Who did Jesus hire?

First question – those 12 men, disciples, apostles: did Jesus select them as people to disciple or leaders to train? In other words, is what Jesus did with them over those 36-40 months his model for discipleship or leadership training?

It matters because we sometimes claim methods based on what we read from his life. My quick answer – certainly he ‘discipled’ them, but I think it was primarily a leadership-training model. Why? He was preparing them for a specific mission, different from what he designed for others who followed him. He used different teaching methods with other followers. We don’t see the 12 gathering their band of 12 after the resurrection. Ok, that’s an argument from silence, but you get my drift. Point is, certainly the principles of what he did are universal in lifestyle-discipleship, but not the methods. Interesting discussion, huh?

Well, anyway, he selected these 12 for special training, to be his “staff” of leaders to carry out the mission. WHO did he select? Some thoughts…

If you were starting a ministry, and looking for the best group of candidates to carry out your mission of kingdom building and world evangelization, who would you go after in first century A.D. Palestine? The Zealots were too radical, they wanted the kingdom by force. Maybe the Essenes – they were holy, devout, people of the Torah – but they cocooned themselves – can’t spread the good news that way! Maybe the Sadducees – they were well connected with the ruling powers, they had assimilated well into Roman and Jewish society. Probably the Pharisees – they were also devout, holy observers of the Torah, and they had great influence with the people. Probably the Levites or priests from Jerusalem – they were the stewards and leaders of the organized religion. I think I would have gone after the last two groups, maybe found a few renegades or dreamers in their ranks.

Not Jesus, right? He goes after common guys in a common region – Galillee. Had these men not been able to advance in the synagogue schools? Had they truly washed out of Bet Midrash, not been good enough to be picked up by a local rabbi? We don’t know. We do know they were already in their careers. And what a collection - country bumpkin Galileans (all but one), fishermen, one set of best buddies, two sets of brothers, four business partners, a right-wing zealot, a Roman sympathizer tax collector, pessimists, tempers, boasters, loud mouths, prejudice bigots, cynics. Jesus had his work cut-out for him!

So why these guys?

They were in touch with everyday people, the culture of the middle class – and that’s where Jesus would focus a lot of his kingdom building. Not that the wealthy wouldn’t be invited in, but we remember the challenges they faced.

They had not been infected by the mediocrity of the organized religion from the metropolitan areas in the south. Burned, perhaps, but not assimilated. They had a more “raw” approach to God.

They didn’t have leadership baggage to unpack, no ‘unlearning’ to run in the discipline of leading.

The ‘take-away’ for me as I hire new staff? Don’t always look at the most ‘qualified’ resume. Look at people that can culturally connect with our community and flock. Look for potential and variety. Can you think of others?

I’m not Jesus, but I’d like to learn from his selection of people for the mission.