Leadership transitions are common in life. A boss retires. An incumbent loses an election. A pastor moves to another church. A parent leaves or passes away.
When those transitions happen, the employees, the citizens, the church members, or the family face some uncertainty, especially if the transition is sudden or unexpected. Who will the new leader be? How will things be different? What might this mean for me, or us? Is this a good thing, a bad thing, or simply an inevitable thing?
Having experienced all those leadership transitions, I’ve learned they can be both good and bad, depending on the people, the situations, and how well the transition is planned and implemented. That’s true of transitions we see in the Bible too. Think of the Old Testament transitions from Moses to Joshua, from Saul to David, from Elijah to Elisha, or from king to king to king.
In the New Testament, John the Baptist declared to his followers that the baptizer who was coming after him was to be far greater and more powerful. In John 3, when others’ questions implied competition or rivalry between John and Jesus, John refused to take the bait. He reminded them that his role was to help prepare the way for the Messiah, that he did so with joy, and now that Jesus was ready to lead, “He must become greater; I must become less.”
As my season with IBSA draws to a close after 20 years, that’s how I feel about the leadership transition that Scott Foshie and I are sharing. He must lead more and more, and I must lead less and less. The IBSA Board’s search process has allowed us the blessing of three months’ overlap through March. I have been busily sharing everything I know about this role with my friend who is excited to serve and lead IBSA into the future. I’m therefore hopefully confident this will be one of those good leadership transitions.
As helpful as it may be though, I don’t think John the Baptist left us with the Bible’s best example of a leadership transition. As we might expect, Jesus did.
Jesus started talking with his disciples about his upcoming departure long before his crucifixion and resurrection. When he told his disciples in John 14 that he would be leaving, they, especially Thomas, were understandably concerned. Who will the new leader be? How will things be different? What might this mean for me, or us? Is this a good thing, a bad thing, or simply an inevitable thing?
But then Jesus told them this amazing truth. They would do greater things without him than they could do with him. When those who believed in him received the Holy Spirit and continued to live with that indwelling power and obeyed his teachings, they would be amazed how wonderful the leadership transition from invisible God to living Messiah to indwelling Spirit would be, for everyone. In fact, they would find complete consistency in leadership, with an even better and more fruitful future.
IBSA’s leadership transition can’t compare with the one Jesus modeled perfectly for us, any more than John the Baptist could feel worthy to carry Jesus’ sandals. But I believe Scott and I can still feel confident praying that the disciples in our Illinois Baptist churches will be so filled with the Spirit of God, and so obedient to his teachings, that any transitions in human leadership can be navigated positively. Why? Because our true leadership as disciples of Jesus comes from the true Leader who dwells within each of us.
Nate Adams is executive director of the Illinois Baptist State Association. Respond at IllinoisBaptist@IBSA.org.