I think one of the things we leaders need to get used to is, Ecclesiastes 1:9………”there is nothing new under the sun.” Everything we as planters and pastors do has been, is being, or will be done by someone else. Everything I have ever done over almost 20 years as far as church leadership, style, and demeanor, is a combination of a ton of great leaders and heroes that have gone before me and are currently before me. One of the things I love about Steven Furtick at Elevation Church in Charlotte is that as edgy as he is, he just hosted Cliff Barrows in his church. What a contrast, huh? What a great idea Steven! I heard Steven call himself a throwback to the 50’s. If you’ve ever heard him preach, you will also agree, that he is a very passionate, energetic, and bold speaker. We must never forget every generation of preacher and leader! They matter. Many are in heaven and many are still with us, but they should always be honored and revered for their trailblazing, pioneering, and out of the box leadership that was evident in their day.
As much as I love the Georgia Bulldogs and dislike the Florida Gators, what I heard recently by head Florida football coach, Urban Meyer, is worth repeating. He pulled aside that great old coach of old, Jack Del Rio, and said “I need 20 minutes with you to see how you ran your football programs.” He said, “All of our program at UF has been built on a combination of great coaches.” Combine, collect, and apply! If you’re a clone of the guy down the street, you will dumb down the effectiveness of your effort in your city to be a real partner with other churches in reducing lostness, simply because, as leaders, we all influence different styles of people and have our own set of DNA. We need everybody!
