I wrote earlier about the bad baton exchange that cost the U.S. men a chance to compete for medals in the 4×100. The application then was teamwork. But there’s another obvious application for the baton: it’s passing leadership on to the next generation. I write often about generational ministry:

And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2.2, NIV)

Paul -> Timothy -> Reliable People -> Others

A superb example of passing the baton, literally and figuratively, occurred in the 2012 London Olympics in which the U.S. Women’s team set a world record in the 4 x 100. If you want to see what a baton pass is supposed to look like, you can see the video here (or click the picture). This picture, capturing the moment just after the baton pass, shows veteran olympian Allyson Felix (right) clapping and shouting encouragement to the runner she’s just passed the baton to. GO! GO! GO!

That’s what’s it’s supposed to look like. I want the people I’ve invested in to be more effective in ministry than I am. I don’t want to just “teach” and have people say what a fine teacher I am. I want them to “go and do likewise.” Jesus did:

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (John 14.12, NIV)