Passing the Torch!

I was listening to a message the other day and the preacher said a statement that I've heard many times before but this time it really sunk into my spirit.  The statement was, "Leaders reproduce who they are, not just what they say."

The meaning of this simple statement is- we as leaders do not influence people by just preaching or giving lessons, but in how we live.  This can be seen best in family relationships.  If the parents curse, it doesn't matter how often they reprove their children for their language, they will eventually curse too.  If the parents have a bad temper and yell often, it doesn't matter how many times they discipline the child for their temper tantrum, they will most likely grow up with their anger out of control too.

I was looking back on Metro Praise and its seven years as a church and what "kind of Christians" we have reproduced.  Meaning, if we as leaders only can reproduce after our "kind," then what "kind of Christian" have we made by God's grace?

Here were some of the traits I saw in people who have been influenced by Metro Praise*:

1. Love for the lost
2. Passion for evangelism
3. Strong desire for accountablity
4. Heart for missions
5. Hunger for spiritual gifts
6. Boldness in confronting error
7. Appetite for the pure Word of God
8. Addicted to intimate worship and prayer
9. High value in bible education and discipleship
10. And most importantly a deep love for God!

*I examined both people who are still with our church and those who have moved on.  Plus, I looked at people from all stages along the seven years we've been a church.

I am blown away by this kind of reproduction!  God has truly done something great in our people's lives!  However, before I or any leader takes the credit I am quickly reminded of how those things came into my life.  Other men and women of God poured those things into me.  When I look at the Bible college I came from those same attributes are seen in the leaders there!

Thus, with the 2012 Summer Olympics in current events the illustration of passing the torch comes to my mind.  Each person passes the torch to the next until it lights a huge fire for all to see.  I believe God is setting leaders on fire all over the world with His Spirit and these on-fire leaders are setting others on fire.  The Holy Ghost fire is being passed on to everyone who will receive it!

Now is the time to run your race and pass the Gospel to others!

Hebrews 12:1-2, "1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."