How Do You Recognize Future Leaders?

Everywhere I've served, I've prayed for God to send me leaders to build his church. For fourteen years, at least once every month or so, I'd meet someone visiting our church for the first time. We'd introduce ourselves. Then God would speak to me and say, "John, there's one." That was the most humbling thing in life because I didn't do one thing to bring that person in.

After I resigned, I was with about seventy-five church leaders one night for a farewell dinner. I got up and said, "All my life I've prayed for leaders. Let me tell how God answered those prayers with you." Then I went around the room, telling each one about the time I met them, when God revealed, "There's one." By the time I was done, we were all bawling. Someone said, "How could you remember meeting everyone in a church this size?"

I replied, "I don't remember meeting every person. I remember meeting you because you were one of those people I prayed God would lead into my life."

If you ...