Jesus led a small group. We call them the twelve disciples, but the truth is that they were twelve ordinary men that came from different walks of life.
So how did Jesus go from zero people to twelve? He personally invited them. Two fishermen, Andrew and Peter, were the first two to join the group because Jesus offered them a compelling reason to join Him (Luke 5:1-11). After the successful catch of fish, they probably wondered if Jesus could make them even more successful as fishermen. Instead, He turned them into leaders for His group: the Church.
People may come to our Church so they can get something from you, but that’s okay. We are called to meet people where they are and point them to Jesus, and a great way to do that is to invite them to church.
Many leaders choose to not spend time building people up because it’s a slow, messy process. However, Jesus spent three years investing in His group in two primary ways:
Teaching
After speaking to crowds, Jesus often took His group aside to teach them even more. Teaching is an invaluable part of leading people.
Time
Many times, Jesus’ group just didn’t understand what He was teaching. Even when they didn’t listen to everything He taught, Jesus never stopped spending time with them. He didn’t just teach them how to live—He showed them how to live.
"When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of Heaven." Nehemiah 1:4