Impact

If you have ever read through the Old Testament and reached the Book of Judges, you've probably noticed something strange.  For many years before, the nation of Israel had been led by strong leadership: first by Moses, then by Joshua, his faithful apprentice.  These men were what you look for in a leader: competent, strong, and faithful to God and His will for the people.  For the most part, things had gone great under the leadership of these two men.  Moses had led Israel out of bondage in Egypt, and while there were some wanderings and missteps along the way, they reached the Promised Land and conquered it under the leadership of Joshua.  Life was good.  God had fulfilled His promise.  Israel, it seemed, was on the up and up.

But, like all men before him, Joshua's life came to an end at the ripe old age of 110.  And that's when something strange happened-there was no leader to replace Joshua.  And things started to go south from there.

Judges 2:10 describes the situation best: After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the LORD or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel.  When the leadership disappeared, Israel turned away from their God, the God who had done so much for the generation before them, their own parents and grandparents.  And suddenly, instead of progressing as a nation and defeating their enemies, they were on the losing side of the battle.

You see, I don't believe that this was a coincidence.  In fact, I don't believe in too many coincidences these days.  I believe that there is a reason God allowed this to happen to His people, and that thousands of years later, He wants us to look back and see a lesson on leadership here in this pivotal transition is Israel's history.  I believe that God is telling us here that if we as a church want to make an impact in this generation and in the ones to come, we need strong leaders now and in the future.  That means we need to identify and invest in leaders now and mentor ones for the future, because leadership is taught, not inherited.

That's why I started this blog.  Not because I know everything about leadership (I don't), but because I've grown to understand it's important in the church, in the family, in the workplace, and in our relationships.  As TurningPoint Church grows, our leaders must grow too.  In fact, I would go so far as to say that we will only grow as much as our leaders do.  So it's essential that we be intentional in growing leaders who are willing to be on the front lines of the battle.

This blog (to start) will draw from 2 main sources: The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell, and the Bible.  And, as John mentions in the book, his principles are bases on Scripture, so really it all comes down to God's Word anyway.  I'd invite you to read along and join in the conversation as we grow together in leadership.  And while this resource was designed with TurningPoint members in mind, it is certainly not limited to that.  The church goes well beyond the doors of our building.

One last thing: you may be asking yourself "How does this apply to me?  I'm not a leader."  I'm hear to tell you that that is a lie.  Genesis 1:27 tells us that God created you in His image, and if God is the ultimate leader, and you were created in His image, then it makes sense that you have the capability to lead in some capacity, doesn't it?  At the least, you're called to lead yourself.  At the most, God may bring thousands under your leadership, or even more.  It's all about faithfully leading what God has blessed you with, whether it's a family, a small group, a company, or just your own self.  These principles apply to all.

So take courage.  I'm looking forward to seeing what God wants to do in and through you, and thrilled to be joining alongside you in whatever He has in store for His church.