2021 December Newsletter

Who will you serve in 2022?

The idea of Servant Leadership is quite popular among many businesses, non-profit organizations, and churches. The phrase itself was first coined by Robert Greenleaf in the 1970s. Its primary emphasis begins in the heart of a person who desires to serve others. When a person assumes a leader role, this emphasis manifests itself in a desire to make certain that other people’s priority needs are met. The growth and fulfillment of others is the focus of the leader’s energy while at the same time accomplishing a common goal. Certain characteristics of servant leaders have been identified as:

  • Listening – Give others your full attention and make certain they are heard

  • Empathy – Getting to know others as fellow human beings with differing wants and needs

  • Healing – Creating a healthy work environment and staying away from toxic actions and attitudes

  • Self-awareness – Know your own strengths and weaknesses

  • Persuasion – Gain ‘buy-in’ from others without resorting to coercion

  • Conceptualization – Keep the big picture in mind for yourself and the team

  • Foresight – Constant awareness of your ministry or business and putting a workable plan in place

  • Stewardship – Use resources in a responsible manner and lead by example

  • Commitment to the growth of people – Invest in others - this requires time

  • Community – Build trust by being an authentic person

From this list you can see that the Servant Leader is someone who can ‘get the job done’ without resorting to being an overbearing boss. This person seeks the best for others and spends the time and energy necessary to meet the needs of others. Followerfirst incorporates these functions of a leader by following the example of Jesus, who did not come “to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many (Matt 20:28).” Our desire is to serve churches and individual followers of Christ and encourage them to follow Jesus in 2022.

Followerfirst Conference – May 2022

Join us this May for a special Followerfirst Conference. Plans are being made to secure a specific time and place to gather together and rejoice in a time of encouragement and instruction for this one-day event. As Covid hopefully becomes a pandemic of the past, we will gather together and spend a day worshipping and committing our lives to a lifetime of following and helping others follow Jesus. I look forward to giving you a specific time and place in the near future as negotiations are completed. Please begin praying for this conference and setting aside some time to join us!

Family Update

Our immediate family is doing well, and we enjoyed celebrating our first Christmas with our granddaughter, Alice. It was great having the baby along with Rush & Claire and Lyndsay & Lowrey and all the grand animals spend the night for Christmas meals, gift giving, and just spending time together (the most special gift of all.) We would solicit your prayers for Sharon’s father, Dr. Jim Waddle. He was recently diagnosed with colon cancer and has begun a treatment regimen which we pray will result in his being cancer free. Thank you for keeping him, his wife Phyllis, and our whole extended family in your prayers as we travel this journey.

Thank You and Happy New Year!

Thank you for your continued prayerful and financial support of this ministry. Although Covid hindered me from speaking in many places, it did not keep the ministry from reaching out to ministers and business persons through other media. Each semester I have a group of students who contact me wanting to know more about how they can become Following-Leaders. It is encouraging to see how the ‘follower’ idea is catching on. Be sure to share the followerfirst.org website with your friends, colleagues, and fellow ministers. As always, thank you for your continued prayers and support!

- Rusty and Sharon