Let me begin by stating the obvious: God has a way for everything. Read that again: God has a way for everything. Now you say it. Seriously, you say it – out loud. Now that you have heard yourself say it, reckon it to be so. Let the Holy Spirit use it – God has a way for everything – to renew your mind.
While you are at it, consider the intentionally dynamic way God does things. For example, the path God engineered for you – to your current position of influence – is like no other. There are no coincidences for God’s children, He works all things to good, and He is the Great Orchestrator of billions of lives and events. He has brought you this far; and He intends to carry you the rest of the way.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9
God’s ways are 30+ billion light years above our own. As impossible as it may seem, He has given us the mind of Christ (1Corinthians 2:16); that we might be faithful stewards of His ways (1Corinthians 4:1-2). He wants us to know and operate in all His ways. And – now get this – He expects us to invest our knowing into others.
The world has many ways for managing people. Some are closer to the ways of God than others. Most of my corporate career was spent suffering under the ways of intimidation and competitive divisiveness. I envied those that enjoyed environments where teamwork and servant leadership were rewarded. But, even those environments – though a close imitation – were not God’s way for managing people.
God’s way for managing people is called making disciples. Now, I want you to recognize what I am trying to do here. I am purposefully expanding the concept of disciple making as far as I possibly can. Disciple making is more than preaching, teaching and evangelism.
How much more? Disciple making is all that Jesus Christ humbled Himself to accomplish while on this earth; and all that He is accomplishing through His disciples. I don’t have the space here to express that fully. I simply encourage you to give it some thought.
Lastly, I am also suggesting that making disciples – and all that means – is the best way for every organization to manage its people (not just the local church). It is the way that supersedes the most sophisticated and celebrated management philosophies of this world.
Consider this: Managing your organization God’s way is one of the best ways to disciple the workplace leaders in your fellowship. Whether it is the CPA serving as your Finance Secretary, or the Corporate President chairing your Administrative Board, you will be discipling them in the ways of God.
Humbly yours and forever His,
