Week 1- Servant of All
MONDAY — Read the passage with your team
43 Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 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."
Mark 10:43b-45
33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the road?" 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.
35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."
Mark 9:33-35
35 A king delights in a wise servant,
but a shameful servant incurs his wrath.
Proverbs 14:35
What does this passage have to say about leadership?
Why is that important?
TUESDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.
1) How does our culture typically identify “leaders” in athletics? For what kinds of behavior are great athletes praised?
2) In Mark 10:43-45, what example is provided as the model of true leadership (v. 45)? What implications does this have for a person who aspires to be a leader? What one word would you say Jesus uses to define a real leader?
WEDNESDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.
3) In Mark 9:33-35, how did the disciples respond when Jesus questioned them about their conversation (v. 34)? What do you think the disciples realized, based on that response? What did Jesus reveal to them about the nature of true leadership (v. 35)?
4) How much serving must a person do in order to gain a position of leadership (v. 35)? How many people must he serve, and when does that responsibility end? What will be the impact of a leader who does not continue to be a servant?
THURSDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.
5) According to Proverbs 14:35, what kind of service pleases God? What is the difference between “wise” and “shameful” service? Are the motives of your service wise (right, according to God’s commands), or are you a shameful servant (motivated by selfish purposes)?
6) Do you seek to help others on your team, no matter what the cost to yourself — or is there a limit to how much you will do to help a teammate? What is the reason behind that limit? What consequences will you face if you do not lead with the right motives (v. 35)?
FRIDAY — Discuss sport applications of leadership, and pray together.
· Ask your athletes to briefly reflect on what they’ve learned about leadership this week, and to repeat some of those things. (Remind them of some of the Biblical truths about leadership you’ve discussed, if necessary.)
· Ask your team, “Based on what we learned about leadership this week...What does a leader athlete do?” Do not settle for vague answers; challenge your athletes to go beyond general qualities of leadership, and to determine what those qualities look like in action.
· Add the results to your team’s list of descriptions of the “leader athlete”, and be sure the list is displayed somewhere that is constantly visible, as a reminder to the team.
· Pray together as a team. Encourage your athletes to pray for your team’s growth in regard to the discipline of leadership — especially in relation to some of the issues and challenges that you discussed together this week. Challenge them to also ask for forgiveness, when applicable. Give time for athletes to request prayer (regarding leadership or anything else), and pray together.
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