LEADER'S ROLE IN MISSION

David is giving over the task of building the temple to his son Solomon…the next generation of leader. The temple was David’s dream, but it would not be for him to fulfill. The important thing is that the temple be built (dream fulfilled). What is not important is the one who builds it. It is about the dream not the dreamer.

We need to keep this in mind as we strive to fulfill our God given dream of fulfilling the Great Commission contextualized for our generation. It is the dream of missional churches invading their communities as incarnational representatives of Christ. It is the dream of churches committed to the multiplication of disciples, raising up of leaders and starting missional churches. It is a dream of denominations that that are not centered on corporate survival, but the radical engagement of the culture God has given them responsibility.

How is such a movement driven? How is the core of a movement released to emerging leaders? David’s words to his son Solomon may give some insight to this (I Chronicles 28:9-10, 20).

Leader must get to know God (v9). David challenges Solomon, “…get to know the God of your ancestors…” The movement begins with God. Regardless of generational differences, cultures shifts and leadership paradigms utilized an emphasis on the leader’s relationship with the God of eternity will drive and sustain a movement.

Out of a relationship with God flows worship (v9). David combines both worship and service. “…Worship and serve him….” Worship is not sanitized, it can be very dirty. By this I mean, when we serve in God’s name we worship more fully. Mission is serving in and for the community. We often worship best when we get our hands dirty. Mission is having dirty hands (service), but clean hearts (sanctified).

Leaders must know that God has chosen them (v10). David reminds Solomon, “…The Lord has chosen you….” A movement must be lead by those who know that they know, that they know, that they know God has called them. It is out of a deep sense of “chosen-ness” a leader can be strong in difficult times and do the work regardless of the cost.

A leader’s strength and courage is deep awareness that God is with them (v20). “…the Lord God, my God, is with you…” This is essential to know as often we can be fearful and discouraged by the “…size of the task….”

David spoke into Solomon’s life out of relationship. This is how the leaders of today will best past the missional baton to emerging leaders…in relationship.

Let us re-engage the mission and vision God has given us. Let us continue to give the clarion call of that mission. We must keep things simple. We must challenge ourselves and others to ask how does what they do relate to fulfilling the Great Commission.

I leave you with a Franciscan Blessing shared by Craig Groeschel at the 2008 Leadership Summit:

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain in to joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.