As far as the apostle Paul was concerned, he was keen to do anything where the gospel was not hindered. He didn’t want to hinder, and categorically, I don’t want to hinder what God wants to do going forwards.
Colossians 1:19-23
He was a minister of the gospel. I didn’t want to let anything be known to you, people of Colossus, but Jesus Christ and him crucified. Jesus Christ is where it's at and the work of the Holy Spirit is reaching out to Jew or Gentile, whoever it is, reaching out with the gospel of Christ.
Colossians 1:24-29
That’s what made him tick. He was the apostle, Paul. As far as I’m concerned, what makes me tick is for God’s name to be glorified here and his word to be preached here openly; and for you to be able to bring people here to hear, so that people who are in great need of a change, a solution to their life, can come and have their hearts and minds changed by the power of Jesus Christ and the work of his Holy Spirit.
I just want to outline the role of the members of this team.
Acts 6:4
So this person needs to be fully acquainted with the word of God. There is a responsibility involved in being a member of this time in giving themselves to prayer and preaching the word. It doesn’t have to be to a large group, it can just be to one person or a small group.
So prayer and ministry of the word.
1 Timothy 5:17
Now that implies that in that time there are those who preach and doctrine but others who don’t; so it’s a team which is responsible before God for the spiritual direction of the church. They want to be completely sensitive to God, what He wants them to do.
1 Timothy 3:4-5
So it matters to a member of this team, how you all are. We’re all one in Christ but it so happens that various people want to care for you in such a way so that you fulfil what God wants to do in your life. I don’t want to be a hindrance if God wants you to do something.
There is care.
Hebrews 13:17
“for they watch for your souls”. So I and the future members will do this; not in a forbearing way but in a caring way.
Hebrews 13:7
So there is a case of living an exemplary life because you want to care for the flock of God so that they in turn will pick up something, not from me, but of God within me.
Acts 20:28
“to feed the church of God”. I want to get before God because I want to do it right and not communicate something that I’m not meant to; so that God can communicate what he wants.
1 Timothy 5:1
James 5:13-14
Well once we’ve got a team, that will be the team that one will call for. There’s a sense in which, knowing the Bible and his word, the leadership also work as a protection and pastoring of the flock and keeping them safe from someone who might come in a spread wrong things from a biblical point of view.
Acts 15:6
Acts 15:22
We’re talking about a spiritual sense and direction of the church.
It will be the leadership that I’m talking about who will be the ones who set the direction of the church.
1 Peter 5:1-4
Feed the flock of God, willingly, not to make money out of it, not in any other way but being willing and a servant of all. And it’s the servant hood, Jesus’ example; that’s the heart we want. We all want to be someone who puts others first, but particularly the ones who are going to be the pastors, it is those at heart who are prepared to lay down their lives for everyone.
We want the right people to become part of the leadership team.
Showing posts with label leader. Show all posts
Showing posts with label leader. Show all posts
Friday, 22 May 2009
Friday, 1 May 2009
The Servant of All
In a church structure, there should be a number of leaders, or elders. The leadership of the church is a group of people, although there is a leader amongst that group. We need to be sensitive to what God wants to do. He is building His church, and we need to build a structure that allows Him to do what He wants to do among the congregation. We are ambassadors for Christ and we should share His good news with others who don’t know Him. There is a hurting world out there. We should share our faith and proclaim the Gospel. That is always paramount with what we do in the church because that is what Jesus wants us to do.
1 Peter 5:1-3
That is a description of what an elder is, or the leader of a church. They have a responsibility to feed the flock. What is an elder’s function? What are the qualifications for being an elder? They are the servant of all. God appoints whom He will, so He inspires who we appoint as elders.
The word ‘feed’ can be translated as to shepherd the flock of God. All the words used in the Bible to describe leaders in the church – overseer, pastor, bishop – are essentially describing one job. It isn’t that there are separate jobs in the functioning of a church. There have to be people who are in leadership over individual churches.
Titus 1:5
Acts 14:21-23
Appointing elders was not something random – it was very serious. It was the church of God, and it wasn’t done lightly. There are many other scriptures that show that the early church appointed elders.
Acts 6:3-4
God is directing his church, so those leading the church must be able to minister the word.
1 Timothy 5:17
There is no point having someone in leadership who does not know the Word of God and who is not clear on doctrine.
1 Timothy 3:4-5
Hebrews 13:17
The leaders of the church need to watch for the church’s souls. They are accountable for people’s souls and they have to look out for them. They should be aware of the circumstances in a person’s life that God might be working them through for the benefit of their souls.
Hebrews 13:7
It matters how the leader lives his life.
Acts 20:28
It is God’s church. It is not the leader’s church.
Ephesians 4:11-12
Elders are leaders which have the capacity to teach the Bible correctly.
1 Timothy 3:2
At the end of Jesus’ life He spoke to Peter and told him three times: ‘Feed my sheep’.
Jashua 5:13-15
Titus 1:9
There is a protection, where you have the leadership of the church who know about sound doctrine. Part of caring to the flock of God is protecting them from false teachings.
There is also a certain amount of discipline involved in being an elder or a teacher.
Matthew 18:15-17
If someone will not put something right, the leadership will be involved with it.
1 Peter 5:2-3
Someone in leadership does not have the church as his private workforce.
1 Timothy 3:1-13
The qualifications in leadership are very clear from that passage.
Titus 1:6-9
The job description for someone in leadership is clear. It should be that with a leader, what you see is the truth. There is no double life. They should be faithful, and fully aware of their responsibility before God to outwork what He wants from them, as God builds his church in his way and his time.
1 Peter 5:1-6
It is God who exalts you. All of us should be faithful, reliable and trustworthy. God will help us progress in our lives because all that we are and do is as unto God.
Matthew 23:11-12
Jesus, as our example, made Himself of no reputation. He took upon Himself the form of a man, so that He could go through life and end His life on the cross as the servant of all.
Leaders should be beyond reproach both inside and outside the church, and should be the servant of all.
John 10:9-11
Cast all your care upon him, because He cares for you.
1 Peter 5:1-3
That is a description of what an elder is, or the leader of a church. They have a responsibility to feed the flock. What is an elder’s function? What are the qualifications for being an elder? They are the servant of all. God appoints whom He will, so He inspires who we appoint as elders.
The word ‘feed’ can be translated as to shepherd the flock of God. All the words used in the Bible to describe leaders in the church – overseer, pastor, bishop – are essentially describing one job. It isn’t that there are separate jobs in the functioning of a church. There have to be people who are in leadership over individual churches.
Titus 1:5
Acts 14:21-23
Appointing elders was not something random – it was very serious. It was the church of God, and it wasn’t done lightly. There are many other scriptures that show that the early church appointed elders.
Acts 6:3-4
God is directing his church, so those leading the church must be able to minister the word.
1 Timothy 5:17
There is no point having someone in leadership who does not know the Word of God and who is not clear on doctrine.
1 Timothy 3:4-5
Hebrews 13:17
The leaders of the church need to watch for the church’s souls. They are accountable for people’s souls and they have to look out for them. They should be aware of the circumstances in a person’s life that God might be working them through for the benefit of their souls.
Hebrews 13:7
It matters how the leader lives his life.
Acts 20:28
It is God’s church. It is not the leader’s church.
Ephesians 4:11-12
Elders are leaders which have the capacity to teach the Bible correctly.
1 Timothy 3:2
At the end of Jesus’ life He spoke to Peter and told him three times: ‘Feed my sheep’.
Jashua 5:13-15
Titus 1:9
There is a protection, where you have the leadership of the church who know about sound doctrine. Part of caring to the flock of God is protecting them from false teachings.
There is also a certain amount of discipline involved in being an elder or a teacher.
Matthew 18:15-17
If someone will not put something right, the leadership will be involved with it.
1 Peter 5:2-3
Someone in leadership does not have the church as his private workforce.
1 Timothy 3:1-13
The qualifications in leadership are very clear from that passage.
Titus 1:6-9
The job description for someone in leadership is clear. It should be that with a leader, what you see is the truth. There is no double life. They should be faithful, and fully aware of their responsibility before God to outwork what He wants from them, as God builds his church in his way and his time.
1 Peter 5:1-6
It is God who exalts you. All of us should be faithful, reliable and trustworthy. God will help us progress in our lives because all that we are and do is as unto God.
Matthew 23:11-12
Jesus, as our example, made Himself of no reputation. He took upon Himself the form of a man, so that He could go through life and end His life on the cross as the servant of all.
Leaders should be beyond reproach both inside and outside the church, and should be the servant of all.
John 10:9-11
Cast all your care upon him, because He cares for you.
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