Judges 5:2 – “When leaders lead in Israel, when the people willingly offer themselves, Bless the LORD!”  NKJV

The Song of Deborah considered it a great day when “leaders lead” and the “people are available.”  That is the time when the work of the Lord will advance mightily and revival will break out in the land.  It is a time of restoration and renewal.  It is a time of victory and overcoming.  It is a time when the Body of Christ functions as a Body rather than individual parts, sectarian entities, and isolated movements.  It is when the Church becomes the Building God is building and a Beacon on the Hill for all to see.

My experience has been when “leaders lead” and the “people are available” the entire community is touched by the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.  Lives are transformed and ministry performed on a daily basis from house to house and the mass gatherings become more of a celebration of reported victory than a religious preaching event.  While it is wonderful to gather in mass celebrations and church services it is more wonderful to see the Body of Christ function as the Body of Christ.

When I see leaders leading without protecting their place or turf but LEADING and people becoming the hands, feet, arms legs, eyes and ears of the Body it is a Great Day in the Kingdom.  I do not wonder that our Lord would tell His followers to “Pray to the Lord of Harvest that He send forth laborers into His harvest.”  No wonder He would further clarify that the “Harvest is large but the workers needed to do the harvesting few.”  Too many times the idea of leadership is being boss or head honcho rather than actually facilitating the effort, organizing, delegating, and releasing those who work in the trenches and elsewhere to do the work of ministry.  Being a leader is not sitting behind a desk or having a title after or before your name.  If that were leadership the church would have won the world by now.

It is a great day when leaders lead both in word and deed and the people WILLINGLY become available.  It is a sad day when the church resorts to manipulation, shame or intimidation to provide laborers for the various functions of the local congregation.  That is not leadership or willing offering of oneself.  It is not being the Body of Christ it is being an organization that exists to perpetuate itself rather than having a higher purpose.  Leaders seek to release as many people into service as possible insuring they are equipped for that service or ministry.  Leading involves recognition, preparation, delegation, authentication and examination.  It is not micromanaging as though the church or work belonged to them.  It is recognition that the Church is God’s, being built by the Lord Jesus through His workers and we are collectively the Body of Christ with unique and particular functions and roles.  A real leader is not insecure but confident in the Lord and therefore unafraid to allow people to function.

True dedication and commitment offers the self willingly for the cause of the Kingdom of God and when you combine genuine leadership and commitment you have the seedbed of revival, restoration and renewal.  God will utilize that condition and commitment.  I long for that day in the church of today and when I see it I say, “Now, that’s what I’m talking about…”

             God bless you as you go through this day!