10 Practices Of Highly Successful Leaders Who Invest In Students And Twenty-Somethings

Every intuitive leader understands the importance of investing in the next generation of students and twenty-somethings.  The question we all must deal with is what is the best way to go about this?  The Bible gives us great insights and offers King David as a model for an ideal way for serving the next crop of leaders.

In chapters 28 and 29 of I Chronicles an aging King David transitions the leadership of the Jewish people from himself to his son Solomon.  In doing so, he gives us 10 Practices Of Highly Successful Leaders Who Invest In Students And Twenty-Somethings.

1. Tell Them Stories Of Your Great God – Seasoned leaders should constantly remind students and twenty-somethings of what God did in their lives at that age.  Tell the stories of His faithfulness and sustaining power during those formative years.  Share with them how your faith grew as you came through trial after trial.  David began by pointing Solomon to God in v. 28:9 when he said, “As for you my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of your thoughts.”
2. Encourage Them – Tell young leaders the incredible potential you see in their lives and how much Jesus will use them for people’s good and His glory.  In v. 28:10, King David said, “Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary, be strong, and do it.”  He reaffirms this to his son in v. 20 saying, “Be strong and of good courage, and do it, do not fear or be dismayed, for Lord God – my God – will be with you.”
3. Give Them Your Expertise – Great leaders generously share their wisdom and experience.  In v. 28:11 history records, “Then David gave his son Solomon the plans…and the plans for all that he had by the Spirit.”
4. Help Fund Their Dreams – Seasoned leaders simply have more money and resources than most young leaders and students.  We may not have a lot but we have more than they do.  There is no better investment we can make than in the appreciable asset of students and twenty-somethings.  David modeled this in v. 28:14-18 “He gave gold by the weight of gold…”.
5. Use Your Platform To Bring People Together – The best leaders are bridge builders.  They are constantly bringing people together.  To effectively invest in students and twenty-somethings, seasoned leaders should introduce them to their fellow seasoned friends.  In v. 29:1, the Bible tells us, “King David said to all the assembly”
6. Reaffirm Them Publicly – Students and twenty-somethings need public support from older leaders.  We need to give them platforms and publicly shine the spotlight on them saying, “Look at what God is doing over there.”  In v. 29:1, David proudly said, “My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen”
7. Remind Them Their Is Work Left To Do – It cannot all be rah-rah.  Leaders evaluate reality and coach young leaders accordingly.  David reminded Solomon in v. 29:1 “The work is great”.
8. Tell Them It Is All About Jesus – Students and twenty-somethings are long on passion and short on perspective simply because of a lack of life experience.  Therefore, seasoned leaders should always be pointing them back towards Jesus.  Inv. 29:1, David provides Solomon perspective with the reminder, “The temple is not for man but for the Lord God.”
9. Reassure Them God’s Work Is Doable – King David did a wonderful job of telling Solomon the construction was already underway.  In v. 29:2 he said, “Now for the house of my God I have prepared with all my might”
10. Call Others To Commitment – Leaders have a bias towards action.  King David’s task would not have been complete without leveraging his influence to call the entire nation to follow Solomon’s leadership and invest in their future.  In a crescendo moment, he challenged all the Jewish people in v. 29:5 by saying, “Who then is willing to consecrate himself this day to the Lord?”

And the people responded wholeheartedly.  If you are looking for a biblical model for how best to invest in students and twenty-somethings, look no farther than these 10 principles from the life of David.

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