Have you ever read the "Present with the Lord" sections in your Alumni magazines or newsletters?  Many of us may have because we know that one day our name will be listed there.   Years ago as I was Ieafing through mine I came across a couple of pastors who where remembered for their faithful service in local churches, faithfulness to their families and interestingly enough, they were also remembered for the number of men and women they helped enter into full-time ministry.  So with that thought in the back of my head, the next time I scanned through another Alumni magazine I saw another pastor remembered for his service, his family and those he mentored into full-time ministry.  Was I starting to see a pattern here?  I saw it again and again!  Then I noticed that these pastors served during the 30's, 40's and 50's!  My conclusion was people remember what is important to them. Faithful service and loving family, along with the raising up and the sending out of leaders were badges of honor to these generations of leaders. I am very confident that faithful service and family are very high on our list, but I have to wonder...is raising up and sending out leaders in the harvest field a value for our generation?  We celebrate building, budgets, attendance, the number of staff we have but there is little talk about the leaders we send out.

This leads us to a prayer that will enlarge the heart of a missional leader: “Father, help me empower others and release them into your harvest field.”

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