Lessons From the Life of Goliath (pt.2)
by Shaun Brooks, D.Min.
For part 1 of this article, click here.
Goliath needed to learn to adapt to a changing environment
On the battlefield, Goliath was weighed down with armor possibly weighing 125 lbs and a javelin weighing about 15 lbs. It proved useful in past battles and garnered the oohs and aahs from spectators in both armies, but it proved useless and ineffective against a more nimble adversary such as David. There are times in our ministry when we rely upon the tried and proven methods of evangelism because it has worked for us us the past yet fail to recognize that the generation standing before us sees what we do as ancient and archaic. Often we are not quick enough to develop needed programs fast enough to move with the changing world and sometimes because of a heavy bureaucratic style of leadership, we are not able to dodge simple obstacles that may come our way. Often too late we realize that we are spending thousands of evangelism dollars with little to no results. Is there a solution to this?
If utilizing his armor bearer would have proven unwise at the moment, Goliath could have adapted by shedding some of the armor. Goliath may have thought of such a course but it was not the cultural thing to do nor the military thing in times of battle. Besides, what would his men think of him? Like Goliath, we may find that it is downright uncomfortable to switch up our way of doing things. Things such as our worship service order and our public and private outreach just to name a few. Sadly, Goliath died with his armor in place but it did nothing to save him. The armor would outlive him and probably another giant would wear it later, but it did nothing to bring him victory that day.
Unlike Goliath who has now since past, we have the opportunity to make changes in our present situations. We can try something new even when the members may not understand our reasoning. If you are hungry for souls, then creativity must be part of your tool bag that you rely upon. No one ever laughed at David again for ditching Saul’s armor after his victory and the truth is no one will laugh at you when they realize you tried your best to be innovative and fearless.
Empower others
On the battlefield, we find David, Goliath, and his armor bearer. The wisest thing for Goliath to have done was to mentor his armor-bearer and trust him with combat on the battlefield. It’s possible that the man carrying his armor was lightly clad and shorter in height than him and may have done a better job against an opponent like David, but sadly Goliath was a proud man and probably would never delegate such an important responsibility. If lightening his armor would have proven a difficult and uncomfortable thing to do, then it was unthinkable for him to release control and allow another to fight in his place. Now before some look down on the notion of using an armor bearer, simply look at 1 Samuel 14:1-14 where Jonathan and his armor bearer alone took down 20 Philistines and changed the course of a battle with God’s intervention. Unprecedented, no! Risky, yes! There is a risk to delegating, especially to the younger generation, but that is what leadership is about. It’s not about doing things on our own and expecting successful results but training someone else and mentoring them to celebrate their success.
For all that may be said about King Saul, David was on the battlefield because the king permitted him. Saul trusted the fate of the battle in the hands of a teenager and it worked out for him. Now we know that things will not always end up going the way you planned but even in a loss, both you and your mentee can discuss what occurred and learn from it going forward. What you would have gained is a wiser and more determined mentee. If our pride prevents us from mentoring the younger generation, handing over the keys of responsibilities, and delegating with empowerment, then we will suffer as well as everyone around us. Unlike Goliath, we don’t have to allow the course of the battle to be dictated by what happens to us. Empowering others may free us up and allow for the work to grow in leaps and bounds.
The story of Goliath should serve as a warning to us as leaders. There are mistakes Goliath made on the battlefield that altered the course of his nation’s history. Mistakes that are still being made today by leaders nevertheless mistakes that can be avoided. If you are a ministry leader reading this article, pause and understand the dynamics at play in your life and the battles that have been raging inside and in your ministry context for a while now. Don’t be a loner, get the help that you need. Be courageous and try new ways to equip yourself for a changing landscape. Continue to empower others, especially the younger generation. What you eventually accomplish in these four areas may transform your ministry context and build a lasting legacy of distinguished leaders.
Dr. Shaun Brooks serves as Disabilities Ministries Coordinator for the Georgia-Cumberland Conference.
