Christmas 2004 with the core leaders of New Hope Brisbane. What an amazing group of volunteers they were…and are.

Scripture
One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night. At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles. Luke 6:12-13

Application
Next to dying, the choice a leader’s makes of those who come close to him is the most important decision he will make in his life. That’s why Jesus spent all night praying only three times in his ministry. Once all nighter was after the feeding of the 5,000 when the people wanted to make him king. Jesus prayed all night so he could walk the plank to Jerusalem. The next time was in Gethsemane when he asked to die in a way that would please God. And finally there is this time, when Jesus had to make the choice of who would lead beside him.

The choice of core leaders was the most important choice Christ made next to Calvary. It’s the most important choice any other leader will make as well. How did Christ do it?

1.  Jesus did not hesitate to be a leader. He did not apologize for his role, he initiated it. It was his role to discern strengths and weaknesses and to position leaders where they would succeed. Only a leader can do that.
   

2. Jesus did not hesitate to include some as leaders and to exclude others. This action separates the pastor from the leader every time. The nature of a pastor is the heart that everyone gets there together. But as leader Jesus had to risk offending some to move the kingdom forward.
   

3. Jesus separated himself from human voices and put himself in a place where God alone could speak with him. He trusted God to give him direction and placed the rabbit ears of his discernment in the best position for the clearest perspective.
   

4. Jesus went to a mountain to give perspective above the details of the valley below. A good view is important to for a leader’s mind. Plus the effort of mountain climbing gives time for the mind and heart to thrash things out with the Lord. Like Moses learned, leaders must make themselves inaccessible at times to be of any use when they are accessible.
   

5. Jesus made his decisions public. There were not backroom deals for power sharing. Jesus just made a public announcement. There would be no second guessing his motives and intentions.
   

6. Jesus left those who were not selected to process their hearts with the Lord. We’re not told this directly, but his process of making the decision and then moving on says just about the same. Those not chosen still had a work to do for the Lord. Their rejection from apostleship would open their eyes maybe through some tears to see more clearly what God had chosen them to do. A leader cannot explain everything. Some things must be processed through alone with the Lord.
   

7. Jesus chose leaders who could do one thing well: catch the ball and run. An apostle is one who is “sent with a commission” as I remember from my first Greek course. These leaders were like empty containers to receive from Christ and then responsible to get moving to disseminate that gift far and wide. What qualified these leaders for service was their emptiness

Application
In my own leadership I think I struggle most with numbers 1, 2 and 6. I am a pastor so I care for people. If 1, 2 and 6 didn’t bother me then I wouldn’t be a pastor. But there is another call on my life as well, and that is to be a leader. My charge is to bring the best out of people for the glory of God. So 1, 2 and 6 are part of the deal.

Prayer
Father, help me as I lead to lean on the character of Jesus who led so expertly. Help me to bring the best out of others as he did and so take your work forward again just like him. Amen.