Servant leaders have the courage to make bold moves when it is the right thing to do. It might not be the most convenient, the most comfortable, or carry the least amount of risk, but they do it anyway, because they know it is in the best long-term interest of the people they serve.

Our pastor, from our church in Arizona recently wrote a book on such a move that he made with our congregation in the last year. The book title is “Sunday Schooling Our Kids Out of Church!”, The True Story of How One Congregation Dropped Sunday School to Save its Soul.

Pastor Tim Wright had seen the statistics on how we are losing our next generation from the church, and his research showed that the latest, common method of taking kids out of the church worship setting and putting them in grade appropriate Sunday School was not serving their needs well for the long term.

After much study, preparation, prayer, and planning with his senior team the church made a drastic change to intergenerational worship. It has been fun to see how this bold move has ignited all generations of a congregation, which stands to have a huge positive impact for generations to come.

I have also seen a group of people in Alexandria, MN make a bold move to establish a first of its kind, non-denominational Christian supplemental school for high school age students – NorthStar Christian Academy. This group of people has a love for children, and wanted to give all high school age kids the opportunity to supplement their education with some classes such as “Servant Leadership” and “Creation from a Christian Worldview” that are not available in the public school system.

They are spending an inordinate amount of time and resources to make this a reality. It would be much easier to stay the current course of a public school only option, or start a full immersion Christian school. But they recognize the extreme long-term benefit for all children and the community by building this opportunity, so they sacrifice for the initiative.

When I stepped out of the comfort of a consistent paycheck, and working for a major organization, to start Triune Leadership Services it could have been considered a bold move. I felt a tap on the shoulder from God and others to expand my territory of spreading the word on servant leadership.

Servant leaders with courage can change the world by stepping out in faith to make bold moves that they feel are in the best interest of those they are serving. Courage changes lives, first for ourselves, then for others.

The day you begin to stare down your fears and worries as a leader, and instead act courageously, your business will change. You will accomplish things you once only dreamed of. You will experience things you thought were only for others—the courageous ones. You will realize that your fears were without merit.

You will also change the lives of others. Simply put, courageous people pull others along with them. Everybody benefits from courageous people.

Is God tapping you on the shoulder to make a courageous move? Do you have it within you to do something really special that will impact people in a positive way and change the world for the better? What are you waiting for?

Mark Deterding

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9