Book Review: "Designed to Lead"

Recently, I was asked to check out a new book that was written for church leaders.  I love to read.  I love the church.  Reading a book that talked about how to develop leadership both within and outside of the church?  Now you got my attention.

This book was Eric Geiger and Kevin Peck’s Designed to Lead: The Church and Leadership Development.  

Eric Geiger serves the local church in a couple of ways.  First, he is the Senior Pastor at ClearView Baptist Church.  Second, he serves as one of the Vice Presidents of LifeWay Christian Resources.  Kevin Peck is the Lead Pastor of The Austin Stone Community Church in Austin, TX.

In this book, Geiger and Peck look to address the issue that one reason for which the church was created is to be a springboard of leadership.  This leadership was not just intended to impact what took place in the “walls of the church,” but it was to effect every aspect of life.

Local churches should not be outpaced in developing leaders who bless the world and advance His Kingdom. (p.9)

I think that this is one major thing that set this book apart from many that would fall under the heading of “church leadership.”  Many books share about ways in which churches can do better at doing church the way that it has been done for a while now.  Some of these books are helpful in developing some leadership skills in pastors/servants, but others are… let’s just say not so helpful.

Designed to Lead was intended to show that the church is not supposed to be about what takes place “inside the walls,” but that the church is supposed to impact the world around it. I really believe that this is an important thing to look at for the church today.  There are too many churches that are trying to run away from the world instead of impacting and redeeming it with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Geiger and Peck put forth a framework to help churches work on developing leaders that lead both within and outside the church.  This framework begins with conviction, moves through the culture, and creates constructs to make it happen (p. 14-15).  These three elements make up the three major sections of the book.

If you are a leader in the local church and have been feeling that there has been a leadership vacuum both within and outside of your church, then I would encourage you to check out Designed to Lead. Geiger and Peck have written this book for leaders to reproduce leaders and impact this world for Jesus Christ.

Giveaway

I have received a few copies of Designed to Lead, and I would like to bless some church leaders with this book.  If you would like to be considered for this giveaway, please leave a comment in the comment section of this blog (not on Facebook).  I will choose from the comments the winners on Monday, September 19th.

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Book Review: "Who Moved My Pulpit"

A couple of months ago, I was given a book to read and asked to write a review about it.  The title of this book grabbed my attention almost immediately.  This book was Who Moved My Pulpit?  Leading Change in the Church by Thom Rainer.

I have read many of Thom Rainer’s books before.  I like his style of writing and topics that he predominantly writes about.  I took the the challenge of reading this book on with enthusiasm.

Change is necessary in any organization or living being.  One cannot stay the same and expect that everything will just go like it should.  Living things must change and grow to reach their potential and to reach more people.  @ThomRainer has said himself, “Change is urgent because the gospel is urgent.”  I could not agree any more.

The church of Jesus Christ has the most important task in the history of the world: sharing the gospel with the world.  In order to accomplish this task, the church must grow with the culture.  The message of the church (the gospel of Jesus Christ) must NEVER change.  The methods by which we use to share the gospel with our communities and around the globe MUST change at certain times.  This is because the means of communication change over time.  If the church does not change and adapt to clearly share the gospel with the world around it, then it will fail at carrying out the Great Commission.

In Who Moved My Pulpit, Thom Rainer seeks to provide church leaders with a resource to help them lead their churches through change in a healthy manner.  Rainer first shows that there are different types of “unmovable church members.” Then he moves into what I would call an 8-step process.  He spends a full chapter with each of these steps.

The appendix to the book is called a “Church Readiness Inventory for Churches.”  I truly think that this might be the best part of the whole book.  This is a series of questions that can help a church leader see where their church stands and how willing/ready they are for needed change.

Recommendation

When I first read this book, it took me all of 3 days to finish it.  I did not want to speed-read through it, but really see what all it had to say and process it.  I found that this is a great book for church leaders to help them in a much needed area of ministry… especially in our ever-changing culture. I want to see churches around the globe fulfilling the Great Commission at their fullest potential, and I believe that Who Moved My Pulpit is a great tool to help make that happen.

You can get your own copy of this great resource by clicking on the image above.  It will take you to a link where you can order a copy.

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Book Review: Forward by Ronnie Floyd

I am one that likes to read. I also like to share what I read with others. When I was asked by B&H Publishing Group if I would like to read one of their latest books and give a review, I gladly accepted. I had the privilege of reading Forward by Dr. Ronnie Floyd.

Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the Senior Pastor at Cross Church, which has multiple campuses across Arkansas. He is the current President of the Southern Baptist Convention. I have had a deep respect for Dr. Floyd for some time now. It was exciting to have the opportunity to read Dr. Floyd's latest work, and the following is my take on it.

Overview

Ronnie Floyd is a man who wears many hats.  Along with being a family man and pastor, Floyd has a deep heart for those who are called to be leaders in any arena.  This book that he has written is one that examines "seven distinguishing marks for future leaders."  These seven marks are: forward truth, cross-generational, futuristic thinker, culturally sensitive, growing teachability, compelled by compassion, and driven by something more.  Floyd seeks to use these seven distinguishing marks to show upcoming leaders how they can lead forward.

Things I Liked

• The focus on Christ.  If you know Ronnie Floyd, you know that he has a love for Jesus that matched by few.  In this book, Floyd really tries to take every opportunity he can and point people to Jesus.
• Transparency.  As Floyd goes through chapter after chapter, you can see that he is quick to be transparent about issues he even has.
• Quick, easy read.  I finished this book in just a couple of days.  We are all busy - especially leaders.  This is a good, quick read that will encourage and help you on your leadership journey.

Things I Did Not Like

• The repetition.  I know that repetition is a great teaching and learning tool, but for me, there was way to much in this book.  There would be times where the author would repeat themselves every other sentence.  I know that might be picky on my part, but it was a little of a distraction for me.
• The wording.  When I read this book, there were times where it seemed that certain phrases or words were used just to push a point or stay in line with a point.  It sometimes would come across like the wording that was chosen was done so that readers could easily use this in sermon form.  I really liked the book and the material it presented, but I do believe that some of the wording might have been better if the author would have just stated what they were thinking and not trying to fit it into a certain word bank.  

The Final Grade

When it comes to Forward by Ronnie Floyd, I believe that this work would be a good benefit for leaders especially in the church to read and have on their bookshelves.  Though there were some things that I would have done differently, this book really encouraged me and showed me some things to be looking for as a leader.

I would give this book a B.

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New Leadership at IMB

I heard the news today that the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention has elected a new President to oversee its work.  The IMB has selected David Platt to the position.  Platt has been the Pastor of the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama and authored many books on the Christian faith.  You can read an article about Platt being chosen as the new leader by clicking here.

I for one am very glad to hear this news.  I have been tracking this young man for a little while.  It has been interesting to see how God has been using this young man for His glory.  He has a passion for the lost and to see that people from every walk and nation come to know about Jesus.  He has been passionate and vocal about the Church around the world.  I could not think of a better person for this time to be at the leadership position of the IMB.  There are so many people that are wanting to get the Gospel to the ends of the earth, and Platt is one that can be a good, solid voice for them.  He has proven himself to be very qualified for the position of leading as he helped a megachurch in Alabama gain a new identity after some rocky times.

I cannot wait to see how God uses David Platt and his family in this position.  I encourage all Christians - Southern Baptists and others as well - to join me in praying for this man as he helps the SBC to be focused on the Great Commission.

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Unaware Teacher

This morning, I pulled up to the dining room table with my Bible, pen, journal, and a cup of coffee. That's certainly a good way to start the day. I was looking for some of that "daily bread" to get me through the day. I was jotting down some things that we're standing out. There were even a couple of things that stood out that might be in future sermons. One thing I didn't think I was doing was teaching, but apparently I was.

Before long, our three boys who are normally running wild with toys changed their focus. I could hear them in the living room. Our 6 year old, 3 year old, and 2 year old had all gone and gotten their Bibles. They were sitting in the living room doing what Daddy was doing.

I was humbled as I realized that this time of devotion was one of the best teaching times that I had. I want more than anything for my boys to know and follow Jesus like I do - even more. That isn't going to happen if I don't model it and show them that this following Jesus really works and is important. I need to let them see me reading the Bible not just in church, but at various times. I need to let them see me praying more than just at mealtime and bedtime.

You may not be intending on teaching, but be sure that there is someone that is watching and learning from you. What example are you teaching?

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Pastoring Lessons From A 5-Year-Old & His Dog

We welcomed Rocky to the Stephens family a couple of days ago. Rocky is our new 2-year-old Golden Retriever. He was a gift from a family member who could no longer take care of it and give it the attention that it needed. This family member knew that we had three young boys. Combine that with a loving dog and you have a good combination.

This dog is like a dream come true for me. I have always liked big dogs. I have always wanted one that could stay in the house with us. This was never a possibility growing up because of my Mother's allergies and preference of "no dogs inside."

The past couple of days have been fun as we have welcomed Rocky to the family. It has been neat to watch our boys warm up to him. They have never been around dogs much. We have not had a dog since the boys have been born. Even so, they've been asking for one for a while. They got their wish.


Our oldest son - who might have been the most vocal in wanting of a dog - has started to realize that a lot goes into caring for a dog. There's the feeding, bathing, playing, etc that has to be done. I see his wheels turning thinking, "this is too much." I find myself getting frustrated with my son and his lack of interest in the new family member.

As I was praying this morning, I found myself praying for our oldest child to bond well and grow in interest of the dog. It was if God answered almost immediately and spoke to my heart saying,

You love dogs, don't you? You know how to play and care for them because you've been around them and had people show you how to do so. What makes you think he will just "get it"?

I replied, "Good point." But there was more.

It's a lot like pastoring. You are a leader that has been called to lead and equip the saints for ministry. They aren't going to just get it. Someone has to show them... teach them... lead them.

It was then I realized what God was trying to say time to me not just about ministry, but also about my boy and our dog. Would I continue to be frustrated, or would I take the time to share what I've been given and watch something awesome transpire?

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Great Leadership Takes Courage

Tonight, two college football teams will take the field of battle in Dallas, TX. The Alabama Crimson Tide and the Michigan Wolverines will play in one of the nation's most anticipated kickoff games of college football. It is no secret who I will be cheering for. I am a Crimson Tide fan through and through. I am excited about another season of college football and hoping that the boys from Tuscaloosa can repeat as champs this year.

Something else grabbed my attention about this game though. As it is now well known, Michigan has suspended two key players for tonight's game. One of these players is their star running back. This was a bold move by Coach Hoke. Knowing that you will not have one of your main weapons in the game against the defending national champions and defensive powerhouse and to still make this move is amazing.

This is where you see that Coach Hoke is a true leader. This move was by no means a popular move. That is what makes it great. Coach Hoke seems more concerned with teaching his team (and the nation) what true leadership looks like.

I am not a Michigan fan in sports, but this week I became a Coach Hoke fan because he showed what a great leader has to do sometimes.

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Reflections of the Week

This week I have been in New Orleans at NOBTS for a workshop on church leadership and administration. It has been a great class that I think every minister in a church situation (Senior Pastor, Youth Pastor, Children's Pastor, etc) should take a course or workshop on this subject. I went into the workshop looking froward to the leadership part of it, but the administration part was not a thrill to me. I have never been an admin giant. After this workshop, I am still not an admin giant, but I definitely see the need for it clearly.

Another thing this week was watching some of the BCS National Championship with a local fellowship. I was very grateful for Memorial Baptist Church in Metairie, LA for being a gracious host to this Alabama fan. I was the lone Bama fan in the building, but the fellowship was sweet.

While the week was a good one... I'm glad to have these credits and class out if the way... the times fast approaching that I will be pointing the headlights towards the house where my bride and boys are waiting.

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Not Just The Top Dog

As it's been stated before, October is Pastor Appreciation Month. This is a reminder to us to make sure that we let those who have been given the task of shepherding God's people know that we appreciate their service. In my experience, church members take this month pretty serious in writing letters/notes and showering their pastor with gifts and dinners. That is good and all but sometimes an important thing gets overlooked.

If your church runs more than 20 people, you probably have more than one pastor at your church. They may take the title of worship pastor, youth pastor, children's pastor, education pastor, missions pastor, etc. They may be full-time, bi-vocational, or straight up volunteer. Whatever the title they carry, they are performing the duties of a pastor.

As one who has served as a youth pastor over the past 13 years, this month has been either really good or really depressing. Really good because the tokens of appreciation would come at just the right time. Little "pick-me-ups" to brighten the day.

The times that this month would be depressing is that the ministers on staff at a church other than the senior pastor would be overlooked. Sometimes this happened unintentionally. Other times, these other ministers just weren't seen as "real pastors."

It would make my skin crawl and my stomach turn every time someone would ask me if I was ever going to be a "real minister" and not just a "youth guy." The work of a youth pastor (children, education, worship, missions, insert whatever title you choose) is ever much as demanding as the senior pastor. Those who come alongside the senior pastor and help with ministry need to be encouraged and affirmed just as the senior pastor does.

Do you want to see your youth (children, worship, etc) pastor get a fresh wind? Lift them up and recognize them as pastors worthy of honor in the church. Some of my greatest times of student ministry came when the church said, "you are one of our pastors, and we appreciate what you do."

The interesting part of this is that this mindset has to be taught by the senior pastor. If he doesn't recognize the supporting ministers, then the congregation won't either. If you are a senior pastor, make sure that you are lifting those support ministers up. The congregation will follow your lead.

Take time to encourage all the pastors at your church today.

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Tough Position

I think that it's a little sad that we have to set aside a month as "pastor appreciation month." It should definitely be a common (and frequent) practice of people building and lifting up their pastors.

I have yet to hold the title of Senior Pastor in a church setting, but we feel that is the route that the Lord is taking us. Though I've never held that position officially, I was shown the demands of the position in a real way when I took my first full-time youth ministry position.

I joined a great team of ministers working together to lead a great church. About a year and a half into it, thing got a little intense. There were some major moves in leadership. At the age of 24, I found myself being the oldest minister on staff. We went from four full-time ministers down to two (me and the 23 year old children's pastor). We had to take the reigns and do the everyday work of the senior pastor even after we hired an interim pastor.

I thank the Lord for sending a great interim pastor to help through those days. I realized that the pastor position is one of great demand: preaching, studying, planning, meetings, hospital visits, weddings, funerals, counseling, evangelism, leadership training, and more. All of this on the pastor's plate along with the God-given duties of being a spiritual leader to his wife and children, as well as taking time to grow personally.

Sadly, many still think that a pastor doesn't really do much "work" compared to other "professions." Truth is, pastor might just be one of the most demanding and difficult positions in the world.

Many men perform the duties of this role with little or no appreciation. Church members may be tempted to think, "Our pastor knows we care." They may "know" you care or they may actually be wondering... Why not remove any doubt and let them know how much you appreciate their obedience and service to the Lord's calling?

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My Pastors

Over my life as a believer and follower of Jesus Christ I have had some great men play the role of pastor in my life. I wanted to take this opportunity to call them out and honor them.

Rev Joey Savell
This man is my father in the ministry. He was my youth pastor when God called me into the ministry. He has been there for me in times of great joy (doing our wedding ceremony) and times of sorrow (death of uncle and mother). He is one of the first people I call when I have questions in ministry. He is currently serving as Senior Pastor at Pineview Baptist Church in Harvest, Alabama.

Dan Perez
Dan was my Sunday School teacher and a mentor of mine when I was in high school. He did a great job of showing me what the Christian life looked like in an everyday context.

Dr. Stan Lewis
Dr. Lewis is the Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church of Birmingham, Alabama. He had brought me on staff there after he got there to help with things. Before that, he was a professor of mine in my early days of seminary. He taught me how to relate to the people and when to just bite your tongue.

These are a couple of the great men that God has allowed to make an impact on my life. They have truly played the role of pastor well.

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Pastor Appreciation

October has been set aside as Pastor Appreciation Month. Christians everywhere are encouraged to encourage your pastor in some way. Granted, this should be a task that happens every month of the year, not just one.

Over the next couple of days, I'm going to be blogging about pastors and why they should be appreciated. Make sure that you take time to let your pastor know how much you appreciate them.

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Must Read: "The Minister As Shepherd" by Charles Edward Jefferson

I came across this book from the Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church of Birmingham, Alabama.  He was reading it some time ago and encouraged our church fellowship to find a copy and check it out.  I looked around for a copy of it and found it to be FREE on Google Books.  You can download a copy of it for yourself by clicking here.  You can also get it on Amazon or CBD (if you want a hard copy) for under $10.

I can't say totally how glad I am to have taken our pastor's advice and got this book.  If you are a pastor of any kind (senior pastor, senior adult, youth, children, college, singles, etc) then you need to check this book out.  It is one of the greatest works that I've come across drawing attention back to the necessity of a pastor being a shepherd.  It was very convicting and inspiring all at the same time.

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Have We Forgotten Faith?

Yesterday, I had the privilege of sharing a devotion in one of the seminary classes that I am taking. I felt that the Lord was wanting me to share about something that has been on my mind for some time now. It deals with the issue of faith and ministry. Do we (those who are in leadership positions in ministry) function and lead in ministry without using faith? On the surface, this would seem to be sacrilegious, but I would dare to say that there might just be many who attempt to function in ministry without using faith.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Colossians 2:6-7 NIV

As one reads the above passage, we see that every believer is urged to live their life with the same faith (total dependency upon God) as they did when they trusted Jesus as Lord and Savior. In our salvation, we had to come to a point where we realized that there was nothing that we could do to remedy our situation, but rather we were totally dependent upon God to deal with our sin (Ephesians 2:8-9). The rest of our lives from the point on should be marked by that same kind of total dependency upon God.

I am currently a student pastor at a local church. I have, in some form or fashion, been in student ministry for the past ten years. I can honestly say that student ministry can stretch one's faith. I can also honestly say that I have a pretty good idea of what student ministry "should" look like. I know where certain events would fall best on the calendar and what events would probably be a hit. The sad and scary part is that with the experience that God has allowed me to rack up, I can easily fall into a trap of doing ministry without depending on God. I can create messages and series for the youth service... I can set up service projects... plan retreats and camps... but the question that should be ringing through my mind constantly is "Lord, what do you want to do?"

The longer that one is in ministry, the greater the temptation can become to do ministry "the way it's always been done." When we just do the same ol' thing, we eliminate faith from the equation and set ourselves (and our people) up for a tragic conclusion...

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Hebrews 11:6 NIV

Without faith, it is impossible to please God. If we attempt ministry (the work that God wants to do through us) without exercising faith, it will not be pleasing to the Lord. When God calls us to ministry, He is calling us to something that is completely over our heads. Sure, He gifts us for the task, but the results and effects that He wants to see will come only when one steps out of the boat and allows God to do the God-sized task through us.

I would like to encourage any and all followers of Jesus (because if you're a follower/disciple of Jesus then there is a ministry He is calling you to) to make sure that the element of faith is at the forefront of what you are doing. I don't remember where I first heard this, but it was some great advice and really makes you think... if God were to completely step away from your ministry, what would change? Or to put it another way, what in your life/ministry are you attempting that if God doesn't come through in a mighty way as only He could would fail miserably?

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Great Leadership Resource

As I made the long trek to pick up my mother to bring her home to spend Thanksgiving with us, I took the opportunity to catch up on some podcasts. One in particular really stood out. It was Andy Stanley's Leadership Podcast.

If you are in any form of leadership within the church, you should really get this podcast. It has some great lessons and advice for leaders from Andy's experience in ministry (student ministry and church planting/pastoring). Click the link above and enjoy the passing on of ministry lessons from one servant to another.

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Holistic Ministry

Not too long ago I attended a conference of a church from Katy, Texas sharing about what God is doing in their fellowship and area.  The key element came down to this idea of having a holistic approach to the ministries within their church.  If you're not familiar with this concept, where have you been?  It seems to be popping up everywhere you turn around.  The basic idea is that instead of having different ministries (children, youth, adults, men, women, etc) all doing their own thing, you would have them all aligned in one direction under one mission.

This has been something that I believe God has been dealing with me in ministry about for quite some time now.  Most of the places that I've attended and served have been places where the different areas were just doing their own thing.  You might see the children's ministry heading in one direction while the student ministry was going in a completely different direction... all the while, the adults had no real clue as to what was going on and were just going down their little road.  For some reason, this has seemed to be the norm in ministry for some time.

I honestly believe that the huge "drop-out" rate of students from our churches might be a little skewed.  I don't argue that there are many who are leaving the church as a whole, but I wonder if there are some that are leaving the "style" church they grew up in.  Let me paint the scenario... you have a children's ministry and student ministry that is told to "think outside the box" and "meet the kids where they are" in their approach to ministry.  The moment they leave the student ministry, there might be the place where they are told that creative sermons, praise songs, casual attire, and more are "childish" and should be left behind.  It's time to grow up.

If we train someone for 18 years or more to learn about God and worship in an "out-of-the-box" mentality, then what do we expect when we take that away from them and tell them to "get in line."  I truly think that there are many students who are not necessarily leaving the church as a whole... they're just leaving the splintered church they grew up in.  They are searching for something that looked like what they were trained to see in children's and student ministry.

This is where I think it is vitally important that there be a single strategy in carrying out the mission that God has given us.  Is every church to look the same?  Of course not.  Just as there is diversity in people, there needs to be diversity in churches.  A single strategy though will make the transition of a person through the different stages of life much easier in the church.

One thing from this conference that I took away is that for this holistic approach to happen, a few factors need to be in place:

• Clear values - know what you as a church value


• Clear mission - the Great Commission


• Clear strategy - the way that you as a church will carry out the mission

To read more about this strategy that we heard about at this conference check out the legacy milestones website.

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What Is Your Passion For?

For the past few weeks or maybe even months, it seems as if God has been talking to me about what my passion in ministry is about.  I felt the call to serve our awesome God in full-time vocation the summer before I entered my senior year of high school.  From that time to the present, I have had a strong passion about student ministry.  I have always loved working with teenagers and their families to see God do great things.

I guess where it all began to change was when I listened to a chapel service from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary when Vance Pittman (senior pastor of Hope Baptist Church in Las Vegas) spoke.  You can see the chapel service by clicking here.  He said something about as ministers of the Gospel, we should have a passion for a people/city, not a position.  This seemed like one of those "duh" statements at first, but something began to churn within me.  It seems like once every day or so, I'm hearing this same thought again: "have a burden for a people/city, not a position."

What was my passion for?  Student ministry?  Pastorate?  Church Planter?  Missionary?  All of these things are good and callings of God... but are they truly what God is calling us to have a passion for?  Or is God calling us to have a passion for a people/city?  When you have a burden/passion/whatever you want to name it for a people, the title that you have or the role that you carry on a business card really doesn't matter. You just focus on seeing those people you are burdened for come to know Jesus better.

The Apostle Paul was an apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 26:17-18).  He wasn't called to hold an office or position.  He was called and set apart to reach out to a group of people who were far from God (Gentiles).  This is what we are to be for the lost and dying world that we find all around us.  An ambassador... a representative... a disciple of our Lord Jesus.  Is our passion in being a pastor/student pastor/speaker/church planter or is it in seeing people come to faith in Jesus Christ?

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The Nines!

Today, there is a great leadership boost going on called The Nines. It is an all-day online event where you can hear from leaders of all kinds in ministry that are sharing "Gamechangers", or pearls of wisdom with each other. If you are in a leadership position in ministry, I would encourage you to check out The Nines. One of the best parts of this online event is that it is FREE! All you have to do is go to http://thenines.leadnet.org and listen in to the 6-minute videos that will encourage you.

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The Art of Delegation

Exodus 18:13-26 is one of my favorite passages of Scripture as a leader.  You have Jethro, Moses' father-in-law (who happens to be a priest of Midian), coming to Moses bringing Moses' wife and two sons to reunite them.  After arriving, Jethro notices a great injustice that is going on.  Moses had been the man to lead the Israelites out of bondage from Egypt.  God had set him up as a leader and intercessor for the people.

One big problem: Moses was doing it all by himself.

In this passage, Jethro gives some great advice about the art of delegation.  He shares with Moses that there is no way that this can go on for the long haul and be effective.  Moses had to train up some men and relinquish some of the duties to others so that he (and the people) wouldn't be worn out.

I think one big reason that this passage means so much to me is that delegation is something I sometimes struggle with.  I have been blessed to serve in church student ministry since 1998.  I have had student ministries both large and small.  One key element with each of them is that no one person can do it all themselves.  I am often drawn back to the example of Jesus as He poured into 12 men so that the work might reach more.  Even God Himself realized and gave the example that no one human can do the work of God alone.  As leaders, we have been called to multiply ourselves and pass the baton on to others (Ephesians 4:11-12).

If this (training and delegation) is one of the key tasks in ministry, why do so few do it?  I have a couple of ideas...

1. Ignorance. Many leaders have not been shown that they aren't called to do it all.  In the study of duties of a minister, they look to 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus to give them a description of what leadership is to look like.  They miss this great truth in Ephesians 4 of one of the primary duties of a minister.


2. Pride. Some leaders just have this chip on their shoulder and feel that "others can't do it as good as I can."  This is pride, and this kind of pride is sin.  For one who thinks that they are the only one who can do it, I have one question: are you greater than Jesus?  Even Jesus passed the baton of the church (under the direction of the Holy Spirit) to the apostles.


3. Laziness. Let's face it.  Training others and passing the baton off is hard work.  You have to take much time (and patience) in training someone to do what you do.  Some leaders feel that it would just be a better use of their time to do it themselves rather than invest in others.

In all of these excuses, one can see that all of them fall short of glorifying our Savior and Lord.  Honestly, I have fallen victim to each of these excuses in my time in ministry.  Each time seeing that though some ministry was being done, it was very limited.  What would happen if a leader did take this calling of training and delegating serious?

1. Multiplied ministry. If one person can effectively minister and relate to about 12-15 people, how many people could effectively be reached and ministered to by two? Five? Ten?  The work of ministry is not something just to be left to the "professionals" (pastors, youth pastors, missionaries, etc).  Every believer is called to ministry.  It is just common sense then that the more trained leaders you have, the more ministry can be done.  The more ministry effectively done, the more lives touched and radically changed by God.  The more changed lives by God, the more glory He receives.


2. Healthier Church. I use the term "Church" to refer to the entire body of believers not just a local congregation.  When leaders train and delegate, more saints realize that they are gifted and enabled to be a part of God's work in this world.  The Church then starts to function as it was intended to - as the Body of Christ (a representation of Him).


3. Healthier lives. When leaders train and delegate, they free their own lives up to take care of their own bodies and families.  A great word of wisdom that was given to me by my father in the ministry went something like this: "don't lose your family trying to take care of everyone else's."  If we do not train and delegate some ministry responsibilities and try to do it all ourselves, then we will be no good to ourselves or our own families.  If you are burnt out from the stress of doing it all yourself, then what good would you be to others?  What good would your ministry be if your family is in shambles because you're never there.  The last thing I want to hear my wife or children call me is "Bro. Anthony."

To all the leaders out there, let's get a grasp of the big picture and fulfill ALL of our calling.  It won't be easy.  It probably won't be a quick process, but the results are (I think) what God intended from the beginning.

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