Learning To Develop Leaders in the Church

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Learning To Develop Leaders in the Church

• Judges 26-10

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Throughout History Leadership HasDetermined the
Fate of Gods People

• the people served the LORD all the days of
  Joshua, and all the days of the elders that
  outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works
  of the LORD, that he did for Israel. And Joshua
  the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died,
  And also all that generation were gathered unto
  their fathers and there arose another generation
  after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the
  works which he had done for Israel. Judges
  26-10

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Result of Poor Leadership

• And the children of Israel did evil in the sight
  of the LORD, and served Baalim And they forsook
  the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them
  out of the land of Egypt, and followed other
  gods, of the gods of the people that were round
  about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and
  provoked the LORD to anger. And they forsook the
  LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. And the
  anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he
  delivered them into the hands of spoilers
  Judges 211-14

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Throughout History Leadership HasDetermined the
Fate of Gods People

• Israel Warned
• Jeremiah 531, The prophets prophesy falsely,
  and the priests bear rule by their means and my
  people love to have it so and what will ye do in
  the end thereof?
• Jeremiah 613, 15, For from the least of them
  even unto the greatest of them every one is given
  to covetousness and from the prophet even unto
  the priest every one dealeth falsely. 15 Were
  they ashamed when they had committed abomination?
  nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could
  they blush

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Throughout History Leadership HasDetermined the
Fate of Gods People

• Ephesian elders warned
• Acts 2028-30, Take heed therefore unto
  yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which
  the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed
  the church of God, which he hath purchased with
  his own blood. For I know this, that after my
  departing shall grievous wolves enter in among
  you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own
  selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things,
  to draw away disciples after them.

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Gods Expectations

• Elders in every congregation
• Acts 1423, And when they had ordained them
  elders in every church, and had prayed with
  fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom
  they believed.
• Titus 15, For this cause left I thee in Crete,
  that thou shouldest set in order the things that
  are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as
  I had appointed thee

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Why Dont Most Churches Have Elders?

• Two reasons
• Many dont want to work strongly enough to
  develop or grow leadership
• Many dont know how to grow leaders within the
  local congregation
• Bottom Line
• Churches will never have elders, or maintain a
  sound eldership, until they are willing to be
  humbled by Gods will

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Where Does Good Leadership Come From?

• Men of Conviction
• 2nd Tim. 113, Hold fast the form of sound
  words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and
  love which is in Christ Jesus.
• Titus 19, Holding fast the faithful word as he
  hath been taught, that he may be able by sound
  doctrine both to exhort and to convince the
  gainsayers.

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Good Leadership Comes From

• Men willing to be tested
• 2nd Tim. 43-4, the time will come when they
  will not endure sound doctrine but after their
  own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers,
  having itching ears And they shall turn away
  their ears from the truth, and shall be turned
  unto fables.
• Willing to stand strong in the faith
• Willing to stand against the crowd if necessary
• Willing to put God first, in all situations

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Good Leadership Comes From

• Men of character
• Romans 53-4, we glory in tribulations also
  knowing that tribulation worketh patience And
  patience, experience and experience, hope
• 2nd Peter 15-7, giving all diligence, add to
  your faith virtue and to virtue knowledge And
  to knowledge temperance and to temperance
  patience and to patience godliness And to
  godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly
  kindness charity. For if these things be in you,
  and abound, they make you that ye shall neither
  be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our
  Lord Jesus Christ.

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Good Leadership Comes From

• Men who are alert
• Mark 1335-37, Watch ye therefore for ye know
  not when the master of the house cometh, at even,
  or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the
  morning Lest coming suddenly he find you
  sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all,
  Watch.
• Matthew 715-16, Beware of false prophets, which
  come to you in sheeps clothing, but inwardly
  they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by
  their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or
  figs of thistles?

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Good Leadership Comes From

• Men who love others
• 1st Corinthians 1613-14, Watch ye, stand fast
  in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. 1Let
  all your things be done with charity.
• Colossians 314-15, And above all these things
  put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to
  the which also ye are called in one body and be
  ye thankful.
• John 1335, By this shall all men know that ye
  are my disciples, if ye have love one to
  another.

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Good Leaders Come From

• Families that live in Gods word
• Proverb 226, Train up a child in the way he
  should go and when he is old, he will not depart
  from it.
• Ephesians 64, fathers, provoke not your
  children to wrath but bring them up in the
  nurture and admonition of the Lord.
• 2nd Timothy 15, When I call to remembrance the
  unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt
  first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother
  Eunice and I am persuaded that in thee also.

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We all have a Choice Lead or Not to Lead

• Being a Leader Requires Desire
• 1st Timothy 31, This is a true saying, If a man
  desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good
  work.
• 1st Timothy 38, Likewise must the deacons be
  grave
• Grave dignity, character, demeanor, etc., being
  conscious of heavy responsibilities
• Philippians 21-5, We all make choices about
  being leaders in Gods work
• Elders, Deacons, Teachers, Fathers, Mothers

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• Philippians 21-5, If there be therefore any
  consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if
  any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and
  mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded,
  having the same love, being of one accord, of one
  mind. Let nothing be done through strife or
  vainglory but in lowliness of mind let each
  esteem other better than themselves. Look not
  every man on his own things, but every man also
  on the things of others. Let this mind be in you,
  which was also in Christ Jesus

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What Can I Do to Develop Leaders in the Church?

• Encourage others (Leaders leaders to be)
• Galatians 66, Let him that is taught in the
  word communicate unto him that teacheth in all
  good things.
• Dont run hide, stand up lead
• Moses, Joseph, Abraham
• Ruth, Esther
• Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
• Stephen, Paul, Barnabas, Peter

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What Can I Do to Help Develop Leaders in the
Church?

• Support leaders in the growth of leaders
• 1 Timothy 517-19, Let the elders that rule well
  be counted worthy of double honour, especially
  they who labour in the word and doctrine. For the
  scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox
  that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is
  worthy of his reward. Against an elder receive
  not an accusation, but before two or three
  witnesses.
• Heb. 1317, Obey them that have the rule over
  you, and submit yourselves for they watch for
  your souls, as they that must give account, that
  they may do it with joy, and not with grief for
  that is unprofitable for you.

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The Future?

• Will the Durham Church of Christ continue to have
  elders and deacons in the future?
• If we apply Gods words to our hearts!
• If we develop future leaders!
• If we yield to Gods will and not our own
• We are ALL responsible for growing
• future leaders in the Lords work!