Have you ever dropped back from Jesus’ guidance for one reason or another and quickly found yourself too far away to make out His whispers? You may still be able to hear when He turns the volume up, but maybe you feel like you’ve lost your intimate, ongoing communion with Him. Following closely enough behind Jesus to hear what He’s saying all the time is critical to your life and ministry. When you can’t hear from Him clearly, you can’t do His will. What’s more, if you aren’t being a good follower, you’re not well equipped to lead.

If you look back through the Scriptures, it’s easy to see that the strongest biblical leaders have always been the greatest followers. Abraham famously followed God to a place he knew nothing about, based on God’s promises to him (see Gen. 12:1-3). Because of his willingness to abide with God so deeply, Abraham has been called a father of faith. Every new generation throughout history has been able to learn from him and draw on his example. Moses, following God, led more than 600,000 people out of Egypt, in the middle of the night, on a journey toward the Promised Land (see. Exod. 12:31-42). Because Moses was committed to following his Lord as he led others, future leaders like Joshua benefited from his faithfulness and were able to walk in his example.

Jesus Himself is the greatest example of authentic followership. Jesus’ life was centered on the singular purpose of walking in step with and bringing glory to His father. He called His disciples to do the same. As He identified the inner circle that would walk with Him, Jesus said simply, “Come, follow me” (Mark 1:17). He didn’t say, “Take care of your family needs, make sure your business is in order, and then we’ll talk.” He said, “Follow.”

As the disciples made following the Son of God their top priority, their lives were transformed; they eventually became the leaders of the faith God intended for them to be. Through intimate, ongoing communion with Jesus, they were not only strengthened personally but also better equipped to minister to the countless others who would be entrusted to their leadership.

– Nelson Searcy and Jennifer Dykes Henson

The above excerpt is from pgs. 32-33 of The Renegade Pastor: Abandoning Average in Your Life and Ministry.

Drawing from Nelson Searcy’s decades of ministry experience, The Renegade Pastor is a relevant, step-by-step resource for church leaders who are ready to step up in surrender to the pursuit of God’s best for his or her life and work.

P.S. – Click here to grab your copy from Amazon today!

Your partner in ministry,

Nelson

© Nelson Searcy. All Rights Reserved.

About Nelson Searcy

Nelson Searcy is an experienced church growth strategist, pastor, church planter and coach, consulting with churches around the world. As founder of Church Leader Insights and the Renegade Pastors Network, he has personally trained more than 3,500 church leaders in over 45 denominations through live events, seminars and monthly coaching. Nelson is also the Founding and Lead Pastor of The Journey Church, with locations across New York City and in Boca Raton, FL. Nelson and his church routinely appear on lists such as “The 50 Most Influential Churches” and “The 25 Most Innovative Leaders.” He is the author of over 100 church growth resources and 18+ books, including The Renegade Pastor: Abandoning Average in Your Life, Ministry and The Difference Maker: Using Your Everyday Life for Eternal Impact, and At the Cross with the People Who Were There. He and his wife, Kelley, have one son, Alexander.