Tag: Church

True Legacy

Life is temporary, and someone will carry on when we leave this life. The question is, to whom will we pass the torch?

Paul passed the torch to Timothy, his “true child in the faith.” Paul instructed Timothy to do the same.

We understand the value of our children carrying on the family name or traditions.

The church faces the crisis of preparing men to shepherd the Lord’s church, providing healthy and encouraging teaching, and training teachers for the future of our children.

It is all about passing the torch. Who will replace you and me? To whom will we pass the torch? Herein lies true legacy.

Great Leaders

Wandering in desert places does not appeal to most. Yet, many in leadership lack the vision to lead people in the direction they ought to go, and this is their primary role.

Rosalynn Carter said, “A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be.”

We need great leaders in the home, the world, and the church today. Too many only lead people where they want to go. Let us arise to the challenge and become the great leaders God requires in every area of life.

Relationships

Powerful relationships exist in both life and leadership.

The mindset of trying to do things on our own ultimately fails. We need one another. Division is killing the church and her influence.

There are at least 24 different “one another” passages throughout scripture. These passages teach us about the spiritual relationship and responsibility we have to each other.

When leadership uses these areas to strengthen relationships, the result will bring a powerful boost to leadership.

When we fulfill the responsibilities outlined by the New Testament writers, the church will be strengthened.

Isn’t it time we build the kind of relationships to accomplish both?

Relationships

There is a powerful relationship between life and leadership.

The mindset of trying to do things on our own will ultimately fail. We need one another. There is a minimum of twenty-four “one another” passages throughout scripture. These passages teach us about the spiritual relationship and responsibility we have to each other.

When leadership engages these thoughts to strengthen relationships, the result brings a powerful boost to our leadership.

When we fulfill the responsibilities outlined by the New Testament writers, the church grows stronger.

Isn’t it time we built the kind of relationships to accomplish both?

Relational Shepherds

Leaders must learn how to address difficulties that arise from within and without. Who’s right? What’s right? Why? When? How?

When shepherds are solely focused on decision making, the ability to lead the sheep is relegated to the task of ensuring people hear a message from the pulpit that is healthy to scripture.

The avoidance of close, intimate, personal relationships has caused more confusion for the church today.

The questions confronting shepherds strike at the core of their being and the inability to provide biblical answers has caused more than a few to see the Bible as outdated and the church as a relic of past ritualistic practices.

We need good shepherds.

Jesus

Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd” (John 10). Within this text, we find ideas expressed that relate to the responsibility of shepherding the church today.

One of the fundamental elements is knowing the sheep. Notice how Jesus claimed, “I know My own and My own know Me” (Jn. 10:14).

Earlier in this text, Jesus said the sheep hear the voice of the shepherd and they follow because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger. Instead, they flee from him because they do not know the “voice of strangers” (vv. 3-5).

Sheep need to hear the voice of their shepherds, and this foundational element of shepherding involves knowing the sheep.

Patient

Does it surprise anyone when we pray for patience and then experience challenges? The problem is we want patience, but we want it now and without trials! Hmmm!

Too often, we expect growth and maturity to occur as though we were ordering a meal at a drive-thru window. We place our order on one side and expect to have it waiting for us when we reach the other. No patience required, right?

Church growth requires leaders to be patient. Being patient is a powerful lesson for all spiritual leaders.

In time, the demonstration of such patience and gentle guidance will yield fruit to the glory of our God.

A Time to Stand

In pursuit of greater numbers truth often gets compromised. Challenge and controversy are avoided to gain popularity and profit.

To overcome the problems of immorality and indecency, we must make a stand.

To help the church mature as God designed, we must make a stand.

To help those without Christ find the hope of salvation, we must make a stand.

The task is not easy. Conflict and controversy will arise. Trying to avoid it, sweep it under the rug, deny it exists, or hope it just goes away and resolves itself, will not work.

The world and the church needs those ready to stand and lead.

A Beginning

Plato is credited with saying, “The beginning is the most important part of the work.”

The way leaders begin the work has a far greater impact on reaching the overall goal(s) than we might care to admit.

It applies to how we begin a family.

It applies to how we begin each day.

It applies to how we begin a conversation with someone about studying the Bible.

It applies to how we begin a class, sermon or an article / post.

How important was the beginning when God created?

How important was the beginning when Christ came to this earth?

How important was the beginning of the church?

Balanced or Imbalanced

Our lives fall into three major categories: home, world, and church. Amazingly, when we are out of balance in one, the other two are affected.

Leaders have a tremendous responsibility to cautiously approach the work consumption syndrome and not lose sight of the focus needed in the church and home. When we are imbalanced, everything suffers, even our work.

Ultimately, when the spiritual element of our life is not prioritized, nothing else works.

Our task begins with establishing the right priorities and leading from that position.