Leadership Continuity - Monthly Message from the Major - May 2007

By Roger Farr

One of my favorite passages in Scripture is Deuteronomy 31 where Moses is about to die and calls forth Joshua, in the sight of all Israel, and commissions him as the new leader. This is a momentous occasion in Israel with the passing of one leader and the commissioning of another; and it is still a momentous occasion today when leadership changes hands in an organization or family.

Organizations, and the people of whom they are comprised, need to have stability and clear vision in leadership, in order not to lose momentum or to always focus on the tasks at hand. Moses did a good job of this in training up Joshua for over forty years before he was ready to take on the mantle of leadership. Elijah did the same with Elisha and prepared him to be a leading prophet in Israel, running the school for prophets after Elijah departed. The continuity of leadership is critical in any organization. The consequences of not having a succession plan are disastrous.

Now think for just a minute. Whom did Joshua train up to be leader of Israel after him? If no one particular comes to mind, that’s all right. Joshua, as near as I can tell, did not train up his successor. Therefore, we see the nation of Israel plunge in the “everyone did what was right in his own eyes” syndrome and the nation lost its position and prominence on the world stage. They lost their ability to influence the nations around them by showing the faithfulness of the one true God of all the earth. A sad conclusion to a great start for this nation.

What does this have to do with you and me as fathers? Well, first we must make sure we are training our sons well so they are prepared to take on the leadership of our family name as they go out and start their own families. Secondly, our sons must be prepared to stand against the schemes of the devil, their adversary, as the ALERT Cadet motto suggests in training them to be “Strong to Overcome.” Lastly, they must begin to see cause and effect sequences as they make wise and unwise decisions, starting very early in life. They must also learn responsibility and the keeping of commitments, even when it negatively impacts them.

I think a lot about leadership continuity in the ALERT Cadet organization. If you are a unit or squad leader, serving as a first or second lieutenant, then you should be thinking of whom your replacement will be should God move you on. Without a smooth transition in leadership your unit or squad will probably not survive and those who have joined you will be scattered and disillusioned. For the seven men who serve as Captains and regional coordinators, one of their jobs is to assist you in raising up the next generation of leaders. I must also be constantly thinking of who will replace the existing Captains when they step down, either as a result of work and family pressures, or when their sons are all grown and they no longer participate in the ALERT Cadet organization.

Lastly, I think about my replacement. My desire is to see the ALERT Cadet organization continue long after I am gone, whether God calls me home tomorrow, or whether it is time for me to step down. This decision on a new leader, when the time comes, will have far reaching implications for ALERT Cadets. No, I am not planning on stepping down any time soon, I just want to be ready should God call me home sooner than I am prepared for!

Leadership continuity is critical to the health of any organization. Without this continuity an organization will experience a significant loss of momentum even to the point of loss of vision and even the death of the organization. Begin planning now for who will take up your mantle and ministry. It may be that God calls you home sooner than you had planned!

In Christ,

Maj. Roger D. Farr

ALERT Cadet Commanding Officer and Program Director