The Handing Over Stage.

One Point of Failure for Most Ministries is the handing over stage.

One of the most delicate stages in ministry is handing over —passing the baton to someone else. Many ministries struggle or even die at this point. The Bible shows us how critical this stage is, from Moses handing over to Joshua (Deuteronomy 31:7-8) to Elijah passing his mantle to Elisha (2 Kings 2:9-15). When done right, the work of God continues and even grows. When done poorly, the ministry suffers or dies.

Here are four ways this stage often goes wrong:

1. Failure to Hand Over.

   Some saints have very sticky hands when it comes to ministry. Even when their season is clearly over, they hold on—sometimes until they die or the ministry itself dies. We must learn to discern the seasons (Ecclesiastes 3:1) and shift with them. Don’t freeze and try to shine in a cold season; let go when God says so. Moses was struggling with this and God used his father in-law to teach him some lessons.

2. Handing Over Only to Your Bloodline.

   This is a trap many fall into. Naturally, we want to hand over only to our children or to those we raised spiritually. But God’s plan is not always tied to our bloodline. Remember Abraham? Before Isaac was born, Abraham told God, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir” (Genesis 15:3). He had a heir, but that heir didn't have his hair 😁🤦. Abraham’s desire for a bloodline heir almost clouded his vision of what God was doing.

   In ministry, God can send you a “David” when you’re expecting to pass the mantle to “Jonathan.” If we are not sensitive, we might cling to who we think is the successor and miss God’s choice—or even end up “dying” in ministry alongside our “Jonathan”.

3. Handing Over Too Late.

   Handing over a ministry is not like passing on ancestral land. You don’t have to wait until you’re old, frail, or grey-haired. Hand over when the Spirit of God prompts you (Acts 13:2). Do it while you can still mentor, visit, and guide—before relationships sour or successors are moved away by God. Many times, we delay so long that we hand over when the opportunity has passed, or the right person is no longer around.

4. Handing Over to Just Anybody.

   This happens when we ignore the seasons, or our chosen successor (our “David, Elisha, Joshua”) is no longer there, and we panic. In desperation, we hand over to whoever is nearby—saved or unsaved, called or not. This often leads to confusion, division, or the eventual collapse of the ministry (compare with 2 Timothy 2:2, where Paul emphasizes entrusting the work to “reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others”).

In my journey through life, I have had the privilege to hand over ministry three times. Each time, I’ve been able to remain alive to watch those ministries not only survive but thrive. Some of them have grown even better than when I led them—and that gives me great joy.

In some cases, I had actually become a stumbling block. Holding on would have led to the death of the ministry. But when I released them according to God’s timing, I was able to continue in my own calling while others built up and expanded what God was doing.

Please, saint— learn to hand over when the Lord leads. When we follow His timing and direction, ministries live, people grow, and the work of God multiplies. As Paul told Timothy: “The things you have heard me say… entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2).

This article might make most sense if you understand the fivefold ministry.

Bye.