If you want to change the world around you , it’s imperative that you begin to measure your influence by the quality of the connection you have with your followers instead of the quantity. After all, a few captivated hearts mean much more than an impressive amount of frivolous fans.
In a world where influence can be measured by social media likes or the size of the crowd that shows up when you’re on stage, we can’t forget that real Kingdom leadership begins with having true followers, not passive, flaky fans.
Fans and followers can look alike on the outside but the heart of a crowd is completely different than the heart of followers. Let me explain...Elvis Presley drew crowds, Martin Luther King drew followers. One is an entertainer and the other is a leader. I am not saying that one is necessarily bad, while the other is inherently good, I am simply pointing out that they are not the same thing.
Fans come to consume and to be entertained. They culminate in crowds filled with fickle critics who gather to watch the show. But followers come to contribute to a common cause, a noble purpose, and an epic endeavor. Sacrifice separates fans from followers. In fact, the level of sacrifice a movement requires determines the size of people who will follow. This is because fans gather for comfort and avoid confrontation, conflict and challenge. They leave at the first sign of a cost and usually not without complaining to as many people as possible that somebody required something of them. They develop philosophies and theologies to spiritualize their desire to live without sacrifice, contribution or cost.
HOW TO SEPARATE THE FOLLOWERS FROM THE FANS IN YOUR LIFE
Excellent, empowering leaders can turn fans into followers and transform followers into future leaders. What better example do we have than to look at the life of Jesus, who separated followers from the fans in the crowds. He knew that many had come just to watch the show and/or to receive whatever benefit there was from being around Him. He would often raise the bar and see who was really following.
For instance, one time Jesus started talking about "eating His flesh and drinking His blood"...the fans dispersed leaving only a handful of followers. What’s the point? Jesus turned the world upside down with a few followers! His impact didn’t lie in the number of people who wanted to be around Him, but rather in the strength and level of sacrifice demonstrated by His few TRUE followers.
I believe that most every fan wants to be a follower...to have something worth dying for and something worth giving their life for oo. But for many, it's just easier to be entertained instead of being detained by a costly cause.
ARE YOUR FOLLOWERS LIKE JUDAS?
Jesus had twelve apostles and He kept saying that one of them would betray him. It is a little scary to me that eleven guys who lived together, ate together and ministered in power together for three and a half years had no clue that Judas was a betrayer. Judas must have been able to heal the sick and cast out demons as well as any of the other disciples, otherwise, his lack of power would have been a dead giveaway that he was the betrayer.
Then, one day Jesus basically said, “Let's make a covenant.” He took bread and said, “This is my body that is broken for you.” (Luke 22:19) As soon as Judas realized that covenant was required, his cover was blown. He betrayed Jesus with a kiss because he wanted intimacy without covenant. (Luke 22:47)
It’s clear that he was in relationship with Jesus for what he could get out of it. When he realized that Jesus was about to require him to sacrifice himself for the sake of Christ, he sold out what was left of his stock in Jesus — a measly thirty pieces of silver.
Personally, I would rather die for something worth living for, than live for nothing worth dying for.
HOW TO BE A LEADER WHO BUILDS UP TRUE DISCIPLES
If you’re wondering how to build followers instead of fans or how to go beyond that to raise up leaders from your followers, check out this list of 4 things true leaders do:
1. Don’t fear the people, but fear God. Great leaders love God more than anything. They lead from this perspective: “Follow me as I follow God!” Jesus represented this perfectly. Even though He is the Prince of Peace, He was not by any means a peacekeeper. Rather, He was a peacemaker. Jesus knew that He was on a mission and He did what His Father told Him to do, which sometimes meant upsetting the crowd . He lived out the truth that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10).
2. Live sacrificially. Note the Apostles Paul’s apostolic credentials listed in 2 Corinthians 11:16-29. Specifically, that they counted the cost and didn’t complain. The same is true of leaders today. One of my favorite quotes about leadership is when Bill Johnson says, “If you want the people to bleed, you’d better be ready to hemorrhage.” We can’t expect our followers to go to places we’re not willing to go first, without counting the cost! True leaders are the servants of all and they don’t lord their influence over people (Matthew 23:11).
3. Embrace the process before you get to the Palace. Between the promise and the palace is always the process . What I mean is that from the time God speaks something over your life, to the time you walk it out (the metaphoric palace) is a journey. If you figure out a way to get around the process and get through to the palace before you’re supposed to be, you won’t be able to stay there. It’s the process that gives you the character you need to stay in the palace. True leaders aren’t just gifted, they have character.
4. Don’t just produce, but reproduce. True leaders work themselves out of a job and raise up the next generation to take their place. Think of the great Biblical leaders and notice that they lead with a multi-generational vision and intentionally poured into a successor — Elijah and Elisha, Moses and Joshua, David and Solomon, Jesus and His disciples, and Barnabas and Saul to name a few.
These are but a few ways to develop disciples and lead with conviction in modern culture. I’d love to hear what resonated with you and what you’d add to this list in the comments below!
