Leading Calls Others to Step Forward

“A man who says he is leading but has no one following is only taking a walk.”¹

Pastors use this saying often. It is both humorous and truthful. Leadership implies followers. Leadership implies the ability to convince others to pursue a specific goal. Great leaders throughout history have shared this quality. Missionaries, political leaders, pastors, military commanders, teachers, and business people are only true leaders when people follow.

Leaders Rise to Rally Others to a Better Future

In my new book, Forward: 7 Distinguishing Marks for Future Leaders, I state: Leaders rise to rally others to a better future. Leaders lead people to go places they would not go on their own.

In the church context, “leaders set the example and call others to follow God.”² Church leadership, whether paid or volunteer, pastoral or non-pastoral, should call others to follow Christ. This is both an opportunity and a responsibility. In the kingdom of God, we all should be leading people into deeper discipleship. In this sense we all are charged by our Savior with calling others to step forward.

Leaders Rally People to Move Forward Together

This is the call from Jesus to His disciples, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”³ The call has a direction and a purpose. It is a call for others to move forward together. History records the mighty working of God in the lives of these who responded to Jesus’ call.

The Apostle Paul also called others to step forward. Timothy and Titus were men Paul equipped and unleashed for ministry. And it didn’t stop with those he touched personally. In 2 Timothy 2:2 Paul wrote, “And what you [Timothy] have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (HCSB). The entirety of the New Testament strategy is based on people who have been saved, telling other people how to be saved, and helping them mature in Christ.

Leaders Need to Be an Example to Others

Near the end of the book of Joshua, the leader of Israel challenged the people to follow his example:

“Therefore, fear the Lord and worship Him in sincerity and truth. Get rid of the gods your fathers worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and worship Yahweh. But if it doesn’t please you to worship Yahweh, choose for yourselves today the one you will worship: the gods your fathers worshiped beyond the Euphrates River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my family, we will worship Yahweh. The people replied, “We will certainly not abandon the Lord to worship other gods!”

In the spiritual realm, true leaders inspire others to follow Christ. Leaving the crowd behind and stepping forward, followers respond with a resounding, “We will follow God!” This kind of response is what all Christian leaders yearn to hear! Our hearts burn within us to see disciples we have trained passionately following Christ.

The Apostle John recorded how leaders feel when others step forward, “I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”³ So may it be with us and those we lead.

Leaders Rally Other People,

Ronnie W. Floyd

Senior Pastor, Cross Church
General Editor, Bible Studies for Life
President, Southern Baptist Convention

References

¹– An “old saying” attributed to various cultural sources.
²– Bible Studies for Life, Be Strong and Courageous, Paul Jimenez
³– 3 John 4