When organizations experience growth, leaders must steward that increase with wisdom so that the fruit remains healthy and continues to reproduce.   Here are 7 principles from the story of leaders for the early Christian church community which was growing by several thousand people a week:

1. Organizational growth reveals organizational systems that no longer accomplish goals.   The early church had a food ministry, but as they grew there some peoples needs were being neglected, and people complained.  Systems that work when an organization has 2 employees or 100 customers simply may not function when an organization grows to 20 employees or 2,000 customers.
2. Healthy leaders listen to people’s cares and concerns.   The leaders of the early church validated the cares and concerns of the people. When people complain, good leaders recognize the cares and concerns revealed in those complaints.  The stakeholders in an organization often know things are not working properly before the leaders do!
3. Healthy leaders stay focused on the right things.  The leaders were not distracted by the complaints nor the failing organizational system.  They recognized that they needed to stay focused on their primary job (the word of God and prayer).  Leaders must be able to evaluate competing priorities and know which things only they can do.
4. Healthy leaders create solutions.   The leaders did not solve the problem themselves, but they presented a plan to the people for a solution.  Their plan acknowledged the problem, informed the people of the competing priorities, identified the people’s role and the leaders role in the solution.
5. Healthy leaders involve the right people.  The leaders involved the congregation in the selection of the seven men.  They were humble enough to know when others could make a better decision, so they delegated the selection process to the people.
6. Healthy leaders commission the right people.  First the leaders prayed and tested the selection of the men by seeking confirmation from the Holy Spirit.   In doing so they took responsibility for the appointments before God and themselves as a group.  They ensured the people knew the new leaders were being delegated authority and responsibility by laying hands on them publicly.
7. Healthy leadership produces healthy growth.   The leaders stayed focused on their priority (prayer and the word of God) and the new leaders focused in their priority (caring for the people) and the church increased greatly.

Acts 6:1-7

(1) Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food. (2) So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. (3) Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.  (4) But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”  (5) The statement found approval with the whole congregation; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas, a ^dproselyte from Antioch.  (6) And these they brought before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them. (7) The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith