Ben White, unsplash.com
As a production guy, I have long been drawn to the Old Testament story of Bezalel.
In Exodus chapters 31 and 35, he is described as being filled “with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge, and with all kinds of skills” to build the Israelites' tabernacle as they embarked on their journey towards the Promised Land.
He and his sidekick Oholiab (his A2, perhaps?) essentially were the architects of the first portable church, responsible for leading a team of skilled workers to design and build not only the facility itself, but also all of the furniture and components to be used to create an effective worship experience (Exodus 36-39).
Rereading this passage, three key principles stand out:
1-A win for the team is a win for the leader.
As a leader, my success hinges directly upon how well the team around me performs. And that is a direct reflection of how well I have taught and led them. Exodus 35:34 (NIV) says that Bezalel and Oholiab were both given by God “the ability to teach others.” What a testament to this ability to then see the whole team, who had previously just been lowly slaves, pull together to create such an impressive accomplishment.
2-Know when delegation just isn't an option.
I was struck by one section that stood out in contrast to the others. All of the work for the tabernacle is constantly referred to as being completed by “they” and “them,” implying the involvement of the larger team. But in the section talking about the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 37:1-10 NIV), Bezalel is the only name mentioned as having worked on its construction. Sometimes, the projects with high visibility need to have a high-level leader involved. Delegation is great, but sometimes I just have to be the one to step up and make sure the important things are handled right. It takes intuition (not insecurity) to know when I have to be the face of a project.
Delegation is great, but sometimes I just have to be the one to step up and make sure the important things are handled right.
3-I can't delegate the presence of God.
God's presence would live with the ark itself once it was completed, and that piece of furniture would become the embodiment of His holiness. As a leader, I, like Bezalel, can delegate a lot of things to those around me, but I can't delegate stepping into God's presence. I can ask my team to do tasks and spend time with people, but in a ministry environment, the group will never grow past the limits placed by my own spiritual growth and development.
I can ask my team to do tasks and spend time with people, but in a ministry environment, the group will never grow past the limits placed by my own spiritual growth and development.
Am I regularly seeking God's presence and supernatural provision, or am I content to rely solely on my own understanding and talent? Am I yearning to experience God firsthand so that I can lead my ministry out of the overflow of what I'm growing in and learning myself?
A healthy spiritual foundation is crucial for anyone serving in ministry, and it's up to me to model what my team needs to see.
Perhaps Bezalel didn't delegate the building of the ark because he knew that he had to experience that environment first in order to ultimately lead his team there. Maybe he felt that he couldn't ask his team to be closer to God's presence than he himself was willing to go. Or maybe he just knew that he needed to be there first to make sure he was setting an example of reverence and humility that his team needed to follow.
There is an old cliché that says that more is caught than taught. A healthy spiritual foundation is crucial for anyone serving in ministry, and it's up to me to model what my team needs to see.
All the talent and potential in the world is irrelevant if I'm not first willing to do the work to get in His presence.
