As a senior pastor and former deacon, Dr. James H. Taylor, III, has many years of experience with the "grain of tradition" paradigm of rural ministry. His passion to make a contribution to the betterment of rural ministry through the equipping of laity for servant leadership and excellence in ministry, lies within this vital resource. This book, which is part research project and part servant leadership resource equipping guide, provides the theological foundation, state of the art in servant leadership and step by step training modules for equipping the laity for the role of servant leader.. This book explores basic leadership principles and contrasts leadership and servant leadership and its intricate and important role in excellence in ministry. The ten module training guide systematically unfolds laity's spiritual undergirding in preparation for embracing the ranks of servant leadership, specifically the diaconate. This resource will benefit any church who desire to better equip its laity for servant leadership and strive for excellence in ministry. Dr. James H. Taylor, III is the senior pastor of the Race Street Baptist church in historic Farmville, VA. He is a graduate of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology in Richmond, Virginia. and the United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio.