I’m still contemplating the end of the gospel of Mark. So the group has an intimate, friendly if not joyous, but yet strange Passover meal. The leader is acting a little strangely, what with washing their feet and all. They whisper about betrayal, but still don’t really know what to expect. Little do they know that by tomorrow night they will be leaderless–sort of. Or at least temporarily. Little did they know that they had to go from student to leader almost overnight. It’s sort of like going from adolescence to maturity in the space of a month.
Think about high school athletics. OK, maybe a stretch, but consider this. One year there is senior leadership of the team, but they inevitably graduate (or get too old). But the next year, last year’s juniors are this year’s seniors, and new leadership arises.
While the disciples had Jesus, they didn’t have to think. Jesus made the decisions. Jesus did the teaching. Jesus chose the inner circle. Jesus arranged the Passover dinner. And the next night he was gone.
So we sit in our comfortable homes and churches and criticize the disciples. What would you have done. You don’t become a leader overnight. Think of times in your life when there was a leader and then she or he was gone. Died. Moved away. Whatever. Wasn’t there a period of time for adjustment?
So they gradually regrouped. Then they experienced the new Jesus. Then they started to exercise their own leadership muscles. And in only 40 days came the day of Pentecost when they announced to the world, “We’re back.” And they each went out and started faith communities. And Paul, Barnabas and others were called, and they traveled the world establishing faith communities. And so, here we are.
The thing that grieves me personally is this thought–what have I done to start new faith communities and raise up new leaders? Have I done enough? Have you? That is one of our tasks–to bring up new leaders to proclaim that the Kingdom of Heaven is here.
Tags: Call, Christianity, Church, Leadership, mission
Faith Venture 
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