THE MODEL CHURCH LEADER

In Jeff Iorg’s book, “The Case for Antioch: A Biblical Model for a Transformational Church,” he stresses the pattern of that New Testament church for leadership in chapter 8. I wholeheartedly agree. This is a message I have delivered again and again. Here is a summary of my thoughts. 

You will never find a growing, thriving church that does not have committed competent leadership. While good leaders cannot guarantee success, poor leaders guarantee failure. “Everything rises and falls on leadership,” is an expression I learned from John Maxwell. It is a sobering truth for every officer of the church, whether it be the pastor, a deacon, a teacher, a committee member or some other leader. As you search the pages of Scripture, you will discover that whenever God wanted to do a work, He called out a leader, whether it was Moses, Deborah, David, or Peter. We find the church at Antioch affords us a Biblical blueprint to follow in this area as well.   Antioch was a model missionary church. That church had model members and model leaders.

“Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch. When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord. For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.” (Acts‬ ‭11‬:‭22‬-‭30‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

Consider THE ROLE OF GOOD LEADERSHIP. There will be edification, education, evangelism, and equipping. 

Good leaders edify. Barnabas was a prominent leader in the church at Antioch. He was sent to edify, that is, to build up the church. As we see him fulfilling that responsibility, edification was the result. We need leaders like that today.  Rather than building up the church, I have seen leaders who insist on tearing down the church. Many churches today are in absolute turmoil because of poor leadership. May we commit ourselves to building up our church family.  

Good leaders educate. Agabus was another man God used. Before the formation of the New Testament, God spoke by direct revelation through the prophets. They were the source of doctrine and educated the church in the truth. There are no prophets like this today. God has given us the complete revelation in the Word of God—all that we need for faith and practice. But the prophetic role is still needful today. We could compare this to teaching in the modern church. Baptists who boast of believing the Book, often don’t read the Book!  We may be a Biblically illiterate people. Entire denominations are dying because of their departure from the Bible and sound doctrine. Let us teach it!  Let us teach it in our homes to our family, let us teach it in our Sunday School classrooms and in our Discipleship groups.  God has promised His Word will not return void.  

Good leadership yields edification and education, but more, there will be evangelism. “Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only. But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.” (‭‭Acts‬ ‭11‬:‭19‬-‭21‬).

The church at Antioch was founded by evangelists.  While it is true that every member is to be a witness, leaders must set the pace. Paul told the young pastor, Timothy, “do the work of an evangelist.” Philip was a deacon who was a model soul-winner, whether preaching to the masses in Samaria, or witnessing to a man in Gaza. Teachers have a great opportunity for evangelism. When was the last time you presented the Gospel in your classroom?  You might protest, “All my class members are saved.”  How do you know that?  Can you see in their heart?  I give an invitation at the end of my sermon because I dare not assume everyone is saved. Even if the whole class is saved—you should ask, “Where are the prospects? Are we not inviting unchurched people to Sunday School?”  Music can help promote evangelism.  The Gospel needs to be clearly expressed in our songs. We are not just after a beat to get people hyped up, but a message to get souls saved!

Good leaders will also engage in equipping. This is a primary duty of a pastor. He must not be the only “minister.” His ministry is to equip the saints for their ministry. He is like a player-coach. He is called upon to feed the flock, and shepherd the sheep. He was also known as an elder in the early church (Acts 11:29-30). We do not have time today to consider the whole topic of elders—but, suffice it to say, that these were what we would call pastors, and notice there are a plurality. We need plurality due to the enormous responsibility, and the needed accountability of those pastor/teachers in the church. Antioch did not have just one pastor, but multiple elders.

Not only do we see the role of good leadership, but THE RESULTS OF GOOD LEADERSHIP. The center of the Christian church would shift from Jerusalem to Antioch. 

They had growth, “And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord,” (v. 21). God’s intent is for His church to grow. Jesus said, “Upon this rock I will BUILD my church…” Christ is the One who builds His church. That is not our responsibility. If I build it, it won’t amount to anything of eternal worth. But, good leaders point to people to the Biblical blueprint for the building of the church. Since Christ is the architect, the leaders are the on-site project managers. Jesus commanded, “Go into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in, that my Father’s house may be full.” God wants His house full. There’s still room in most of our church buildings. We need a vision of what Christ wants us to do. It ought to break our heart when one service passes without someone being saved. It shouldn’t surprise us that someone would be saved today, but should surprise us if someone isn’t. 

Good leadership results in growth and in godliness, “And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch,” (v. 26b). They called them Christians because they saw Christ in them. The populace used the term as a slur, but the believers embraced it as an honor. Why did they call them “Christians”?  Because the name of Jesus dominated their conversations, directed their conduct, and was displayed in their character. It was all about Christ. As a leader, do others see Jesus in you? Paul said, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.” (1 Cor. 11:1).  As leaders, we should be so in step with Jesus, that when people follow us, they will be following after Christ. 

Good leadership results in growth, godliness, and in generosity.  We read in Act 11:28-30 concerning Antioch, “Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.”

These were generous people. This infant church at Antioch helped support the mother church. The leadership set the stewardship pattern. Stingy leaders will beget stingy church members.  As pastors and deacons in the church I led, we always believed we should set the example. We asked for and held accountable those who were in leadership to be faithful givers. So, in stewardship campaigns, or capital campaigns, we shared our commitment—not to boast of the amount, but to establish our commitment. Should I, as a leader, not practice what I preach?

How often we hear of some lost person who is hindered from coming to Christ because of the failure of some church leader. They look at a preacher, or a deacon, or a teacher and say, “If that’s what a Christian is, then I don’t want to be one.” As leaders, wherever we go in the community, we represent our Lord and this church. An inconsistent life, will repel people from coming here. Our leaders need to make a fresh commitment today.  All of us are leaders to someone—even if we do not hold an office. Leadership is influence. Every one of you has an influence on someone for good or bad.

THE TASTE OF TRUTH

 

There are many symbols that the Spirit  gives  in the Scriptures that describe the Word of God. For example: it is a light, (Ps. 119:105), a fire, (Jer. 23:29a), a hammer, (Jer. 23:29b), a sword, (Heb. 4:12-13), a mirror, (James 1:23), a seed, (1 Pet.1:23), and milk, (1 Pet. 2:2). It is not surprising then, that in a book filled with symbols, we would find in Revelation 10, a scroll sent down from heaven that would be food for God’s messenger. There is the taste of truth.

Consider, THE SUSTENANCE FROM THE TRUTH. John is commanded, “Take and eat it,” (Rev. 10:9).  The man of God who is to speak a message from God must ingest and digest the truth, if he is to be strong enough to proclaim it faithfully, fearlessly, forcefully, and fruitfully.  Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God,” (Matt. 4:4, quoting Deut. 8:3). As literal bread sustains our physical life, we need the manna from heaven of God’s message as the sustenance of our spiritual life.  Are you partaking of this soul food with regularity?

When we do, then there is THE SWEETNESS OF THE TRUTH. John tastes the truth and affirms it is, “sweet as honey,” (Rev. 10:9-10). Bread is nourishing, but when it is lathered with honey, it is mouth-watering! The saints of God find His Word as sweet as honey. This is the taste of truth. It is in the Bible that we encounter our Savior as the Bread of Life, (John 6:48-51). In the Word, we experience our salvation—the sweet forgiveness of sin and new life in Christ. That sweet truth presents the wonderful promises and purposes of God for us, that can enable us to serve and encourage is to stand. We will pursue the study of God’s Word, if it is sweet as honey to us!  

Yet, there is also THE SOURNESS IN THE TRUTH. John was warned, “it will make your stomach bitter,” (Rev. 10:9-10). As truth tastes sweet to the saints, it becomes sour to the sinners. John was given a message of hope for God’s people, and how sweet it was! But, it was also a message of horror for the wicked—so bitter and so sour!  

The reality is that sinners do not like the light of the Word that exposes them. They scurry away as nasty bugs, hiding under a rock, when it is flipped over and light shines on them. The fire of the Word scorches them in reminding them of the eternal flame awaiting them. The hammer of Truth crushes them with conviction and they want nothing of it.  The Sword of the Spirit wounds them. They do not like the mirror of the Word for it reveals the ugliness of their sin. The weeds of the world choke out the seed of the Scriptures before it can bear fruit. Sinners consume the Devil’s delicacies and so have no appetite for the milk of God’s Word.

Yet, the man of God must preach the Word without fear or favor—whether the people want to hear it or not. I must confess there are sweet sermons that I salivate to deliver, but also there are sour sermons that I preach because I must, knowing they will be bitter for people to swallow. As the Apostle Paul, may it be said of us:

“Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.” (Acts‬ ‭20‬:‭26‬-‭30‬‬)

MAKE DISCIPLES!

The church at Antioch was a body of believers who took the Great Commission seriously. The truth of God’s Word was being taught and the Gospel was changing lives. Jeff Iorg, in his book, “The Case for Antioch: A Biblical Model for a Transformational Church,” makes this point in chapter 5, “A Disciple-Making Community.” 

The MISSION of the church is simple: make disciples. The MEANS of making disciples is clear: teach Scripture. The MODEL that illustrates this is given: First-century Antioch. It still works in the twenty-first century. Biblical churches teach the Word of God to the people of God who are transformed by the Spirit of God. This is not about emotional entertainment, but expositional engagement. Not do we stop by merely putting information in the head, but seeking transformation of the heart. A Word-centered church is a discipleship factory—meeting people where they are and leading them to become like Jesus. 

I have stated this in two verses that highlight my personal mission statement: “Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.” (Col.‬ ‭1‬:‭28‬-‭29‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

THE MAN OF GOD AND THE WORD OF GOD

Titles can tell us a lot: President, Principal, Chairman, Coach, Doctor, Deputy, Attorney, Actor.  Titles convey a person’s authority and activity.  Some titles are impressive—“Lord” like those of a royal family; others are infamous—“Don” like those of a crime family.  Titles can speak volumes.

One of the most honorable of titles is to simply be called, “the man of God.”  That means you are His man—God owns you and you have surrendered your life in totality to His service.  The world may not hold that title in high esteem, but in heaven it is a title rarely bestowed and of exceeding worth. 

There is a special authority—you are God’s representative.  There is a select activity—you carry God’s revelation.  You have been sent into the world to proclaim God’s Word.  You are a herald of the King of kings and ultimate allegiance belongs to Him.

When we think of Moses, David, Elijah and Elisha we think of heroes of faith who stood tall for God and so whether having other titles like leader, king, and prophet, the best designation was the simple “man of God.”

Others who bore that title, carried no other—sometimes they were not even named.  They are as one of the men in our text: the man of God.  That’s it—no proper name given, no family designation.  He is God’s man—and that is enough to know.

The authority of the man of God flows from the Word of God.  He has been given the Word, and must speak the Word.  He has it engraved in his heart, utters it from his lips, and reflects his submission to it in his life.  The man of God is inseparable from the Word of God.

In these days of moral confusion and doctrinal compromise, how much we need the man of God with the Word of God!  Whether that man is a produce manager in the marketplace who stands for truth on the job or is a pastor in the church who speaks for truth from the pulpit—laity or clergy—there is a dearth of men who will surrender to God and speak for God!  There were few in Bible times, and there are fewer still today.

What are some lessons we can glean from the man of God with the word of God, as we study the thirteenth and fourteenth chapters of 1 Kings?

We see that the man of God has A COURAGEOUS WORD FROM GOD, (1 Kings 13:1-10).

“Then he cried out against the altar by the word of the Lord, and said, ‘O altar, altar! Thus says the Lord: ‘ “Behold, a child, Josiah by name, shall be born to the house of David; and on you he shall sacrifice the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and men’s bones shall be burned on you.’ ” And he gave a sign the same day, saying, ‘This is the sign which the Lord has spoken: Surely the altar shall split apart, and the ashes on it shall be poured out.’ So it came to pass when King Jeroboam heard the saying of the man of God, who cried out against the altar in Bethel, that he stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, ‘Arrest him!’ Then his hand, which he stretched out toward him, withered, so that he could not pull it back to himself. The altar also was split apart, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the Lord.” (13:2-5).

From a human viewpoint, to stride into the presence of a king, and as a simple man to utter words of judgment, took great courage!  Surely, the man of God knew the danger involved.  Jeroboam was not happy!  The order came to have this man of God thrown into prison.  Whether it was Jeremiah in the Old Testament or John the Baptist in the New Testament, God’s spokesmen seem to spend a lot of time behind bars.  This is one reason why the church has often been known as a “non-prophet” organization.  People don’t line up to be cut in two, as Isaiah was thought to have been, or have their head cut off, like John the Baptist did.  When the deacon Stephen spoke God’s Word, the congregation gnashed their teeth in fury, took up stones and battered that man of God into a bloody pile of shattered bones.  No wonder there are not many applying for the prophet position!

It takes courage to speak with eternity’s authority against earth’s authority.  It requires courage to underscore there are objective standards in a world that has bought into the idea that there are no absolutes.  It takes courage to stand against the tide, to shout into the fury of the prevailing winds, and be faithful to God; it will cost us something and it may cost us everything!

We also detect a danger to the man of God in that there might be A COMPROMISED WORD FROM GOD, (1 Kings 13:11-34).

“Now an old prophet dwelt in Bethel, and his sons came and told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in Bethel; they also told their father the words which he had spoken to the king. And their father said to them, ‘Which way did he go?’ For his sons had seen which way the man of God went who came from Judah. Then he said to his sons, ‘Saddle the donkey for me.’ So they saddled the donkey for him; and he rode on it, and went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak. Then he said to him, ‘Are you the man of God who came from Judah?’ And he said, ‘I am.’ Then he said to him, ‘Come home with me and eat bread.’ And he said, ‘I cannot return with you nor go in with you; neither can I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place. For I have been told by the word of the Lord, ‘ “You shall not eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by going the way you came.’ ” He said to him, ‘I too am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘ “Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’ ” (He was lying to him.) So he went back with him, and ate bread in his house, and drank water. Now it happened, as they sat at the table, that the word of the Lord came to the prophet who had brought him back; and he cried out to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: ‘ “Because you have disobeyed the word of the Lord, and have not kept the commandment which the Lord your God commanded you, but you came back, ate bread, and drank water in the place of which the Lord said to you, ‘ “ ‘Eat no bread and drink no water,’ ” ‘ your corpse shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.” ’  So it was, after he had eaten bread and after he had drunk, that he saddled the donkey for him, the prophet whom he had brought back. When he was gone, a lion met him on the road and killed him. And his corpse was thrown on the road, and the donkey stood by it. The lion also stood by the corpse.” (13:11-24).

The greatest peril to the man of God is not from the wrath of man due to our faithful stand against sin, but from the displeasure of God as we are unfaithful to submit to His Word ourselves.  The man of God committed a “sin leading to death,” (1 John 5:16), which is a capital crime in the high court of heaven.  This man of God who had courageously faced the king and pronounced God’s message, falls in an unguarded moment of leisure.  One thinks of how David was able to face down a giant in that hour of crisis, but in the night succumbed to the lure of a slender woman.

The man of God had a clear word from God—and he compromised.  It seems like a little thing, but compromise never is.  It is defiance.  It is sin—and God doesn’t take it lightly.  Another “prophet” was complicit in this.  For his own personal benefit—his desire to entertain the “man of God”—he presents this ruse.  You see now why that old prophet who lived in the neighborhood was not sent by God to Jeroboam; that God instead, had to send someone from distant Judah.  That fellow was already a compromiser—and the old spider spins a web that traps the man of God.

It is interesting that there was a claim that an angel had given a different message.  There was a rejection of a clear word from God in favor of an additional revelation from a celestial messenger.  How many cults and false religions have sold the same lie—whether packaged as Mormonism or Mohammedism. This fascination with messages from angels is characteristic of New Age occultism.  Don’t be seduced.  You have a Bible—that’s enough!

Paul said a few things about this:

“But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it! For I consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles. Even though I am untrained in speech, yet I am not in knowledge. But we have been thoroughly manifested among you in all things. Did I commit sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge? I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you. And when I was present with you, and in need, I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself. As the truth of Christ is in me, no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia. Why? Because I do not love you? God knows! But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.” (2 Cor. 11:3-15).

“I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.” (Gal. 1:6-10).

This is no small matter!  When the Word of God is compromised, we cease to be the man of God.  We have been swayed by spiritual deception or the desire to please man.  This is deadly.

The man of God has A CONVICTING WORD FROM GOD, (14:1-11).

“Now the Lord had said to Ahijah, ‘Here is the wife of Jeroboam, coming to ask you something about her son, for he is sick. Thus and thus you shall say to her; for it will be, when she comes in, that she will pretend to be another woman.’ And so it was, when Ahijah heard the sound of her footsteps as she came through the door, he said, ‘Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why do you pretend to be another person? For I have been sent to you with bad news. Go, tell Jeroboam, ‘ “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘ “ ‘Because I exalted you from among the people, and made you ruler over My people Israel, and tore the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it to you; and yet you have not been as My servant David, who kept My commandments and who followed Me with all his heart, to do only what was right in My eyes; but you have done more evil than all who were before you, for you have gone and made for yourself other gods and molded images to provoke Me to anger, and have cast Me behind your back— therefore behold! I will bring disaster on the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam every male in Israel, bond and free; I will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as one takes away refuse until it is all gone. The dogs shall eat whoever belongs to Jeroboam and dies in the city, and the birds of the air shall eat whoever dies in the field; for the Lord has spoken!” ’ ” (14:5-11).

One man of God falls and God raises up another.  Ahijah had been faithful and will be faithful to the end.

Jeroboam knows who to turn to when he needs to hear from God.  Ahijah had already prophesied that Jeroboam would become king—and the Word had been fulfilled.  So, he seeks the man of God for guidance about the future, as he had proven reliable in the past.  Speaking for God will seldom bring us popularity, but it will demonstrate integrity. 

Do you want a doctor who tells you what you want to hear or what you need to hear?  My first surgeon had the personality of a cardboard box, but the ability of the best in his field.  That’s the one I wanted for my operation.  He cut me; it hurt, but I was healed.  This is what the Word of God spoken by a man of God can do.

Jeroboam would not take the prescription, even though he respected the physician.  That was the case of King Herod who loved to listen to John the Baptist’s preaching, but would not repent; it was like Pilate who knew Jesus was innocent but caved in to political expedience.  I am fairly certain that both men are in hell—and that is what rejecting the Word of God will do.  Judgment fell on Jeroboam and his household accordingly.

Thankfully, the man of God also has A COMPASSIONATE WORD FROM GOD (14:12-20)

“Arise therefore, go to your own house. When your feet enter the city, the child shall die. And all Israel shall mourn for him and bury him, for he is the only one of Jeroboam who shall come to the grave, because in him there is found something good toward the Lord God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.” (14‬:‭12‬-‭13‬‬).

Even on the darkest days, God will sometimes send a shaft of sunlight breaking through the clouds—in wrath He remembers mercy, (see Habakkuk 3:2).  That is how the gracious God treats a little boy born into a wicked family.  His death was a precious gift.  He would be buried rather than consumed by dogs.  People would be mourning at his funeral instead of celebrating his death.  The little fellow would be welcomed by his Heavenly Father into heaven rather than following the wicked path of his human father, had he grown up in Jeroboam’s palace.

The man of God must share the Word of God, whether people want to hear it or not.  Sometimes, it is blunt and confrontational, smelling of fire and sulfur.  Then, there are times is it blessed and comforting, smelling as Eden’s flowers.

No matter how people evaluate it, ultimately, it is what God says that matters.  Let us be faithful to proclaim and practice the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth—so help us God!

DOCTOR, HOW IS THE PATIENT?

In determining a church’s health there are quantitative and qualitative measurements. Just as when you go for an annual physical, the doctor will look at numbers—take your blood pressure, check your pulse, do blood work, an EKG, and so forth, since numbers help tell a story. But, the physician will also ask questions, look you over, discuss sleep patterns, exercise regularity, and so forth. A good doctor will then suggest any adjustments and improvements that need to be made. You do not have to listen, of course, but then you may find yourself declining and eventually dying should you fail to take action. 

The church is an organism—a living thing. Leaders are stationed by God to evaluate the church’s health. There are quantitative measurements: attendance, baptisms, giving, participation in Bible study, and so forth. But, these do not tell the whole story. There are also qualitative measurements: how many people are called into the mission field, are young men surrendering to Gospel ministry, what community impact is noted, are members growing in grace and knowledge, is the Gospel being shared with regularity, and such?  

The church leaders: elders, deacons, and perhaps other significant leaders (some of which may not have a title but exert influence) are positioned by God to conduct this examination and lead the church toward better health. If the “doctors” shirk their duty or the “patient” will not listen, then decline and death will come.  Churches are in decline and dying all around us. But, with the Lord of Life, it does not have to be, and even those in such a state can be resurrected to a new beginning. You see, the Great Physician is in the miracle working business!  But, He uses leaders to speak into the issues of a local church. We must step up and be honest without being negative to the point of despair.

A RIGHT ACTION WITH A WRONG ATTITUDE

 Being concerned about the state of the church we serve is good. Looking at it from a Biblical lens is essential. Yet, even the right action undertaken with the wrong attitude will be counterproductive. Do you want the church you lead to be healthy and growing? That is all well and good. But, dig deeper. What is your motivation? Is it for the glory of God or your own?

JOY IN THE MINISTRY JOURNEY

It has been a very busy week—day and night of ministry. From 8 to 8 yesterday, I was on the go. Then, this is time change Sunday, and we lose an hour of sleep as our body tries to adjust to the new schedule. We also are aware of how this can potentially shrink church attendance and that even those who come are yawning. Poor, pitiful me! 

Except we don’t have to surrender to such an attitude. The feelings are real, but there Is a greater reality. It is a privilege to be chosen to serve the King! It is an honor that He would give me almost fifty years of Gospel ministry and enough strength to keep going. I do not have to mount a horse to get to church or face a firing squad for my faith. Amazing grace is available to equip me—His Spirit to empower me!  So, I choose to press on with joy!