Finding Hope in the Spirit’s Gift of Leadership

Today is fall kickoff Sunday. It is the Sunday our church makes an intentional push to encourage spiritual growth through the restart of ministries after the summer break.

• - We often start a new sermon series around this time (It begins in 2 weeks), our ABFs typically begin a new series, and we restart Wednesday night ministries including Introduction to Faith.

• This class meets on 4 consecutive Wednesday evenings from 6:30-8:00 beginning August 30. Pastor Viars leads the class and there is no faster way to learn about the ministry than that class. It is also a time for you to ask whatever you want. Our goal is help people consider whether Faith Church is the right place for them to serve and grow. There is no pressure, just honest conversations.

Our annual theme is Hope for Everyday life. Believers ought to live with a positive outlook on the future. We are nearing the end of our series on Hope for Fruitful Service. We learned that first, fruit comes when we make every effort to develop the 7 characteristics from 2 Peter 1:5-9: moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love.

Then we moved to our series on Spiritual gifts using Romans 12 as our guide. These gifts are exercised in the church resulting in the growth and health of the church family.

• - I want to read a portion of Romans 12. That is on page 126 of the back section of the Bible under the chair in front of you.

As you turn there, we have tried to communicate that you will discover how God has gifted you and wants you to function in his church by serving.

• - You learn through trial and error.

• I remember serving at a camp ministry in the summer of 1992. On the one hand, it helped confirm my calling to vocational ministry and on the other, it showed me I never wanted to be in camp ministry. I would have never known that if I hadn’t tried.

• I love the stories I have heard already. One person said, I now realize that I have the gift of serving. Now I understand why I find such fulfillment in it.

Please follow along as I read the Word of the Lord. (Read Romans 12:1-8)

We will focus on the following words: he who leads, with diligence. Just 5 words today. The title of the message this morning is Finding Hope in the Spirit’s Gift of Leadership.

The concept of leadership has fallen on hard times. Some seem suspicious of anyone in a position of authority. I suppose there is some good reason for that. Jesus said,

Matthew 20:25–28 - Jesus called them [his disciples] to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. “It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

We understand that most concepts can be used improperly. Bad examples, however, do not destroy a concept. Leadership is important.

• - In fact, many of us could testify to how frustrating it is when leadership does not exist or how wonderful it is when leaders function like Jesus commanded.

Well, how are we going to understand these 5 words: “he who leads, with diligence”? I am glad you asked. Here is my plan:

1. We want to understand what “leads” means in Romans 12:8 knowing that this same word is used 7 other times in the Bible. Each will contribute to our understanding of biblical leadership.
2. I believe there are many gifted leaders (by that they have the spiritual gift of leadership designed to produce spiritual fruit). We need to understand what “with diligence” means without careening over to unbiblical leadership.

Along the way we will consider how gifted people should lead and how followers should follow.

I want to suggest to you that the term “leads” refers to the one out front. The leader is the one pointing others in the right direction while also setting the pace. Check out the uses …

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, 13 and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work.

1 Timothy 3:4-5 He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity 5 (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?)

1 Timothy 3:12 Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households.

1 Timothy 5:17 The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

Titus 3:8 This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men.

Titus 3:14 Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful.

Scholars use words like lead, out front, have charge, manage, and engage to describe this concept.

• - It is not passive, nor is it reactionary.

• - It is an active, forward thinking, first acting kind of person. But it was also the servant … often the first to arrive and the last to leave. Not the person barking orders, but the person asking others to join him.

• - At the same time, there is authority. Jesus did not design his church for everyone to have equal voice and equal authority.

• Romans speakers to leaders, 1 Thessalonians to the leaders in the church, 1 Timothy to the elders and deacons, and Titus 3:8 and 14 refer to Titus, the man. Paul had charged Titus with appointing elders and setting in order what remains.

• When we think of leader we need to think in terms of responsibility, authority, management, active engagement, serving, working longer, and being in the front.

We have many layers of leadership in the church. Pastors and deacons … (and every year you nominate people to serve as deacons … this sermon will provide help in that selection), ministry leaders (Women’s ministry, Men’s ministry, Point man leaders, Women’s Bible study leaders) and also even leaders (Taste of Christmas, Vacation Bible School, Living Nativity, Christmas for Everyone, and on and on). God provides the gift of leadership to those he wants to function in these types of positions.

• - The ones out front managing, engaging, going first, working longer, and taking responsibility.

• - Friends, God has given many gifted leaders to this church. I want this message to have a foundation of praise. Praise God that he gave his Spirit to provide us with gifted leaders.

At this point, I would like us to consider 3 ways leaders in Christ’s church should be diligent.

Leaders must do so, the text says, diligently. Scholars use the words zeal, eagerness, willingness, and devotion to describe this word.

I. Be Diligent to Follow the Lord’s Leadership

Every leader in Christ’s church is also a follower. We eagerly lead under the leadership of Christ. Leaders must follow Christ. Notice one of the verses we looked at earlier:

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, 13 and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work.

Leaders exercise their authority, their management, and their forward position in the Lord. That is why we want to know where they are going before we decide whether to follow them.

Godly leadership is not an end in itself. Godly leaders are submissive to the great king, the Lord Jesus Christ.

• - Leaders are out front moving toward the Lord and saying to everyone else … come and join me. Let’s go to the Lord together.

• - Let’s faithfully follow his commands and enjoy his blessings.

Friends if you have the gift of leadership for the purpose of benefiting the church (which is what every spiritual gift is designed for), then you must ensure that your leadership results in people being more excited about Jesus.

• - You are out front, working harder and longer, taking responsibility, eagerly serving to ensure that Jesus is glorified.

• - For those following … look for people who are going to lead you to godliness.

I think many of you would agree that the concept of leadership has fallen on hard times in our culture.

• - As a result of some wicked leaders, our culture has careened to the other side. No leadership.

• - Leadership is bad and toxic because it is about power, self-preservation, and self-exaltation.

Let’s talk for a moment about our struggle with leadership.

We admit that there has been godless leadership in culture and sometimes in the church. But there might be more to the story.

• - It may be that what is really happening here is that people not only want to be autonomous from gifted leaders, but also from the Lord.

• - Leading Christ’s church and following well in his church requires that one have a saving relationship with Jesus, but that requires accepting him as Lord. Jesus as master and boss is…

A. Foundational to being a follower of Jesus Christ

Romans 10:9–10 - that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

Our struggle to be godly leaders and to follow those gifted by God may be first that we do not have a saving relationship with Christ. We have not accepted him as our Lord.

We do not submit to anyone and we have no leader. We have adopted the poem Invictus as our mission statement: “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.”

Friend, if you have never confessed Jesus as your Lord we invite you to admit your sin and place your faith and trust in Christ as Lord and Savior…

• - Because you can’t exercise the gift of leadership, or follow those who have been given that gift well…until you first done business with whether you have any place for submission in your heart and life for Christ…

• - If you cannot submit to Christ, then you lead anyone to him nor can you joyfully follow anyone.

For those here who do have a saving relationship with Jesus.

• - You know that exercising the gift of leadership in a godly way is not always easy.

• - You also know that following a person exhorting you to follow them to Jesus is not always easy because we still struggle with our own sin.

Leadership can morph to dictatorship. What starts as a desire to honor Jesus turns into a prideful desire to a well respected. What starts as a joyfully following turns into jealousy that someone else gets the credit.

Friends, this is not something new. In fact, it is…

B. A struggle that began in the Garden of Eden

Genesis 3:11 - And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”

There’s a stream of rebellion that runs in our hearts unless we seek to address it in the power of Christ…

• - We cannot lead following the Lord’s leadership because of rebellion

• - We can’t follow someone else’s leadership because of rebellion that we first have with the Lord

There is a huge point of application for all of us. If God has gifted you with leadership (to be the one responsible, out front, encouraging others to come with you, serving harder and longer) then are you doing everything you can to repent of your own rebellious desires to get the glory, to be a person of renown, and commit in your heart that your leadership will be about Jesus?

• - Fathers, is that your leadership in the home? When your children leave your home will they be able to honestly say in their hearts that you tried to make your home about Jesus?

• It wasn’t perfect, but you worked to lead each member of your household to Jesus.

• - Pastors (don’t mind me, I am going to talk to myself publicly for a moment) … would people under your care say that you were running to Jesus and encouraging them to follow you to the cross?

• - Ministry leaders, is that the focus of your ministry?

If you are following (and we all follow … even if at other times we lead) … then are we repenting for our rebellious hearts and attitudes?

• - Are we joyfully allowing leaders to point us in the right direction and heed their exhortation?

• - Are we properly giving thanks for those leaders who are serving us faithfully and directing our lives to the Lord?

We understand the struggle. It will not be perfect. That is one reason we know that this is not our final stop.

Perfect leadership is …

C. A future promise that should make us long for heaven

Isaiah 42:1–4 - “Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry out or raise His voice, nor make His voice heard in the street. A bruised reed He will not break and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not be disheartened or crushed Until He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law.”

We’re admittedly a long way from that…however, to some degree this can be…

D. A present reality if we allow it to be

We understand the struggle …

1. For the leader … exercise your gift while being in submission to Christ and ensuring that your leadership moves people to a greater love for their savior.

1. With diligence … eagerly, willingly, with zeal, and devotion …

Friends, all of this is God’s idea.

• - When His people function within their God-give roles using God-given strength and principles, the net result can be wonderful.

Let me pause for just a moment and say something about Pastor Viars. He is preaching at Faith West today and he does not know I am saying this.

• - But one of the reasons that people like Pastors Aucoin (25 years), Garner (20+ years), Folden and others have been on the staff so long is that we have been given good, godly leadership.

• - It is not terribly unusual for one of the staff members to be asked to consider other opportunities. On occasion, someone believes the Lord is redeploying them.

• When they leave, they leave something good.

• Those who remain still enjoy the blessings.

We have a definition of the spiritual gift of leadership: in front, responsible, managing, and engaging. We understand that diligence, effort, eager, willing, zealous, and devoted effort is required. That is leaders serve.

• - We also have “in the Lord” implying both the direction leadership moves (toward Christ) and followers of that leadership enjoy the blessings.

Let’s consider another aspect of this diligent leadership…

• 1 Timothy 3:4-5 He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity 5 (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?)
• 1 Timothy 3:12 Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households.
• 1 Timothy 5:17 The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.

II. Be Diligent to Organize and Manage

You can tell if a person has this gift if they can organize projects and manage people. Some people just don’t have it. That’s not wrong any more than not have the gift of teaching, serving, giving, or exhorting is wrong. It is part of the glorious diversity of the body of Christ. Each person provides their part.

When the Spirit of God gifts a person to leadership then that leadership starts…

By understanding the goal

This isn’t just about getting things done.

• - It’s about accomplishing tasks together that can draw people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ…and helping everyone involved become more like Christ in the process.

• - I said earlier that leadership always moves in a direction.

Colossians 1:28–29 - We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.

This is one of the things I love about being associated with our church….

• - There are so many women and men who are gifted leaders, but they exercise that gift with a purpose.

• - That’s one of the reasons we’re not afraid of starting new ministries…because by God’s grace there are often people who are willing to step up and lead in a purpose-focused fashion…

Last Wednesday night we have over 100 servants gather for an evening to ensure we are ready for the start of the fall ministries.

• - Each ministry: children’s, youth, ushers and greeters, ABFs, nursery, and coffee have various leaders. People who are organizing and managing to help their servants successfully point people to Christ.

Yesterday we gathered for Men of Faith. 150 men came to study the Bible and think about the various aspects of biblical manhood. Someone needed to organize the breakfast … it doesn’t make itself, set up tables and chairs, arrange for sound, etc, etc, etc to ensure that we have an event that gives men the opportunity to take a step of growth.

• - Leaders run that.

Another example is Christmas for Everyone …

• - That is an interesting story. The Red Cross asked if our church would provide underwear to supplement the Christmas program they ran. The next year, the red cross asked us to take it over. This coming Christmas will be the 23^rd year.

• - The leaders of the ministry, and many serve in various leadership aspects, are not simply making presents available.

• - They want the gospel to be front and center in the way our guests are treated, the ways Bibles and other spiritual resources are available, the way we pray and follow up…and in the way that each of our volunteers are trained and served.

For what purpose?

• - So that every person – either one of the guests or one of the servants…will either come to Christ if they haven’t already, or become more like Christ as a result of serving in that ministry.

Aren’t you glad for the Spirit providing gifted people to lead us well?

We also see…

B. With a willingness to be out-front

You can’t lead someone to a place you’ve not been…somebody must go first.

Have you ever wondered about where we got the Living Nativity? It started before my time, but the story is legendary. A church in Louisiana was doing a LN. We sent a team to check it out.

Pastor Goode led Faith to start the Living Nativity.

• - This will be year 33. By God’s grace some 250,000 people have attended.

• - Someone had to lead, decide, and then invest a ton of work to organize and manage.

• - Bethlehem was originally 70x24! Yes, you heard that right 24’ high. I remember the scaffolding. But how in the world do you paint a 70x24 wall sectioned into 21 or so pieces and make it look good when assembled?

That is where Arvid Olson enters the story. He has a master’s degree in theatrical design.

• - Arvid would have an overhead projector where people traced lines on 4 by 8 sheets of oxboard and then paint them all sorts of wild colors and shapes – not having any idea what they were doing…

• until the first set-up day…when it all went together…

• it was a stunning piece of artwort

• Somebody had to be out-front.

• Someone had to know what the rest needed to be doing…and the Lord used Arvid to be that person.

I am not sure who the traffic person was at the time, but the first night the LN far exceeded expectations. State Road 26 was 2 lanes back then. It was backed up from our church past I-65. Those poor folks who lived in Rossville trying to go home. Saturday they met to figure out a new plan for that night.

• - Over the last 33 years many people have taken leadership roles to organize and manage the ministry … to be out-front thinking about the things others did not so that people can serve effectively.

• - That continues to this day.

When you drove in you noticed that the school expansion is in the way of the LN. We have a committee who has been working on the LN figuring out the best way to make the Nativity happen so that thousands more can hear the message of the gospel and hundreds more can serve effectively.

I suppose we could ask a question, “Why do churches need leaders?” Why do some people need to work harder, longer, with eagerness, zeal, and devotion?

1. Because of the centrality of our mission

The church is not making widgets, profits, or a name for ourselves. The church of Jesus Christ has the most important mission imaginable:

Matthew 28:18–20 - And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

There’s nothing more important than that…which is why – if God has given you the gift of leadership, then praise the Lord.

• - If you are already engaged, serving joyfully, with zeal and devotion, then we rejoice that God has given you to us.

• - If you are sitting on the sideline, please engage. Please repent of your laziness or your begrudging heart toward the Spirit’s work and get moving.

2. Because of the diversity of the body

Ephesians 2:13–15 - But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace,

The Lord brings his church together using all different people. As we have saw in Romans 12 … people with various gifts and abilities serving together to accomplish something for the Lord.

It is amazing how much leadership is required to mulch this place or to tear down the living nativity. Can you imagine coming to serve for mulch madness day and there was lots of mulch and lots of people but no one bothered to get the tools.

Living Nativity tear down … every scene has its own box. Can you imagine running from scene to scene looking for an allen wrench? What would happen if no one knew how to load the LN trailers? Or better yet, just put whatever in whatever trailer.

• - Tear down is fun in part because of the way leaders get a group of diverse people to accomplish a task.

3. Because of the power and beauty of “equipping the saints to do the work of the ministry”

Ephesians 4:11–12 - 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;

Ephesians 4:16 - from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

Leadership occurs at so many levels because God has designed us to be equipped and then function how he designed.

One more emphasis that occurs in our key texts:

III. Be Diligent to Guide Followers in Doing Good

Titus 3:8 This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men.

Titus 3:14 Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful.

It’s not just a matter of leading…but leading with some understanding of people’s needs and desires. What are the pressing needs around us?

A. Especially important in an adversarial culture

I want to highlight quickly 3 of them.

One of our major projects in our last strategic ministry plan was to expand the school. With Indiana’s voucher program, Christian education is available to virtually any family who wants it.

• - More families were wanting it than we had spots for their children.

This was, is, and will continue to be a ton of work. Someone must lead that effort. In fact, we need a lot of leaders. Faith Christian school is a ministry of Faith Church started in 1997.

• - They are seeking to educate children for life and equip them with the truth from God’s Word.

• - I hope you will pray for the school. There are unbelievers who need Jesus. There are some believers weak in their faith who need strengthening. There are some delightful followers of Jesus who want to make him their all.

Pastor David Mora along with Curt and Jolinda Steger lead our efforts at the Hartford Hub. They are helping young people with their homework and telling them about Jesus.

Pastor Ross Reeder and Todd Lewis are leading our CDC efforts because worn down properties are not healthy for any community.

We need leaders to help us do good because it …

B. Helps a church shine the light on the beauty of the gospel

Matthew 5:13–16 - You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

The spiritual gift of leadership is given for the purpose of being out front, engaged, taking responsibility, working harder and longer, and doing so willingly, eagerly, zealously and devotedly so that Christ is gloried and people grow in their relationship with Christ.

This requires that leaders lead in the Lord, provide the structure necessary to use people’s time and energy effectively, and results in good.

• - Leaders … how are you doing?

When we follow, we joyfully and willingly submit to their leadership because it results in God glorifying praise to him and blessing for us.