognise that my character is not fixed or unchangeable. I love Willard’s definition of character:

Our character is that internal, overall structure of the self that is revealed by our long-run patterns of behaviour and from which our actions more or less automatically arise (Willard 2002:142)..

He then goes on to say,

… but character can be changed. And that, of course, is what spiritual formation is all about (Willard 2002:142).

I find this incredibly encouraging. It’s a liberating truth to recognise that the struggles I’m having with my character will not change purely by my own effort. Rather, I need to allow God, the Great Physician, to perform heart surgery. I must cooperate with Him to get to the root cause and effect deep and real transformation. Clearly, we have to be willing cooperators in the Lord’s work, but our character flaws should once again remind us to cast ourselves fully on his mercy and grace.

Therefore, we must not fall into the trap of thinking that becoming more like Jesus is subscribing to a ‘new law’ that we legalistically adhere to. Some preaching and teaching can give us the impression that following Jesus is an external process of following certain dos and don’ts. This is an insidious form of legalism that will ultimately end in failure. Rather, Willard explains the process in this way:

Christian spiritual formation is focused entirely on Jesus. Its goal is an obedience or conformity to Christ that arises out of an inner transformation accomplished through purposive interaction with the grace of God in Christ (Willard 2002:22).

What an incredible phrase… our character becomes like Christ as we engage in purposive interaction with the grace of God in Christ. The starting point is, therefore, cultivating an intimate relationship with Jesus. Character development is the result of becoming more like Jesus because we are increasingly spending time with Him, learning from Him, listening to Him, worshipping Him, and opening our heart to Him.

Additionally, as Willard pointed out above, character development also occurs through our relationship with one another. This is a humbling truth. I need you, my brothers and sisters, to help me increasingly display the character of Christ. Our community should not just be a feel-good experience, or an escape from the realities of life. Rather, we are spurring each other on towards love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24) as each of us increasingly desires to display the character of Christ.

The fact that my growth and development requires Christian community is a stroke of genius conceived in the godhead. It is the antidote to isolationist hyper-spirituality that implies all I need is Jesus and nothing or no-one else. No! The litmus test of what is happening in my heart is revealed through my relationships with others. I need you to sharpen my character. And you need me and others to sharpen yours.

In conclusion, we must recognise that any steps we make towards spiritual renovation, transformation and Christlikeness should not be a cause for personal pride (which in itself would reveal a lack of Christlikeness). Rather, Willard helpfully reminds us that, when all is said and done,

“Christlikeness of the inner being is not a human attainment. It is, finally, a gift of grace” (Willard 2002:23).

This is a critical reminder for us. Christlike character is a gift of grace. In Grab a Towel I list various characteristics that Christ exhibited. It is clear, however, that we don’t imbibe those characteristics by learning about them, writing about them, or even trying to live them out. We will imbibe the characteristics through dependence upon the grace of God and as we continue to nurture an intimate relationship with Jesus, and live our lives in community with others. Then we shall experience the reality of what Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 3:18:

“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

 

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Grab a Towel online series

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The heart of Grab a Towel is to help us imitate Christ and follow his example of servanthood. Jesus’ model of leadership was counter-cultural and revolutionary, challenging our norms and presuppositions. We need to continually evaluate our own approach to life and leadership against the litmus test of how Jesus lived and lead. Grab a Towel is therefore not intended to be theoretical, but enable us to practically apply what we discover about Jesus within the context of the 21st century.

I’m therefore extremely excited that the teaching contained in my book, Grab a Towel, has been incorporated into a nine-part film series airing on Message Live. The series includes teaching material on the hallmarks of servant leadership, and also life-stories from people who exhibit the hallmarks within various contexts.

The first episode is now available at the link below. Subscribe to the Message Live channel to be notified of when each subsequent episode will be screened. And please help spread the word!

CLICK HERE TO WATCH GRAB A TOWEL ON MESSAGE LIVE.

To get the most from the series, I suggest getting a copy of the book and Grab a Towel interactive guide. Visit our BOOKS page to view all the purchase options which include Ebooks and audio versions.

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Navigating Covid-19

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I have the amazing privilege of leading an organisation called The Message Trust in Cape Town.

As we entered 2020, we at The Message were full of hope and optimism for the year ahead. Our keyword for the year was expectant… but the one thing we didn’t expect was Covid-19 and the hard lockdown. Like almost every organisation, we faced uncertainty and huge disruptions to our anticipated operations in 2020… and we needed to make critical adjustments in order to navigate the changing landscape.

As I reflect on the past six months, I can see that God has highlighted three primary ingredients that have been critical in helping us navigate the crisis. I am not necessarily proposing a recipe for success (like all organisations, we still have a long way to go and much to learn), but trying to give some encouragement from what we’ve been learning as we’ve sought to plod our way through 2020.

Firstly, when the hard lockdown hit, the temptation was to panic, make quick decisions and go into survival mode. Clearly, decisive action was required. As an organisation that works in schools, prisons and runs events, the impact of the lockdown was significant. Additionally, the financial realities we were facing was a source of concern. However, panic is never helpful. We intentionally avoided knee-jerk reactions and took some time to breathe and assess our options. Looking back, I would summarise our key activity as reflective prayer. It was time to discern what God was saying. Yes, we got good input from various sources and I was particularly helped by the writings and podcasts of Andy Crouch (click here for one example). But in taking time to prayerfully reflect, we avoided some mistakes that panic would have induced. It seemed absolutely necessary to seek to be discerning what God was saying to us. One passage of Scripture that helped guide us was Isaiah 26:3

You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You – in both inclination and character], Because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation]. (Amplified Version)

This process of prayerful reflection and discernment led to the second ingredient…

Through the time of reflection and ongoing dialogue with our leadership team and board, the second ingredient was to focus on our core priorities. I must admit that I feel the word pivot has been the most overused word during this crisis. As I reflect on our journey I can’t say we pivoted! Rather, we didn’t focus on the things we couldn’t do, but on the things we could do and that are consistent with our purpose and vision. This took us back to one of our key principles as an organisation – one of which is that sustained transformational change in the life of an individual or community requires deep engagement over a long period of time. Our priorities for the current reality focused on going deep rather than going broad. As a result, we focused on how we could serve and support our staff, believing that we needed to come through this time together. We focused on individual beneficiaries within our programmes and how we could impact young people and their families (e.g. see my previous article). In fact, as I look back I can see how this principle permeated everything we have done over the past few months… from our academy programme to our work with ex-offenders, to our partnership with local churches in tough communities. I’m convinced that understanding this core priority has unified our team and given us renewed purpose and expectancy for what God is doing through us.

Alongside focusing on our priorities, the third ingredient has been equally critical as we have sought to invest in our partnerships. It will probably be no surprise to you that the key element of investing in partnership centres on communication. Throughout the crisis, we have aimed to keep our partners (churches, donors, corporates, NGOs) up to date with the processes we are going through and the activities we’ve undertaken. But what has surprised me is that Covid-19 has also been a seedbed for new partnerships to be formed. As we’ve focused on our priorities, we’ve also identified new opportunities that we need help to address. One example is the massive need to help churches in tough communities who now have so many members unemployed (one church we work with have 85% of their members now unemployed). Initially, we partnered with those churches to provide emergency relief. Then, through ongoing dialogue, we recognised that the only way to provide sustainable support is to develop community-based job creation opportunities. As we are not experts in this field, we started a conversation with another NGO. As with all great relationships, one thing is leading to another and we’re working on some really exciting collaborative initiatives – including what could become the first barista academy exclusively for ex-offenders (it’s one of those God-stories that needs to be explained in another post!)

Reflective prayer. Focus on priorities. Invest in partnerships. As I said… this isn’t pivoting. It’s organisational leadership 101! Perhaps God has used this crisis to bring me back to basics. And even though it’s tough to lead through this season, I remain encouraged that our organisation is playing our part in seeking to provide hope and courage as together was face the uncertain future.

Young people grab towels

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King Solomon famously wrote:

Train a child in the way he should go, And he will not easily depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).

But when it comes to leadership development, it seems that we leave it to chance… perhaps buying into the philosophy that leaders are born rather than made. There are some notable exceptions, but it is generally hard to find programmes that intentionally invest in young people as emerging leaders. At best, there are some programmes that offer activities that contribute to leadership growth in young people who are taking on a leadership position (e.g. school prefects). However, we only normally begin offering leadership training and development to young adults when they start exhibiting leadership skills and actively take on leadership responsibility. This seems a bit crazy. Imagine only starting to train a medical doctor once they have the scalpal in their hand!

Grab a Towel proposes that servant leaders are made not born. In fact, given that Christ-centred servant leadership runs contrary to so much of the leadership demonstrated in the 21st century, we may even argue that servant leaders need to be reborn or reprogrammed to change habits and attitudes that are imbibed from our culture. Therefore, it is surely necessary to start working with children and young people and help them adopt an approach to leadership that is formed from studying the ultimate servant leader, Jesus Christ. And, importantly, teaching them to apply those principles to their everyday lives.

That’s exactly what has been taking place in Nyanga, Cape Town. Mkhululi Letstatsi has been investing in young people for a number of years. His passion is to see them become transformational leaders in one of Cape Town’s most notorious communities. During lockdown, Mkhululi began going through the Grab a Towel material with his group of young people, and the initial results have been quite remarkable. But, rather than me writing further on this… you can read the comments from some of the participants below.

What I love about this feedback from the participants is that they are not just sharing new head-knowledge, but are practically applying the hallmarks of servant leadership by helping other people in their community. This is how servant leadership becomes transformational at the grass-roots level.

Also during the lockdown, another group of young adults started studying Grab a Towel via WhatsApp… in fact, the whole Grab a Towel servant leadership course can be facilitated via WhatsApp. I love this creative way of breaking down barriers in order to see the material made accessible to as many people as possible. Please contact me if you want more information on how you could train up young people to become servant leaders. Over the coming months, we want to develop more material that is geared towards training young people and raising up a generation of transformational servant leaders.

Ebed Melech.png

Servant Leadership Personified

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I’m always looking for examples of servant leadership personified… and am excited when I discover the personification in unexpected places.

Clearly, the Bible is a place where I anticipate finding great servant leaders… Jesus, Moses, Paul – to name a few of the prominent go-to people. But I have just been reading the book of Jeremiah and stumbled across an African servant leader who occupies just a handful of verses… but highlights so many qualities of what it means to grab a towel and put other people first.

Intrigued… then read on.

Jeremiah is the kind of guy who wore his heart on his sleeve – and his book oscilates between incredible prophetic proclamations, and intimate details of his life and relationship with God. He had a lot to process. Due to the unpopularity of his message, he was rejected and ridiculed by the religious elite, ostracised by the majority of his own people, and physically persecuted because he refused to compromise on his message.

I’ve read the book of Jeremiah numerous times, and I love how his divine utterances are juxtaposed with his own faith struggles and life challenges – all set against the backdrop of national catastrophe. God had pronounced through Jeremiah (and numerous other Old Testament prophets) that judgement was coming upon Judah at the hands of the Babylonians. The Jews could have chosen to repent from their idolatrous practices and seek the Lord. Instead, they chose to make various alliances in order to try and resist the Babylonian juggernaut.

At the climax of the story, Jerusalem is under siege. In an act of despotic defiance, the leaders of the city persuaded the king to allow them to seize Jeremiah and confine him to a prison – which in this case was an unsanitised cistern in someone’s back yard. The situation looked perilous for Jeremiah… literally stuck in the mud, without food and water, no doubt composing his lamentations (desperate cries) to the Lord for justice (see Lamentations 3:52-66).

This is the background to introduce a bible character whose exploits I’d never previously noticed. An unsung hero who personifies “grab-a-towel” style of servant leadership.

His name was Ebed-Melech. He wasn’t a Jew. He was a Cushite – originally from North-East Africa (some translations say he was an Ethiopian). He was an official in the royal court. His name means Servant/Slave of the King. We don’t know how he came to be there, yet in God’s providence, he was the right man, in the right place, at the right time, with the right heart. He was a man with a different spirit; a man willing to stand against the crowd and follow his conscience in order that justice could prevail. He makes his curtain-call in Jeremiah 38:7. In the next six verses, Ebed-Melech self-sacrificial actions result in Jeremiah being released from the stinky well and returned to the palace court to once more plead the Lord’s case to King Zedekiah (who once more proved too stubborn to listen).

In this short explosion into the biblical narrative, Ebed-Melech demonstrates some incredible qualities of servant leadership, which are starkly contrasted to the other leaders in Jerusalem at the time:

  1. Compassion: Genuine compassion is not simply feeling sorry for someone, but causes one to take action. When Ebed-Melech heard about Jeremiah’s plight he couldn’t stand by and allow an innocent person to die! His conscience provoked him to act.

  2. Advocacy: Servant leaders speak up on behalf of the vulnerable… for those who are not being heard. Ebed-Melech became Jeremiah’s advocate. He could not stand by and allow an unjust act to take place – so went to the king to plead for Jeremiah’s life.

  3. Courage: Whenever I observe a servant leader in action, I’m always struck by the co-existence of humility and courage. Humble people are incredibly courageous… ready to risk their own reputations and even their own lives, in order to serve others. Ebed-Melech had the courage of his convictions to go against the flow and stick his neck out in order to help the prophet of God.

  4. Influence: remarkably,the king listened. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall and I have so many questions about the back story on the relationship between the king, Jeremiah and Ebed-Melek. But what I discern is that Ebed-Melech’s level of integrity enabled him to influence the decision of the king and see an evil act overturned (not unlike Esther who would exert similar influence a century later). Not only that, the king even provided Ebed-Melek with 30 men to help him save Jeremiah and protect him from reprisals. Servant leaders gain influence through the consistency of their godly character.

  5. Humility. Just as quickly as he came on the scene, Ebed-Melech is ushered off the stage. He makes no demands of Jeremiah, seemingly expecting nothing in return. He is satisfied to have served God and followed his conscience. His humility is striking and he had the peace to know that he had done his duty.

However, this is not the conclusion of the story. In the following chapter, just as Jerusalem is about to be finally conquered, Jeremiah sends a reassuring word to Ebed-Melech. God had seen his actions and promises him salvation from the pending disaster (see Jeremiah 39:15-18). The story of Ebed-Melech, therefore, not only personifies servant leadership, but also beautifully demonstrates the impartial saving mercy of God. When the Jews were being punished for their faithlessness, an Ethiopian eunuch is being rescued because he had personified righteous faith in action.

This is the kind of servant leadership the world desperately needs to see. Author and evangelist, Nick Vujcic writes:

To simply say ‘I believe’ in something is not enough. If you want to have an impact in this world, you must put your beliefs and your faith into action… When you put faith into action to sow good seeds by serving others, you tap into a power beyond anything you can imagine. (from Unstoppable: the incredile power of faith in action)

I hope the example of Ebed-Melech will encourage you to grab a towel and show compassionate servant leadership within your context. Let’s put faith in action and self-sacrificially follow Christ through serving others.