Where are the Jonathans?

Here’s a guy, whose dad was a crook, his country tormented by war, and instead of “letting go and letting God”, he walked out on faith and some amazing things happened. Check it:

One day Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, “Come on, let’s go over to where the Philistines have their outpost.” But Jonathan did not tell his father what he was doing. Meanwhile, Saul and his six hundred men were camped on the outskirts of Gibeah, around the pomegranate tree at Migron…To reach the Philistine outpost, Jonathan had to go down between two rocky cliffs that were called Bozez and Seneh. The cliff on the north was in front of Micmash, and the one on the south was in front of Geba. “Let’s go across to see those pagans,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer. “Perhaps the LORD will help us, for nothing can hinder the LORD. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few!” “Do what you think is best,” the youth replied. “I’m with you completely, whatever you decide.” “All right then,” Jonathan told him. “We will cross over and let them see us. If they say to us, `Stay where you are or we’ll kill you,’ then we will stop and not go up to them. But if they say, `Come on up and fight,’ then we will go up. That will be the LORD’s sign that he will help us defeat them.” When the Philistines saw them coming, they shouted, “Look! The Hebrews are crawling out of their holes!” Then they shouted to Jonathan, “Come on up here, and we’ll teach you a lesson!” “Come on, climb right behind me,” Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “for the LORD will help us defeat them!” So they climbed up using both hands and feet, and the Philistines fell back as Jonathan and his armor bearer killed them right and left. They killed about twenty men in all, and their bodies were scattered over about half an acre. Suddenly, panic broke out in the Philistine army, both in the camp and in the field, including even the outposts and raiding parties. And just then an earthquake struck, and everyone was terrified. Saul’s lookouts in Gibeah saw a strange sight–the vast army of Philistines began to melt away in every direction…So the LORD saved Israel that day, and the battle continued to rage even out beyond Beth-aven.

Christian leadership needs to have more of the same. I’m not thinking of anyone in particular, it just seems that the “ideal” Christian leader is to be passive, politically corrected, reserved to not offend an outsider (in other words, weak). In fact I think it has gotten so bad that we see anyone that leads who is a Christian or claims a cause for Christ as a problem of religion and politics, religion and power, etc etc…

I’m not talking about this kind of leadership either… Definitely not.

Christian leadership defined as: - passionate service to others in love - passionate service to truth, that is God’s Word - having a plan, laying it out for God to deliver or God to make a pass (ala 1 Samuel 14)

This isn’t a post to discourage any Christian leaders I know, rather to encourage them to bring the smack down… I’m ready to carry the armor.

Author: Brett Veenstra | Category: Disciple | Comments(4) March 2006