The Need for Leaders

"When the officers have finished speaking to the people, they shall appoint commanders of armies at the head of the people." -Deuteronomy 20.9

People need leadership, especially in high stress situations like battle. The officers of the army are to appoint commanders over the people who will aid in leading. Off of the battlefield these commanders will assist in training and development of the soldiers so that they are ready when the time comes to fight.

Today the need for leadership is great. With this, we need leaders to be developed so that they are able to train people and then lead them out for Kingdom work. But one of the key marks of leadership is development of others. Leaders have the role of casting vision, and equipping those who follow them to do works of service (Ephesians 4). If leaders aren't equipping others for, and challenging others to, action, they are failing.

Men, we need each of us to lead. God has created each man to be a king, and therefore each man is called to lead. We've seen how a king's role is to serve those he leads and better their lives. A big part of that is equipping people. When people are equipped they depend on you less. They don't need you for everything, and therefore it frees you up to focus on other areas.

Think of a child. When they are little they literally depend on you for everything. Feeding, changing, dressing, even moving. But as they grow they become equipped to do things themselves. They learn to walk, dress, eat on their own. They still need you, but your attention is not on every single detail of life for them. Eventually they get to the point where they become parents, and begin to lead their own children. This is the goal, for leaders to make new leaders.

We have a world that needs people to step up and lead the church, and their families, into Christlikeness and discipleship. We need officers who will appoint commanders, and commanders that will train soldiers. We need a cycle and system to produce godly leaders.

Let us lead, and may we focus on developing new leaders.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor