316 Part 1
316: Leading by a Different Model 5-Day Devotional
Sunday September 6, 2026
See the full sermon here.
Day 1: The Upside-Down Kingdom
Reading: Luke 22:25-26
Devotional: Jesus does not call his followers to accumulate influence or demand recognition. He calls them to serve. In a world where power is hoarded and authority is performed, this is a radical disruption. The greatest in the kingdom is not the one with the largest platform or the loudest voice, but the one who quietly bends low to meet the needs of others. Ask yourself honestly today where your instinct toward control shows up, in your relationships, your work, your faith community. Then ask God to replace that instinct with the posture of a servant.
Reflection: Where in my life am I leading through control rather than service?
Practical Application: Identify one relationship today where you can choose to serve rather than assert your preferences.
Day 2: Honest Questions and Humble Seeking
Reading: Proverbs 3:5-7
Devotional: The verse warns against leaning entirely on your own understanding, reminding us that wisdom begins with humility before God. A mature faith is not one that has all the answers locked down. It is one that remains open, curious, and honest about its limitations. The questions you carry about God, the church, and your own life are not signs of weak faith. They are invitations to go deeper. Knowledge puffs up, but genuine seeking humbles us. The more we truly learn about God, the more aware we become of how much remains beyond our grasp, and that awareness is itself a form of worship.
Reflection: What questions have I been afraid to bring honestly before God?
Practical Application: Write down one spiritual question you have been carrying silently. Bring it to God in prayer today without demanding an immediate answer.
Day 3: Preaching Christ, Not Ourselves
Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:5
Devotional: The apostle Paul makes it plain that the message of the church is not the messenger. We are servants for the sake of Jesus, not personalities to be followed or admired. This applies not only to those who stand behind pulpits, but to every believer who influences others. When we make our opinions, our preferences, or our identities the center of what we offer people, we have quietly replaced the gospel with ourselves. Healthy spiritual community points people toward Christ and toward one another, not toward dependence on any single voice or leader. The goal is always to help others find Christ for themselves.
Reflection: Am I helping the people around me grow in their own relationship with Christ, or in their dependence on me?
Practical Application: Encourage someone today in their own spiritual discernment rather than simply telling them what you think they should do.
Day 4: The Danger of Building Around a Common Enemy
Reading: 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Devotional: Paul makes a sobering declaration in this passage: without love, even the most impressive spiritual gifts and sacrifices amount to nothing. Community built on shared contempt, whether for a political group, a rival church, or a cultural enemy, is not Christian community. It is tribalism wearing the language of faith. True belonging is forged not by agreeing on who is wrong, but by committing together to love well. This is harder than it sounds. It requires us to sit with people whose views unsettle us and resist the pull to reduce them to a position or a label. Love must govern everything.
Reflection: Is there a group of people I have quietly united against rather than genuinely prayed for?
Practical Application: Pray today, specifically and sincerely, for someone whose politics, theology, or lifestyle differs significantly from your own.
Day 5: Authority Stewarded Through Service
Reading: Mark 10:42-45
Devotional: Jesus draws a clear contrast in this passage between how the world exercises authority and how his followers are called to do so. Greatness in the kingdom is measured not by how many serve you, but by how faithfully you serve others. This is not a suggestion for leaders. It is the defining characteristic of kingdom leadership. Spiritual authority is not a title to be claimed or a platform to be protected. It is a responsibility to be carried humbly, often at personal cost. The church exists to be a living demonstration of this truth in a world that desperately needs a different way.
Reflection: How am I currently using whatever authority or influence I carry, to serve others or to secure my own position?
Practical Application: Take one concrete step this week to use your gifts, your time, or your resources in a way that benefits someone who cannot return the favor.
Sunday September 6, 2026
See the full sermon here.
Day 1: The Upside-Down Kingdom
Reading: Luke 22:25-26
Devotional: Jesus does not call his followers to accumulate influence or demand recognition. He calls them to serve. In a world where power is hoarded and authority is performed, this is a radical disruption. The greatest in the kingdom is not the one with the largest platform or the loudest voice, but the one who quietly bends low to meet the needs of others. Ask yourself honestly today where your instinct toward control shows up, in your relationships, your work, your faith community. Then ask God to replace that instinct with the posture of a servant.
Reflection: Where in my life am I leading through control rather than service?
Practical Application: Identify one relationship today where you can choose to serve rather than assert your preferences.
Day 2: Honest Questions and Humble Seeking
Reading: Proverbs 3:5-7
Devotional: The verse warns against leaning entirely on your own understanding, reminding us that wisdom begins with humility before God. A mature faith is not one that has all the answers locked down. It is one that remains open, curious, and honest about its limitations. The questions you carry about God, the church, and your own life are not signs of weak faith. They are invitations to go deeper. Knowledge puffs up, but genuine seeking humbles us. The more we truly learn about God, the more aware we become of how much remains beyond our grasp, and that awareness is itself a form of worship.
Reflection: What questions have I been afraid to bring honestly before God?
Practical Application: Write down one spiritual question you have been carrying silently. Bring it to God in prayer today without demanding an immediate answer.
Day 3: Preaching Christ, Not Ourselves
Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:5
Devotional: The apostle Paul makes it plain that the message of the church is not the messenger. We are servants for the sake of Jesus, not personalities to be followed or admired. This applies not only to those who stand behind pulpits, but to every believer who influences others. When we make our opinions, our preferences, or our identities the center of what we offer people, we have quietly replaced the gospel with ourselves. Healthy spiritual community points people toward Christ and toward one another, not toward dependence on any single voice or leader. The goal is always to help others find Christ for themselves.
Reflection: Am I helping the people around me grow in their own relationship with Christ, or in their dependence on me?
Practical Application: Encourage someone today in their own spiritual discernment rather than simply telling them what you think they should do.
Day 4: The Danger of Building Around a Common Enemy
Reading: 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Devotional: Paul makes a sobering declaration in this passage: without love, even the most impressive spiritual gifts and sacrifices amount to nothing. Community built on shared contempt, whether for a political group, a rival church, or a cultural enemy, is not Christian community. It is tribalism wearing the language of faith. True belonging is forged not by agreeing on who is wrong, but by committing together to love well. This is harder than it sounds. It requires us to sit with people whose views unsettle us and resist the pull to reduce them to a position or a label. Love must govern everything.
Reflection: Is there a group of people I have quietly united against rather than genuinely prayed for?
Practical Application: Pray today, specifically and sincerely, for someone whose politics, theology, or lifestyle differs significantly from your own.
Day 5: Authority Stewarded Through Service
Reading: Mark 10:42-45
Devotional: Jesus draws a clear contrast in this passage between how the world exercises authority and how his followers are called to do so. Greatness in the kingdom is measured not by how many serve you, but by how faithfully you serve others. This is not a suggestion for leaders. It is the defining characteristic of kingdom leadership. Spiritual authority is not a title to be claimed or a platform to be protected. It is a responsibility to be carried humbly, often at personal cost. The church exists to be a living demonstration of this truth in a world that desperately needs a different way.
Reflection: How am I currently using whatever authority or influence I carry, to serve others or to secure my own position?
Practical Application: Take one concrete step this week to use your gifts, your time, or your resources in a way that benefits someone who cannot return the favor.
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Newsletter 2: January 23, 2017Parenting Millennials: March 25, 2017A Husband’s Love: April 19, 2017The 316 Launch: Sep 21, 2017Healthy Church: Mar 17, 2021“Release Him”: Mar 3, 2021Motherhood Is Not Oppression: Feb 27, 2021316 Fundraiser: Dec 1, 2020On Politics: Oct 20, 2020The Perfect Storm: Jan 23, 2020On Earth as it is in Heaven!: Aug 24, 2019Immigrants, the Innocent, and Other Holy Things : Jun 22, 2018A Tribute to Carmelo: May 9, 2018Re-Thinking Church: Mar 23, 2018The 316 Church NEWSLETTER: Feb 28, 2018Parenting Adult Children: Feb 27, 2022Champion Your KidsWho is Initiating?
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