Biblical words describing Christians are humbling. Makes you think twice whether you should call yourself leader and what behaviours should shine forth instead.

You will realize that not all words translated as ’servant’ or ‘minister’ have the same meaning.

1.Doulos - a bond servant, one who voluntarily or involuntarily bond himself up to the will of another

a. Paul
[1] Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant (doulos) of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God…
b. Apostles
[2] 2 Corinthians 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants (doulos) for Jesus’ sake.
c. James
[3] James 1:1 James, a servant (doulos) of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ…….
d. Simon Peter
[4] 2 Peter 1:1 Simon Peter, a servant (doulos) and an apostle of Jesus Christ…
e. Christians
[5] Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants(doulos) to obey, his servants(doulos) ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

We become his slaves out of our own free will.We choose to be subservient to Him.

2. Oiketes - house servant, menial servant or in South East Asia we may say “coolie” of a household.

My grandfather used to have a faithful coolie who came from China at a young age. With no family of his own he was just grateful simply because he had a roof over his head and food provided for his hard labour. He remained faithful even to my father after the death of my grandfather.

[6] Luke 16:13 No servant(oiketes) can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
[7] Romans 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant(oiketes)? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

If you are a menial worker for one master who provided for you, how can you serve a master from another house? All coolies are judged based on what the Master has instructed. Coolies listen to the call of the Master.

3. Misthios - hired servant, servant paid for their labour; wage earner.
This word is not used for believers. Used by the prodigal son in his reflection about himself compared to his father’s hired hands.

[8] Luke 15:17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants(misthios) of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
[9] Luke 15:19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants(misthios).

The Prodigal son compares himself with outsiders who were paid for their labour. He did not compare himself with house servants who were part of the family structure. He considered himself as an outsider to the family. Even the outsiders got a better deal than him.

4. Pais - child, servant. This word is derived from beat. Was it because you could easily beat up a slave like a child with no rights?
This is an interesting choice of word.This word was used for Israel, Jesus and David .

Could it also be used in an affectionate way? In Hainanese a younger person addresses himself as “nong” when speaking to an elder. Nong in chinese character is nu meaning slave. Grandparents affectionately call their grandchildren as nong.

[10] Luke 1:54 He hath holpen his servant(pais) Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;

[11] Matthew 12:18 Behold my servant(pais), whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.

[12] Acts 4:25 Who by the mouth of thy servant(pais) David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things?

5. Huperestes - under rower , officers, subordinates
It literally means under rower. I can imagine a ship with slaves rowing a ship. They have to row in unison with the beat of the drum, thus subordinate to those in charge. Maybe it is akin to the Hokkien word kah kiah or kah chiu i.e. “hands and legs”. Hands and legs are controlled by the Head. They are under the authority of someone higher, thus subordinate.

[13] Matthew 5:25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer(huperetes), and thou be cast into prison.

Paul the huperetes of Jesus. He had to row to Jesus’ authority, not to his own beat.

[14] Acts 26:16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister(huperetes)and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;

[15] 1 Corinthians 4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers(huperetes) of Christ, and stewards(oikonomos) of the mysteries of God.

Notice two separate words are used here: huperetes and oikonomos.

5. Leitourgos - a public servant , a functionary in a temple
This is derived from two words laos ( people) and ergon ( work) . He works to serves people. A chrisian is part of God’s civil service.

[16] Romans 13:6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers (leitourgos), attending continually upon this very thing.

[17] Romans 15:16 That I should be the minister(leitourgos), of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.

[18] Hebrews 1:7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers(leitourgos), a flame of fire.

[19] Hebrews 8:2 A minister(leitourgos), of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

6. diakonos - an attendant, servant, one who runs errands, deacon, a person who waits upon or serve tables (diakoneo, diakonia)

This is the most well known word for the English speaking because we are more familiar with the word deacon.

[20] 1 Corinthians 3:5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers (diakonos) by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

[21] Romans 16:1 I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant (diakonos) of the church which is at Cenchrea:

[22] Colossians 1:23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister ( diakonos)

[23] Colossians 4:7 All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister(diakonos) and fellowservant( sun- doulos) in the Lord:

[24] Acts 6:1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration (diakonia).

[25] Acts 6:2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve(diakoneo) tables.

[26] Acts 6:4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry(diakonia) of the word.

We run errands or do chores for Him. We are His peons. In modern terms, when you diakonos you are doing operational or logstics work to achieve an objective. There is a difference between a responsibility, a role,a title and a full time paid job. Even Phoebe was a diakonos. Was this a responsibility? A role? A title? A full time paid job?

You will notice that the apostles used many words to describe themselves. These words are not titles or full time paid occupation.

We are ALL servants and bond slaves.

With regards to our own will we are doulos. We bond ourselves to Him willingly as His slaves. When we are added into his house we are his house slaves (oiketes) serving only one Master. Although slaves He treats us as His pais. We listen to His voice and act according to His will working together in unison as huperetes rowing to the beat of the shipmaster. We are busy in our Father’s business, serving the public as leitourgos; as diakonos running errands and logistics to do His will according to His beat. We are not hired hands (misthios); we respond to a calling not a job, not a career opportunity.

So tell me what do you mean when you call yourself a church leader?
Is there such a thing as a hyphenated Servant-Leader? One foot in the bible, one foot in the world?

“I’ve got a home in glory land that outshines the sun…”(3X)
Way beyond the blue.
Doulos, O, doulos , O do remember Me?…..(3X)
Way beyond the blue…..”