The phrase “passing the torch” is a commonly used metaphor to depict the act of passing on a charge or responsibility to another individual. The metaphor comes from the ancient Greek torch races where one runner passed a lighted torch to another runner who carried the torch farther.
I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the idea of passing the torch when it comes to the Lord’s work. Over the last five years, a number of God’s choicest servants have passed on. But few of them passed the torch on to a younger soul.
This is a great tragedy. And it’s one of the reasons why the Lord’s highest work has only moved in millimeters (instead of miles).
Last month, I was having lunch with a friend who told me about a dream Myles Munroe had before he passed away. Myles saw an Olympic runner lying in a coffin with his hands clutched to a baton. His fists were holding the baton so tightly that it was no small task to pry it from his hands.
The point of the dream was that many of the Lord’s servants refuse to pass the torch to the younger generation.
When my friend told me this story, he wasn’t aware that this subject had been on my mind all year.
A number of the Lord’s choicest vessels will pass on in the coming days. The question is, will they pass the torch on to another servant of God or will it die in their hands?
Let me make two observations about that question:
Observation 1: Whenever a servant of God refuses to pass the torch, it’s virtually always because of one of three reasons.
* Arrogance. The servant thinks too highly of himself. His inflated view blinds him from recognizing and honoring the Lord’s calling, gifting and operation in others. Especially the person to whom God has called him to hand the torch. So in his eyes, no one is “worthy” enough (which reveals a stunning lack of self-awareness).
* Jealousy. The servant doesn’t wish to share the glory with anyone else. When others demonstrate signs of God’s anointing and favor, instead of cheering them on, they turn green.
* Ignorance. The idea of passing on the knowledge, experience, and charge of their ministries to someone younger never crosses their minds. So it all dies with the older servant of God.
By contrast, servants of God who have leveled their egos at the cross – including the jealousy and arrogance that goes with it – are eager to pass the torch on.
Observation 2: A servant of God who is unwilling to pass the torch will often have it taken from them because the person whom God destined to carry it will end up seizing it.
While God’s highest and best is for the older to willingly pass the torch on to the younger, the call of God will sometimes compel the younger to grasp the torch nonetheless. Even though this isn’t the ideal (and contains its own drawbacks), it’s far better for the advance of the kingdom than allowing the torch to disappear in the grave.
I, therefore, wish to issue an indelible challenge to every servant of God, both young and old (for the former will become the latter one day).
If God has handed you a torch to bear during your lifetime, make the decision now that you will not allow arrogance, jealousy, or ignorance to keep you from passing it on to someone else. If you die with it in your hands, it only reveals one thing: You never understood that it wasn’t yours to begin with.
And to all younger servants of God – find an older laborer in the Lord’s vineyard whom you respect, who has a unique contribution and God’s favor on their life, and be intentional about reaching out to them directly, so when the time comes for them to pass the torch on, you will be on their radar.
The world is dying to find men and women who are burning. Firebrands who can rain glory down from heaven and preach like a house on fire.
But such rare souls must find mentors who are older, more seasoned, more experienced.
If not, they will eventually flame out. Sometimes in ways they will regret for the rest of their lives.
See also:
5 Reasons Why You Should Have a Mentor
They Way God Raises Up Workers
Organic Church Planting (Apostolic Ministry)
The Insurgence Experience – a mentoring program for preachers and teachers
Rethinking Prophetic Utterances
Hi, Frank. I just wanted to say what a change is happening in me and my family since I finished reading Insurgence about a week ago and am now reading it together with my wife & baby daughter.
We’re moving back to Clearwater FL, this year or the beginning of next year. I’ll be going first. It would be an honor to extend a Just Show Up (JSU) Bible Gathering & Book Club (Insurgence for starters along with the public reading / listening to of the Scriptures). May God’s holy name be hallowed here, there, & everywhere.
Are there any like-minded believers who are on the same page as the Gospel Insurgence as described in sacred Scripture and echoed in the Insurgence book? It would be beyond wonderful to finally be part of a local expression of authentic gospel community fellowship who truly obey the gospel of Jesus (however imperfectly) out of radical, all-in, believing, faithful white-hot love for God & sacrificial love for humanity, especially the sisters & brothers in Christ. We need help walking this straight & constricted way of Jesus. We are lacking community. It’s just us three and Jesus, right now. He’s all we have & all we want no matter what. God help us.
Thank you, tons & tons! Can’t thank you enough!
Happy flourishing in Messiah Jesus on you and yours!
– Jon
Hi Jonathan. The best way to connect with other Insurgents is to register to The Deeper Christian Life Network – join the wait list at http://thedeeperchristianlife.com
It seems to me that THE CROSS is almost a panacea to spiritual sicknesses and diseases. The more I keep quiet and listen to impactful words of Truth, the more I hear about THE CROSS and here it comes again with “Passing theTorch”.
Until I started reading this blog and listening to your podcasts on mentorship, I really did not know much about the significance of having a mentor. But I got convinced from your post “A tale of two mentors…” that while mentors are needed, all mentors are not the same.
This posts goes to the end of a mentor’s work and shows that the way of the end is very significant. I am thankful for this insight and pray that firstly, the task of being a good mentee should be accomplished and the Lord willing, someday, there may be a torch to pass.
Much love dear Sir.
I agree with your assessment, and add one more classification. Paul talks a little about this in 1 Corinthians chapter three when addressing the situation between him and Apollos. “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.”
Some servants of God plow, some plant, some water, and some collect the harvest. The one who plows may be older, or maybe not. Each may work side by side with the other, but if one refuses to stop plowing so that planting can take place then the work comes to a halt.
It’s not just an old/young thing. There are people who see a need and suggest new (or more properly renewed) thinking or a renewed approach to the work, which is good. But then they promote their own ministry and refuse to recognize or share glory with the person coming along beside or behind them with something to add, or perhaps even improve upon the plowing. Each individual builds their own little kingdom as if the acreage he or she was working wasn’t connected with many others, or as if their thinking were original and they had a patent on it.
It’s interesting to note in the Bible that God doesn’t reveal all of His plans or thinking to one person. There is a gradual revelation over time, with many individuals doing their part to contribute to the whole. Yet in modern times many workers isolate their work as if it isn’t part of a whole field. I like how you have opened up your blog to other authors (although getting to them from the home page is impossible) and shared some space. That’s a better approach than to build a mega-church with only you in charge. More of that type of thing should be happening, but doesn’t I think also for the reasons you list.
Shalom
Bruce
I addressed that other aspect you mentioned in “Why Christian Leaders Don’t Work Together” – https://www.frankviola.org/2017/10/04/coworking/
So far, that article hasn’t moved the needle, which I suspect means that the people who can do something about the problem haven’t been given the article to read. Either that, or I’m an incoherent writer – which just may be the case.
Frank: I longed for a mentor relationship with my Dad. Didn’t happen. I tried to fill that role with my children. I have always had a desire to share my successes and failures with those younger than me to add meaning to my own life. Are there certain environments you have discovered others successful in establishing such relationships, or does it best just happen in daily relationships one has? I have experienced younger people not necessarily actively pursuing mentoring relationships. But, I never found a mentor and maybe that is on me!
It begins by making direct contact with the person whom you desire to learn from. Telling them about yourself first (including why they would want to invest their time in you) and then simply asking them.
Very few people in ministry today do this. Pride is the number one reason. Mentors exist, but they don’t just appear in your life. A young person must be intentional in pursuing them. And by the way, I’m not talking about sitting under a seminary professor. That goes on all the time, but as I’ve discussed elsewhere, it doesn’t align with the New Testament concept of mentorship/training.