Church ministry rises and falls on the availability and readiness of the next batch of leaders. In Jesus' three years of ministry, much of His time was given to identifying and training those who would be His next leaders.

The biggest shortage that the church today faces is not a lack of money, ideas or attendees, but a lack of leaders. After seeing the overwhelming work of a harassed and helpless crowd, Jesus told His followers in Matthew 9:38 to "pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."

Jesus wasn't looking for more funding, and He certainly wasn't looking for more church attendees. He was looking for more workers - more leaders - to work on the harvest. Question many church leaders ask today is "who is going to bring in the next batch of leaders?"

1 Samuel 3 tells us the story of a young Samuel who heard the call and the voice of God at an early age. In 1 Samuel 3:8,9, it says:

"And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. ^Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, 'Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place."

Identifying and developing leaders looks pretty much the same today as it did in the time of Samuel and Eli. The first thing we must realise that it was God who called Samuel. It was God's voice that Samuel heard and it was God's voice that instructed him to do what he had to do. The second thing we find is that Samuel had an Eli who affirmed and confirmed that it was God who was calling the young boy Samuel.

1 Samuel 3:8 tells us that Eli "perceived that the Lord was calling the boy." As the current leaders, we are also to perceive the call of God upon the next batch of leaders. Who has God anointed with spiritual gifts and who has the ready character to become the next preachers, evangelists, worship leaders, administrators and ministry coordinators of your church?

Leadership was not meant to be a mantle or a trophy to be stored forever by one person, but to be a baton that would be passed on to the next person who would run the distances that we can only dream of. Jesus calls the next batch of leaders just as He called the disciples, Paul and every spiritual leader there is and we as the current leaders must be ready to hear God's call and usher the next generation into God's calling for their lives.