The Leadership Vocation as Formation (2)

Introduction

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Colossians 3:23–24 “23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”

Good morning, trustees. Thank you for your faithful service to Hannibal-LaGrange University. Each of you is here because someone—perhaps many someones—recognized in you a leadership capacity. You may not always be able to define it precisely, but you have been entrusted with influence: over mission, stewardship, strategy, and the spiritual direction of this institution. For the next few minutes, I want to invite us to reflect on leadership not primarily as a role or responsibility, but as a vocation—a calling from God. The word “vocation” comes from the Latin vocare, meaning “to call.” While positions and titles may change, this calling to lead and to serve endures. I offer this definition of leadership, rooted in Scripture and the example of Christ:

Leadership is self-emptying service shaped by Christ for the flourishing of others.

This stands in contrast to much of the world’s view, which often prizes influence, control, and personal success. Biblical leadership is “right-side up”: it looks like a Savior who took a towel and basin rather than a throne and scepter. It is the way of the cross—self-emptying for the sake of others’ good and God’s glory.As board members, you are called to this. Your stewardship of HLGU is not merely administrative or fiduciary; it is a vocation through which God is forming you spiritually. Your leadership here is a means of grace, a context for sanctification.

We often fall into two pitfalls in our pursuit of spiritual growth. One is the “monastery mistake”: believing that true holiness requires retreating from responsibility, complexity, and people. The other is the “marketplace mistake”: equating busyness, achievement, or institutional success with becoming more like Christ. We avoid the monastery mistake of retreating from life and the marketplace mistake of idolizing busyness. Instead, we embrace the Messy Middle—where vocation becomes the classroom for spiritual formation, right in the thick of relationships, responsibilities, and real-world service.

When we step into leadership—whether guiding a university through challenges, making difficult decisions, stewarding resources, or upholding a Christ-centered mission—we are stretched. We confront our inadequacies. We feel the weight of what we cannot control or fix in our own strength. Just as Moses stood before the burning bush, stammering objections, we too realize we are not sufficient for these things.

Yet Scripture promises that in our weakness, God’s power is made perfect (2 Corinthians 12:9). The difficulties of leadership—the hard conversations, the unpopular decisions, the seasons of uncertainty—are not detours from formation; they are the very classroom where the Holy Spirit teaches us dependence on Christ. Like muscles strengthened through resistance and repair, our faith deepens as we lean into God’s strength amid our limitations.This vocation reveals and refines. It quickly exposes our pride, impatience, self-reliance, or desire for approval. The sooner we see these weaknesses honestly, the better—because weakness is not failure; it is an invitation to trust. God does not call us because we are capable; He calls us to display His capability through us.Ultimately, this calling is for others—for the flourishing of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the broader kingdom work of HLGU. Yet in serving them, we ourselves are formed. The posture we cultivate here—serving rather than grasping, stooping low rather than building platforms—shapes us into the image of Christ.

So today, let us ask ourselves a few searching questions:

Am I more concerned with wielding influence for personal or institutional acclaim, or with quiet, unseen service that glorifies Christ?

In the decisions before this board, am I tempted to rely on my own wisdom, or am I learning to depend on the Lord who called us here?

Do I view my role primarily as a position to achieve, or as a vocation through which God is making me more like Jesus?

Brothers and sisters, embrace your calling as leaders at HLGU. Let it reveal your need for grace, refine your trust in God’s sovereignty, and shape you to serve as Christ served—with a basin and towel, not a megaphone.

Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, thank You for calling each of us to leadership in this season. Forgive us where we have sought position over posture, success over service. Remind us that we serve the Lord Christ. In our inadequacies, display Your strength. Form us through this vocation into humble, faithful disciples who lead for the flourishing of others and the glory of Your name. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.