In the past several decades we have seen massive church growth. Church attendance in the world is at an all-time high. Yet, in most places of the world, cultural decline keeps accelerating at an alarming rate.
One of the greatest needs in the Body of Christ is to release the spirit of sonship (Read Romans 8:15). Since both the nation of Israel and the church were modeled after the biblical family structure its leaders were supposed to function more as spiritual parents than corporate executives. The apostle Paul said that we only have few fathers even though we have numerous teachers (1 Corinthians 4) those who have not been properly “fathered” in the natural can tend to walk with an “orphan spirit”. Unfortunately, many leaders in the church and marketplace still function emotionally with an orphan spirit even though they have been adopted as sons into the family of Father/God. Leaders with orphan spirits are limited in their capacity to make disciples and maximize their Kingdom purpose.
The Bible teaches us in 1 Corinthians 4:15 that we have many teachers but not many fathers in the church. During this Father’s Day season it is important to remember the significant role fathers play in the formation of both their spiritual and biological children. I speak as a person who functions in and understands both roles.
(In most situations when I am speaking outside of my local church I function as a teacher; with pastors and leaders to whom I am assigned I function more as a father with a teaching anointing.)
The Lord Jesus Christ was the greatest motivator and example of living a purposeful life that the world has ever seen! He lived by the scriptures since He is the living Word of God (John 1:1), this is why all the greatest books on leadership and management operate with latent biblical principles whether intentional or not.
As a person who started off in full-time ministry at the ripe old age of 21, I write the following out of personal experience and not only observation.
We desperately need young leaders to emerge! We older leaders need to help them come forth! That being said, there are some common mistakes young leaders make that could hinder their progress.
Because all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, we all sin and we all need second and third chances ad infinitum!
The Word of God teaches us that salvation involves God initiating a relationship with us by choosing us in the beginning (Ephesians 1:4 says “before the foundation of the world”) which is summarily manifested when we actually believe the truth. Understanding this will release faith in our lives as we realize God has already laid out a course for our success that leads to a full manifestation of His glory.
I have been in countless meetings with church leaders who are impassioned to see a revival in our nation and/or in their churches and communities.
One time, after a national prayer leader spoke on the need for the church to pray for revival, I raised my hand and asked him: “For what purpose do we want revival?” He was dumbfounded by that simple question and could not really answer me.
I have found that revival in and of itself is never enough!
I want to project into the next generation the three L’s of living, loving and legacy. This is because these are the three fundamentals of why God created us and how He designed us to live.
When Jesus died on the cross the thick curtain of the temple that separated the Most Holy Place from the outside world was ripped in half from top to bottom. This short, unnoticed event illustrates one of the most important truths in all of Christianity. There was only passing mention of this in Mel Gibson’s movie “The Passion of the Christ”; this event is unknown by most Christians.
