Developing Leaders for the Community
Jesus never assumed he could do all his work alone. It is clear throughout the New Testament that Jesus counted on others to continue his work and to lead the masses of people along the path of faithfulness.
There is nothing automatic about this. The development of leaders for the Church and the community is a conscious act on the part of the people. Nothing less than a full commitment to leadership development is acceptable.
12. __/__ Leadership
Persons who can make things happen are provided, recruited, developed and supported within the community. Leadership within the Church is always a response to our own leader, Jesus, and discipleship to Him. Leaders from the Church cause things to happen in response to God's word to us through Christ. Training in leadership qualities is conscious and ongoing. Leadership is the ability to bring others along on a selected path towards the Vision.
Joshua 1:1-9
Yahweh called Joshua in the same way most of the great leaders of the world have been called. The Lord said, in effect, "The leaders of the past are gone. Moses and Aaron have served well, but they have done their work and completed their walk. Now, you have the ball. I will be beside you, as will the rest of the people of Moses. I have promised the land across the Jordan to you and your people. I will fulfill my promise through you."
Martin Luther King, Jr., led one of the great revolutions of our world, the American Civil Rights effort. Yet he began as a young man with few prospects. As he grew and developed, systemic activity around him taught him the work of leadership. His family, his father's parish, his college, his seminary, the political system, the NAACP and the larger Church all worked to make him the leader he became. Even Rosa Parks gave him support and motivation for his leadership by taking a forbidden seat on a city bus.
In local congregations we often elect persons repeatedly to the same office because we know they can do the job. Is it not wiser to train new leaders consistently, then support them in their work? Then we can put these more experienced leaders to work in more difficult situations.
The failure of any local leader, sheriff, mayor, clerk, school administrator or congregational leader is not just a failure of a single person. It is a failure of the community at some level at every place along the process.
Latest Articles