It was Easter Sunday and the large church was filled. Suddenly a man dramatically stood up, stopped breathing and collapsed. The pastors did nothing. But a young man instantly came to the rescue. He had been trained as a paramedic, and he took the initiative.
The young paramedic quickly and expertly performed the necessary first aide. Six men carried the stricken man to the back of the church. A doctor from the congregation came and helped the young paramedic while they waited for the ambulance.
What happened?
In an emergency, the large leadership team and staff of the church were slow to react and therefore ineffective. The real leader was the young man who simply reacted to the need at hand. He did not wait for authorisation, but he took the initiative.
This story comes from an excellent book by Max DePree. “Leadership is an Art.”
The author calls the spontaneous initiative of the young paramedic “Roving Leadership”.
The church also had hierarchical leadership.
Hierarchical leaders must encourage and make room for initiative. Roving leaders must be celebrated. In fact many hierarchical leaders frown on initiative. They micromanage their organisations and do not allow roving leadership to function at all.
In the New Testament we see how believers took major initiatives as they were led by the Holy Spirit.
Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews.
Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. Acts 11:19-20 (NIV)
These unnamed believers took a new initiative. They made disciples of non Jews and planted the first non-Jewish church. They were not appointed by the church leaders in Jerusalem. They just did what Jesus had said and as the Holy Spirit led them.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Mt 28:19 (NIV)
This new church was planted in Antioch. When the apostles in Jerusalem heard about it, they sent Barnabas to check on the new mission.
When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. Acts 11:23 (NIV)
Leaders need to be careful. When something new happens, check it out. Not everything new is from God.
On the other hand, we need to be ready for surprises. If we look at the ministry of Jesus in the Gospels, we see Him healing blind men in strange ways. In one case, He makes mud by spitting in dirt and anointing the man’s eyes. In another case He spits in the man’s eyes.
If we demand all ministry to follow conventional procedures, we will restrict the moving of the Holy Spirit.
The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." John 3:8 (NIV)
The young paramedic quickly and expertly performed the necessary first aide. Six men carried the stricken man to the back of the church. A doctor from the congregation came and helped the young paramedic while they waited for the ambulance.
What happened?
In an emergency, the large leadership team and staff of the church were slow to react and therefore ineffective. The real leader was the young man who simply reacted to the need at hand. He did not wait for authorisation, but he took the initiative.
This story comes from an excellent book by Max DePree. “Leadership is an Art.”
The author calls the spontaneous initiative of the young paramedic “Roving Leadership”.
The church also had hierarchical leadership.
Hierarchical leaders must encourage and make room for initiative. Roving leaders must be celebrated. In fact many hierarchical leaders frown on initiative. They micromanage their organisations and do not allow roving leadership to function at all.
In the New Testament we see how believers took major initiatives as they were led by the Holy Spirit.
Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews.
Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. Acts 11:19-20 (NIV)
These unnamed believers took a new initiative. They made disciples of non Jews and planted the first non-Jewish church. They were not appointed by the church leaders in Jerusalem. They just did what Jesus had said and as the Holy Spirit led them.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Mt 28:19 (NIV)
This new church was planted in Antioch. When the apostles in Jerusalem heard about it, they sent Barnabas to check on the new mission.
When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. Acts 11:23 (NIV)
Leaders need to be careful. When something new happens, check it out. Not everything new is from God.
On the other hand, we need to be ready for surprises. If we look at the ministry of Jesus in the Gospels, we see Him healing blind men in strange ways. In one case, He makes mud by spitting in dirt and anointing the man’s eyes. In another case He spits in the man’s eyes.
If we demand all ministry to follow conventional procedures, we will restrict the moving of the Holy Spirit.
The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." John 3:8 (NIV)
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