The work of the lone Baptist church is a poor substitute for the collective success of Alabama Baptists pooling time, talents and money.
“You can’t go it alone,” said Joe Godfrey, president of the Alabama Baptist State Convention, pointing out that even the Lone Ranger had Tonto to help him.
His comments came during the president’s address to the Alabama Baptist State Convention annual meeting Nov. 18 in Mobile. “When you are giving your time and financial resources and you think, ‘Oh why am I doing this? My little cannot accomplish much,’you just remember that countless other children of God are giving their ‘little’ too and a collective ‘little’ in the hands of the almighty God equals a lot,” he said. “We’ve seen this principle throughout the history of the Cooperative Program.”
He said Alabama Baptists are leading people to Jesus and our culture toward godliness. “And we are all in training for the day when we will lead the universe together with our Lord Jesus Christ and His chosen bride,” he said.
Godfrey said leaders can learn from some of the greats such as Moses. Using a passage from Exodus 17, where Moses told Joshua to choose men and fight against Amalek, he launched the first of three characteristics of a strong leader.
1. Leaders need support.
When Moses held up his hands the Israelites prevailed in the battle, but when he lowered them, Amalek prevailed. Moses grew tired and his hands came down, so he found the value of support when Aaron and Hur supported his hands. “His hands were steady until the sun set,” the Bible says in Exodus 17:12.
Moses couldn’t do his job unless Aaron and Hur did theirs, and none of them could do their jobs unless Joshua was continuing to fight. Joshua’s strongest efforts were of no success unless Moses, Aaron and Hur were doing their jobs. “They were all interdependent upon one another and ultimately they were all completely dependent upon God,” Godfrey said.
“When you are attempting to lead our culture toward godliness by taking a stand on some moral issue —that’s usually disguised as a political issue — remember that you are not standing alone,” Godfrey said.
He said when leading someone to Jesus, “remember people are praying for you and the person you are trying to lead to Him.”
2. A teachable spirit.
When Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, offered him advice regarding his ways in judging the people and their disputes, Moses showed a teachable spirit, Godfrey said.
“Moses did not get huffy and defensive and argue, saying ‘How dare you tell me how to do my job.’ Instead Moses listened with great respect to the wisdom and counsel of someone older and (in some respects) wiser than himself,” Godfrey said.
“When a leader gets to the point that he thinks that he has nothing else to learn, then he ceases to be a credible, godly leader.”
3. Learn to delegate.
He said it is vital to enlist, equip, encourage and set an example for those who will help leaders do their tasks and to set a good example for them to follow.
He outlined things to look for when enlisting leaders — such as finding men who fear God and men full of truth and integrity.
He said equipping is such a vital part of delegating to accomplish the work of the Kingdom. “Every Sunday we stand in the pulpits of this state equipping our congregations to do the ministries that God has called and gifted each person to do,” he said.
Moses wasn’t the only person who sought support from others. Jesus did. “If Jesus did not choose to ‘go it alone,’ shouldn’t we learn to be godly leaders who are dependent upon God and interdependent upon one another?” Godfrey said.
“In fact, our very salvation is based upon recognizing our dependence upon God. And our churches and our convention are based upon our recognition that we are interdependent upon one another,” he said. “God helps us as Alabama Baptists to be healthy leaders, serving healthy churches so that we can reach our world for Christ.”
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