​Are you suspicious of those who cloak excuses in false humility? 

• I'm so busy and I just don't have time to help.
• Thanks for asking, but who am I to take on such a responsibility?
• I'll just keep quiet and avoid any conflict.
• I'm so broken, how could God use me?

False humility seeks excuse from duty and personal accountability, appearing humble for personal gain. Rather than pointing out the false humility in others, how do we recognize excuses and false piety in our own behavior and repent from it? 

Fr. Sergius Halvorsen, Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program at St. Vladimir’s Seminary and contributor to Doulos – The Intensive Program in Servant Leadership, shares Part Two of a four-part series that explores serving with Christlike authority and humility.

Do you feel threatened by ego-driven leaders who insist on calling the shots?
 
·    I’m in charge. It’s my decision. I don’t have to listen to you.
·    It has to get done, so I’ll do it my way.
·    I’ve been here longer than you, so I know better.
·    My family built the church, so I’m entitled.
 
False authority usurps the power of the scriptural commandment to assume the place of God. Rather than pointing out the false authority in others and resisting their commands, how do we recognize the insidious self-righteousness in our own behavior and repent from it?
 
Fr. Sergius Halvorsen, Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program at St. Vladimir’s Seminary and contributor to Doulos – The Intensive Program in Servant Leadership, begins a four-part series to explore serving with Christlike authority and humility.

Salemi Khori shares how the members of St. Elizabeth Orthodox Church are Building Effective Parish Leadership Teams, a module of the Intensive Program in Servant Leadership. Outcomes have included:

• A broader commitment to biblical literacy and accountability
• Plans for recruitment, succession, and ongoing leadership development for ministry roles
• Strengthening consensus in parish decisions

Salemi shares how her own attitude toward the Church shifted from transactional to relational as she served as the Parish Council President while still in her twenties. 

Fr. Robert Holet, DMin, author of The First and Finest: Orthodox Christian Stewardship as Sacred Offering, outlines the stewardship cycle: 

1. Acknowledge God as the source of everything
2. Receive God's gifts
3. Offer the first fruits
4. Care for all God entrusts
5. God accepts our offering and pours forth greater abundance
6. Mature in human capacity to steward God's gifts
7. Make an account upon the Master's return
8. Eternal reward of "good and faithful servant"

Fr. Robert also explores the five T's of stewardship, consecrating beyond the first fruits of Time, Talent, and Treasure.  As we allow the Lord to examine our hearts and minds this Lent, Fr. Robert offers A Self-Examination and Reflection Guide to prepare for confession and participate in faithful stewardship. 

Katrina Bitar, Director of Youth Equipped to Serve (YES), shares how service learning engages youth in the living work of the Church.  Katrina explores how to invest in emerging leaders by:

• Speaking the truth in love (Eph 4:15)
• Leaning into the "good uncomfortable" to allow stretching and growing
• Examining our own motivations for wanting young people in the church

Katrina suggests that just because kids are participating in church activities doesn't mean that they have encountered Christ. Young people need to be trusted and engaged in doing the living work of Christ.  

An interview with Fr. Paul Hodge explores how parish leaders - clergy, council members, treasurers, and emerging leaders - can develop in their role through Peer Learning, a resource offered by the Orthodox Christian Leadership Initiative. Peer Learning offers you the opportunity to connect with other parish leaders like you to problem-solve, share best practices, gather insights, and celebrate successes.

Fr. Theodore Dorrance shares a unique perspective by viewing the Church as partner to parents, rather than parents as partner to church school and youth programs. This interview explores how a parish can invest in its youth as emerging leaders by:

• Equipping parents as evangelists in the home
• Reclaiming the dinner table for life-long Christian learning and engagement
• Utilizing the oratorical festival as a fully engaging, cross-generational tool in faith formation

Many experts in organizational management believe that the imagery of shepherd and flock is outdated and even condescending in contemporary organizational settings. But it is key leadership imagery in the Church. Dr. Richard Benton looks to Ezekiel 34 to understand the responsibility of the 'ebed (Hebrew equivalent to the Greek word doulos, meaning servant or slave) who the Lord places as shepherd over the flock. The Lord Himself  serves as the True Shepherd, protecting His flock and judging those who would devour it. Richard Benton holds a PhD in Hebrew and Old Testament from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is co-host of The Bible as Literature Podcast and serves as an IT scrum master for a global company based in St. Paul, MN.

Fr. Dustin Lyon and the parish leaders of St. George Greek Orthodox Church participated in "Cultivating Vision and Change," a module of Doulos - The Intensive Program in Servant Leadership.  Hear their story and how the principles and disciplines of servant leadership are brought to life through the preaching, teaching, and ministries at St. George. In addition to serving St. George Greek Orthodox Church in DeKalb, IL, Fr. Dustin  hosts The Way, a podcast on the Ephesus School Network.