Note:  This is the final installment in our series on trusting leadership to Millennials.  The reader is encourage to read the introductory post before reading what follows below.  

7.  David does not claim the victory. He gives the glory to God and honors those who formed him – I Samuel 17.45-47,57-58

David. Sling. One of the five smooth stones. One dead giant. Goliath. Philistine armies flee. Israel wins the battle.

Men acclaim David for his victory. But David will not accept this acclamation. Instead, he praises God for his success AND he honors the man who formed him:

“This day, (Goliath), the Lord will deliver you into my hand . . . that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.” v.46

(To King Saul): “I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.” v.58

God gives victory to the people of God through His young servant-leader David – 17.48-50

David’s father, Jesse, could not have done what David did, but neither could David have won the victory without the influence, teaching, direction, preparation, and confidence, of his father-teacher, Jesse.

Jesse did not fight and defeat the lion. David did.

Jesse did not fight and defeat the bear. David did.

Jesse did not run to the battle. David did.

Jesse did not pick up a sling and five smooth stones. David did.

Jesse did not defeat Goliath and lead Israel to its victory. David did.

But all David learned, he learned from the hand – and the heart – of his father-teacher, Jesse. David knew it. David never forgot it. And David thanked God for it.

One of the concerns older Christian leaders often have about young leaders is that “they are too young, they haven’t learned enough to lead.”

The concern can be legitimate. But it need not be disqualifying. Paul David Tripp, in his book, “Dangerous Calling” writes, “ It is clear from Scripture that leadership fruitfulness or failure is seldom only about knowledge.”  It’s more about call and character.

For almost a decade now, I have worked almost exclusively with young leaders, pastoring and teaching them on a Bible College campus, and coaching them as they now serve in ministry leadership. I have spent literally thousands of hours with them in groups and in one-on-one conversations.

As I prepared to move into my role as a college campus pastor, well-meaning grey hairs (Full Disclosure: I am a grey hair), warned me that I would find Millennials difficult to work with: I was told that they had little use for older generations, they were not open to mentorship, and they didn’t like correction or challenge.

I found exactly the opposite to be true: Millennials were not only open to the wisdom of their elders, they actively sought it out. I spent significant time every week mentoring student leaders and responding to student requests for help in finding more “grey hair” ministry mentors. As to correction and challenge, Millennials continually told me to turn it up: “More, more, Pastor; bring it on! We want to be like Jesus and we want nothing in our lives to get in the way of Him using us to reach our world!” And when I corrected or challenged, they rose to the challenge. And they thanked me.

Listen to the language of leaders. One will tell you all he is doing for God, for His church, and for His kingdom. Another will talk to you of all God is doing and how much she owes to the wisdom and counsel of her mentors. I can honestly tell you that my thousands of hours of conversation with Millennial leaders demonstrate that they are overwhelmingly of the second group: they credit their mentors and they give the glory to God and God alone.

The young leaders I have worked with are different from my generation in this: where my generation embraced the Clint Eastwood-Lone Ranger approach to life and ministry, this generation embraces team ministry and mentorship. Like David, they want the teaching, influence, direction and preparation of father-teachers – father-teachers who demonstrably reciprocate with respect, confidence, transparency and integrity.

But if you claim to have these, you’d better bring your “A” game (Authenticity) because Millennials have little use for the proud, position-based, self-focused leader. But Millennials have an infinite appetite for the wisdom of sincere father-teachers.

One can only imagine what God would do through us if the vision, creativity, passion and energy of youth could be joined by the wisdom and pastoral hand of the grey hairs of ministry leadership.

What an opportunity we grey hairs have! I am convinced that this is our greatest opportunity today as leaders: to stand with young Davids as they run to the battle, as they race ahead with vision and energy to take on the Goliaths of our day. Not only does the church need Millennials leading at the front, the church needs grey hairs doing our part in coaching leaders – multiplying, listening, reinforcing, counseling, and yes, dreaming with Millennials of what can be. Because we have walked where they walk, we are uniquely positioned to serve in the kingdom for such a time as this.

Kenneth Tucker says it this way, brother grey hair: “great leaders know how to lead leaders.”

It’s a Goliath time in our world today. It’s a David time. And it’s a Jesse time. It’s time for great leaders to rise up: the Davids who rush the Goliaths, and the Jesses who stand behind the Davids they have helped to raise up.

Millennials are ready to lead. Like David, they are ready to step up and lead, honoring the wisdom of their mentors and always giving God the glory.  With us behind them, they are ready to take on the Goliaths of our day and lead God’s people.

It’s time to put David in the game.