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“I’m not cut out to be a leader.” Many Christians take a step back in the face of responsibility like this. Missionary Kim Sung-won of CIMIO, author of *The River of God* and a Youth With A Mission (YWAM) missionary, addresses this thought head-on in the book’s final chapter, “The City of God.” The missionary says Servant LeadershipIt does not begin with rising to a high position, but with serving others from where I stand right now.

The missionary has served for decades in France, Italy, Germany, Ukraine, Sweden, and other regions, focusing particularly on raising up college students and young leaders. I have summarized four leadership stories derived from that experience.

God works through leaders

First, without leaders, the world is dry. The missionary notes that in Genesis 2:5, the reason nothing grew on the ground was “because there was no one to plow the ground.” Jesus, too, seeing the crowds like sheep without a shepherd, told them to pray for workers, and immediately appointed the twelve disciples (Matthew 9:36–10:1). Since the absence of a leader is often at the root of people's suffering, it is important to pray for leaders and raise them up.

Paul, too, always traveled with young leaders and taught, “Entrust them to faithful men who are able to teach them” (2 Timothy 2:2). Citing the history of students leading missionary movements—from the Haystack Prayer Meetings to the Student Volunteer Movement and Wesley’s Holy Club—the missionary conveys his expectations for the younger generation.

Servant Leadership, Jesus' Way

Second, leadership is service. Having seen so many examples of bad leaders, some even consider the very desire to become a leader to be un-Christian. However, Paul said, “I desire to be an overseer because I desire a good work” (1 Timothy 3:1). The missionary encourages us to place our starting point in Jesus. Jesus said not to lord over others like the rulers of the Gentiles, but that whoever wants to become great must be a servant (Matthew 20:25–28).

Therefore, desiring leadership means desiring to serve through personal sacrifice. Even without an official position, whenever we serve others with the gentleness of Jesus, we are already following God's command to rule. Furthermore, the missionary clearly states that Christian leadership must not oppress those with different opinions.

Third, character and skills must go hand in hand. It is recorded that David “raised them with integrity of heart and guided them with the skill of his hands” (Psalm 78:72). To borrow the missionary’s expression, sincerity without skill leads to stagnation, and skill without sincerity leads to corruption. Character is refined not by comfort but by trials, and a leader who has not experienced hardship finds it difficult to empathize with the pain of others.

Everything you do now prepares for eternity.

Fourth, all the work of today is training for eternity. Citing examples of leaders from various countries who came from diverse backgrounds such as comedians, generals, and physicists, the missionary states that not only church activities but also studies, professions, and even hobbies are a process of building character and skills to prepare for eternity. He adds that this is the ultimate meaning of life.

From this perspective, leading a small team at work, caring for a family, and taking on the menial tasks of a community are all opportunities to practice servant leadership. Asking, "Where is a place where I can serve?" instead of saying, "I am not fit to be a leader," is the first step in the leadership that Missionary Kim Seong-won conveys.

Mrs. Lauren, together with CIMIO, plans Instagram channels and YouTube lecture content in various languages, helping the missionary's message reach readers in each country in their own language.

Source: Based on the content of Chapter 12, "The City of God," of Kim Cimio's *The River of God*.

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