Each of us has a part to play in finishing the task that Jesus assigned the Church; the Great Mission of making disciples of all nations. Our roles are as varied as the gifts and callings of God and the stages of development experienced by national churches. The Head of the Church is a Master Strategist who continually works in us and in all things to bring about His purpose!

 

The approach we take towards nurturing and mobilizing workers involves building deep and ongoing relationships with a small group of leaders. We open our hearts and our family life to those we are called to serve. We eat meals. Hang out. Talk about everyday business, as well as the big business of the Kingdom. Building relationships like this often means the part we play seems small, as we invest a lot into just a few people.

 

So why do we focus on serving and developing a small group of leaders?

 

We see Jesus, our example, doing just this. While He ministered to both individuals and large crowds, Jesus invested the majority of His time into a small group of twelve people. In fact, it’s been suggested, that the Gospels put 3/4 of their emphasis into what Jesus did to train the twelve.

 

Was Jesus a big thinker? Yes! He clearly dreamed of multiplication. He called the disciples to “Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men”. But His strategy for multiplication did not always appear BIG. He chose a few guys, from diverse backgrounds, and spent over 70% of his ministry years with them. In more than one sense, Jesus gave His life away so that He would not remain a solitary seed. He planted Himself into the lives of others.

 

I tell you the truth: unless a grain of wheat is planted in the ground and dies, it remains a solitary seed. But when it is planted, it produces in death a great harvest.

John 12:24

 

With the big picture in mind, of taking this Gospel into all the world, Jesus modeled servant leadership. The kind of leadership that humbled Himself in order to lift and multiply those around Him. Here’s some thing’s we notice about servant leaders;

 

– Servant leaders give away their place at center stage by releasing ministry to others. Matt 14:16

– Servant leaders delegate authority. They recognize that a closed fist will not hold on to anything that keeps growing. Matt 28:18-19

– Servant Leaders draw our attention away from our personal agenda and towards mission. John 21: 22-22

– Servant leaders lay down their lives. They waive their privileges, and suspend their rights in order to lift and empower others. Jn 10:15

– Servant leaders live authentically and vulnerably as models for those they disciple. They get out of the “green room” and into the kitchen. They walk the road with them, eat with them, eavesdrop and buy in on their discussions, and open wide their hearts to them. Jn 21:20

 

In the vast Harvest of North Africa and the Middle East, we feel compelled to pour our time, energy and resources into small groups of key people. Please pray with us as we commence our first discipleship intensive later this year.