Some ten years back a new Youth forChrist International President had just been inducted, in a moving feet-washingceremony by our outgoing president. Hecame through the ranks of YFC and for twoyears had to transition into the role.Someone remarked that this was unheard of inChristian organizations today. Next year this presidentleaves office and after two years of prayer and fastingthe YFC search committee has identified the new president in the ranks.
There are many movements with thousands of followerswhich cannot produce successors. Churches with sound teaching programs, active congregations,state of the art equipment, and magnificentfacilities cannot find someone amongst their ownto replace a senior position. Instead, candidatesare being brought in from the outside. I think the problem is two-fold: They have no clue of thediscipleship process and secondly, they think aleader’s main function is to produce followers.An important function of a leader is to produceother leaders.Barnabas greatest contribution to Christendomwas to introduce Paul (Acts 9:26-30; 11:19-30).
He believed in Paul before anyoneelse did
• He endorsed Paul’s leadership toother leaders
• He empowered Paul to reach hispotential (Maxwell, LB)
You need a deliberate discipleship,mentoring and development strategythat will cost your personal commitmentand sacrifice. It’s imperative for leadersto unleash and nurture the talent andgifting around them and to createopportunities for them to lead and that will eventually catapult them intoleadership.
My earlier mentors have instilled thisprinciple in me. Most of my ministries have been succeeded by emergingleaders in the ranks. I was a youngordained pastor in Cape Town andinvited a young man to a dinner eveningat our church. That night he became a follower of Christ. Through a longprocess of discipleship; leadershipdevelopment and bible school training,he eventually took over the pastorateposition. In Madagascar, we operate in six cities and all the city directors orcoordinators were our club kids whocame through the ranks. Even ourNational Director was a former Englishstudent in YFC.Let me suggest that just creating biggerfacilities for more followers could be animage thing, numbers thing, the easiestthing, selfish thing and a performancething.
Why leaders should produceleaders:
- It’s a legacy thing – you guarantee thefuture success of the organization
- It’s a security thing – only secureleaders give power to others
- It’s an unselfish thing – giving othersauthority
- It’s a wise-stewardship thing -investment in people
- It’s a discipleship and mentoringthing – a costly process to maturity
- It’s an empowering thing – helpingothers reach their full potential
- It’s a biblical thing – the bestleadership models in scripturereproduce leaders
- 2Timothy 2:2 – we are instructed tomultiply
- Ephesians 4:11-13 – we are instructedto prepare people for the work of theministry
The wisdom of bringingpeople through the ranksof your organization.
1. They are familiar with the ethos andculture of the organization
2. Their sense of call has been provenand confirmed over time
3. They operate out of first-hand experience and not just a knowledgeof the organization
4. They have a better appreciationfor the history and culture of theorganization
5. They are the embodiment of whatthe organization is all about
6. They have a greater sense ofownership
7. It reduces the cost in terms oftime and training in orientating theperson for the position
8. There is a better understanding ofthe person’s personal and spiritualjourney.
9. Relationships have already beenestablished over time
10. They have credibility
The best model is the Apostle Paul development of his young protégé,Timothy who became the bishop of Ephesus. Talk about coming through theranks. It starts in Acts 16:1-3-Timothy (A convertof Paul and now well-spoken of by peoplein Lystra and Derby) joins Paul at Lystra.
Paul invested in Him:
1.Took him on short trips
2. Let him preach
3. Left him to pastor a young church
4. Wrote instructional letters to him
The process
1. He identified the young man (2 Timothy1:6)
2. He checked out his potential andcommitment (2 Timothy 1:5)
3. He decided to mentor him beforethrowing him into the deep end
4. Paul played a role in the process – therewas a long line of people involved inhis development (2 Timothy 1:5; 3:15)
5. Paul prepared him for the toughaspects of leadership (1 Timothy 1:8-12)
6. He instructs him how to developleaders (2 Timothy 2:2)
7. Paul gives Timothy a challenge Acts17:14)
8. Paul prepares him to relate to those he will minister to(Galatians 2:3-4)
9. He describes Timothy as a fellow worker (1Thessalonians 3:2)
10. He mentions Timothy’s credentials (Philippians 2:19-23)
11. Timothy saw how Paul ministered (Acts 18:1-5)
12. Paul directed him concerning the goals to be achieved(1 Timothy 6:12)
13. They had a Father/son relationship (1 Corinthians 4:17)
14. Paul was grateful to have Timothy as a fellow minister(2 Timothy 1:3-4)
“The truth is that the only way tomake yourself indispensable is tomake yourself dispensable. In otherwords, if you are able to continuallyempower others and help them developso that they can become capableof taking over your job, you will become so valuable to the organizationthat you become indispensable”John C. Maxwell (The MaxwellLeadership Bible).
