Because of my latest book, My First, Second & Third Attempts at Parenting, Deborah and I have been doing our "Heart of Parenting" seminars more than ever. During the Q&A portion of the seminars, we are often asked questions about adult children.
Our answer is always the same. Using the language of Psalm 127 that refers to children as arrows, we encourage parents of adults to intentionally empty their quivers.
Arrows are made for the target, not for the quiver. Therefore, we tell parents of adults, "take your adult kids out of the safety of the quiver, take your hands off, let go and let them fly toward their God-ordained target."
The same idea applies to leadership development in your church and campus ministry. Just like parents with adult children permanently hiding in the quiver, many pastors have quivers full of potential leaders who rarely get an opportunity to actually lead. These keepers of the quiver boast of having a "deep bench," but no one is actually in the game.
Like all strong leaders, Elisha the prophet attracted scores of potential leaders. They were called his spiritual sons. Like real sons and daughters, Elisha's spiritual sons knew they were not destined to stay in the safety of the quiver forever, so they spoke up.
"Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, 'Look, the place where we are living with you is too small for us'" (2 Kings 6:1).
Of course it was too small. They were called to lead, not to wait forever to be allowed to do something significant. Because real leaders want to lead, and because real leaders think big, it is only matter of time before they tell their leader that the quiver "where we dwell under your charge is too small for us."
At some point, everyone who equips leaders will hear this sentiment from next-generation leaders. What you do next will determine whether you multiply or collect leaders and whether you build a leadership multiplication culture or a one-man-show culture.
Notice Elisha's response. "Go" (2 Kings 6:2).
I am sure Elisha could have responded with a list of character flaws and unfinished leadership tasks. But instead, he allowed them to get out of the quiver and let them fly through the air toward their bulls-eye.
Releasing leaders is risky for them and for us, but if we want a multiplying leadership culture, we must take our hands off and let them go.
If you are a leader today, at some point someone took their hands off and empowered you to fly toward your target. I am sure you were not totally ready, but you were released anyway.
Potential leaders will only become productive leaders if they are empowered, and it is up to us to empower them ... and to let them GO! 
Steve and Deborah Murrell went to the Philippines in 1984 for a one-month summer mission trip that never ended. They are the founding pastors of Victory Manila, one church that meets in 14 locations in metro Manila and has planted churches in 60 Philippine cities and 20 other nations. Currently, Victory has more than 6,000 discipleship groups that meet in coffee shops, offices, dormitories and homes in metro Manila. Steve is co-founder and president of Every Nation Churches and Ministries, a family of churches focused on church planting, campus ministry and world missions.
For the original article, visit stevemurrell.com.
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