"Looking For Leaders Pt. 2” Series

1. What is God’s will for my life? That’s a common question.

• What am I on this earth for? How can I make a difference?

• We know the Bible says…

Jer. 29.11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

SO OUR PRAYERS ARE OFTEN, “What are THOSE thoughts Lord? What is my future? Am I going in the right direction?”

• How might I obey you? In what you’ve called me to accomplish in my family, in my generation, in my life!

• That’s the heart of a Christian… Of YOU & ME?

Our hearts long to be used of God and to see our lives make a difference in this world for Him… And so often they do!

NOTE: The pastoral epistles are key books for the Christian…

• IN them we get the definitions & descriptions of the spiritual man, the spiritual woman growing up in the Lord.

• So the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” is still relevant to all of us, regardless of our age.

• We’re all growing up in the Lord…

NOW When you ask children that question, you’ll hear…

• I’ll be a doctor, a lawyer, a veterinarian, construction worker.

• OR a fireman, a police officer, a Baseball player, a

• In that list of dreams & desires, never do we hear, “I just want to be a servant.”

• No kid really wants to grow up to be a servant… a slave. Why?

• There’s no power. There’s no prestige.

• A servant doesn’t get a lot of attention, a lot of praise.

• It’s not often that we hear of an AWARD WINING servant.

• Or a TV show called “Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous’s Servants”

• It’s just not the way of the world gang… But Listen to Jesus.

Jesus… the greatest, the first above all others, shares with us the key in life… the way to be first, is to be the servant of all.

• Look at Mark 10:42ff

NOW THIS WEEK’S STUDY is a companion to last week’s, a Part 2 of “Looking for Leaders”.

• We started out looking at the role of “elder, pastor, overseer”

• We’ll finish that this morning and then move on into looking at the role of deacons – Spiritual Servants in the Church.

• But don’t let the titles throw you, they are both vital roles in the ministry and essential to the health of any church.

• PICK UP WITH 3:1… summarize them…

1. (3) Not violent, but gentle, not quarrelsome.

a. So he can’t be a guy pushing people around, arguing, causing strife. IT just doesn’t work that way!

b. There’s nothing uglier than to watch a servant of the Lord strive and fight, and hurt others…

c. So the elder, the pastor, the overseer reflects the gentleness of the Lord Jesus Christ… a peacemaker.

2 Timothy 2.24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient,

2. (3) Not greedy for money, not covetous.

a. These speak to the motives of the man… why is he overseeing

b. Not covetous, not always wanting more but is content.

c. Let’s turn to John 21.15-17

d. Feed them, don’t feed on them.

e. Tend them, don’t take advantage of them.

f. Nourish them, don’t neglect them for yourself.

3. (4-5,7) Rules his own house well.

a. The church of God is a family… brothers & sisters in Lord.

b. SO How’s your home? Your family? Your Kids?

c. The validation of your ministry will not be in your degrees, or your GPA, but it will be in your home.

d. Now be careful… it doesn’t mean that your kids will be perfect, sparkling examples 100% of the time.

e. They will make mistakes and test the waters…

f. But is your home in order, following the Lord? That’s key.

SO IF you REALLY WANT to know about me in the ministry, don’t listen to the CD’s or tapes, or even watch me here… talk to my wife.

• She’s taking names on her waiting list right now.

And it’s not just home either… look at v7…

• A good testimony among those who are on the outside.

• What do your co-workers think? What will your boss say of you?

• Do you pay your bills? Are you on time and trustworthy?

• Will they claim you’re a hypocrite?

4. (6) Not a novice.

a. The idea here is that they need to be spiritually mature.

b. Launching someone into a place of leadership too early can easily & quickly, & often permanently, destroy him…