Photos from Kenya 2023

One of the most powerful moments of the “Leaders Alive” pastor’s conference happened after talking about the difference between “leading with a stick and leading with a towel”.

Too many leaders, especially church and ministry leaders, want to lead with a stick. They lead by force. If you don’t fall in line behind their vision, they will use the (metaphorical) stick to get you back in line.

This is not the way of Jesus.

… Jesus … said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Matthew 20:25–28, ESV

True leaders who are following Christ, realizing that Jesus is the real leader, will abandon the stick and embrace the idea of leading with a towel.

The Son of Man came to serve, and so should we look for ways to serve those we are called by God to lead.

To further illustrate this point, Paul Mullet grabbed a towel and began wiping the feet of some of the men in the room.

Paul was “leading” this Pastor’s Conference, but as a leader he wanted to tangibly serve the people who were there. He started by wiping the feet of Bishop Stephen Mutune, who is an amazing man of God, and who was probably the most well-respected man in the room at that moment.

It was a powerful display of deep humility, mutual respect, and adoration of Christ from both men.

Then, to make the point even more clear, Paul walked over to the man who was running the computer presentation slides and began to wipe his feet with the towel, as well.

The man was not a Bishop. He was not a Reverend. He was not a Pastor. He was a faithful servant. 

Paul’s actions in physically wiping the feet of both Bishop Mutune and the guy who was running the computer showed that our desire to serve should include everyone.

Like Jesus, we want to serve those who are over us (Jesus served the Father while on earth), and those who are under us (Jesus served the lepers, the poor, and the lame). 

May we, like Jesus, look for ways to lead with the towel, and reject the incessant temptation to lead with a stick.