Inviting Others to Lead...

When you feel called to lead, and when you discover someone you really want and need to be involved in your endeavor, don’t be coy. Follow the example of Jesus and ask them to join you. People want to be asked and feel needed. Even when they say no—and some will—they will feel good about themselves and about you, simply because you asked. Sure, there will be times when others take the initiative to ask if they can join you in your ministry. This is fine, but don’t wait for it to happen, particularly where key people are concerned. If you feel called to lead, and you see your own Peter, Andrew, James, or John that you want alongside you, step up and ask them to join you, to “follow” you. 

Jesus called his disciples personally. So when inviting a key person to join you, resist the strong temptation to extend your invitation through a third party or some other impersonal means—a letter, email, or phone call. Perhaps fearing rejection or embarrassment, some leaders are reluctant to contact potential followers face-to-face, a true leadership mistake. Real leaders rise to the challenge of personally inviting to the team those persons necessary for the greatest success. No other invitations have the power and appeal of the one-on-one method. Jesus asked people to follow him, and so should we.