Leadership is often likened to a relay race, where each runner carries a baton and passes it to the next with precision and purpose. In the biblical narrative, we witness a similar pattern of succession – the passing of the mantle from one leader to another, ensuring a seamless continuation of God’s plan.
Moses, the trailblazing liberator, forged the path for the Israelites’ journey out of Egypt. However, as they neared the Promised Land, Moses realized that he would not be the one to lead them across the final stretch. Like a runner nearing the end of their leg, he prepared to hand off the baton to Joshua, his appointed successor, knowing that Joshua possessed the necessary skills and vision to complete the race. This succession concept is echoed when Elijah passed his mantle to Elisha, recognizing leadership as a relay race where each runner runs their leg with passion and purpose, building upon the foundation laid by their predecessor.
Welcome to today’s episode of the Leveraging Success podcast! I’m Jeff Gerhardt, and today I am thrilled to be joined by Bob Shank. Bob is the Founder of The Master’s Program, mentoring Christian leaders. With a 40-year career in entrepreneurship, pastoral roles, and nonprofit leadership, he now serves on church and parachurch ministries governing boards.
In this episode, Bob and I discuss the critical role of succession in leadership, drawing from biblical principles and their experiences with the Master’s Program. We emphasize the need to pass on the mantle to the next generation, ensuring the continuity and acceleration of the work started by previous leaders. We explore the program’s impact on global evangelism, particularly through initiatives like the Jesus Film Project and the Finishing Fund, which aim to reach unengaged and unreached people groups. Bob expresses optimism about the near completion of the Great Commission. The conversation highlights the importance of mentorship, legacy, and active participation in fulfilling the gospel’s spread worldwide.
In This Episode
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[00:00:47] – Introduction to Bob Shank
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[00:01:20] – Importance of succession in leadership
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[00:03:03] – Generational perspective on succession
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[00:07:16] – Biblical model for passing on leadership
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[00:12:06] – Bob’s story of founding The Master’s Program
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[00:16:56] – Bob on building, supporting, and growing leaders for successful succession
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[00:22:36] – Bob’s passion for the Great Commission
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[00:27:13] – Arranging life for gospel work
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[00:27:30] – The Jesus Film Project and the Finishing Fund
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[00:28:49] – Global Evangelism and Future Projections
Notable Quotes
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[00:01:21] “For succession to work, it takes a strong amount of conversation, leadership, and someone with a vision with which to bring someone else along.” – Jeff
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[00:17:36] “Relationships founded on a common faith and given to the pursuit of similar objectives and missions and movements brings people together in a profound way.” – Bob
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[00:19:37] “The willingness to say ‘someone else can do this better than me’ is an act of leadership that marks the best players. The men and women that will be remembered the longest are the ones that let it go the easiest.” – Bob
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[00:23:06] “Calling is about me finding my best contribution to the primary business of heaven on Earth. And the primary business of heaven on Earth is to complete the work that Jesus came to start.” -Bob
Resources & Links
Jeff Gerhardt
Bob Shank
Resources
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e-course – LifeMastery with Jeff Gerhardt: https://priorityliving.org/lifemastery/
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Webinar – Discover how to maximize your leadership potential: https://priorityliving.org/briefings/webinar/
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Leveraging Success Podcast- https://www.leveragingsuccesspodcast.com/
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The Master’s Program – Priority Living: https://priorityliving.org/tmp/
