WEEKEND RECHARGE!

March 14, 2026

Monday, March 9—Exodus 12:31-13:22 Moses Leaving
Tuesday, March 10—Exodus 14-15 Moses Crossing
Wednesday, March 11—Exodus 15:22-17:7 Moses Manna
Thursday, March 12—Exodus 17:8-16 Moses Amalekites
Friday, March 13—Exodus 18 Moses Jethro

Following today's overview, I included a chapter from a workbook titled E412: Developing a Leadership Culture. I developed this teaching for church leaders, but I believe it also applies to leaders in all professions. Recently, I had the opportunity to teach parts of the study to a group of medical doctors.

OVERVIEW OF THIS WEEK'S TEACHING

EXODUS 12:31-13:22: MOSES' STORY: MOVING OUT

God Leads Us Out — Decisive Deliverance (Ex. 12:31-36)

• Pharaoh releases Israel.
• The people depart with silver, gold, clothing, and Joseph's bones.
• Deliverance was complete and decisive.

God Leads Us Wisely — A Prepared Route (Ex. 13:17-18)

• God does not take Israel on the shortest route (the Way of the Sea).
• God guides Israel into the wilderness because they were not prepared for war.

God Leads Us Personally — Constant Presence (Ex. 13:19-22)

• The pillar of cloud by day and fire by night never left.
• God's presence was constant, visible, and guiding.
• God himself was the true Leader; Moses was the servant.

EXODUS 14-15 MOSES' STORY: THE CROSSING

God Leads with Purpose—Even When the Path Is Longer (Ex. 14:1-9)

• God's route is intentional.
• God prepares his people to see his deliverance.
• God uses impossible situations to showcase his glory.

Faith Stands Firm When Fear Brings Panic (Ex. 14:10-14)

• Fear focuses on circumstances; faith focuses on God.
• God calls us to stillness before he calls us to action.
• Trust often means moving forward before the path is visible.

Deliverance Leads to Worship and Deeper Trust (Ex. 14:15-15:13)

• God's salvation produces reverent faith.
• Victory should turn into praise.
• God's past faithfulness fuels future confidence.

EXODUS 15:22-17:7: MOSES' STORY: BREAD OF LIFE

God Tests to Reveal and Refine Our Trust (Ex. 15:22-27)

• Testing exposes the heart.
• Testing invites obedience.
• Testing is followed by grace.

God Provides Daily What We Need—Not Always What We Want (Ex. 16-17)

• Manna was supernatural.
• Manna was daily.
• Manna was sufficient and constant.

God's Temporary Provision Points to His Eternal Provision in Christ (John 6:32-51)

• Manna came from heaven—but Jesus is the true Bread from heaven.
• Manna sustained physical life—but Jesus gives eternal life.
• Manna left them hungry again—but Jesus satisfies forever.

EXODUS 17:8-16 MOSES' STORY: RALLY 'ROUND THE BANNER

The Battle Is Real—But the Victory Belongs to the Lord (Ex. 17:9-11)

• The raised staff symbolized God's authority and power over the battlefield.
• Victory flowed from dependence on God, not military strength.
• "The LORD Is My Banner," declared that God alone secures lasting triumph.

God's Servants Must Be Faithful and Steady (Ex. 17:12)

• Faithfulness often means perseverance when physically and spiritually exhausted.
• Steadiness in private prayer impacts public victory.
• God honors consistent obedience over dramatic moments.

No One Wins Alone—We Need Others to Hold Up Our Arms (Ex. 17:12-13)

• Isolation weakens us; community strengthens us.
• Spiritual battles are fought both on the hill (prayer) and in the valley (action).
• We must both receive support and offer support in the body of Christ.

EXODUS 18: MOSES' STORY: SHARING THE BURDEN

God Never Intended Leaders to Lead Alone (Ex. 18:17-18)

• Isolation leads to exhaustion.
• Lone leadership limits effectiveness.
• God's design is shared strength, not solitary strain.

Wise Leaders Receive Godly Counsel (Ex. 18:19-23)

• Humility is strength, not weakness.
• God often speaks through others.
• Uncorrected leaders become dangerous leaders.

Delegation Is a Spiritual Responsibility (Ex. 18:21-23)

• Leaders must focus on what only they can do.
• Delegation develops others.
• Shared leadership produces peace and endurance.

E412: DEVELOPING A LEADERSHIP CULTURE

CHAPTER 10

Delegation: Providing Meaningful Service

The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it. [1]

-Theodore Roosevelt

Delegation is one of the leader's most important activities. It is not about passing unwanted chores to people who "have" to do them because of their position in the organization. Neither does it involve getting volunteers to do "busy work."

Delegation takes place when leaders empower the right person to accomplish a significant task with the appropriate direction, support, and accountability.

The act and art of delegation occurs throughout Scripture, but the biblical "classic" is found in the second book of the Bible. In Exodus, Moses served as the sole judge in the land with a backlog of cases. The people awaiting a verdict "stood around Moses from morning till evening" (18:13). Finally, Moses' father-in-law, Jethro, intervened with a plan:

The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening. When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, "What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?" And Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God; when they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make them know the statutes of God and his laws." Moses' father-in-law said to him, "What you are doing is not good. You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to do it alone. Now obey my voice; I will give you advice, and God be with you! You shall represent the people before God and bring their cases to God, and you shall warn them about the statutes and the laws, and make them know the way in which they must walk and what they must do. Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace."

So Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people, chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And they judged the people at all times. Any hard case they brought to Moses, but any small matter they decided themselves. Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went away to his own country. [2]

-Exodus 18:13-27

EXODUS 18: INSIGHTS FOR DELEGATION

1. It took another person to help Moses see his need.

   Moses was in one of those "can't see the forest for the trees" times of life. It took his father-in-law to point out the fact that Moses was hurting himself and the people by trying to be a one-man band. Jethro asked Moses a penetrating question, "Why do you sit alone…?" Thankfully, Moses listened to wise counsel.

   Do you have people around you who speak the truth? Do you listen to people who do? Sometimes a person's position or personality makes it hard for others to say what needs to be said. And sometimes, it makes it hard for them to listen to others.

2. Ministry is "too heavy" for one person to do.

   The ministry tasks that each of us must accomplish are varied. They range from pastoral to process; from teaching to technology. There is no way that one person can effectively carry out the demands of ministry. On our own, our ministry will be second-rate, and we will wear ourselves out.

   When we don't invite others into the process of meaningful ministry, we do more than wear ourselves out. Jethro said, "You and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out…" Those around us are impacted by an unhealthy leadership style.

3. Determine your "Must Do's".

   Every leader has "Must Do's," "Can Do's," and "Can't Do's." Determining our "must do's" is a critical discovery. Like Moses, you may need some help determining what you cannot give up. Moses could not delegate the responsibility of being the people's representative before God and teaching them the decrees and law (18:19-20). No one else could function in those two roles. Unfortunately for Moses, the strain of being the people's judge (his "Can Do") took away from his "Must Do" responsibilities. Serving as a judge was very important, but it was a secondary task for Moses.

4. Find the "right" people.

   Moses had to find capable men that met appropriate standards for carrying out the duties of a judge. They were to be "men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain" (18:21). The art of delegation is finding the right people to carry out the task.

   Over the years, I have caused myself and others much trouble by delegating important tasks to the wrong person. Instead of lightening the load, this leadership mistake makes life miserable. Here are some things to always keep in mind when looking for the right people.

   • Spiritual Gifts. Does a person have the right gift mix for the ministry opportunity?
   • Experience. Never give people tasks they cannot do or tasks you are unsure they can do. Make certain individuals have proven faithful in "entry level" ministries. Then you can consider opportunities that are more significant.
   • Maturity. A person may have the gifts and ability but not the maturity. It will be tempting to go ahead and assign the task to the person. This decision, however, will come back to haunt you.
   • Commitment. Gifts, abilities, and experience without commitment will result in a job poorly done…if done at all.
     
     

5. Give appropriate authority and direction.

   Moses appointed these capable men as "officials," giving them the authority to carry out their job. Nothing is more frustrating than having a job to do but no authority to get it done. Moses explained to them the scope of their responsibilities. They were to serve as "judges for the people at all times." And while not explicitly stated in the text, we can be sure that Moses trained these men for the challenging work of being a judge.

6. Give appropriate support.

   The newly selected judges were to be empowered with the authority and trusted to try the simple cases. But Moses did not abdicate the responsibility. The new judges were to bring the difficult cases to him. Again, one can only assume that, with additional experience, these capable men handled more cases independently.

7. Refusal to delegate causes us and others to suffer.

   The people coming to Moses needed a decision. Certainly, they did not enjoy standing from morning till evening and then being told, "Come back tomorrow." When we refuse to delegate, everyone suffers. However, when delegation takes place, "you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace" (18:23).

BENEFITS OF DELEGATION

As always, the lessons we learn from Scripture are very practical. Delegation provides many benefits for the body of Christ.

• Delegation allows us to accomplish our mission.
• Delegation provides people with an opportunity to use their gifts.
• Delegation provides an opportunity for spiritual growth.
• Delegation provides an opportunity to develop skills.
• Delegation produces teamness throughout the ministry.
• Delegation expands the impact of ministry.
• Delegation expands ownership in a ministry.
• Delegation shows respect and trust.

BARRIERS TO DELEGATION

Understanding that no one person has all the gifts needed for effective ministry, why do some people still refuse to delegate?

• An unhealthy desire for control. The need to have your fingerprint on everything in your ministry is one of the main barriers to delegation. The fear of losing authority is a problem that harms leaders and ministries.
  
  
• Perfectionism. Perfectionists will hinder the development of all who serve with them. If you cannot allow anything to take place, other than your "level of perfection," you will be the only one involved in the task. One writer well says, "[Being a perfectionist] will make you a very small leader and your leadership a very small thing." [3]
  
  
• An unhealthy need for success. Some leaders refuse to delegate because they are afraid of work being done poorly. Others are afraid to delegate because they are afraid of someone doing a better job than them. Can you allow others to be more successful than you? A good leader will have many successful partners in ministry.
  
  
• Personal insecurity. Insecure leaders refuse to surround themselves with people more gifted and experienced than they are. They must be the most authoritative voice in the room on all subjects. Insecurity hamstrings our ability to develop spiritually and live out our mission.
  
  
• An inability to trust others. If you cannot trust others, you will constantly be taking back what you have "delegated" to them. This will cause frustration and discouragement. In most cases, your inability to trust will cause others to quit working with you.
  
  
• An unwillingness to invest in others. Delegation requires present investment in order to enjoy future return. Many find it easier to "do it myself." It may be easier at first, but over the long haul, an unwillingness to invest in others produces a small leader with a small ministry.

THE PROCESS OF DELEGATION

In their book, Leaders: The Strategies of Taking Charge, Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus explain this important principle as "empowerment." They write:

[Leaders] empower others to translate intention into reality and sustain it. This does not mean that leaders must relinquish power, or that followers must continually challenge authority. It does mean that power must become a unit of exchange—an active, changing token in creative, productive, and communicative transactions. Effective leaders will ultimately reap the human harvest of their efforts by the simple action of power's reciprocal: empowerment.

The essential thing in organizational leadership is that the leader's style pulls rather than pushes people on. A pull-style of influence works by attracting and energizing people to an exciting vision of the future. It motivates by identification, rather than through rewards and punishments. [4]

For people to "translate intention into reality and sustain it," they must fully understand the job you are asking them to do and the parameters in which to work. Therefore, be sure to follow these important steps:

• Explain the vision. Paint the big picture. Explain how the job you are asking is bigger than them. There are many mundane aspects in every task. But people are energized when they know they are involved in "an exciting vision of the future."
  
  
• Define the task. Why does it need to be done? What exactly are you asking the person to do? How does it fit into the big picture? Failure to define the task results in an incomplete job or a person taking on much more than you intended.
  
  
• Explain the goal. What should the outcome look like? How long should it take to get it done?
  
  
• Establish the standards of measurement. How will progress be measured? How will you hold those pursuing the task accountable?
  
  
• Set a time frame. If you are delegating a project, work with the person to establish a timeline and completion date. If you are delegating ministry, give a start and stop date.
  
  
• Establish "check-in" dates. Set a time to meet to assess progress and offer support.

DETERMINING WHAT YOU NEED TO DELEGATE

MUST DO'S: What are the things that you must do? Due to your gifts, position, and ministry responsibilities, list the things no one else can do.

CAN DO'S: What are the things in your area of ministry that you can do reasonably well? What are the things you really enjoy doing? What "Can Do's" interfere with your "Must Do's"?

CAN'T DO'S: What are the needed tasks in your ministry area that you do not have the skills/time to get done?

DELEGATION WORKSHEET

1. Service to be delegated:
   
   
2. Why must I delegate this service?
   
   
3. Why is this service worthy of a person's time?
   
   
4. How does this service fit into the big picture of my ministry?
   
   
5. How does this service further our mission?
   
   
6. How will I communicate the vision for this service?
   
   
7. What kind/type of person can best accomplish this service?
   
   
8. What gift-mix am I looking for?
   
   
9. What personality type/wiring is needed?
   
   
10. What is my plan to find the right person?
    
    
11. How will I engage in the delegation process with this person?

[1] John C. Maxwell, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership (HarperCollins Leadership, 1998), 152.

[2] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ex 18:13–27). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

[3] William Lawrence. D.Min class notes from The Ministry Leader.

[4] Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus. Leaders: The Strategies For Taking Charge (Harper and Row: New York, 1985) 80.