Don't Miss the Opportunity July Gives Us
In Luke 10 Jesus does something that I always think about this time of year; He sent out the 72. He sent them out to do the work of the Kingdom, He sent them out in pairs, and He even challenged them to do so with an intentional heart.
In my opinion, Jesus was sending them out on a training mission.
He was preparing them for the season to come, and doing so with real-world experience. All, while He was still around to answer questions, and guide them should they lose their way.
As leaders in ministry, we should pay attention to this type of modeling, and I think we should be encouraged to do the same.
July is a great season to train someone for what they are going to need to know how to do in December. As church attendance ebbs and flows during the summer this provides a unique opportunity to give someone on your team the chance to do something that they may not normally get to do. To expand their toolbox in building the Kingdom of God.
And, in the process, you are creating something that also models what Jesus did - you are implementing ministry practices that will exist when you aren’t there. You are laying the groundwork for future generations of ministry leaders to proclaim the Gospel, and you can also rejoice that their names will be written in Heaven.
So, this July, please take a vacation. Take the breaks, you’ve certainly earned them. Also, find out who your “72” are (even if it is really just 3 or 4), and give them opportunities that they aren’t quite ready for so that you can help them get ready for what God has in store for them down the road.
In other words, don’t miss out on the opportunity to train up the next generation, it could just lead to a life-changing movement of God’s people!