One big chunk of lesson I personally encouraged recently is about leadership transition. With generational mindset in mind, leadership transition as always become one of the those agenda in our strategic plan the time we assume our role as a leader. You may ask yourself from the beginning, ‘Who will be the next one? How I can be help to develop and help him or them? I talk here particularly for us as an ND or a Country opener.
It is one of the health indicators for our ministry, whether there is the next generation leader who will take the button from us in time. It could be either national (or team of nationals and missionaries) who will take over the responsibility from you as missionary or just the next younger leaders from your own nationality.
Lesson 1: Jesus carefully and seriously dealt with the transition; from him to his disciples. He spent most of his last days on earth with his inner circle of the disciples (John 13-16). He interacted with his father so intensely about it (John 17) and made sure every foundational factors has been in place already (knowledge of him, the Word, protection, sanctification, love & unity, modelling, sending, vision casting, come alongsiding, etc.).
Lesson 2: Leadership transition is a spiritual endeavor and much more than just organizational matter. In so many time and ways, it challenges our character and maturity personally and corporately; for instance our humility, contentment, love and unity. The leading of the Holy Spirit on it is unquestionable. His wisdom we need from to process it is imperative.
We faced different kind of difficulties about it. Sometime we stuck somewhere not knowing what to do and overwhelm with the problem and conflict caused by it.
Leadership transition is a spiritual matter because it reflect our step of faith. It’s step of it because some time our human rational against ourselves. Leadership transition taking place usually in situation where we have had our establishment in our role as leader. We have had the experiences, we confident with the responsibility, wisdom needed to lead. We enjoy our comfort zone in leading the works. Oppositely we usually cannot see the readiness of the younger generations to take over or to replace us. Sometime we feel the environment just not about right to do it. The qualities has not been seen enough as we some time may think.
Last but not the least, our enemy usually take advantage during the process. It seem to me, he study carefully about it and make the best of our weaknesses to attack.
God forbid that we will take it for granted this. We should be stronger in his grace whenever come to it; praying, humble ourselves before his throne and helplessly dependent to the Holy Spirit to lead.
Lesson 3: You may say I am exaggerating, but it seem to me that there no such a neat and smooth environment and process when come to leadership transition. You can expect problems when you have it. At least, that was something I experience and observe. One big word usually challenge us: Not ready!
I was amaze with what Jesus has in mind when he asked Peter and other disciples to take of his. It was not ready gang of disciples and messy environment among them that he has. Peter who denied him, Jude who betrayed, misunderstanding about God’s Kingdom, boastful and prideful disciples and all others’ messiness. Yet Jesus understanding about transition is about right. It was the time need to pass on the button and leave them. Even better thing to do.
Lesson 4: Relax. God is in control. Beautifully God as what he promised us will always present and helps whenever we take courage to take step of faith and helplessly dependent on him. Our openness to any feedbacks, leadership and others within our leadership community will help us. It’s a key to the Holy Spirit leading (Col. 3:15). Let it be part of our faith challenges as a servant leader of Christ. Let’s focusing ourselves to what is essence as Jesus did