Pioneering, doing something in a given situation, that has not been done before, is one of the greatest challenges for leaders. The challenge is not only to be living this ourselves but persuading others to do the same. It is by definition one of the things leaders should be doing, and it is at least partly because of this there is always resistance to it.
God has called us to tread unworn paths, to go to places and do things that haven’t been done. This is the nature of Jesus commission for his disciples and, in fact, of the gospel it’s self.
8Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28
Apart from the physical aspects of going to ‘all nations’ there is the personal pioneering into each new life that is in need of Jesus. For the Christian this idea of pushing back the boundaries of that has been done and indeed what can be done is to be familiar ground. It may well not be comfortable, we do seem to be creatures of habit, but we should recognise it as authentic Christianity.
Those first disciples were asked to leave their nets, leave the familiar and expected and safe. Their lives were well and truly messed up, from the point of view of a carriers counselor or a financial advisor. Yet it seems that, that is exactly what God wanted. Should we be surprised if what he continues to want us to do still flies in the face of human wisdom, not that we seek foolishness (which is actually the description of someone living with no reference to God The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” Psalm 14 1 ) but Godly wisdom, that comes from above and will say, from time to time, follow me! and the go somewhere we weren’t expecting.