Followers that Lead

For people who’ve experienced any form of elementary school education, whether a public or private institution, they’ve heard of the game ‘follow the leader’. Remembering a teacher's voice softly yet firmly saying, “class get into a sing file line, follow your class leader to the cafeteria.”. This experience which seems common,  transcending culture, time and spaces; is absolutely Biblical and Missional in nature. Consider for thought, followers are not always meant to lead, yet all those who lead should have been a follower before leading. 

Indulge me for three minutes, as we consider the theme of “Followers that Lead”. Matthew 4: 18-20 says, “And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.” Jesus makes a bold claim that He would make even the most ordinary, common and necessary occupation, applicable to Biblical leadership and fellowship. The missional age and hierarchy is changing, requiring innovation birthed from humility, yet a deep dive to follow Jesus day by day, circumstance by circumstance, and celebration by celebration. 

The movement Jesus invited Peter and Andrew into, was following a unique pathway to leadership. With the caveat, they would follow a perfect leader, a perfect example, who they did not yet know was perfect. However, reality teaches us daily Jesus was the only perfect person, thus no follower will ever be led by a perfect human being other than Jesus. Yet, we are still invited to follow a pastor, follow your supervisor, follow your parents instructions, and follow the final arrangements request of your deceased loved one.  

With faith, hope and love in tow, allow me to invite you to follow Jesus today, with wholehearted faith in His perfection. As followers, who also lead, there must be a willingness to experience disappointments, joys and laborious love of multiplying Jesus followers, to lead many Generations in the future to the perfect one God our Father, through the Holy Spirit. Jesus says be followers that lead.