When I was in seminary my favorite professor, Dr. Howard Hendricks used to give some outrageous assignments. One day in his Bible Study Methods class he asked us to write down 90 observations on Acts 1:8. When we started questioning and complaining he simply said, “Are you sufficiently frustrated? GOOD! You’re learning!”
Outrageous assignments make us uncomfortable, stir our emotions and force us to a deeper level of thinking.
Jesus used this technique. In Mark 6:35-37 when over 4000 hungry people were gathered to listen to Jesus teach he looked at his disciples and said, “You give them something to eat,” Their response was basically “That’s OUTRAGEOUS.” But through the challenge they learned to have a deeper faith in the power of God.
If you want to stretch and develop your team, your interns, your potential leaders…give them some OUTRAGEOUS assignments!
What are some outrageous assignments you’re giving your developing leaders?
