Page 38 - Empowering Missional Artists - Jim Mills.pdf

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David was keenly aware that God knew his heart and everything in it, but he also knew that

God wanted to hear David honestly speak his heart (Psalm 139:4a). Throughout the Psalms you

hear this honestly, his questions, his fears, his frustrations, his longings, his failures and his

confidence in the true Shepherd of Israel. His ruthless vulnerability was a song that ministered to

the heart of God. God is not interested in the right words, He longs to hear our hearts, (Psalm

62:8) and David had learned and lived out this secret. He was king, yet he openly sang of

shedding his tears, (Ps 39:12; 56:8) spoke of his fears, (Ps 55:4), disclosed his honest questions,

(Ps 60:10), and revealed His deepest longing (Ps 27:4). David was a true artist as a poet and

songwriter, not looking to rhyme or to sell his wares on the market, but to pour out his honest

heart vulnerably before God. Remarkable when we realize he was the chief executive.

David, as a servant-son, a transparent leader, and a vulnerable sensitive artist, is a

prototype for a leader. However, God is the only one who had eyes to see this emerging leader

as a boy. To be sure, there are many Davids, yet they are hardly recognized by the leader-

makers of today. I have a difficult time thinking that David lived, as Bill Hybels suggested “to

establish BHAGs- big, hairy, audacious goals.” (Hybels 2002, 90) Though he did aspire to build

the Temple of God, yet this honor was given only to his son. Honestly, should someone like

David be in our congregations, I believe we, as church leaders, may overlook him, as Samuel

almost did. To be fair to Hybels, in his book Courageous Leadership, in the chapter on ‘Building

a Kingdom Dream Team’ he does list character as his first “c” (Ibid, 81) when building a team.

Though later in his chapter on ‘Developing Emerging Leaders’ it drops to number 2. (Ibid,128)

SERVANTHOOD: MANDATE FOR ARTISTS

The leadership characteristic of servanthood is of the utmost importance for artist

leadership. First and foremost, this aspect is important because it is a Biblical mandate. (I Peter

4:9-10) And not only for artist, but for all His people. Secondly, it is extremely important to

emphasize the trait of servanthood because the artist, who is a Christian, has few if any role