It’s About Leadership

When Jesus began his ministry, he started recruiting people who would be with him from the beginning (Acts 1:21-22).  The people he recruited were a motley bunch of men.  Fishermen, tax-collectors, doubters, and a thief were among the twelve who would be closest to him.  That’s not counting the seventy two that he knew well enough to send out two by two as well (Luke 10).  Jesus recruited people to be followers, but from the beginning it was clear that this was not his only intent.  Jesus was going to train them to be leaders.

"’Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers of men’" (Matthew 4:19 [NIV84]).

They weren’t the kind of people you would expect to be leaders in God’s new Kingdom.  The Pharisees and Saducees were the experts of their day.  The Rabbis were the teachers of the law at the local level.  Jesus was even recognized as one of them (Mark 10:51), but Jesus would teach them to shed these titles and everything that goes with them (Matthew 23:1-10).  Jesus’ picture of the Church would certainly be different from the picture of his day, but make no mistake about it.  It was about leadership.

“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey” (Matthew 25:14-15 [NIV84]).

When I was called to the church planting ministry that begain Life Bridge, I was put through a whole battery of tests, interviews, and background checks.  The Chicago District Evangelistic Association worked hard to investigate me for two reasons.  First, they knew how critical the church planter’s role is in the starting, growth, and health of the resulting church.  Second, they are always trying to find “five talent” leaders to lead their churches.  These leaders will need to withstand all kinds of pressure, fight many battles, all the while building a strong marriage, loving family, and healthy church community.  A five talent leader does not guarantee a growing, healthy church.  Many other factors weigh in on that final result.  But a church cannot grow and be healthy without such a leader.  So, they search.

“The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. (Matthew 25:16-18 [NIV84])”

While Bible Colleges and Church Planting Organizations search for these leaders, we will be building a support ministry that feeds into their part of the Body of Christ.  Not only will it serve as a feeding organization, but it will serve as a building ministry of its own.  While our ministry will certainly identify the five talent leaders, it will be developing everyone to be leaders in their own context.  That’s because the one talent man in the parable was entrusted with an amount that matched his ability.  He didn’t need to fail.  He had what it took to do his part for the master.

“It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-13 [NIV84]).

Some will become better individuals in their schools, neighborhoods, or workplaces.  Some will develop the skills to build a strong marriage.  Some will learn to lead their children and grandchildren well.  Others will build ministry teams, small groups, or serve in house churches.  Those who want to become missionaries, church planters, or pastors will have next steps they can take with the excellent ministries that already exist today.

“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27 [NIV84]).

We won’t be searching for a single kind of leader.  Rather, we will invite everyone and work with anyone who is willing. That’s what Jesus did.  We will develop each person into someone who will walk together with God and help others do the same.  That’s because it’s about leadership – developing fishers of people.