A godly leader must make great sacrifices to begin a new work. Starting a family comes at a great expense. Starting a business comes at a great expense and starting a church or ministry will only come at a great expense to the leader.
Nehemiah led the Jewish people to rebuild the broken walls around Jerusalem. He secured financing and time off (12 years) from King Artaxerxes to lead the people to reverse the desecration they were experiencing since their return from the exile. After fighting the initial opposition by outsiders, Nehemiah addressed the oppression by insiders. God's people at that time experienced financial hardship due to high taxation and famine. Furthermore, the unrighteous rich were taking advantage of the righteous poor by charging high interest rates on loans and then taking their fields, vineyards, houses and even children as slaves when they defaulted on their debts. Even Nehemiah had succumbed to the temptation to increase his own wealth through unjust means.
Nehemiah repented of his own sin and made restitution while also compelling everyone else to do the same.
A leader's motive is continually questioned. Nehemiah put the mission above his personal interest. His humility was exhibited by not taking the customary governor's allowance for his ministry and staff (Neh. 5:14-16). Nehemiah worked for free, paid his own expenses and even paid for the staff out of his own resources. He fed over 150 people each day at his own expense to alleviate the financial burden of the Jewish people. He did this because he loved God and he feared His upright hand.
When we started Mars Hill Church 11 years ago we started in my living room and weren't much bigger than a Mormon family. In those early days we attracted punk rockers, indie rockers, anarchists and homeless kids in the University District. Organizing this group to get on mission was a challenge. If we made a chart of systems and procedures, they burned it. Sometimes we got cigarettes in the offering basket. I guess they were tithing their only earthly possession. We had Marlboros but no money. For the first three years I received no salary from the church. My wife worked a job before we had kids to help out financially. She finally quit her job to alleviate her stress-induced health problems. I'm sure being married to me is stressful enough without added pressures of employment. We were poor. We couldn't get a loan to buy the house we were renting. The banks laughed at my income-out loud! When I showed them my income they said, "No we want your annual income, not your monthly income." Our cars had a combined 450,000 miles on them-enough miles to drive to Jesus round trip. I remember one offering where we received $137 in the offering plate. You might think that is pretty good. That's not enough money hire a high school kid to answer the phone, much less start a movement of God!
Last weekend I was asked by Lief Moi, an elder and good friend at Mars Hill Church who helped start the church with me, if I would perform the wedding of his daughter. He wanted me to do it because Lief was afraid he would cry. I agreed because Lief is a bit of a crier and I am a man and I don't cry. Lief's kids were the first kids to come to Mars Hill eleven years ago. I watched Tara grow up. I babysat her and she remained pure and chaste. She called me "Uncle Mark" and always gave me a kiss on the cheek when I saw her. At the wedding ceremony she whispered to me, "Thanks, Uncle Mark." And I cried all the way through-like I just won Miss America. It wasn't just a few tears; it made my voice sound like I was channeling a junior high girl by hitting high notes sporadically. I have amended the policy that men don't cry to read, "Men don't cry-unless they have a good reason." If you get a bad e-mail or hit your thumb with a hammer, you still can't cry-that's not a good reason.
Tarah married a guy who got saved at Mars Hill. They made a covenant to keep their hands to themselves before marriage and their lives are being continually transformed by Jesus. When I asked Tarah (the precious daughter of one of our elders) if she would take this man (who is now a redeemed follower of Jesus) to be her husband, I thought about all of the years of personal sacrifice and hardship to start Mars Hill and how Tarah was the first of many young girls who would be like her saved, baptized and raised in Mars Hill and who is now getting married. I said to myself, "This is why we started Mars Hill." And then I cried again.
No movement of God will be born without the leadership experiencing labor pains.
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