Samuel appointed his sons as judges over Israel. “His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain and took bribes and perverted justice.” (3) The implication of this statement is Samuel’s sons did not reflect his character, but Israel’s. What the elders failed to acknowledge, was they were mere reflections of Israel’s corruption [not the cause]. So instead of repenting, they asked Samuel for a king like other nations. In other words, the leaders sought to restructure rather than repent. This is often the case in the church. When churches fail to grow, they often seek to restructure failing to acknowledge the true reason for their lack of health, growth or power. Restructuring without repenting does not address the root issues of the church. Repentance is the only path to restoring God’s presence and power that are crucial to the health and growth of His church.