Summary: Our leadership lives often take on a twisted form of control. Things can have a warped sense of robotic uniformity when we want things to be exactly our way. You should have healthy guardrails, but, like raising children, it’s not your personal presence that holds it all together.
I am a father of four children. To my four own physical offspring, the level of my direct involvement goes down precipitously with every year. I am now in “guidance mode” to my 17 year old. I have set the value structure. I have set the vision as a family who follows Christ. Now, I sit back and allow her to move forward with her own stride, her own pace, her own personality and her own flavor.
How weird and oppressive would that be if I followed my 17 year old daughter to her day-care job and constantly corrected her. But our leadership lives often take on a twisted form of control. Things can have a warped sense of robotic uniformity when we want things to be exactly our way.
What if Paul had stayed in Galatia, because he felt his personal presence was the ONE THING that would hold it all together. No Church of Philippi. No church at Colosse. No church at Berea. No church in Corinth. No church in Ephesus. Paul knew something powerful. The Holy Spirit would remain and guide and grow others.
What about you? Is a great ministry initiative unable to happen because you are holding it back? You might say, “There is only one of me.” Quite true. This sounds like an amazing rationale for multiplying yourself. You should have healthy guardrails, but can I say boldly, “Get your hands off the wheel, Dad. Quit trying to drive from the passenger seat, Mom.”