Passing the Torch

Today in my personal time with the Scriptures I read 1 Kings 1 and 2. One can’t help but reflect on why it took King David so long to pick his successor. He’s obviously dying. I mean, seriously, what guy could have a beautiful virgin wait on him 24-7 and not end up consumating the relationship.  1 Kings 1:2 even suggests that she laid in his arms in order to keep him warm. No way is David healthy. Of course, if he was I doubt she’d be there, but that only lends credence to my point.

David, should have made plans and should have even produced an exit strategy that was made known to his family in order to keep the family from becoming impatient and taking things into their own hands, as Adonijah does.

As pastors we can never believe that we’ll be where we are forever. We have to begin to locate someone who would be a likely replacement from within. We have to find someone in our family (local church) that would be able to continue to build the Kingdom of God. If we can’t find them within, then we need to find them on the outside soon enough to make them a part of the family. So, when transition begins its disruption is minimized and focus is not lost.

As a youth pastor in the United Methodist Church I witnessed a complete disaster as pastors were moved all over the state with little or no clarity on the direction of the local church. They would often take the reigns and turn the wagon so hard that the whole thing upended spilling great people out of their local body and into others.

I also saw two churches do this very well. The transitions in leadership that Southland Christian has gone through, Wayne Smith to Mike Breaux to John Weece have been done exceptionally well. The same can be said for Southeast Christian who saw the great Bob Russell hand the reigns of one of the largest churches in America to Dave Stone, who has seemingly already picked a successor in Kyle Idleman.

While it is often easy to become comfortable in where God has placed us we have to be willing to let go of the ministry that God has given us in order to care for the Church. It’s not easy. It’s just necessary.