Biblical Teaching - Verse By Verse
Philosophy of Ministry
It is the mission of Candlelight Fellowship staff, leadership team
members, and individual members to make every effort to emulate the New
Testament model of Church leadership. Therefore we desire to learn and
apply the following principles.
Table of Contents
On
Prayer
A
House of Prayer
On
Worship
Worship
On
Teaching the Word
Verse By Verse
Telling
it like it is in a way you can understand.
Anointing
before acceptance.
Kids
Are People Too!
On the
Gospel
Emphasize
what God has done for us, rather than what we can do for God.
(A
Gospel of faith…not of works.)
On Evangelism
It is
better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.
Healthy
Sheep Reproduce.
Preach
the Gospel.
Your
walk talks, and your talk talks, but your walk talks louder, than your
talk talks.
On
Ministry
People
before Programs.
Others
Walk
in Love
Patiently
care for the brethren. (Allow the Lord to Mature the Saints.)
Emphasize
the Grace of God (A safe place to grow.)
On
Leadership
Blessed
are the flexible for they shall not be broken.
You
can’t lead well if you can’t follow well.
Prepare
today for the opportunities of tomorrow.
If you
want to be taken seriously, be serious.
On
Counseling
The Bible.
On Money
Where God guides He provides.
_________________________________________________________________
Philosophy Of Ministry
On
Prayer
A
House of Prayer
One of the passions of my heart
is to be a man of prayer. Jesus prayed, the disciples prayed, and every
great man or woman of God was a man or woman of prayer. God has commanded
us to be a people of prayer and as His children we are to be know as a
people who seek His face.
Our fellowship is committed to be “a house of prayer.”
We spend time each day in prayer as well as on Wednesday evenings and
Sunday Mornings in our corporate setting. We invest ourselves in prayer.
We lift up our needs and desires to the Lord and in doing so have seen the
continuing blessing of His presence along with the accompanying results.
It is our commitment to continue this practice for as long as the
fellowship exists. Without prayer we are nothing more than a man built,
man centered institution.
We desire to be known by the fact that we pray. Jesus commanded;
“that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” (Luke 18:1) In
Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians he said: “Pray without
ceasing.” To Timothy he said: “I will therefore that men pray
everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.” (1
Timothy 2:8) We will to know the scriptures as well as live them. There
are souls who need Jesus, lives that need touched, needs that must be met,
problems that need solved and blessings to receive.
On
Worship
Worship
Worship defined is to bow down. Worship is
the bowing down of ourselves in honor, thanksgiving and adoration to the
Lord. Worship is in and of itself designed to be self-removing and God
exalting.
As the body of Christ we are
given the awesome privilege of worshiping the Lord. We do this in many
ways. The first is the simple surrender of our lives to Jesus. We bow down
our pride and self-reliance to the all surpassing wonder and care of the
Lord Himself. We have come to understand that we cannot rely upon
ourselves for anything. It is Jesus who has saved us. We accept the fact
that we cannot save ourselves and are therefore reliant upon His amazing
grace.
Secondly, we express our
surrender to the Lord in various forms. Specifically, we worship through
prayer and offerings of vocal and musical ministry to the Lord. In this
way we declare His greatness. We minister to Him personally and directly
by thanking Him for His wonderful grace.
In Psalm 29:2 David directs us
to: “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in
the beauty of holiness.” Jesus said the God is pleased with our worship
and seeks for those who will “worship Him in Spirit and Truth” (John
4:23-24)
Therefore we emphasize songs of
praise and worship. We lift up our voices to the Lord as prescribed in the
Psalms and demonstrated throughout the scriptures. We praise Him vocally
as well in utilizing instruments of music.
On
the Teaching Word
Verse by Verse
Several years ago I was asked
how I was able to monitor whether or not I was teaching the full counsel
of God. I was stumped by the question. Several years later having taught
about everything I could develop, I became frustrated by my lack of
creativity. I was accustomed to teaching topically and it seemed that my
list of topics had run its course. I could either return to the beginning
and teach the same material again or move to some other church and do the
same.
After a bit of consideration, I
made the decision to do a study verse by verse through the book of Romans.
I learned, the people learned, and I was prepared with several months of
studies. No longer was I spending time inventing something to teach or
looking for a new topic to cover. Now I was studying the Bible and
learning, growing and actually enjoying the process.
From that day to the present I
have developed the habit of teaching through the Bible. Chapter by
chapter, verse by verse, line by line and at times word by word.
No longer do I question whether
or not I am teaching the whole counsel of God. I know that if I teach
through the Bible book by book, chapter by chapter, etc. I will teach the
whole of Scripture. We will grow and God will be honored.
“Study to show thyself
approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15
Telling
it like it is in a way you can understand.
Paul taught the Corinthians by saying: “my
speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but
in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: that your faith should not
stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” (1 Cor. 2:4-5) He
made every effort to communicate to his audience by allowing the Holy
Spirit to minister to the hearts rather than attempt to fashion and form
the Gospel to tickle the ears of the listener. He would do no disservice
to the Lord and to the Word by watering it down, smoothing the edges
and/or selectively leaving out important information in order to gain the
accolades of the hearer. We
believe God is grieved by our clever mechanics and needs no help getting
His message into the hearts of the hearer. It is the Lord who enables you
and I to see, hear and understand the truths of the Word.
However, Jesus as well as Paul did use illustrations to assist in
making the truths of the Gospel understandable to the hearer. They used
real life examples as well as visual demonstrations to assist the hearer
to understand the message they intended to communicate.
Therefore, we believe that it is
our responsibility to make plain the Truth in a relaxed and relevant
manner without discrediting the Scriptures or offending the person of the
Holy Spirit.
God
has called, gifted and uses men and women to preach the Gospel. He uses
our faculties. Therefore with
joy we share the Good news. “Telling it
like it is, in a way you can understand.”
Anointing
before acceptance.
Several years ago, when praying,
I felt the Lord tell me that in many ways we were exchanging the anointing
for acceptance.
I have fallen into this trap
several times and even in recent months slipped into the snare. Let me
illustrate.
On Easter Sunday 2000 we had
many visitors. Several of them were youth. After 30 minutes or so of
teaching, I could see that I was beginning to loose the attention of the
young. So thinking myself clever, I began to utilize modern lingo, i.e.
slang, street expressions etc. In doing so, I did get the attention of the
teenagers, but also grieved the Lord by both stumbling some of the older
members in my audience, as well as utilizing human engineering in an
attempt to accomplish spiritual results.
When we use human tools to
produce reception of spiritually discerned truth we exchange the anointing
for acceptance.
The Word of God is quick and
powerful, sharper than any two edged sword. It goes out with the anointing
and will not return void. It will accomplish what God has intended it to
accomplish.
God may intend His Word to be a
stumbling block to the proud and arrogant, or healing to the humble.
Either way He accomplishes what He intends.
When we get in the way though
fleshly engineering, we attempt to produce results God may not have
intended.
God would have us to preach the
Word and allow Him to produce the desired result.
Never exchange the anointing for acceptance.
“This
is a rebellious people, Lying children, Children who will not hear the law
of the LORD; Who say to the seers, "Do not see," And to the
prophets, "Do not prophesy to us right things; Speak to us smooth
things, prophesy deceits.” (Isaiah 30:9-10)
“For
the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged
sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of
the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of
the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)
“So
shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto
me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper
in the thing whereto I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11)
Kids
Are People Too!
One of the debated aspects of
modern day ministry is whether or not there is Biblical precedent for the
development of specialized ministry to children. One might ask: “Are
children incapable of listening and learning while gathered together with
the rest of the body?” or “Are they so distinctly different that they
need Bible lessons brought to them at a child oriented level?” No matter
what side of the line you come down on, every one of us agree that the
responsibility to make disciples is placed upon each of us. We, the body
of Christ, listening to and responding to the needs of others around us.
In the Church today there are a
variety of ministries designed to meet the needs of different groups.
Singles, youth, young married couples, seniors, etc.
In the development of ministry we must remember that kids are
people too.
While there may be no specified
model for specialized ministry to a select group within the body, we do
understand the need to be “all things to all men, that I might by all
means save some.” (1 Cor. 9:22) I believe that in the body of Christ
there are a variety of different people with varying needs. I also believe
that God has set into His body people with gifts designed to help meet the
needs of these people. Among these people are little people and remember; kids
are people too!
“Then little children were
brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the
disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, "Let the little children come
to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
(Matt. 19:13-14)
“Train up a child in the way
he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Prov.
22:6)
“To
the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all
things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” (1 Cor. 9:22)
“Gather
me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may
learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and
that they may teach their children.” (Deut. 4:10)
On
the Gospel
Emphasize
what God has done for us, rather than what we can do for God.
(A
Gospel of faith…not of works)
We believe it is better to emphasize what God has done for us,
rather than what we can do for God.
While many churches and religious groups seek to emphasize what we
should be doing to find favor with the Lord, we choose to enjoy the
blessings of His grace and focus our attention on the wonderful things God
has done for us. “Religion” stresses man made rules and regulations
that put people in bondage to human effort.
A relationship with God through Jesus Christ places all the work of
our salvation on Jesus Himself. We simply place our faith and trust in
Him, and by faith enjoy the righteousness of God apart from the deeds of
the law, or any other human ritual. “For he hath made him to be sin for
us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in
him.” (2Cor. 5:21)
Paul said: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not
of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should
boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9) A gift is no gift at all if it is given as wages
for good works.
One might ask: “Do you believe that as a Christian you have no
responsibility to live for the Lord or to do good works at all?” No. We
believe that as Christians we are called to “Let (our) light so shine
before men, that they may see (our) good works, and glorify (our) Father
who is in heaven.” (Matt. 5:16) It’s just that we believe that
emphasizing what God has done for us will help us keep a proper
perspective on the role of good works: a response to the grace so freely
given, rather than an act of performance in order to get the approval of
God. In Ephesians, chapter 2, Paul continued his discourse to the
believers by saying: “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in
them.” (Eph. 2:10) So as a response to His grace we serve the Lord with
gladness. Not in order to gain the approval of God, but in response to His
present approval as given by grace through faith alone.
“For
when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the
ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure
for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commended his love
toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
(Rom. 5:6-8)
On
Evangelism
It
is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.
“For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross
darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory
shall be seen upon thee.” (Isaiah 60:2)
We clearly see that darkness has
covered the earth. Spiritual darkness has permeated every continent on the
planet and its penetration has devastatingly impacted the professing
church.
Jesus said that in the last days
false prophets would rise up to deceive many, that iniquity would abound
and the love of many would wax cold. He said that there would be famine,
pestilence, war, earthquakes, envy, strife, self-centeredness, etc.
Certainly we could get caught up
in pointing the finger at those who we believe to be responsible. We could
choose to campaign against the darkness by pointing out all the faults.
However, while we believe that there is a place and time to utter
forth the judgment of God, and believe that there is need for discipline
and correction. We choose to emphasize our belief that “It is better
to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”
We believe that the Lord Himself has called His people to be light
in this dark world. We are called to be those who act as salt, a
preservative that holds back decay and seasoning that has the potential of
making those who taste it thirsty. He said: "You are the salt of the
earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is
then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be
hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a
lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light
so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your
Father in heaven. (Matt. 5:13-16)
“Be
not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21)
Healthy
Sheep Reproduce.
One of the popular movements
spreading throughout the church today is to orient the gathering around
the seeker. We have labeled this philosophy
“seeker friendly ” or “seeker oriented”. The idea is to
make the church service entertaining and fast paced. The focus is to
involve drama, special musical numbers and short topical sermons.
Basically, the idea is to get people to come in for a little Christian
entertainment along with a positive Christian message.
Now the idea is great and it
certainly has been useful in drawing great numbers of people to a church
facility. Through this method many have come to know Jesus. I believe that
God has used this concept and that lives have been changed through the
effort.
However, at Candlelight we are
approaching things from a little different perspective. In the New
Testament we study the pattern and mannerisms of the early church. Here we
discover that their design was to orient their gatherings around the
saved. Now, Paul did encourage the body to be sensitive to seekers.
He instructed them to carefully consider their conduct. His aim was to
avoid stumbling those who would come in and visit. However, the “church
service” was designed for believers, not seekers.
At Candlelight Christian
Fellowship our aim is to assist the believers to grow in the grace and in
the knowledge of the Lord. We desire to see you become the best loved,
best fed sheep in our growing community. I believe that as you grow in the
Lord, experience the love of God, and become the healthy sheep God calls
you to become, you will naturally reproduce.
We are a teaching church. We
emphasize worship, instruction, fellowship, prayer and reproduction
(evangelism).
Healthy
Sheep Reproduce.
“And
the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same
commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” 2
Tim. 2:2
Preach the Gospel
Because we believe that man,
apart from God is dead in trespasses and sin. And because we believe that
all people are by nature sinful, separated from God and responsible for
their own sin. And because we believe that man in and of himself has
nothing to offer God in exchange for his soul and will spend eternity in
hell should he reject the provisions provided for him in Jesus Christ our
Lord. We believe that we have the awesome privilege and
responsibility to preach the Gospel.
We believe that when a person
repents of sin and makes Jesus Christ the Lord of their life, recognizing
His as Savior, trusting in His finished work; that person is immediately
born again and sealed by the Holy Spirit, all sins are forgiven and he or
she becomes a child of God destined to spend eternity with the Lord.
Because we believe that
salvation is offered by grace through faith alone. And that salvation is
not of ourselves, and that it is a gift of God, not granted by any human
merit or offering of good works. We therefore know that any offering of
salvation granted by human achievement, be it all or in part, is not the
Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and should be rejected as heresy. We
preach the genuine Gospel. By Grace through faith alone.
We make every effort in every
occasion to share our faith with all those God brings into our path.
We believe that we are
responsible to be prepared to share at all times and that the Holy Spirit
will make opportunities for those who are prepared. We believe in the
power of the Gospel therefore we make every effort to share it in
simplicity and clarity. We hope to never complicate it and know that
God’s Word will not return to him void.
We also believe that it is not
our responsibility to save anyone but simply to share the Truth and allow
God to work. Our responsibility is simply to share. God’s is to save.
“Go
therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to
observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you
always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
Matthew 28:19-20
Your
walk talks, and your talk talks, but your walk talks louder, than your
talk talks.
(Lifestyle
Evangelism)
Paul told the Philippians:
“Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as
you have us for a pattern. For
many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping,
that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:”
Philippians 3:17-18
We believe that a lifestyle that
doesn’t display the nature and mannerisms of Jesus is detrimental to the
message we preach. Therefore we teach and believe that a person who
professes a relationship with Christ and shares the Gospel should hold up
a holy standard. Anyone can say they are Christian. But remember: Your
walk talks, and your talk talks, but your walk talks louder, than your
talk talks.
On
Ministry
People
before Programs.
“Behold, we go up to Jerusalem,… And it came to pass, that as
he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side
begging… And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on
me. And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his
peace… And Jesus
stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come
near, he asked him, Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And
he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him,
Receive thy sight… And immediately he received his sight, and followed
him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise
unto God.” (Excerpts from: Mark 10:45-52 and Luke 18:31-43)
As we have mentioned before in our little lesson on flexibility, we
are called to plan well and be organized. We are called to use our time as
efficiently as possible and set goals designed to promote the gospel.
However, as we set out to do the work, we must consider the effect our
plans have on the body of Christ.
If we have set out to Jerusalem
with plans of arriving by tomorrow and find a blind man along the way who
needs healing, we may need to adjust the schedule in order to place the
needs of a single person ahead of our plan to arrive by tomorrow.
People before programs.
I have an open door policy at the church. If I have time on Tuesday
set aside for office work, administration or chores and one of you come by
the building; I will drop what I’m doing to spend my time with you. People
before programs.
The only time I feel it is more important to continue with a
scheduled program rather than adjust my time to meet the needs of someone
who simply drops by, is when the plan is designed around meeting the needs
of someone who has previously asked for my time. In this case the rule is
people who schedule before people who don’t.
As we carry on the work of the Lord and find that the plan of
attack we have developed isn’t effectively meeting the needs of others,
I must quickly make adjustments, (blessed are the flexible), and always
put people before programs.
Plan well. Consider the needs of
the many. Use your time wisely and always put others first. People
before programs.
Others
General William Booth, founder
of the Salvation Army, once delivered a speech via printed medium that
simply read: “Others.” One word that sent the minds of each student
racing toward its logical conclusion: the lifestyle of Jesus.
Jesus came into the world on an
others centered mission. Jesus surrendered His will to the will of His
Father as an example of others centered ministry. As He traveled the dusty
roads of Galilee, Nazareth, Jerusalem et.al. He was thinking of, and
serving others. For our lives, He laid down His life. He emptied Himself
of all the divine prerogatives and suffered an agonizing death as an
offering of Himself to the Father on our behalf.
“For
even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and
to give his life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45) Jesus practiced the
rule of “Others.”
As Christians we are called to
live out the life of Christ in our every day walk. We are called to live
just like Jesus. We are sent by the Lord into this world on an others
centered mission. We willingly surrender our will to the will of our
Heavenly Father. We set aside
our prerogatives and lay down our lives for those around us. Just like
Jesus, who said: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay
down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)
To be self-centered and fight
for our own will, plans and ambitions, will only bring reproach to the
Gospel and fill us with agony of soul.
To be others centered is true
freedom, true peace, true joy.
Jesus,
Others, Yourself. In that order we spell JOY.
“Others.”
“Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but
also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also
in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:4-5)
Walk
in Love
One
of the signs of adolescent Christianity is a lack of concern for how we
behave around others in and outside the family of God. The adolescent
Christian is apparently growing in the Lord but has not yet come to
understand the responsibility to live an others centered life. They are
happy to know the Lord, happy to study the Scriptures and pray, happy to
fellowship with the family of God, but only on their terms, only when it
agrees with their agenda and methodology.
As
we come to maturity in Christ, we begin to see the value of walking
in love toward those around
us. We concern ourselves less
with our own needs, wants and desires. Paul said: “Let each of you look
out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” (Phil.2:4-5) To
the Ephesians he said: “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
And walk in love,
as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a
sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” (Ephesians 5:1-2)
Be
an encourager. Look for opportunities to serve. Be careful to walk in such
a way as to avoid stumbling one another. Walk in Love.
May the Lord grant us a maturity that allows for the weaker brother or sister. May He equip us to live and walk in the Spirit preferring one another in the fear of God. May He fill us with the Love of Christ that we may walk in love toward those who may see our good works and glorify our Father who is in heaven.
“Let us not therefore judge
one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling
block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.” (Romans 14:13)
Patiently
care
for the brethren. (Allow
the Lord to Mature the Saints.)
Within the framework of our
Christian growth, some of us seem to grow very quickly, and others look as
if they are barely growing or not growing at all.
This
used to frustrate me. I thought that a person who responded to the Gospel
should automatically be changed and that the result should be visible to
all. However, now having
experienced several years in ministry, I have come to understand that God
works differently, individually, and patiently with each one of us. For
one believer, it seems as if their new birth is like a fish being thrown
into the water. They swim like they have been waiting a lifetime to enjoy
a refreshing cool stream and have finally found home. For others, working
through their newly found faith is like washing the dog. One dog quickly
responds to the cleansing and others must be trained to appreciate and
accept the experience. Either way, eventually, both fish and dog are wet
and clean.
I
believe that as a church family, we are to accept the method and speed at
which the Lord develops our brothers and sisters. We are to exercise
patience with those around us and allow the Lord to work in their lives.
We are called to love, instruct, encourage, and patiently care for the brethren.
Never
be critical of the way God brings up His children.
Rejoice in what the Lord has taught you and diligently pray for the
family. “And the servant of
the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach,
patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God
peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the
truth.” (2 Tim. 2:24-25)
“We
then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to
please ourselves.” (Romans 15:1)
Emphasize
the Grace of God (A Safe place to Grow)
If any one of us were to stand
before the Lord and have our lives flash before us, we would quickly
realize that we have no business in the presence of a Holy God. As the
Bible teaches, “there is none righteous, no not one”. (Rom 3:10) Not
one among us, of our own holiness or personal effort, could stand in the
company of the Lord. We are completely undone and sinful. We are
completely unworthy of the person and presence of Jesus.
It is for this reason that Jesus
Christ came to this earth. He came to provide us with cleansing from sin,
and make us holy. He came to give us life, that we might enjoy the
fellowship of God. As
undeserving sinners, we are the recipients of His grace.
Oh how sweet the grace of God, grace that is greater than all our
sin.
At Candlelight Christian
Fellowship we are committed to preaching, teaching, emphasizing and living
the grace of God. We understand that we are unworthy of His love. We
recognize that we are worthy of death. We are daily reminded that we have
nothing in and of ourselves to offer the Lord. We are constantly aware of
the simple fact that we “fall short of the glory of God.”
Most of us have a sorted past.
We are the ones for whom Christ died. We have lived in rebellion, pride
and ignorance. We are the women taken in adultery. We are the demoniacs of
Gadera. Nathan the prophet could as easily have said to us: “Thou art
the man”
We have no stones to throw, no
names to call, no self- righteousness to exalt.
We glory… only, in the righteousness of God, by faith. Our goal
is to provide a place where the body of Christ can grow in the grace of
our Lord Jesus Christ without criticism. We emphasize the grace of God.
All praise, honor, glory and power, belongs to our Savior, our
precious Lord, Jesus Christ.
“…freely ye have received,
freely give.” (Matthew 10:8)
“And above all things have
fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of
sins. Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has
received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the
manifold grace of God.” (1 Peter 4:8-10)
On
Leadership
Blessed
are the flexible for they shall not be broken.
“And
Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and
thee, and between my herdsmen and thy herdsmen; for we be brethren. Is not
the whole land before thee? Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if
thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou
depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.” Gen. 13:8-9
Chuck Smith has penned a beautiful lesson in his statement on
flexibility. He said: “Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be
broken.” Another way of saying this is to say: roll with the
punches, or, take things in stride, be easy going and don’t get easily
ruffled.
On planning, people are usually divided into one of two groups. One
group plans ahead and the others fly by the seat of their pants. The group
of people who plan ahead usually don’t like surprises, they like things
to go smoothly and without distraction.
Planners, who are inflexible to surprises and interruptions, tend
to loose our composure, get flustered and end up in the flesh, reacting to
the situation or person in a way they regret.
The Bible makes it clear that
planning is wise and that we should be diligent in the things we do.
However, we are also called of God to allow the Holy Spirit to lead and
direct our lives. Therefore, we must remain flexible to the opportunities
He provides.
Never get overly committed to your own plans and agendas. Remain
flexible and teachable. The Lord will be enabled to work through you more
effectively and you will be free to minister.
“Come now, you who say,
"Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year
there, buy and sell, and make a profit; whereas you do not know what will
happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears
for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say,
"If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that." (James
4”13-15)
You
can’t lead well if you can’t follow well.
One of the
most valuable lessons I have learned in the past 20 plus years of ministry
is that a person can’t lead well if they
can’t follow well.
Many
people desire to be in visible places of ministry. Some love to be out
front leading and directing others. A smaller number are gifted with the
ability to gather a team and motivate them to accomplish things as
planned. Leadership is a natural gift for a few, for others it is a skill
learned over time and with lessons of experience.
Either way, we can see that
leadership is clearly needed in the body of Christ. The Church needs men
and women who will lead them into the truth without compromise and selfish
motive. We need leaders who without flinching will obey the scriptures and
follow the Lord with a heart of submission. However, many who desire to
lead, and have the ability, are self-driven and slow to submit to others
in the body and/or (sadly) even to the Lord.
As
a leader I have come to understand how important it is to live a
submissive life of obedience to the Lord. I have also come to realize that
a leader is seriously hindered in his or her influence if he or she is
unable or unwilling to submit to the leadership of those with whom they
serve. A senior pastor must consistently learn from the Lord, his
peers and those to whom he is called to serve. An assistant pastor must
learn from the Lord, his senior pastor, his peers and from those he
serves, etc.
If a person can’t follow, he
can’t lead. Those who desire to be leaders must be followers.
Leaders
are called to serve the body of Christ. We must be humble, sensitive,
loving and teachable.
“Hear
instruction and be wise, and do not disdain it.” Proverbs 8:33
“He
who keeps instruction is in the way of life, but he who refuses correction
goes astray.” Proverbs 10:17
Prepare
today for the opportunities of tomorrow.
Jesus spent time with His
disciples teaching and training them for the ministry. He was preparing
them for the mission they would carry out after His ascension. Paul spent
time teaching and training Timothy. Timothy was taught to commit the
things taught him to faithful men who would teach others also. In each of
these scenarios the objective was helping those being taught to better
serve at some time in the near or distant future. The unspoken rule was to
prepare today for the opportunities of tomorrow.
In the church we are often
reactive rather that proactive when it comes to ministry. We wait until a
crisis has arisen and then attempt to address the situation with a quick
fix. By reacting to the opportunities around us, we are generally
unprepared to adequately meet the needs of others, thereby reflecting a
poor testimony. On the other hand, if we look into the future at the
possibilities ahead, preparing in advance for them, we will be
sufficiently equipped to serve as the Lord would have us. Furthermore, I
believe that if we prepare today for the opportunities of tomorrow,
the Lord will see our readiness and pour out His Spirit upon us. Doors of
opportunity will be opened and we will be useful and fruitful in His
kingdom.
We are a growing fellowship.
There are many things ahead. We would do well to think about the future
and begin to prepare ourselves for those things. Opportunity is at the
door.
“Pray
ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers
into his harvest.”
(Matthew 9:38)
“be
ready for every good work.” (Titus 3:1)
“But
sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a
defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you,
with meekness and fear.” (1 Peter 3:15)
Ready?
If you want to be taken
seriously, be serious.
“Young
men likewise exhort to be sober minded. In all things showing thyself a
pattern of good works: in doctrine showing incorruptness, gravity,
sincerity, sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the
contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.” Titus
2”6-8
Today cleverness and
entertainment have become the call of the day. Joking around and playful
teasing is often an acceptable method of communication. However, while we
believe God created us with the ability to express and appreciate humor,
we believe that when situations are serious we should approach them with
the sobriety they deserve. We never beat around the bush with people who
we believe need instruction.
On
Counseling
The Bible
We believe that in many ways
modern day psychology has had a detrimental effect on biblical counseling.
The Bible says of itself that “His divine power has given to us all
things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him
who called us by glory and virtue.” 2 Peter 1:3 Therefore we counsel
using the Bible as our supreme and total authority.
Our method is to listen with a
heart of compassion, pray with and for those who seek counsel, and offer Biblical solutions. Therefore, when the Word is
obeyed, it is rarely necessary to carry on long term counseling
situations.
We believe that in marriage
counseling it is important to have both parties present.
We believe
that when counseling women is best to have a woman counselor and when
counseling men a man. However, Pastor Paul will meet with anyone who
wishes to see him. He will then make the decision concerning the follow-up
visits.
On
Money
Where
God guides He provides.
Today you can turn on any
television set and find some preacher begging for money. Many of the same
preachers have learned fundraising techniques from skilled fundraising
specialists, who work for public radio, television stations, or other
organizations that hire them to assist in their need to raise money. Many
of these preachers are in financial trouble because they have overextended
themselves while working to prop up a man made, man centered vision that
clearly needs to be left alone to die.
There are many worthwhile causes that we invest ourselves as well
as our finances in. It’s just that we believe that “where God
guides, He provides”. In other words, if the Lord has directed us to
do something that requires financial support, we believe He will direct
His people to get behind the project and the needed finances will come in.
Furthermore, we do believe that it is the responsibility of every
Christian to contribute to the work of the Lord.
It’s just that we believe it is repulsive to beg for financial
help and present God to people as though He has a great need and is unable
to meet it. There is no need to discredit the Gospel with unscriptural
methods. The kingdom of God
is not teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. God is not poor and we don’t
need to beg, squeeze or otherwise manipulate people to get them to “dig
deep” and help God out of His little problem.
“And
my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by
Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:19
Things
to Remember
The
Church belongs to Jesus.
God
is more concerned with the minister than He is with the ministry.
God
doesn’t need us.
We
are servants to the Lord
We
are servants to the sheep
Minister
to the needs of the flock.
Don’t
look for ways to have the body serve you. Look for ways you can serve the
body.
We
are not the Holy Spirit
Never
deliberately create problems. Always
use problems as an opportunity to minister.
If
you don’t know what to do, don’t do anything.
If
you don’t know the answer, say so. Don’t fake your way through.
Just
because your right doesn’t mean you have the right.
Don’t
ask anyone to do what you are unwilling to do.
Don’t
manipulate.
Feed,
don’t beat the sheep.
Lead,
don’t push the sheep.
Apologize
quickly when in the wrong.
Own
responsibility for errors and quickly make amends.
Come
early, leave late.
Things
to Do
Be
a Good Listener.
“Wherefore,
my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow
to wrath.” James 1:19
Be
Patient.
“…be
patient toward all men.” 1 Thes. 5:14
Be
Teachable.
“Blessed
are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew
5:3
Be
an Example.
“Let
your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and
glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 “Be thou an
example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit,
in faith, in purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12
Be
Merciful.
“Blessed
are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” Matthew 5:7
Be
a Peacemaker.
“Blessed
are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”
Matthew 5:9
“Let
us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things
wherewith one may edify another.” Romans 14:19
Be
Humble.
“Blessed
are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5
Be
Available
“But
sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an
answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you
with meekness and fear.” 1 Peter 3:15
Be
a team player.
“A
man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise
judgment.” Proverbs 18:1
Notes:
The Church is the bride of Christ!
W. Worship.
I. Instruction.
F. Fellowship.
E. Evangelism.
Compassion International