AUTHENTIC&nbs=
p;
SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP
1 Timothy 2:12-3:13
These are the characteristics that God has desig=
ned
for every man to possess and to live out to the glory of God.
God desires that every
Christian man have these characteristics.
This sets forth the i=
deal
Christian man.
Basic
Principles of
Spiritual Leadership
1. =
God
Has a Plan for Spiritual Leadership
&=
nbsp; Male leadership
2. =
God
Has a Purpose for Spiritual Leadership
&=
nbsp; To preserve and promote the Truth
3. =
God
Has a Power for Spiritual Leadership
&=
nbsp; Divine authority behind it
4. =
God
Has a Performance for Spiritual Leadership
&=
nbsp; A noble work
To
aspire to leadership is an honourable ambition.=
- =
1 Timothy 3:1,
Are
you seeking great things for yourself? Do not seek them.
- =
Jeremiah 45:5
God is looking for men.
He is not looking for men who have
ambitions for personal glory!
He is looking for men who will stan=
d in
the gap and make up the hedge!
For men who will serve Him in the trenches for His glory.
An ambition th=
at has
at its center the glory of God and the welfare of His church is not only
legitimate, but is also positively praise-
worthy. =
– Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership
The
Characteristics of
an
Authentic=
Spiritual Leader
1. =
commitment
A
Desire and Commitment for God and the Ministry
If any man desires . . . he desires a =
good
work
&=
nbsp; A. =
; There
must be a strong desire to serve God
B. =
There
must be a love for the work they are called to
&=
nbsp; C. There
must be a proper appraisal and appreciation
&=
nbsp; &nbs=
p; of the work they are called to
Albert Barnes The chapter closes with a statement which seems =
to
have been intended to impress the mind of Timothy with the importance of the
duties in which he was engaged, =
; =
1Ti
3:15,16. The statement is, that the church is the great defender of the tru=
th
in the world, 1Ti 3:15, and that the truth which the church is to maintain =
is
of the greatest importance. It relates to the incarnation of the Son of God,
and to the work which he accomplished on earth--a work which excited the
deepest interest in heaven, and the true doctrine respecting which it was of
the utmost importance to keep up among men, 1Ti 3:16. This reason is further
urged in the following chapter, by showing that the time would come when, u=
nder
the influence of Satan, these great doctrines would be denied, and the trut=
h be
corrupted and perverted. 2. =
character A
Man of Exemplary Character and Commitment The
first and primary function of spiritual leaders is to set an example for ot=
hers
to follow or to pattern themselves after. An
authentic spiritual leader leads by the power of integrity and example. &=
nbsp; 1
Peter 5:3 nor as b=
eing
lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; &=
nbsp; 1 Timothy=
3:2-3 A.&n=
bsp; =
;
His <=
u>Stability &=
nbsp; “the husband of one wife” &=
nbsp; Greek: “a one-woman man” &=
nbsp; A
man who honors his vows, his commitments, his word &=
nbsp; A
man who is morally strong and stable B. =
His
Self-Control &=
nbsp; Self-controlled in speech, temper and actions &n=
bsp; C.<=
span
style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> =
His
Strength
=
N=
ot
addicted to any addictive substances
=
D=
oes
not partake of them even moderately, less he cause
=
<=
span
class=3DGramE>a weaker brother to stumble.
&n=
bsp; D.<=
span
style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> His Spirit
&n=
bsp; =
; Peaceable, gentle and unqua=
rrelsome;
a team player
&n=
bsp; E.<=
span
style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'> =
His
Spirituality
Not
distracted from spiritual goals by money and materialism
3. =
commanding
A
Man Who Manages His Family Well
&=
nbsp; Genesis
18:19
"For I have known him, in order that he may
command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of=
the
LORD
1 Ti=
mothy 3:5=
If anyone does not know how to manage his own
household, how will he take care of God’s church?
Hebrews 13:17
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they k=
eep
watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this w=
ith
joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you. (NAS95)
4. =
conviction
A
Man of the Word and Strong Faith
&nbs= p;
1 Timothy 3:9, 17
&nbs=
p; Holdi=
ng the
mystery of the faith with a clear conscience
And great boldness that is in the faith that is =
in
Christ Jesus
&nbs=
p; “the mystery of=
the
faith”
Today
the word “mystery” implies knowledge withheld,
But
in the Bible it indicates truth revealed.
“The
faith” refers to the objective truths of the Christian religion,
Not
to one’s personal faith or subjective experience of faith.
5. =
caring
A
Man with the Heart of a Servant - Leader
The Greek word for deacon, diakonoV , means “servant.”
The
word diakanos was used by Josephus and other wr=
iters
during the time when the N. T. was written to specifically refer to those w=
ho wait
on tables. (Cf. Acts chp. 6)
&nbs= p; Matthew 20:28
&n=
bsp; just
&nbs=
p; Philippians 2:5-7a
Make your own attitude that of Christ =
Jesus, who, existing in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God as something to be used
for His own advantage.
Or , or Instead He emptied Himself
by assuming the form of a slave (servant), taking on the likeness of men.
=
The work
of helping to shepherd God’s sheep requires the tender heart and
compassion of a good shepherd.
=
=
It also
requires the courageous heart of a shepherd who will step in and protect the
sheep from spiritual harm and danger.
Deacons are t=
o be men
“worthy of respect.”
T=
he fact
that they are called “servants” does not make them not a leader
like the Overseers / Pastors / Elders.
The term diakanos
or servant is used two ways in the N. T.
One, it is used of the
position of deacon.
The same term is also=
used of
Paul and others who are also “servants of Christ Jesus.” In those cases it indicates functi=
on.
Hebrews 13:7, 17 tells the church to
Recognize
and show respect for their leaders, and to
Obey
their leaders as they lead them spiritually