If We Were All Leaders, Then…?

If I was a betting man, then I’d bet you could finish the title of this post.  “If we were all leaders, then who would follow us?” OR “If we were all leaders, then where are all the followers?”  By the way, I’m loving these recent posts by Joel and Steve on leadership.  If you haven’t read them, then take a moment to catch up as this post deals with leadership as well.

In Steve’s last post, he is candid and honest wrestling with the thought that everyone is a potential leader.  I, too, embraced this cell church prinicple and taught it for many years.  I’m not so sure it’s valid at this point.  Yes, I do agree that with the right heart and through mentoring, discipling, practicing, and more…a person can develop into a fine leader.  I trust that you have seen this with your own eyes!  Super!  Yet, we should not diminish the valuable heart and contribution of a “non-leader.”

In Larry Osborne’s latest book, Contrarian’s Guide to Knowing God, he writes, “For those of us who are leader types, we can expect to find plenty of help for our spiritual journey.  We’re the prized prospect, the kind of Christian most churches and ministry organizations encourage and motivate best.  We need to keep at it; we’re vital to the future of the church and God’s kingdom.  But we also need to work hard not to project our personality and calling on everyone else.  The goal of spirituality is not to lead– it’s to know and please God.”

Larry reflects on the life of his own parents.  While they held a few leadership roles in the church, they would opt out more than in.  He writes of his Mom reading the New Testament over and over again.  His Dad was a disciplined reader.  Larry states, “All they did was live of life of obedience with grace and dignity.  All they accomplished was raising three children who would walk with Jesus as adults– and who, strangely, would all have gifts of teaching and leadership….In my mind, they were not only spiritual, they were spiritual giants.”

As already mentioned in the most recent posts, God is quite creative when calling out leaders.  Let’s trust His heart when we can’t trace His hand.

Comments?

by Rob Campbell

www.cypresscreekchurch.com

 

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