Understanding Our Times and Knowing What to Do

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Understanding Our Times and Knowing What to Do

• 1 Chron 12.32

And the sons of Issachar, men who understood the
times, with knowledge of what Israel should do
Cf. Lk 12.54-56
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True Male Spiritual Leadership
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The Need Men to Be Leaders

• Like Joshua -- Josh 2415

Joshua 2415
"If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the
LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will
serve whether the gods which your fathers served
which were beyond the River, or the gods of the
Amorites in whose land you are living but as for
me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
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The Need Men to Be Leaders

• Like Ezra

Ezra 710
For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of
the LORD and to practice it, and to teach His
statutes and ordinances in Israel.
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Biblical Pattern for Church Leadership

• Shared Leadership -- Acts 14.23 20.17,28 Phil
  1.1 Tit 1.5

• A Plurality of Shepherds/Elders/Overseers

Acts 1423
When they had appointed elders for them in every
church, having prayed with fasting, they
commended them to the Lord in whom they had
believed.
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Biblical Pattern for Church Leadership

• Shared Leadership -- Acts 14.23 20.17,28 Phil
  1.1 Tit 1.5

• A Plurality of Shepherds/Elders/Overseers

Acts 2017
From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to
him the elders of the church (cf. vs.28)
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Biblical Pattern for Church Leadership

• Shared Leadership -- Acts 14.23 20.17,28 Phil
  1.1 Tit 1.5

• A Plurality of Shepherds/Elders/Overseers

Phil 11
Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in
Philippi, including the overseers and deacons
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Biblical Pattern for Church Leadership

• Shared Leadership -- Acts 14.23 20.17,28 Phil
  1.1 Tit 1.5

• A Plurality of Shepherds/Elders/Overseers

Titus 15
For this reason I left you in Crete, that you
would set in order what remains and appoint
elders in every city as I directed you
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Biblical Pattern for Church Leadership

• Shared Leadership -- Acts 14.23 20.17,28 Phil
  1.1 Tit 1.5

• Cultivated Within the Local Church -- 2 Tim 2.2
  Acts 14.21-23

2 Tim 2.2
The things which you have heard from me in the
presence of many witnesses, entrust these to
faithful men who will be able to teach others
also.
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Biblical Pattern for Church Leadership

• Shared Leadership -- Acts 14.23 20.17,28 Phil
  1.1 Tit 1.5

• Cultivated Within the Local Church -- 2 Tim 2.2
  Acts 14.21-23

Acts 1423
When they had appointed elders for them in every
church, having prayed with fasting, they
commended them to the Lord in whom they had
believed.
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Biblical Pattern for Church Leadership

• Shared Leadership -- Acts 14.23 20.17,28 Phil
  1.1 Tit 1.5

• Cultivated Within the Local Church -- 2 Tim 2.2
  Acts 14.21-23

• Qualifications Consisted of Character Qualities
  1 Tim 3.1f Tit 1.5f

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Biblical Pattern for Church Leadership

• Shared Leadership -- Acts 14.23 20.17,28 Phil
  1.1 Tit 1.5

• Cultivated Within the Local Church -- 2 Tim 2.2
  Acts 14.21-23

• Qualifications Consisted of Character Qualities
  1 Tim 3.1f Tit 1.5f

• Dangers of The Single Pastor System

• Church becomes a passive audience

• Destroys the priesthood of all believers (1
  Pet 2.9).

• Encourages an unhealthy dependence on the
  preacher

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Biblical Pattern for Church Leadership

• Shared Leadership -- Acts 14.23 20.17,28 Phil
  1.1 Tit 1.5

• Cultivated Within the Local Church -- 2 Tim 2.2
  Acts 14.21-23

• Qualifications Consisted of Character Qualities
  1 Tim 3.1f Tit 1.5f

• Yet, Full Time Preachers Important

1 Cor 914
So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the
gospel to get their living from the gospel.
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Biblical Pattern for Church Leadership

• Shared Leadership -- Acts 14.23 20.17,28 Phil
  1.1 Tit 1.5

• Cultivated Within the Local Church -- 2 Tim 2.2
  Acts 14.21-23

• Qualifications Consisted of Character Qualities
  1 Tim 3.1f Tit 1.5f

• Yet, Full Time Preachers Important

1 Tim 517-18
The elders who rule well are to be considered
worthy of double honor, especially those who work
hard at preaching and teaching. For the Scripture
says, YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS
THRESHING, and The laborer is worthy of his
wages.
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Biblical Pattern for Church Leadership

• Shared Leadership -- Acts 14.23 20.17,28 Phil
  1.1 Tit 1.5

• Cultivated Within the Local Church -- 2 Tim 2.2
  Acts 14.21-23

• Qualifications Consisted of Character Qualities
  1 Tim 3.1f Tit 1.5f

• Yet, Full Time Preachers Important

Eph 411-12
And He gave some as apostles, and some as
prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as
pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the
saints for the work of service, to the building
up of the body of Christ
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Marks of a Spiritual Leader

• Spiritual -- Acts 6.1-6 Gal 6.1 Acts 20.28 1
  Pet 5.1-3

Acts 63-4
"Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven
men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of
wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.
"But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to
the ministry of the word."
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Marks of a Spiritual Leader

• Spiritual -- Acts 6.1-6 Gal 6.1 Acts 20.28 1
  Pet 5.1-3

Gal 61
Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any
trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a
one in a spirit of gentleness each one looking
to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted
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Marks of a Spiritual Leader

• Spiritual -- Acts 6.1-6 Gal 6.1 Acts 20.28 1
  Pet 5.1-3

• Servant Leadership -- Eph 5.25-33 1 Pet 5.1-3
  Lk 22.24-27

• Servant Headship in the home -- Eph 5.25-33

Eph 5.25-33
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also
loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so
that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her
by the washing of water with the word, that He
might present to Himself the church in all her
glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such
thing but that she would be holy and blameless.
So husbands ought also to love their own wives as
their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves
himself for no one ever hated his own flesh, but
nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also
does the church, because we are members of His
body
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Marks of a Spiritual Leader

• Spiritual -- Acts 6.1-6 Gal 6.1 Acts 20.28 1
  Pet 5.1-3

• Servant Leadership -- Eph 5.25-33 1 Pet 5.1-3
  Lk 22.24-27

• Servant Headship in the home -- Eph 5.25-33

• Servant Leadership In the church 1 Pet 5.1-3

1 Pet 5.1-3
Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as
your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings
of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that
is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God
among you, exercising oversight not under
compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the
will of God and not for sordid gain, but with
eagerness nor yet as lording it over those
allotted to your charge, but proving to be
examples to the flock.
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Marks of a Spiritual Leader

• Spiritual -- Acts 6.1-6 Gal 6.1 Acts 20.28 1
  Pet 5.1-3

• Servant Leadership -- Eph 5.25-33 1 Pet 5.1-3
  Lk 22.24-27

• Servant Headship in the home -- Eph 5.25-33

• Servant Leadership In the church 1 Pet 5.1-3

• Its Not About Me -- Lk 22.24-27

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Marks of a Spiritual Leader

• Spiritual -- Acts 6.1-6 Gal 6.1 Acts 20.28 1
  Pet 5.1-3

• Servant Leadership -- Eph 5.25-33 1 Pet 5.1-3
  Lk 22.24-27

• Desire to Grow and Develop as a Leader 1 Tim
  3.1

1 Tim 3.1
It is a trustworthy statement if any man
aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine
work he desires to do.
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Marks of a Spiritual Leader

• Spiritual -- Acts 6.1-6 Gal 6.1 Acts 20.28 1
  Pet 5.1-3

• Servant Leadership -- Eph 5.25-33 1 Pet 5.1-3
  Lk 22.24-27

• Desire to Grow and Develop as a Leader 1 Tim
  3.1

• aspire (oregomai) to stretch oneself, i.e.
  reach out after (long for) KJV - covet after,
  desire. (Strong)

• Ambition

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Marks of a Spiritual Leader

• Spiritual -- Acts 6.1-6 Gal 6.1 Acts 20.28 1
  Pet 5.1-3

• Servant Leadership -- Eph 5.25-33 1 Pet 5.1-3
  Lk 22.24-27

• Desire to Grow and Develop as a Leader 1 Tim
  3.1

• But what if dont desire? Consider Mt 25.14-30

• What if you dont have the talent?

• God is not looking for gifted men, but for
  faithful men

2 Tim 2.2
The things which you have heard from me in the
presence of many witnesses, entrust these to
faithful men who will be able to teach others
also.
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Biblical Pattern for Church Leadership

• Shared Leadership

• Cultivated Within the Local Church

• Qualifications Consisted of Character Qualities

Marks of a Spiritual Leader

• Spiritual

• Servant Leadership

• Desire to Grow and Develop as a Leader

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