The Spirit of God in me has railed against presumption manifested by
nepotism in ministry. The assumption that being the son or daughter of
an effective 5 fold minister somehow by blood passes to the progeny. It
happens so seldom that when in a black swan event seems to succeed we
point to those unique times as examples. They are false. Eli the
prophet's sons were failures, Aaron's sons were killed by God for being
presumptive in ministry and Samuel who had hopes for his boys, instead
raised reprobates. Great men and women of God seldom raise successful
successors from their own bloodline.
There are almost zero
positive examples of a five fold minister successfully handing down his
or her mantle to the next generation. I can think of only a few close
calls and they were anemic at best. Joel Osteen doesn't count. If you
know the story, he was not handed the ministry from John. John Died,
Joel reluctantly picked it up. New day new game.
Why do we not
hear of the children of Apostles and Disciples who carried the torch in
the Book of Acts or the Epistles? Peter had children. Nothing. Phillips
Daughters were prophetesses. What was more often the pattern,
recognition was given to a good father or mother who prepared their son
or daughter well. When Timothy emerged Lois (his Grandmother) got some
sunshine.
Yet the pattern repeats. Again and again we see and
hear of spectacular shipwrecks of unprepared children who took over
when Pastor dad/mom died or retired from the ministry and the net
result was heartbreak. It's almost a guarantee.
What brings this
to the surface once again is the arrest of the son of one of the late
Generals of the faith in the past few days. I remember being in a
meeting with him in Broken Arrow. There was great prophetic confidence
that he would take over the ministry of his father and do mighty
exploits. Nothing has been further from the truth. He has spiraled
downward. All the prophetic words in the world couldn't turn a pattern
that nearly always occurs. In business and in ministry family business
succession is a Rags to Riches to Rags in 2 (Sometimes 3 generations).
It's legendary.
There is a prophetic admonition in all this. If
you would have your son or daughter follow you in ministry and maybe
pick up your mantle someday, get them out of the greenhouse environment
of your church and out into the field for hardening off. They will need
it. They cannot pick up that mantle unless they have spent years in the
desert discovering all the good water holes, the good hiding places,
where friends and enemies located, where the escape routes and where
the safe caves are. They need to learn to live off the land in a desert
place. They need to learn to acquire their own followers from those
wandering the desert with them. THEN, if they choose (mostly they
won't) they can come back and pick up the mantle you will leave behind.
It worked for David...it didn't work as well for Solomon.
It
would be better, even if you have a prophetic inkling that they are
destined to follow you on, to keep it to yourself. My oldest son told
me last year that when he saw me preaching from the pulpit when he was
about 13 years old (he's 44 now), he said to himself, "I want to do
that". He never told me. He drifted from the faith. Was beaten up in
the world. Today he is a Pastor in a Church and doing what he saw me
do. I had no clue this was on his heart. If God had shown me, I might
have messed it up.
What works in finding a successor for your
ministry is discover the graces of God already among you. Nurture and
blow on the hot coals of that grace until he or she comes alight. That
requires hunger and persistence on the part of the one to follow in
desiring the mantle you wear ... not on the one about to hand off the
mantle. You will ultimately shed your mantle, who picks it up is not
your call. It's God's.
The story of Elijah and Elisha in
transition and the passing of Elijah's mantle is how it REALLY happens.
The one receiving is in place, prepared, persistent, intent, hungry for
more of GOD and when the time comes for the mantle to pass, the
transfer is seamless. The mantle fits perfectly. The key to receiving
the mantle is how much do y0u really want it, are you willing to pay
the price?
I once sat with the leadership of a church in crisis
and tried to help them understand this pattern of mantle transfer, the
necessity for the one to whom the mantle will be passed to be hardened
off on the field of battle with principles of ministry hammered out on
the anvil of experience. That word of wisdom was not received. I wasn't
offended. I was saddened. We misunderstand how God sees our family when
we decide that ministry is a generational enterprise. He sees us as
individuals. IF he calls two people from the same family it's more
amazing than assumed.
Hear the Word of the Lord:
I
chose YOU for such a time as this. I lift one up and put another down.
No man can rob Me of My Glory. I choose the foolish and weak to
confound those who believe themselves wise. Your eyes are on your
legacy when you appoint your successor by blood. You have no legacy
other than what I give you...when you will pass from this earth and a
new one will emerge. Moses my servant will be dead ... Joshua of no
blood to Moses (son of Nun) will be my man in the new day. So it shall
be for you.
Only I can measure the heart of a man, only I can
define those who I will place before those called by My name. When you
speak for Me and proclaim that this one or that one is to take that
place, you take my name in vain. I anoint and appoint those who I will.
I
will draw My mighty men and women from the cave of Adullam, discouraged
and hurt. In pain and rejected. Those who's brokenness I can reform
into an image of ME, not YOU.
Let those with ears to hear, hear what the Spirit of the Lord says.
From Gene Redlin,
who walks in the office of a prophet, and writes from that perspective.
