Six Essentials of Christian Leadership

Gary DeLashmutt

2 Timothy 4:12-16

The pastoral epistles are a rich quarry of key elements of Christian leadership. Six of these are compressed in a letter from Paul to Timothy. 1. Be continually strengthened by the grace that is in Christ; 2. develop other leaders; 3. embrace the rigors of Christian leadership; 4. keep your teaching focused on Biblical priorities; 5. pursue godly character in your own life; and 6. deal with errant members in a firm and redemptive way. There is a bonus element found in another chapter: keep making progress that your flock can see.

The Tongue

Jim Leffel

1 Corinthians 14:26

James told us that the tongue is hard to control and it can do a lot of damage. What we say can be very encouraging, or dangerously damaging. We are called to speak to others like we are saying the utterances of God.

Admonish One Another

Gary DeLashmutt

Romans 15:14

Christ calls Christians to live counter-culturally by giving and receiving admonition as needed. Three convictions all Christians need to understand about admonition are: 1) wise counsel for major decisions is necessary for a God-honoring life because none of us has the knowledge or wisdom to make complex life decisions on our own. Also, we are members of God's family and therefore our decisions impact others; 2) sin has the power to deceive us and we all have blind spots in our lives that others can help us see; and 3) God's grace enables us to view admonition as loving discipline versus condemnation.

Leading Our Kids to Love God

Joe Botti

2 Timothy 3:14-15

In our culture today, kids are leaving their Christian lives behind in huge numbers as they grow up into adulthood. And it is certainly no easy task to help our children develop a love for the Lord! This workshop first discusses our role in this area and the correlation between our relationship and influence with our kids. Our own modeling of sincere faith and time spent relationally investing in our children are imperative. Next, the class addresses the need to withstand cultural pressures and provides some age specific ideas for how to engage our kids spiritually and relationally. \r\n

The Work of Prayer

Jim Leffel

Daniel 9:1-19

Great works of God are accomplished by the disciplined intercession of God's people. Prayer is an opportunity to participate in the supernatural and to bring praise to God. Daniel repeatedly pleaded with God in a way that shows three principles on the subject of prayer: 1) pleas should be specific; 2) pleas should be confident; and 3) pleas are rooted in grace.

Christians in the Workplace

Tom Dixon

Colossians 3:22-4:1

Paul gives instructions to slaves and their conduct of work, shedding light on principles for Christians in the workplace. The motivation to work hard in the workplace comes from living to please God. When we see this part of our lives as a way to please God, our work will come from sincerity of the heart, not for the approval of human beings. In addition, when we work hard to please God, we are looking forward to the reward we'll receive from God in the next life, as opposed to be anxiety ridden or frustrated attitudes towards our jobs. When we follow Christ and serve him in our workplace, we will have something to share, develop godly character, provide for ourselves and others and have an opportunity to be a light for Jesus.

A Servant's Discipline

Jim Leffel

1 Corinthians 13:12

Paul says that we are called to train for holiness like an athlete would train - that we would train with an aim or goal in mind. We should discipline ourselves to live a life that shows God's love. This means we need to depend on Him and His truth as we encounter the troubles of life.

A Servant's Character

Jim Leffel

Titus 1:6-9

The apostle Paul outlines for Timothy what it means for elders and leaders in the church to have good character. Paul emphasizes being a good leader of a household; not participating in any character disqualifying sin; being a servant leader; and being able to teach the Bible. Paul also said that it is good to desire leadership as long as you are putting others first.

The Power of the Tongue

Dennis McCallum

Matthew 10:20

James talks about the power of our words and how they can bring real good in the lives of others or when handled poorly can tear others down and cause discord. How often do we think of what we are going to say before we say it? When it comes speaking a timely word in a fellow Christians life, or speaking the Gospel to a friend for the first time, we should be in prayer with God so that he may direct our words. Doing this regularly and being immersed in scripture will prepare us to be ready with the Word of God at hand.