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RENDEZVOUS

Where Will the Leaders Come From?

Jim Parks, Associate Executive Director

It is gratifying for the local church when just the right person is found for the job. Whether it be an elder to do visitation, someone to be the next AWANA commander, or a team to do the nursing home ministry; when a vacated ministry opening is filled, often the pastor if not the whole church, sighs with relief. Where do these leaders, that so often seem to just appear, come from?

The answer to this question comes in two parts, the obvious and the overlooked. First, they must be called and gifted by God, otherwise their ministry will be lacking real fruitfulness. Secondly, and likely overlooked, these people must have received training within the church setting. Either they have been schooled by church programs or they have been discipled by one or more individuals.

Discipling is sharing one’s life with another to train up fellow believers. This idea of discipleship is essential to produce mature Christians ready to participate in leading ministry.

Oddly, as important as it is, discipling is one of those items that goes wanting in many churches. Very likely the reason is not that we Christians don’t recognize its importance; more likely it is simply a time management issue. In this fast-paced, hectic world we no longer feel we have the time to meaningfully invest our life, one on one, in another’s spiritual growth. We’re simply too busy. An increasing number of churches that recognize this problem are taking active steps to revitalize discipleship within their congregations.

In Ephesians 4:11 and 12, Paul speaks of the discipling aspect of the church thusly: "It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the whole 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."

In these verses there are at least three keys to raising up church leaders for the present and future.

Passion: The discipling process is administered and driven along by God’s indwelling Holy Spirit. It is essential then that future leaders develop a real passion for the things of God and for God Himself. In the church setting this love and desire to commit to God Himself needs to be taught from the pulpit. It needs to be modeled by and evident in those more mature to the benefit of those less mature. It needs to be an item of concentrated prayer, both individually and corporately. The more passionate we are for God the less passionate we will be for self.

Programs: Programs come in two varieties, fruitful and fruitless. The difference of course is in content. Those that are fruitful are so because they are firmly grounded in the all-encompassing truth of God’s Word.

From early on Christians need to be in the process of "… attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." From early on the church also needs to be encouraging its flock to invest themselves in "works of service". In other words, learning in God’s kingdom is an active lifestyle to be shared with others. Whether the program be youth group or our Bible Training Center for Pastors, both learning and ministry should be in focus.

People: It has been said, "Everyone leads someone". Indeed that is how it is in discipling; we are all involved in pulling each other along in this process. We all need continuing discipling by someone more mature in the faith. At the same time we should be discipling someone less mature than ourselves.

Are you involved in the process? Can you identify those you are discipling? Is someone discipling you? If you need help closing this loop feel free to contact me at the Mission office.