Spirit Led Leaders
Today is a special day for us at WCCC.
Today we take a huge, say huge, step forward.
Today for the first time at WCCC we ordain elders (clap)
Today we take a step to Godly leadership as prescribed in the N.T.
Now since we have not had elders in a while, I am going to spend time talking about them.
For those who are new to the church and for those who may understand them.
It is with great honor I announce that Stan Ott and Pat Robeck will stand next to me as elders of this church. (clap your hands for them)
Men who love this church so much they are answering the call to be elders:
These men are instrumental in getting the church where we are:
How many are excited and encouraged about what is going on here at WCCC?
Let me hear you, not see you…
How many are ready for the next level of Growth and Spiritual maturity at WCCC?
How many are expecting big things at WCCC?
It all begins with strong leadership. Strong faith and strong leadership!
Someone once said the church is only as strong as its leadership, and I have some good news, the leadership at WCCC is strong amen!
Give it up to God…Clap with me!
Church I am going to ask you to begin praying for these men…
Church, we must support these men. It is essential that we get behind their leadership and support them. It is essential that we submit to them:
What is submission:
Sub, under, mission, vision or goal, a yielding to them…
Two reasons:
I. I have been a church leader for 8 yrs. Now and I can tell you, although it is very rewarding…it is also very hard:
The work of the church leader can be difficult at times.
You can have 99 % of the church’s support and it just take one person or one family to make your job tough.
Those small % of people who oppose you speak louder than the large majority that support you.
I can’t tell you of some of the things that go on behind the scenes.
In the past I have seen a blatant disrespect for God’s leaders…
Letters, phone calls, hurtful, untrue accusations, personal attacks against us and our spouses, our family…
These men knew this getting into this…
It all comes under unwillingness to submit.
It is by people who don’t have the authority that are unwilling to submit to the elder’s authority.
as elders you must have very thick skin.
You must be willing to make decisions that are not popular. (one of the pre-requisites from my leaders)
Times we may ruffle feathers:
We do this to get you to grow!
Story of an Eagle who makes a nice nest but over times makes it uncomfortable for the little ones why? If Momma did not do this the little ones would never leave the nest and fly. You got kids at home that won’t leave, make it uncomfortable they will move.
We want you to fly.
An elder must be willing to make decision that, now hold on to your hat, you may disagree with us at times.
I know that is un-fathomable, but you may.
If you do disagree here is your recourse, you can either change your mind,
Or you can trust us to make the right decision, but even if you do not you still submit.
We may make a decision and not explain our actions.
We may make a decision and you may not agree with the explanation but you still submit to the leaders.
Remember sub mission
Under the vision or goal
As vision casters, we are doing what we feel is for the good of the church as a whole.
Now with that said, we do get it wrong on occasion. We are not infallible.
As a leader we have to come back and make changes or say you know what we were wrong.
The church has never had elders so it is going to be an adjustment for some, for others not so much.
One main thing we must do is make decisions that are for the good of the church.
II. the second reason to stand behind your leaders… They are God’s anointed, amen
I timothy 5:17,
The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching (that includes us all)
1 TIMOTHY 3:1 says, “It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.”
They are appointed by me, which is what is prescribed by the N.T. we will see this later,
And anointed by the Holy Spirit… Acts 20:28-30Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.
It is to your advantage ( say it is to my advantage )that we hold our leaders up and fully support them.
Hebrews 13:17 says, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with burden or grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.”
This morning I want to look at the ministry of the elder, the motives, and the manner of leading:
I want to look at the qualities that make a good elder, and charge the elders to lead:
I. THE MINISTRY OF AN ELDER.
A. The ministry of the elder is to shepherd the flock.
1 Peter 5:1-4
To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—
The church needs elders: everyone say this…the church needs elders…why?
I. it is the N.T. Way!
Titus 1:5
The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.
This is what has happened here. I was brought here by God to anoint and appoint.
II. Someone once said if sheep do not have a shepherd, they will follow any old goat that comes alone. For too long this church was led by goats…that is dangerous because goats are not shepherds.
III. Shepherds protect and care for the sheep; they do not just count them to see if they are where they are supposed to be.
Acts 20:28-30Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.
One thing myself and the elders of this church will not stand for is church disunity.
Cant that is what splits churches
Do you what splits churches?
It just takes one person to go against the leaders, they get a few more and before long you have mutiny.
In the past the church did not have elders and this led to confusion and power struggles.
Today we have elders who shepherd the flock. They are men, appointed by the evangelist who cast visions and shepherd the flock.
The ministry of the elders can be summed up in one word…commitment:
The key is to be committed to the right thing:
You can have commitment but if it is to the wrong thing, it is a bad thing. Amen
Joke of super bowl seat empty and man asking couldn’t you find someone to go with?
No they are all at my wife’s funeral.
II. THE MOTIVES OF AN ELDER. Verse 2
I Peter 5:2
not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve;
can be summed up in one phrase…for the good of the church.
The elder is to shepherd the flock voluntarily, not under compulsion.
Out of love for the church, not a power thing, not a money thing, not a control thing…
There are times when the elder will have to get tough with the flock, and other times when they will have to hold them in their arms. The person who is doing the under compulsion will not do what they need to do, or they will do it out of the wrong attitude. They will begin to resent the flock instead of love it.
III. THE MANNER THAT THE ELDER LEADS. Verse 3.
not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
One phrase that sums up the manner that we lead:
As an example for the overall well being of the church
Does not mean we will not get firm if needed
1. How are the elders supposed to lead the church?
2. They are not to lord it over the church.
3. They are not to lust for power.
4. The character qualifications are important because the elder is called to be an example to the flock.
What makes a good leader?
I. A leader is a person of integrity. Integrity means that you are the same person in private that you are in public.
Not perfect, not without err:
II. A leader is a person of vision.
A leader has to have vision because he has to know where he/she is headed
The Bible says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18)
III. A leader is a person of endurance. If you are going to last as a leader you have to be willing to push through the tough times. You can’t give up at the first sign of resistance.
You have to believe in the vision and do whatever is necessary to make it a reality. You have to be responsible and be a person who is willing to work very, very hard. If you are going to be a leader, you not only have to see what other people cannot see, you have to do what other people are not willing to do.
IV. A leader makes the necessary sacrifices and stay the course.