I was talking to one of our Victory Group leaders yesterday at my wife’s Christmas party with the leaders she is coaching.
(Yes, you heard it right, Christmas party! They started early.)
She was explaining that they have several internationals in their group and that it has been growing. Many going through Victory Weekend retreats and one2one discipleship.
One thing struck me with what she said. Their leader told them that they want to keep the group simple enough so that everyone can see that it’s not that difficult to lead a group and thereby keep it duplicable.
In a world where leadership has become personality centric – people come because the leader’s such a great teacher or so prophetic or maybe because of his spiritual gifts.
The focus is no longer about honoring God and making disciples.
It has become “he’s great because he is so anointed.”
“She’s wonderful because she’s very eloquent.”
Paul himself said in 2 Corinthians 2:1-5…
1When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. 4My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.
If there was one who could actually boast about his achievements, it was Paul. But he didn’t. He knew that men’s faith cannot rest … can never rest … on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.
Man of God syndrome?
You’ll know you have it when you see people praise you more than they praise Jesus.
It’s all about Jesus. Period.