Men of God, I am writing this to you because I want to share a few things with you in an area that I’m being stretched, and that area is leadership. Every organization, business, college, and athletic team promotes leadership. I’ve always struggled with that. If everyone is a leader, who is following? It’s especially hard with guys. Pride easily creeps in there, and nobody wants to follow anyone in a leadership role. If a person is not the leader, they’ll just do their own thing. It doesn’t help when good examples of leaders are few and far between.
Men who are good leaders are tough to find. They are tough to find in churches. They are tough to find in families.
I was wrong about my statement that if everyone is a leader, then nobody is following. The men on my squad have helped me realize that. Leaders are stepping forward all over the place with these guys. It’s been an honor for me to serve with the men on the squad in ministry (we affectionately call it manistry) this month in Thailand. They are a tough group to lead in many ways but none of those ways are negative. They are tough to lead because they are leaders. Many of them are starting to realize who they are in Christ and are developing an understanding that the Lord’s desire for them is to step up as leaders for his glory. The world needs them. The church needs them. Their future wives and children need them. The men on this squad are about to explode, and it pushes me and challenges me as their squad leader to stay out in front of them. Good problem to have, huh?!?!
It might not be their time to lead yet in a defined position, but they are leading. Every single day they are developing more and more into the men the Lord created them to be. The other men on the squad are benefiting from that. The women are benefiting from that. Their families will benefit from that when they return home, and they are going to be amazing leaders.
The point of this post is to challenge you as men in the same way that I’ve been challenged. The Bible calls us to be leaders in the church and leaders in our families. Why is it that every time I see a Christian organization I end up asking myself, “where are all the guys?” That question applies to Sunday mornings, to youth groups, and even to The World Race. We have 41 females and 14 males on this squad. Our girls are fantastic, and I trust that the makeup of this squad is exactly what the Lord wanted. However, why is it that way in the church and in Christian organizations? The Bible calls for men to come forward as leaders. Shouldn’t Christianity be full of guys jumping at the chance to step forward? Where are all our guys?
My challenge does not involve women stepping back. Women should be thanked for the way they’ve stepped forward in all areas of Christianity since men, as a whole, are coming up short. My challenge is only that men step forward in leadership and bring other men along with them. We need examples and other men to follow. I’ve been fortunate enough to have a couple of them lead me well.
I don’t pretend to have the most knowledge about this subject and certainly don’t have all the answers. I just see a need in Christianity and in Christian homes, and I know what the Bible says about it. So, men of God, my prayer is that you chase after Christ with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and that you take everyone you possibly can along with you. People will follow authenticity. Don’t follow a leadership formula. Just pursue the Lord relentlessly and be yourself. God made you in a unique way, and you’re going to lead in a unique way. Look at where you’re gifted and go from there. Don’t get caught up in the comparison game or pride…just go.
For now, this is just a blog entry…little more than a few thoughts and ideas put up on the internet. It’s easy to dismiss as a reader. However, look at what the Lord says about his desire for men. Look at the examples he gives throughout the Bible such as Moses, David, Nehemiah, Paul, and Christ. Then look around and see the need. The need is there, and it’s big. The world needs men of God to step forward to fight against injustices, to fight for those in need, to fight for their wives and children, and to fight to uplift the name of Christ…higher and higher. How is that not exciting? It’s what you and I were built to do!!
Thank you to all the men and women who have helped open my eyes to this need. I look forward to the Lord continuing to work on me, and I’m pumped to be walking in this with all of my brothers on this trip and maybe even with some of you when our paths cross again.
