Yasmin is my shy little daughter. Last night during our Prayer Service, while we were collecting prayer requests from the brotherhood, she surprisingly raised her little finger and said, "I have a request—that Brazil may win the World Cup!" Ha, everyone was so opened mouth. That request! Coming from Yasmin??? 

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In recent years I have noticed an escalating new tread among the churches of Christ I serve and am involved. I have observed among some brothers a desire for power control. Unfortunately some have gone far to the point of losing their own faith. This tread is present in both lay people and clergy. There is a difference though between biblical leadership/ecclesial authority and power control. Biblical leadership has at its core the willingness to serve, to humbly serve, whereas power control is tight domineering.  It seeks prestige. It wants to be served. It’s self-serving. Power control is selfish. It doesn’t consider if the neighbor is in need or that he/she thinks different. I believe that this mentality has crept in into Christianity from the political domain. Those after control model from the political environment and atmosphere or maybe from Army lifestyle.
After these models, what kind of leaders shall we become?

Again, just let us not lose focus that at the core of Christianity is humble service.  Even the disciples in Mark 10:42-45 (ESV) were tempted to think along with the world in terms of power. But Jesus earnestly reminds them:  "You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.  But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,  and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
          Ora et Labora!