Creating a Legacy: The Impact of Leaders Who Give It Away

Leadership development is vital for sustainable movements and leaving a lasting legacy. However, passing the baton to others is easier to talk about than it is to do.  Often, fear prevents us from trusting our disciples and handing over true authority to them. Without the passing on of both authority and tasks, we will not be able to multiply disciples effectively.

I have often have the privilege of training alongside other movement leaders who have seen many, many generations of disciples.  I learn a lot from them. Not long ago, I had the chance to train alongside a man named Joseph. He has seen an incredible, fast-growing movement in Malawi.

Learning from Joseph

After quoting 2 Tim. 2:2, my friend said to the trainees, “To Timothy, you therefore my son be strong in the grace that is in Christ. So firstly is to be strong, OK? And the second thing he said, the things which you have heard from me, in the presence of many witnesses, entrust this to faithful men. Give this to the faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Now Timothy is getting instruction from Paul, which is like Paul spending much time with Timothy. He is discipling Timothy in whatever he has seen Paul doing.

“Timothy also should do that, and he must also find the faithful men, who can also do the same job, which Timothy has been doing. So this is, I think, something very important for us as the missionaries when we are scattering seeds.“

He then went on to talk about the importance of looking for others to lead, those you can hand over to right away. Though it is counter-cultural in Africa to let go of power, even for those in political power, Joseph challenges us to act in a different way from the world.

Start Looking for a Successor

“When we see the seeds are germinating, we need to start looking also for the people who can succeed us, the people who can do better.

“You know, in Africa, sometimes it’s so difficult to find people to do this. It is difficult to find somebody who can do things which you have been doing even the successor. I found it difficult to find somebody who can succeed even in the presidency. The president is not even discipling somebody to take over. But we as a missionary, we need to learn to pass on what we have learned, what we know. And we don’t need to hide anything.

Instead of clinging to power and knowledge, Joseph challenged those he was training to give it away. He also exhorted them to be open and transparent, even about the sensitive issue of finances.

“We need to give whatever we know. This is very important. We have seen Paul here. He is the leader saying like, oh, you have seen me. Be open. You have seen me and we have been together, you have seen me while I have been developing you. You have seen me, and you have been sitting with me, do the same to others.

“You know, we need to learn to pass on what we know. I know it’s not easy, more especially in Africa. You’ll find a person is just holding the position. He don’t want to give up to somebody who can do the same job, you know, because to us Africans, I think title is more important than developing somebody. So I want to encourage all of us.

“That we need to learn to disciple others. Train them. Don’t hide anything from them. Then also they can do a better job than ourselves.

Train Them to Go Further Than You

“You know, the aim of discipleship is to disciple somebody to become better than yourself. You remember, Jesus said that you will do more than what I did. So he trusted his disciples that they can do better. He told them I’m leaving. But I know I have given whatever. You know scattering the seeds I scattered with you.

“You have seen the way I’ve been scattering seeds. But I spent much time with you, my disciples. He had twelve disciples to which He spent much of His time. We as also the missionaries. My encouragement is we need to scatter seeds to everyone.

Invest Time in People

“But if you want to develop, to leave the legacy, to see our work continue, we need to spend time with people. So like here for Paul is telling Timothy. And Timothy, you need also to find some people whom we can trust faithful people. And, you know, to find faithful people, it takes the Holy Spirit. Another one was already said. We need to pray, we need to spend much time with them.“

I learned a lot from my friend, fellow trainer and this movement leader.

What stands out to you from this movement leader’s words?

Share in the comments below or on the Disciple Making Movements Facebook group.

*Note: The above picture is not the movement leader’s photo.