Leadership is complicated by the distinction between serfs and sons; early adopters and dawdlers. We are in a disruptive shift to a Kingdom age and the turmoil is easily seen in cultures around the world. There is a universally high anxiety level over the negative spin on world events.
The flip side of the chaos theory is that God is sponsoring an exciting shift to Kingdom. It’s simply that new wine needs new wineskins to hold it. We are shifting from the church age of service to the Kingdom age of sonship; from waiting for a revival to engineering a Reformation. Early adoption translates to opportunity.
People and leaders are under pressure (good and bad) to adopt to this age. Those we work with are logically going to be in a gradient of willingness to change.
Serfs is the term for followers who don’t want responsibility for their own lives:
#1. They prefer the authority and obedience model and have a theology that demands it.
#2. They are comfortable in an old wineskin and have little yearning for the new.
#3. They can have codependent relationships with directive leaders who have authority over their lives.
Sons is the term for those in touch with their hearts, who are willingly to initiate and try.
#1. They are aware of an intersection between their desires and God’s.
#2. The late adopters consider them reckless, rebels risking the safety of the status quo.
#3. But sons hear the new and see a different future and are willing to be part of it.
Leaders long for the simplicity of having one camp or the other. Try as we might to purify our tribe, it’s always a mix of sons and serfs. We need a leadership style that acknowledges this gradient of maturity or awakening. We are always pleased when we awaken serfs to their sonship, and yet can’t help but grieve when our sons graduate into pursuing their own path. Here’s the contrast between the two leadership styles:
Shepherding Teenagers
#1. We model a lifestyle and engage them in our vision/work to the degree of their willingness.
#2. We watch them closely and assume responsibility for their progress and fruitfulness.
#3. We expect messes and successes on the way to trusting that God wants their dream to come true.
Equipping Sons
#1. We invite them to explore the desires of their heart while hearing Father’s heart.
#2. We’re helping them find the intersection with Father’s plan and their dream.
#3. Under our leadership, they taste the freedom of doing what Father is doing and touching the anointing, authority, and adventure that goes with sonship; stewarding their dream.
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Purpose is Contagious – What is the incentive for people transitioning from serf to son? What’s the incentive for business leaders and pastors helping us cross the divide from serfdom to sonship? Very simple, it’s Kingdom Purpose. God designed each of us with a unique purpose. When we manifest our purpose in our work, it becomes worship. We operate in a different level of authority, anointing, and initiative. We feel like we belong because we’re making a contribution, doing our Eph 2:10 works, co-laboring with our Father. Kingdom purpose is alive, compelling, and moving:
Alive – Current with what Father is saying and doing.
Compelling – Connected to Reformation (Father’s higher cause).
Moving – Mid-course corrections to purpose are normal;
Making the adjustments to keep in step.
What is the incentive for Pharoah’s to release people from pyramids into their purpose? Also simple, it’s the only thing that works! Teenagers trapped in a controlling environment for too long are guaranteed to rebel at some point. God will help them hear “Let my People Go.”  Leaders have two simple jobs that make their business or church viable:
- Have a clear and alive Kingdom Purpose in writing so others can contribute during their teens before they have their own purpose.
Goal – Have a Kingdom purpose and a staff of serfs and sons engaged to make it happen. - Have the 1-on-1 conversations that intentionally disciple people into their purpose whether they build a wing on your business or their own.
Goal – Purpose in any Kingdom business or Church is “graduating sons.” We’re all in the People business.
At the very highest level the reason it’s all worthwhile is that Father is sponsoring a Reformation of nations and He’s doing it through sons who bring heaven to earth in their mountain; in their purpose.
 Kingdom leaders have astounding leverage to offer people an opportunity to enter their purpose. A group of people passionate about a shared purpose is called an ecclesia. It’s not a numbers game, it’s a purpose game. The measure of success in life is: “Are you doing what your Father is doing?” Are you fulfilling your Purpose?
The price tag – I would venture that there is more spiritual warfare and deception over “purpose” than any other Kingdom initiative. People and circumstances will both resist your efforts toward purpose whether it’s landing your own or helping others find their sonship. Our confidence is rooted in faith, hope, and love. But the greatest is our love for God and our brothers. The off-line refreshing and the front-line weaponry for this warfare is in the Courts and Council of Heaven. That’s how sons win battles at a pragmatic level. Faith, hope, and love have a source in heaven; facetime with Father, Son, and the seven spirits of God. That’s where the juice is.
Take the sonship quiz!
We help businesspeople clarify their Kingdom Purpose; as in get it prophetically correct and on paper. We use that month of getting purpose on paper with weekly zooms to get to know one another and to see if additional coaching will help your business take the next step. It’s thrilling for your heart and your business when you can feel the chosen-ness that goes with Kingdom purpose. Others will resonate and join your and Father’s cause. We’re working with Joseph to do the same thing for pastors via Pastors helping Pastors.
- The self-help online version is called the Nail Your Purpose Field Guide ($47)
- If you’re a business owner and want 1-on-1 help crafting your Purpose Profile ($1000)
John Garfield (Book a Zoom Call with John)
PS: this blog was inspired by a Council Session. Sonship-is-Priority-1
Cutting Room Floor
If I described this cosmic transition as a shift from Pisces (fish) to Aquarius (water bearer), you might conclude I study horoscopes! Rest easy; I don’t. But we can recognize Father’s times and seasons, and He created star signs in the sky. A several-decade shift in constellation movements happens about every 2000 years. Aquarius is coming into view, and Pisces is fading. If you want the details, read Eyes Wide Open by Martin Trench. This Kingdom age impacts the way we disciple sons.
