"Republicans ... have been very systematic at building from the ground up and communicating to state legislators and financing school board races and public utility commission races." That was then-President Barack Obama's analysis of Republican victories in the 2016 elections.

Obama was observing that Republicans for a number of years had played a long game. They had invested in and trained a significant number of candidates to compete and win in local elections. Then, as those candidates succeeded and performed in office according to party priorities, they were backed for more prominent -- even national -- races. Over decades, the Republicans had built considerable bench strength that served them well.

Democrats, in contrast, had focused their party's attention on national issues and running candidates in national elections. In doing so, Obama suggested, they had failed to form comparable local credibility and capacity. Their bench was decidedly weaker, and election night losses proved it.

It's an interesting commentary that the former president offered. Even if he might now amend some of this analysis after the 2018 midterm elections, his point has applicability well beyond the world of politics.

How are our organizations intentionally identifying and preparing tomorrow's leaders today?

When we think about religious organizations, particularly congregations, often this question becomes framed as, "How do we recruit younger priests?" or, "Where will the next generation of pastors come from?" These are not insignificant questions.

I would encourage us, though, to hear Obama's commentary as an invitation to think about the broader landscape of religious leadership -- lay and ordained.