Commissioning, Oversight and accountability
In the New Testament, we see Jesus, the Savior and Lord of Glory in the flesh, as our example. He had not one, but many “sons” in the disciples. First, Christ raised up 12 disciples, giving them power to cast out unclean spirits and heal all manner of sickness and disease (Luke 9:1). He provided oversight in their success, as seen in Luke 9. Furthermore, in Luke 10:1, we see He appointed another 70, sending them two by two before Him to every city and place where He would come. And He commanded the 70 in verse 9 to “heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come night unto you.”
This was Jesus’ other army of ministers that He had relationship with, trained and raised up. He delegated a task to them and when they came back rejoicing that the devils were subject to them through His name. He made them accountable by reminding them that that they should rejoice because their names are written in the book of life versus because they cast out demons. You see, accountability follows the delegation and impartation of a father. Jesus was the spiritual father to both the twelve and the seventy. He birthed, raised up and reproduced eighty-two individuals to take His name and do His works. As Jesus prepared His disciples for the time of transition, He wanted His sons to know they would not be parentless, He told them of the coming Comforter, the Holy Spirit. He was saying, “I am your father, and I will not leave you without a father. I’m praying that you receive another comforter. I will come to you.” He was saying that He would reengage with them in their master-student/teacher-disciple relationship in the form of the Holy Spirit.
We see 4 things at work in this father-sons example:
- Jesus had a relationship with the disciples
- He delegated authority and trained them
- He imparted a servant mentality into the disciples
- He trained them not to compete but to complete each other
