Leading a Life Worthy of Our Calling Ephesians 4.110

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Leading a LifeWorthy of Our CallingEphesians
4.1-10

• 2006 Northwest Texas
• Pastors School Retreat

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• The transitional therefore in Ephesians 4.1
  causes us to back up and situate any
  understanding of the chapter in what immediately
  preceded in chapter 3, especially Pauls prayer
  for the church
• (Eph. 3.14-19).

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• Paul is praying for
• Pleroma
• (something that is put in to make us whole,
  complete).

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• When we look at Ephesians 1.23 we see that the
  church is called the Pleroma (the fullness) of
  him Jesus who fills all in all! Paul is
  clearly writing that the corporate body of
  believers (the quick and the dead) are the
  fullness of God.

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• When we talk about fullness we must understand it
  in the corporate terms that Paul meant and not in
  our western, individualistic egocentric
  misunderstanding and misapplication. It is
  always a we or an us and never a me or an
  I. Fullness resides in the whole body, not
  within the individual.

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• In Eph. 3.18 Paul is also praying for Dunamis
  that is for the capability of doing something
  which in this case is the ability to really
  comprehend and know the Agape of Christ.

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• There is a huge foundation here for the church
  and it is at the same time the single most
  important principle of leadership

RECEPTION PRECEDES DONATION
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• VS 1.
• I, therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you
  to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you
  have been called

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• -Os Guinness writes wonderfully about the
  difference between what he calls primary and
  secondary calling
• Our primary calling as followers of Christ is by
  him, to him, and for him. First and foremost we
  are called to Someone (God), not to something
  (such as motherhood, politics, or teaching) or to
  somewhere (such as the inner city or Outer
  Mongolia).

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• Our secondary calling, considering who God is as
  sovereign, is that everyone, everywhere, and in
  everything should think, speak, live, and act
  entirely for him. We can therefore properly say
  as a matter of secondary calling that we are
  called to homemaking or to the practice of law or
  to art history. But these and other things are
  always the secondary, never the primary calling.
  The Call Finding and Fulfilling The Central
  Purpose of Your Life. P. 31.

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• Pray for me that I not loosen my grip on the
  hands of Jesus even under the guise of
  ministering to the poor.
• -Mother Teresa of Calcutta

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• OUR FIRST, OUR PRIMARY CALL IS TO BE A FOLLOWER
  OF CHRIST.

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• VS 2.
• with all humility and gentleness, with patience,
  bearing with one another in love

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• Humility is a true and right valuing of who we
  are. We are creatures. We are totally dependent
  creatures and we are in absolute need of
  continual help.
• Gentleness we learn how to be easy with life
  (both our life as well as the lives of others).
  According to van Kaam and Muto the finest fruits
  of a gentle life style are recollection and a
  posture of waiting upon the Lord. (Christian
  Articulation of the Mystery, p. 186)

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• Patience the old King James captures this word
  best, long suffering.
• Bearing with one another in love enduring
  putting up with. Our terrible tendency here is
  to polarize. We first depreciate the other
  (take value from), then we separate from the
  other.

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• VS 3.
• making every effort to maintain the unity of the
  Spirit in the bond of peace.

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• Eirene describes a sense of deep well-being and
  denotes an absence of strife.

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• While commenting upon St. Teresa of Avila, Adrian
  van Kaam and Susan Muto write
• no matter how deeply the soul is plunged by
  grace into the abyss of Gods mystery, the
  efficacy of this experience can only be
  determined by the charity that flows from it.
  (Articulation, p. 124)

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The negative slant LEADERSHIP THAT FAILS TO BE
FILLED WITH GOOD WILL FOR THOSE BEING LED WILL
COLLAPSE.
The positive slant LEADERSHIP THAT IS FILLED
WITH BENEVOLENCE FOR ALL WILL OPEN THE DOOR FOR
THE WORLD TO EXPERIENCE GODS GRACE.
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• VS 4, 5 6
• 4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you
  were called to the one hope of your calling, 5one
  Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father
  of all, who is above all and through all and in
  all.

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• Heis means a numerical one in other words,
  only one.

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• VS 7.
• But each of us was given grace according to the
  measure of Christs gift.

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• Charis a kindness granted.
• Dorea a free gift which is at the same time a
  free supernatural gift coming from the Messiah.
  And no matter how big the group, each individual
  receives a blessed gift.

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• VS 8.
• Therefore it is said, When he ascended on high
  he made captivity itself a captive he gave gifts
  to his people.

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• The rewards of the victory of Christ are being
  shared with the body.

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• VS 9, 10
• When it says, He ascended, what does it mean
  but that he had also descended into the lower
  parts of the earth? 10He who descended is the
  same one who ascended far above all the heavens,
  so that he might fill all things.

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• Christ descended to the earth in and through his
  incarnation. In like manner we are called to
  descend into sacrificial service to others.
  When Christ ascended above the heavens he did so
  in order to fill all things with his presence.
  Pleroo means to fill it up! It is this very
  filling presence that we depend upon now to
  carry us forward in our service to others.

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Leading a LifeWorthy of Our CallingEphesians
4.1-10

• 2006 Northwest Texas
• Pastors School Retreat

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Leading a LifeWorthy of Our CallingEphesians
4.1-10

• 2006 Northwest Texas
• Pastors School Retreat

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Your Ministry Is Really About Their Ministry
Ephesians 4.11-13
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• 11The gifts he gave were that some would be
  apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some
  pastors and teachers,
• 12to equip the saints for the work of ministry,
  for building up the body of Christ, 13until all
  of us come to the unity of the faith and of the
  knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the
  measure of the full stature of Christ.

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The full Stature of Christ in a local
congregation will look like a body filled with

• Leaders
• Managers
• Ministers
• Prayer Warriors

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LEADERS

• The gift of Leadership is the divine enablement
  to cast vision, motivate, and direct people to
  harmoniously accomplish the purposes of God.
  Taken from NETWORK, Leaders Guide, p. 260.

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Eight Generic Leadership Functions

• Motivation toward vision
• Leadership selection and training
• Decision making
• Crisis resolution
• Routine problem solving
• Coordinating with superiors
• Coordinating with peers
• Coordinating with subordinates

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Two words can describe a Christian Leader

• Vision
• Inspiring

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MANAGERS

• The divine enablement to understand what makes an
  organization function, and the special ability to
  plan and execute procedures that accomplish the
  goals of the ministry.

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Fruit of a Faithful Ministry Manager

• A strong ministry team is formed and evidences
  high commitment to accomplish the goals of the
  particular ministry
• Multiple leaders arise from within the team.
  These leaders all share a common vision and a
  contagious love

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Fruit of a Faithful Ministry Manager

• Through prayer and absolute dependence upon God,
  and through highly committed work together (many
  hours per week!), Gods blessings become evident
  upon the team. The team begins to fulfill its
  task!
• Peoples lives are transformed! Gods name is
  honored! And Gods church is blessed!

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Ministers Have At Least Three Primary
Characteristics

• 1. They are committed Christians
• 2. They are intentional disciples (followers of
  Christ).
• 3. They are seeking to grow as faithful servants
  (loving others).

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Prayer Warriors

• A Prayer Warrior is a disciple who
• 1. Adores Jesus
• 2. Has an intimate relationship with Christ
• 3. Hears the Fathers voice
• 4. Loves others so intently as to regularly
  intercede for them

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The Direction Of Pastoral Leadership

• (A Focused Pastor/Leader)

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The end in view is a congregation fulfilling
Gods purposes and filled with disciples who are
obediently living out their ministry callings in
Christ.Such a congregation will be led by
disciples who serve as

• Leaders

• Managers

• Ministers

• Prayer Warriors

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As Well As AVery FocusedPastor/Leader Staff
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What Is TheDirection Of PastoralLeadership
NecessaryTo AchieveSuch An End?
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1. First A Follower

• Matthew 16.24
• If any want to become my followers, let them
  deny themselves and take up their cross and
  follow me.
• Akoloutheo--to accompany to follow after.

John 12.26 Whoever serves me must follow
me. Akoloutheo--move quickly and move straight
obey.
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2. A Servant Of All

• Overseers
• Take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, in
  which the Holy Spirit has made you guardians, to
  feed the church of the Lord which he obtained
  with his own blood. Acts 20.28
• Episkopos--an elder (overseer) who is in charge.
• Poimaino--to tend or shepherd the flock.
• Tending/Feeding
• Tend my sheep John 21.16 (poimaino)
• Feed my lambsFeed my sheep John 21.15 17
  (bosko--simply to feed)

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2. A Servant Of All

• Witnessing
• Be my witnesses Acts 1.8
• Martures--one who announces the Gospel and shares
  the story.
• Preaching
• Preach the word, be urgent in season and out of
  season, convince, rebuke, and exhort, be
  unfailing in patience and in teaching.
  2 Timothy 4.2
• Kerusso--proclaim or herald Gods Word.

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3. Equipping The Few

• Making Disciples
• Go and make disciples Matthew 28.19
• Matheteuo--to make a disciple a follower of
  another to become attached to ones teacher and
  to become a follower.
• Teaching them to observe Matthew 28.20
• Didasko--instruct in such a way that there is an
  increase in learning/understanding/ growth of the
  apprentice.

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3. Equipping The Few

• Equipping Disciples For Ministry
• For the equipment of the saints for the work of
  ministry, for building up the body of Christ
  Ephesians 4.12
• Katartismos--a process that is completed
  bringing something to completion or wholeness.
• Diakonia--all the aspects of serving and caring
  for Gods church.
• Oikodome--building as a process building up the
  body of Christ.

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KEY PAY THE PRICE ISSUES

• Its Hard Work!
• There Will Be A Substantial Time Commitment
• You Cannot Hide Behind Your Office (equipping
  disciples throws you into the trenches of life
  right along side of the ones you are serving)
• You Have To Become A Spiritual Guide Friend
• You Must Maintain Steady Love and Huge Patience
  (Its both a highly demanding and long process)

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The Good News Is That Your Commitment To Equip
Disciples Will Bring A Substantial Harvest For
The Kingdom

• You will be fulfilling the Biblical mandate to
  make disciples
• You will have the privilege of seeing dramatic,
  radical transformation within lives, families,
  congregations, and ministries
• You will witness the ministry of your local
  congregation or ministry organization multiplied
  in ways you never dreamed possible and
  outreach/expansion take place that you could have
  never accomplished on your own
• You will see the world impacted for Christ

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True Disciples(Apprentices Of Jesus)Have A
Marvelous Way Of

• Duplicating Themselves
• Serving Others
• Bringing the Salt of the Gospel and the Light of
  Christ into the World

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The Wesleyan Class Meeting

• Growing Together In Christian Community

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Hebrews 10.22-25

• Let us approach with a true heart in full
  assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled
  clean from an evil conscience and our bodies
  washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the
  confession of our hopes without wavering, for he
  who has promised is faithful. And let us
  consider how to provoke one another to love and
  good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as
  is the habit of some, but encouraging one
  another, and all the more as you see the Day
  approaching.

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• I was more convinced than ever that the
  preaching like an apostle without joining
  together those that are awakened and training
  them up in the ways of God, is only begetting
  children for the murderer. How much preaching
  there has been for these twenty years all over
  Pembrookshire. But no regular societies, no
  discipline, no order or connection, and the
  consequence is that nine in ten of the once
  awakened are now faster asleep than ever. John
  Wesley
• Thomas Jackson, ed., The Works of John Wesley,
  Vol.3, (Grand Rapids Baker Book House, 1979), p.
  144.

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Just Look At The Fruit!

• By 1768 Methodism had 40 circuits and 27,341
  members. Ten years later, it had 60 circuits and
  40,089 members. Another decade later, it had 99
  circuits and 66,375 members. By the end of
  Wesleys life there were 149 circuits with
  101,712 members. And today there are over 60
  million people in the Methodist family worldwide.

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Wesley Invited Those Who Responded To His
Preaching To Come Together Weekly In Religious
Society Meetings
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Rules of the Band Societies(Dec. 25, 1738)

• Taken from The Works Of John Wesley, Volume 9
  (The Methodist Societies History, Nature, and
  Design), Edited by Rupert E. Davies, Nashville
  Abingdon Press, 1989, pp.77-78.
• The design of our meeting is to obey that command
  of God, Confess your faults one to another, and
  pray one for another that ye may be healed. To
  this end we intend
• To meet once a week, at the least.
• To come punctually at the hour appointed, without
  some extraordinary reason.
• To beginexactly at the hour, with singing or
  prayer..

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Rules of the Band Societies(Dec. 25, 1738)

• Taken from The Works Of John Wesley, Volume 9
  (The Methodist Societies History, Nature, and
  Design), Edited by Rupert E. Davies, Nashville
  Abingdon Press, 1989, pp.77-78.
• 4. To speak, each of us in order, freely and
  plainly the true state of our souls, with the
  faults we have committed in thought, word, or
  deed, and the temptations we have felt since our
  last meeting.
• 5. To end every meeting with prayer, suited to
  the state of each person present.
• 6. To desire some person among us to speak his
  own state first, and then to ask the rest in
  order as many and as searching questions as may
  be concerning their state, sins, and temptations.

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Some of the questions proposed to every one
before he is admitted amongst us may be to this
effect

• Have you the forgiveness of your sins?
• Have you peace with God, through our Lord Jesus
  Christ?
• Have you the witness of Gods Spirit with your
  spirit that you are a child of God?
• Is the love of God shed abroad in your heart?
• Has no sin, inward or outward, dominion over you?
• Do you desire to be told of your faults?
• Do you desire to be told of all your faults, and
  that plain and home?

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• 8. Do you desire that every one of us should tell
  you from time to time whatsoever is in his heart
  concerning you?
• 9. Consider! Do you desire we should tell you
  whatsoever we think, whatsoever we fear,
  whatsoever we hear, concerning you?
• 10. Do you desire that in doing this we should
  come as close as possible, that we should cut to
  the quick, and search your heart to the bottom?
• 11. Is it your desire and design to be on this
  and all other occasions entirely open, so as to
  speak everything that is in your heart, without
  exception, without disguise, and without reserve?

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Any of the preceding questions may be asked as
often as occasion offers the five following at
every meeting

• What known sins have you committed since our last
  meeting?
• What temptations have you met with?
• How was you delivered?
• What have you thought, said, or done, of which
  you doubt whether it be sin or not?
• Have you nothing you desire to keep secret?

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Class Meetings The Method of Methodism

• Taken from Steven W. Manskars book Accountable
  Discipleship Living in Gods Household,
  Nashville, Discipleship Resources, 2000, pp.
  90-97.

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The Class Meetings

• Began on February 15, 1742 (The Methodist
  movement had financial needs)
• Small groups of roughly 12 to 20 persons were
  formed in each of the Societies. A leader was
  assigned.
• As the leaders gave their weekly reports to
  Wesley, he soon realized the pastoral potential
  of the classesThe work of the leaders, as they
  visited and looked after their class members,
  extended the pastoral ministry of the societies
  to all members. Soon after its inception, the
  classes became much more than a means for
  retiring a building debt they became the very
  foundation on which the Methodist movement was
  built. The class meeting provided the means for
  spiritual nurture and accountability sought by
  those who came to join the Methodist societies.
  p. 92

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The Class Meetings

• What happened at the class meetings? The leaders
  shared about their lives in the past week
  (including struggles and doubts). Then each
  member shared and was questioned. Prayer and
  hymn singing both opened and closed the meetings.
• The class members came to deeply care for and
  love each other. The class meeting provided an
  environment in which people could trust and be
  trusted, love and be loved, and be vulnerable in
  a way that is needed for true growth in grace and
  love of God, neighbor, and self to occur. p. 93
• The condition for membership was participation in
  the weekly class meeting and following the
  General Rules of the United Societies

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• Because Wesley followed the prompting of the
  Holy Spirit and implemented the division of the
  societies into classes, he discovered and set
  loose the power of God to change lives and care
  for peoples bodies and soulsWesley was a
  pastors pastor. We can see this in his embrace
  of the class meetings and the office of class
  leader. Through them, the pastoral needs of
  countless people were met, and they were loved
  and formed into Christian disciples. They
  experienced the forgiveness of their sins and,
  often for the first time, learned that they were
  somebody in the eyes of God and their neighbor.
  We can look to Wesley and those early class
  meetings and learn from them as we seek to raise
  up faithful disciples and leaders in the church
  today.
• Manskar p. 98

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In his text, John Wesleys Class Meeting A Model
for Making Disciples, Michael Henderson
summarizes the impact of the Class Meetings

• It furnished the environment in which cognitive
  concepts could be experimentally or
  experientially tested.
• It served as a purging or pruning instrument to
  keep dead wood out of the society.
• It was training ground for leaders.
• It was a point of entry capable of incorporating
  large numbers of new people quickly.
• It financed the movement through penny
  collections.

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In his text, John Wesleys Class Meeting A Model
for Making Disciples, Michael Henderson
summarizes the impact of the Class Meetings

• 6. Its accounting system provided a constant and
  immediate record of the strength and size of the
  movement.
• 7. It forced 100 percent mobilization and
  participation of the membership.
• 8. It gave every member a voice in the affairs of
  Methodism.
• 9. It allowed people to practice speaking their
  inner feelings.
• 10. It provided the milieu for resolving
  conflicts within the society by immediate
  face-to-face confrontation.

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How Can The Dynamics of the Class Meeting Be
Retrofitted to this Day and Time?
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The Heart Of Covenant Living

• Devotional Living
• Relational Strengthening
• Vocational Serving

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Secondary(But Critically Important)Aspects of
Covenant Living

• Temple Nurturing
• Re-Creational Experiencing

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Equipping the Saintsfor Ministry

• This presentation will probably involve audience
  discussion, which will create action items. Use
  PowerPoint to keep track of these action items
  during your presentation
• In Slide Show, click on the right mouse button
• Select Meeting Minder
• Select the Action Items tab
• Type in action items as they come up
• Click OK to dismiss this box
• This will automatically create an Action Item
  slide at the end of your presentation with your
  points entered.

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The Calling

• A Lay Pastor is a spiritually mature Christian
  who has been called by the Lord and equipped and
  commissioned by the church for servant leadership
  within the body of Christ.
• Lay Pastors are committed to life-long growth in
  the Lord and to a lifetime of service to
  humanity. They are accountable to the Sr. Pastor
  for their ministry direction and effectiveness.
• Lay Pastors have embraced the ministry gifts and
  callings that the Lord has given them and are
  diligently seeking to be slaves of Christ and
  stewards of Gods mysteries. (1
  Corinthians 4.1)

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The Calling
Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was
given to you through prophecy with the laying on
of hands Put these things into practice, devote
yourselves to them, so that all may see your
progress. Pay close attention to yourself and to
your teaching continue in these things, for in
doing this you will save both yourself and your
hearers. 1 Timothy 4.14-16 Tend the
Flock of God that is in your charge, exercising
the oversight, not under compulsion but
willingly, as God would have you do it and when
the chief shepherd appears, you will win the
crown of glory that never fades away. 1
Peter 5.2-4
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The Outcome

• The outcome of the Lay Pastor ministry is nothing
  less than a contemporary version of the New
  Testament Christian community of faith.
• This vision embraces a growing number of Lay
  Pastors who
• See themselves as apprentices of Jesus
• Are living in the historic Christian disciplines
• Are exemplary in character because of their
  ongoing transformation in Christ

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The Outcome

• These Lay Pastors will also demonstrate a
  lifetime commitment to Christian accountability
  through
• Faithfulness to accountable discipleship in the
  Wesleyan tradition, including regular attendance
  in worship, Sunday School and their
  accountability group
• Tithing their income to the Lord

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The Outcome

• The vision further includes Lay Pastors who are
  deeply committed to volunteer vocational ministry
  within the church including
• Seeking out, developing and then employing their
  spiritual gifts in ministry
• Modeling servant leadership for the church
• Serving in team ministry
• Shepherding the portion of the flock assigned to
  them
• Meeting regularly with the Sr. Pastor for
  worship, prayer, instruction, visioning and
  accountability

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The Discipleship Pyramid Dr. Tom Tumblin
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Lay Pastors TrainingSmall Group Movement

• Establishment of the Disciplines Dispositional
  Living
• Obstacles to the walk The Call for
  Focus
• Facilitating Conditions for the Walk The
  Restructuring of Life
• Hearing the Voice of God Deep Transformation of
  the Heart
• Vocational Fidelity Saying yes to Gods Call
• 5 Movements of the Heart
• (Five Potential progressive movements of the
  heart over the two year course)

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The Two Year Plan
1 Overview Devotional Life in the Wesleyan
Tradition Steve Harper
2 Prayer The Workbook of Living Prayer Maxie
Dunnam
3 The Word Shaped by the Word Robert Mulholland
4 Christian Community Community 101 Gilbert
Bilezikian
6 Spiritual Gifts Gifts The Joy of Serving
God Willow Creek Resources
8 John Wesley Ken Collins
7 Evangelism Radical Outreach George Hunter
5 Servant Leadership Spiritual Leadership
9 Spiritual Formation vanKaam/Muto Dallas
Willard John Ortberg
Prayer Retreat
Prayer Retreat
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A TypicalSmall GroupSession
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Before Going Into Their Small Groups Each Member
Should Have

• A Study Bible
• A Notebook
• A Devotional Guide
• The Current Text From The Two Year Academy
  Module

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A Typical Small Group Session

• Open with prayer
• Remember the small group is not a time for
  lecture style teaching. It is a crucial time for
  sharing, accountability, encouragement, and
  integration.
• Ask the question, What impacted you from the
  Word this week?

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A Typical Small Group Session

• Ask, How are you doing with your covenant
  disciplines?
• Ask if they need specific accountability points
  for the coming week.
• Leaders should also share how they are doing.
• Ask each member how the group needs to be in
  prayer for them in the coming week.

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Rules Of The Group

• We seek to faithfully live out the covenant.
• We are not here to fix or solve one anothers
  problems.
• Most of our prayer requests should be in 1st
  person.

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Training a Pilot GroupandSelecting Apprentices
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The Pilot Group

• Pull together proven spiritual leaders for a 1
  year Pilot Group. You will need leaders to help
  manage your discipleship program.
• Cast the vision begin right away with
  accountability and prayerfully work through the
  Ministry Action Plan (MAP).
• Select Leaders, Shepherds, and 2 Year Academy
  Module Coordinators.
• Communicate, communicate, communicate!

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The Pilot Group

• Have a Town Hall meeting inviting all
  interested persons. Describe the goal, the
  process, and the commitment necessary. Have
  Pilot Team members share answer questions.
• Place those who sign up for the 2 year commitment
  in small groups.
• Husbands Wives together in small groups?

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Trial Period

• Every apprentice is in a trial period for the
  first 3 to 4 months (a good time to start is late
  August).
• This is a time to see whether or not they are
  ready to live in accountable discipleship.
• Work toward a Covenant Signing Service (the 1st
  week in January is an ideal time).
• You may need to invite some to step out of the
  groups.

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Trial Period

• Meet with your group leaders frequently during
  these first few months.
• Meet one on one with each participant at least
  once during the first 3 to 4 months.
• Your high investment of time will come back to
  you 100 fold.