Replacements

When I arrived at the St. John Church way back in the early dark ages, it was going through a rough time.  The church was in turmoil and more people were leaving than coming.  While I do not remember the names of so many of those folks anymore, I do remember the moment when one family made the difficult decision to leave.  Most of us thought it was the death knell of the church.  We did not see how the church could survive without them.  But, it did and after a time started growing.  Something learned during those difficult days was the reality that God provides leadership for His church.  Others came and their coming was more important than the departure of a few.

 

Call it replacement theology if it seems right to do so.  Over the years at other places I saw some folks leave who I wish would have stayed, but I had learned not to fret because God would send replacements.  Certainly, any Methodist preacher should know this to be true.  Not a single one of the churches I served and left died after I moved.  Each one kept right on going with the new leadership which came as I departed.  Leaders are not indispensable.  They may be important to the spiritual life of the church, but no one is beyond being replaced.

 

Still, I wonder how Elijah felt when the Lord said to him, "...you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah as prophet in your place."  (I  Kings 19:16)  He had just ascended to the heights of leadership on Mt Carmel as he overcame the 450 prophets of Baal and announced an end to a three year drought.  No one would question that He was a man of God.  Hardly had the rain stopped and God was talking about a replacement.  Like you and me, Elijah had an important role to play in the plan of God, but the plan was then and is always bigger than anyone of us.  It requires what we can do as well as what those who follow us can do.  Long after we are gone from the earth, the plan of God will continue to go forward and we will look back from eternity thankful to have had a part.