Jesus, deliver me from all evil, I pray. Cleanse me, for my thoughts and deeds have been corrupted; liberate me, for an enemy has ensnared my path and darkened my way; lead me to liberty because Satan has been defeated on Calvary and I have found life through You! Thank You, Lord Jesus; AMEN
Use these for group work, or to assist your personal reflection.
- In the light of this study, discuss whether it is ever possible to find the perfect church leader. What should we expect from our leaders?
- How can those who are active in church leadership be helped and trained regularly for all the different things they do?
- How can we best help those ministers and leaders who reach the point of saying that they can no longer live up to their calling?
Topis covered by this text
- The nature of Christian ministry
- Sound faith
- teaching
Personal comments by author:
The subject of ministry in the church is very important. I am, as you can probably guess, of the opinion that the fundamental work of a minister is to maintain the basics of faith in a congregation so that it can do its duty and do the work of God. The work of the church does not, under any circumstances, belong to the minister or leader, and leaders do not serve the church well if they try and build a church which is a copy of themselves. Christ must be allowed to be Lord of all!
Ideas for exploring discipleship
- Find a leader of your church (at any level) and discuss these things with him or her. Note especially if any topic makes for a difficult conversation. This indicates that you are touching on thorny ground. Pray for the person concerned.
- Keep before yourself the question whether the Lord is calling you to some kind of church leadership. If He is, then you will find that He will lead you to where your call can be fulfilled.
Please refer to the general advice on the page ‘discipleship challenges’
The notes below are offered to help you think about the challenges of God’s Word. Read the notes and suggestions below, but don’t try to follow through any more than one thing at any one time!