Loss Leaders And Lost Leaders.

In business, a loss leader is a product that is sold below its market value. The business chooses to lose money on that "leader" (the particular item that leads people to walk into the store) because they know that the customers, once in the store, will buy a sufficient amount of other products to make up for the loss.

Some ministries use lost leaders as loss leaders. Below are two cases.

1) The pastor of a local church has intentionally hired singers who are not Christians. The rationale for the hire is that the individuals in question can effectively lead the congregation in worship without necessarily being Christian themselves.

2) A church leader has been an addict for several years. He has chosen not to seek help because he is extremely gifted and can do numerous ministry tasks with great success. He believes he can function in his role successfully while remaining comfortably bound in his addiction, and points to his recent salary increase as proof of his skills.

The key aspect of a loss leader is not that an item is for sale, but that it is for sale far below its actual worth. And, the key aspect of a lost leader is that he or she has "sold out": they have lightly esteemed the riches of Christ and devalued themselves as well as Him, thinking that other areas of their life or ministry will cover their deficiency or debauchery.

The first ten chapters of Ezekiel (which seem to keep resurfacing periodically in my blog posts) give an account of the corrupt priesthood which God called Ezekiel to address and judge. The priests, though successfully carrying out their duties, were simultaneously worshiping idols and engaging in corrupt acts. What was God's response to the leaders who sold themselves out?

*The judgement of God (Ezekiel chapter 9); not even Ezekiel's intercession could prevent the destruction of those whose actions were corrupt before God.

*The departure of Glory (Ezekiel 10:18); God's Presence no longer presided over the space that had been designed for His glory to dwell, because His space was being cohabited by idols.

In a recent conversation I had with a pastor friend who is removing two "lost leaders" from ministry, he said-- and I paraphrase here: "They're very talented, but they are corrupted... and nothing is worth losing the glory of the Lord. They have to go." Amen, brother.

"I acted for the sake of my reputation, so that I would not be profaned before the nations in whose sight I had brought them out." (Ezekiel 20:14)