Educational Leadership: a Profession or a Ministry?

The leader, from Jesus’s point of view, is a servant, working together with the teachers and parents. Leaders are servants working to realize the goals of the students.

Sustainable Leadership August 13, 2018

An understanding of educational leadership is essential for healthy schools. Thus, it is important to consider the principal areas and primary purposes of educational leadership.

3D human pyramid upside down - great for topics like making impossible, success etc.Many leaders look at their position like a pyramid with them at the top. They look down on others, expecting others to serve them. This image of leaders exists in many people’s minds, and they believe that if the leader is not successful, it is not the mistake of their leadership but of other people in the organization who did not succeed in achieving the organization’s goals.

The main goal of education is to prepare students for their best service for this world and for the Kingdom of God. Keeping this in mind helps us fulfill the purpose for Christian education. The pyramid from this perspective is upside down. The students and their future represent the top level. Leaders are at the bottom of the pyramid to serve the teachers, the parents, and the students.

Every individual connected with the school is essential for positive school leadership. The principal’s role is important because he or she is responsible for all that happens in the school. Administrators are important because they need to provide all that is necessary for the school to function at its best. Teachers have a significant role since they are in charge of the teaching and learning process. Parents contribute to education because they send their precious gifts of God to our school and we should not disappoint them. All of these groups should work together with students to build up our students and connect them with God because the students are the future, and the future of the church and society depends on their success.

If we look in the New Testament, we see Jesus as a servant teacher for the world, for His people, for His disciples and for the future disciples that will finish the work in the end time. The leader, from Jesus’s point of view, is a servant, working together with teachers, parents, and students. Leaders are servants working to realize the goals of the students and the goals of our master, Jesus Christ. The first disciples called Jesus “Master” (John 1:37-39), and when Jesus sent the disciples to prepare for the Holy supper, He used the same word: “Master” (Matthew 26:17.18).

Even though he is the true master, Jesus lived to serve others. When Jesus was on the Earth the main objective of His mission was declared in Matthew: “But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister, and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:26-28). Let us follow in Christ’s example.

Author

Constantin Popescu

Popescu is a Pastor and is now working as Principal of the Adventist High School in Craiova, Romania. Also is a School Inspector of the Education Minister in Romania. MA in Education at La Plata University, Doctoral Degree in History and Doctoral Degree in Philosophy, relate to semiotic of religious language. Has been working as an education manager more than 18 years.

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