Excerpt from "The Secret to a Great Preaching Ministry":
"'My point is simply that every organization has certain levels that you try to rise up to. And levels work.' Wagner began to walk again. 'Two truths of human nature make them work: First, people like to play or work with others who are at the same skill level. That keeps them from getting either bored or frustrated. And second, people like to advance to the next level. That's what keeps them motivated.'
"Jared hurried to keep up. 'So why choose the army structure over any other?'
"... The army is distinctive because promotion is based on merit.'
"'And you like that emphasis?' Jared asked.
"'In a word, yes,' Wagner said. '... In our church, leadership is not based on what people you know, what meetings you attend, how long you have been a member of the church or have been a Christian, or how much you know. It is based on your faithfulness at each level and the fruit God deems to produce.'
"Jared mulled over his colleague's words. ... 'But don't you run into problems with people who ... want to skip a rank -- say, a person [who] was talented enough to lead a great Bible study but didn't want to do family devotions?'"
"Wagner sighed and looked at his feet."
