Read (Acts 9:10-19 ESV)
Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus.
Like most of the early church leaders, Ananias was an effectual missional leader:
1) He was a disciple. Disciples listen for what God is saying and then have a readiness to act on the Holy Spirit’s direction. “Here I am, Lord,” expresses a readiness to go and serve!
2) He was a missional leader. Missional leaders understand that mission (to be “sent”) is part of their DNA as a Christ-follower (John 20:21). Missional is not an optional, deluxe version of Christianity; it comes with the standard version! To be missional means we see the everyday routine of our lives as a context of being sent by God to impact our world and network of relationships with the gospel. Missional leaders are always asking: Who is God sending me to? “The Lord said to him, ‘GO, for he [Saul] is a chosen instrument [a next generation leader worthy of investing in].”
3) He was faithful and obedient. You can’t blame Ananias for being a little skeptical, but a missional leader is always willing to step out of his comfort zone for the mission. He/she may have fears and inhibitions, but what separates them from the complacent, lukewarm, and mediocre, is that they rise above their cultural fears and human inhibitions. They do what God leads them to do despite their discomfort.
We know the rest of the story. History is made as Saul becomes Paul, the great missionary to the Gentiles [marginalized and outcast of the Jewish elite]. You never know who your obedience is going to impact and how the world can be changed because of one simple act of missional obedience; one next generation leader you invested in for God’s Kingdom glory.
Missional leaders shape history (HIS-STORY) with their obedience.