The mission of the church has to be to follow the Spirit and participate as the Spirit leads in the Spirit’s mission to the world. Our mission is to follow. This is hard for our leaders. It’s hard for our leaders because the Spirit will not empower us to do what we want, or to look cool or powerful or whatever. The Spirit only empowers us to follow, obey, and serve.

At the same time the Spirit is empowering the leaders, the Spirit is also empowering those we purport to lead. And the Spirit only empowers the leaders to help empower those we lead/serve. Recognizing the gifts they have and giving them room to flow freely in those is the most important part of leading them. It’s the only mode of leadership the Spirit has anything to do with blessing.