Lesson 20 - To Be A Christian Leader
I. The Cost Of Leadership Colossians 1:23-24 ; 2 Timothy 2:11-12 If you're not willing to suffer with Christ, don't take on any Christian leadership responsibility. (If you can't take the heat stay out of the kitchen.) Paul told Timothy, the young leader, to endure hardship. We don't suffer for sin- Jesus did that. We suffer for the cause of righteousness. A leader blazes new territory and leads others in. He is a pioneer - a trailblazer. Every pioneer faces trials, opposition and resistance. Darkness will always persecute light. Satan will not stand quietly and see his kingdom invaded. Anyone knows if you strike the shepherd the sheep will scatter- destroy the general and the troops will retreat. Become a Christian leader and you will become a target. The world will hate you, because you expose their sin. The church will turn on you, because you expose their apathy. Sinners are not comfortable around righteousness. Casual Christians are not comfortable around saints on fire for God. Paul rejoiced in suffering? How could he? First of all, he expected it. He had counted the cost. He knew following Christ involved sacrifice. Secondly, he knew the servant is not above his master. Jesus said, "If they persecuted me, they will persecute you. Thirdly, Paul knew that if he shook up Satan's domain, there would be a retaliation. Peter said, "Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you as though some strange thing happened to you: But rejoice inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings." If no one is criticizing or opposing you, perhaps you are compromising or just lazy. Please hear me - Don't seek a position of Christian leadership because it seems so honorable and prestigious. Many men and women have left the ministry because they couldn't take the pressures. Every president I've ever seen in my lifetime has aged tremendously in a 4 year term of office. Every political leader I've known of has been criticized for something or other. It comes with the job. And don't think "Christian" leadership is any better because it's Christian. It's worse, because you don't expect the persecution to come from where it comes from. II. The Conditions Of Leadership A Christian leader must be a person of: A. Faith It takes faith to hear from God. It takes faith to do what He says when you hear from him. It takes faith to keep doing what he says even when you're opposed, even when it doesn't seem to be working. B. Patience A farmer can't rush his crops- he just plants the seeds, waters, fertilizes, weeds, sprays, and waits. When a couple decides to have a child, they have to wait about 9 months. You can't rush God's work either. To do so often results in spiritual abortion. You must be faithful and then wait on God. C. Humility When everything is going good and you're bearing fruit, you must realize - it's not you. Your faithfulness is a credit to you but ultimately it is God who gives the increase. Likewise, when attendance is falling and things are not running smoothly, you must remember - it is not your work it is God's. Yes, evaluate your work, examine your heart, improve your technique, but remember - God called you to be faithful, not successful. If you are true to God, the results are His business. D. Integrity No matter what anyone else thinks, you have to live with yourself, and before God. Anybody can look good behind a pulpit, podium, desk, or big smile- but it's what you're made of on the inside that determines how well God can use you. A man, or woman, may be able to draw a good crowd on personality or excitement, but the Holy Spirit will not bless hypocrisy. E. Deep Commitment When the going gets tough the tough get going. Robert Schuller tough times don't last, tough people do. Sometimes God leads you through the valley. Real leaders keep going. You may stop and rest for a while, but you must never give up- Because: 1. you know God will see you through 2. if you give up, so will those who are following you. F. Power Not personal charisma, not dictatorial sternness, but power from the Holy Spirit. Only His power will move mountains. G. Submission You cannot lead until you can follow. A real Christian leader is a servant - not a servant of those under his leadership, but a servant to them. He is a servant of God. A Christian leader has a delegated authority from God and must be totally submitted to God because he is held accountable for his use of leadership and authority. James 3:1 "be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. H. Responsibility Jeremiah 23:1-2 I use this scripture very deliberately because it has been loosely thrown around a lot. Christian leaders have a severe responsibility under God to those under their leadership. 1. Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter - to destroy means to ruin or spoil. to scatter means to scare off or allow to be scared off (i.e. a sheep with wolves). 2. You have driven them away - means to mislead or lead astray. 3. You have not visited them - visit means to punish or discipline Look at the context of the chapter, of the book, of society at the time of the writing to understand this charge to Spiritual Leaders. Israel was dwelling in Babylon. They were following after the Babylonian gods and taking of their religions. The shepherds, or leaders, should have cried out against their backsliding; they should have punished, or chastised, the people. Instead, they ruined, or spoiled, them. They insured their own popularity by telling the people what they wanted to hear. They led them astray and scattered them among false doctrines and religions. They told them everthing was fine, while judgment was at the door. God will hold every Christian leader responsible for his leadership. Every leader must deliver God’s message and build God’s Kingdom, for face the consequences. III. The call to Leadership Jesus said, "You have not chosen me; I have chosen you." Proverbs says, "Promotion cometh neither from the east nor from the west, nor from the south, but God is the judge. He putteth down one and setteth up another." Romans 13 tells us "… the powers that be are ordained of God." Let me say very plainly that Christian leadership is nothing to trifle with. If you feel called to leadership pray with the leaders over you about it. Get proper training to fulfill your calling. Don’t refuse or ignore the call. Give it your all. You are needed. If you are not called of God to leadership, have no part of it. Do not call yourself. It’s not all peaches and cream. The only thing more niserable than one who is called but doesn’t serve is one who serves without a proper calling. If you are not sure, then continue to pray and be open to God. If you feel He is leading, get involved and keep sensitively following God. Always work in an area before trying to lead that area. (Remember, you won’t be a good leader until you can follow.) Conclusion: In order to lead effectively, you must count the cost, meet the conditions, and be called of God. This is a time when we need strong, God-called, God-anointed leadership in the body of Christ. Can God use you? Look at me. I am nothing. The farther I go, the more like nothing I feel. Yet, I believe God is using me. I am seeing fruits of ministry, and I stand in awe of a God who uses such vessels. Principles for leaders 1. Be dependable. 2. Be prompt. 3. Stay ahead, not behind, and not just barely keeping up. You should not be rushing constantly to meet deadlines. Plan ahead. 4. Be continually learning. You are first a learner, then a teacher. 5. Work in harmony. Be tolerant of others ideas, methods, and priorities. Endeavor to work as a team. 6. Be patient. People need to be led, not driven. People seldom progress as quickly as you would like. Lead them out of a motive of love, not a motive to succeed. 7. Know where you are going and what you are trying to do. Nothing is more pointless and confusing than a leader who doesn’t know where he is going. If you don’t know where you are leading, someone else will come up with an agenda. 8. Choose your battles! Some things are worth fighting for, some are not. If you compete over minor issues, you lose your footing for the major issues. Don’t be a fighter unless the cause us major enough to fight for. 9. Avoid the "grass is greener" pitfall. (They may be taking better care of their grass than you are.) 10. be committed to the long haul. Leadership doesn’t happen over night. 11. Have integrity. Model what you are trying to teach.
Study Guide For "What The Bible Is All About"
by Henrietta Mears
Chapter 19 - Understanding Ezekiel
1. Ezekiel is the preacher to _________________________. 2. God needed a voice to ________________ and to remind them of _______________ _______________________________________________. 3. God’s greatest communications can only be made by servants whose ___________________________________ 4. What New Testament book parallels Ezekiel? ___________ 5. Ezekiel preached to the captives in Babylon the same things _____________ preached. 6. God told of Judah’s captivity in Babylon more than _____________ before. 7. What did Ezekiel use in his preaching? _________, __________, ___________, _____________, and _________________. 8. Ezekiel’s responsibility was to ______________________. (So is ours!) 9. What is the key phrase in Ezekiel? ___________________ 10. We grieve the Spirit when we _______________________ ____________________. 11. Before Judah could return to their land they had to ___________________________. 12. All of God’s dealings with Israel were for ______________. 13. The Jews have never been _______________ since the captivity. 14. Ezekiel’s name means ________________________. 15. Ezekiel was sent to ___________________________. 16. God told Ezekiel to be a ____________________. 17. Ezekiel underwent the loss of ____________________. 18. God may ask us to do things that __________________. 19. What did God seek for and not find? ________________. 20. Ezekiel is a prophet of _________________. 21. Israel was Jehovah’s ______________. 22. Ezekiel saw a valley of ___________________which came to life. 23. What do the two sticks represent? _________________ _______________________. 24. The vision was to destroy ________________________ ______________________. 25. God places great ____________________ on His watchmen. 26. God promises to give His people a new ______________. 27. Before Israel can be restored to her land, her enemies must be ______________________. 28. What does the end of chapter 38 describe? ___________ _____________________