Barnabas Ministries UK

                                           

Rev. E. Anderson

Presented to you is a Christian Leadership Course that is purposed to provoke many to embrace the call of Christ to leadership within His Church. The series will come in the form of a study each week, which will be in two parts thus covering two weeks over the site. My prayer and desire is that such will help many in the summons of Christ to serve Him in these tremendous days.

 

CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP COURSE

 

Study 5                         SERVANTHOOD CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP                                        Part 2

 

(2) THE OVERALL DUTIES

 

Servants do have tasks to perform and leadership does involve doing things that are essential and important and it does not mean those things that simply stand out to others.

 

“God loves to see in me not his servant, but himself, who serves all” -        Taqore

 

·       Applying the teaching and principles of the Word of God. The servant of God gives a worthy lead as a servant in seeing divine truth established  not only in thought and word but in practice at a personal level – John 13: 16,17; Matthew 5:19,20

·       The primary obligation to be carried out arising from the above is to make sure God’s will is absolutely performed and that His glory is sought and promoted in all, within the servanthood and service. The leadership in service leads to knowing, believing and revering God. The Christian service leads to the One who is served and He is highlighted and honoured in all. Do all for the glory of God should be the maxim and motive of the divine servant – John 17:4; 1 Corinthian 10: 31

 

“The most acceptable service of God is doing God to man”                  Franklin

 

· The personal and necessary business of giving service within the context of the family situation. All who are leaders must be committed to truly and lovingly working on the home front to make it spiritually and naturally blessed and successful – 1 Timothy 3:4,5, 12. Servanthood should be rooted and fruited first of all at home amongst the family that becomes a basis and qualification for such on a much wider front, in the Church of Christ. Duties at home to wife and children are an imperative and are a platform for great leadership and usefulness.

· Rendering a commitment to Christ’s body, the Church, looking well to the interests and well-being of the followers and members of the Christian household.  See example of Christ – Philippians 2: 3-8.

 

Gunter Krallman  : “A true leader will endeavour to serve his followers:

-          by putting their interests above his own

-          by seeking their fulfillment

-          by helping implement their vision

-          by promoting their progress

 

· Keeping the whole inward motivation of his servanthood right and good even when things do not always work as one would desire. Keeping the spirit free from agitation, anarchy and animosity etc., is vital to fulfilled servanthood. Ever remember it is “God that worketh in you both to will and do of His good pleasure” – Philippians 2:13. And this being so, this should beget and keep a good attitude at all times – Ephesians 6:7 “With good will doing service to the Lord, and not to men.”

· Exercising and exhibiting a devotion to the world of humanity that does not know God and serving in a way that brings God to the people in many ways. Christ went out of His way to give Himself seemingly to those who had no claim upon His time, interest and energies. As John Wesley remarked: “The world is our parish”, and all who act as Christ servant/leader should influence the outside world with dynamic service. Church leadership is responsible for Christianizing the world and it is through servanthood this becomes possible – see Acts 10:38.

 

“When a man turns to God desiring to serve Him, God directs his attention to the world and its need”.                                                                                          Brunner

 

(4)  A POSITIVE EXAMPLE

 

There were those of a negative order that revealed they were not commendable servants and lessons can be learned from their bad example as portrayed in the Scriptures and they must be avoided at all costs. We can learn from their failures but must not follow down their track. There are so many good ones that inspire and should be duly thought of and followed. One in particular from the OT catches the eye and attention, Joseph. Much can be learned from him on this issue of servanthood within leadership:

“Nothing is so infectious as example”      -     Kingsley

 

·          Personally, privately and publicly he served the Lord well throughout the whole of his career. God was at the centre of his life and so his work stemmed from this relationship and so he was able to cope with the most difficult situations that arose. In later life he confessed the part the Lord had played before his brothers – Genesis 45: 7.

 

“None preaches better than the ant, and she says nothing”     -              Franklin

 

·          He carried out the wishes of his father in servanthood – Genesis 37: 12-17. There was no quibbling with his father’s request and he was persistent in his search for them. In spite of what they were, he loved and served them.

·          In Potiphar’s home as a servant/slave he laboured with diligence and eventually is promoted. His master could trust him completely and left the running of his home in his capable hands – Genesis 39 1-20. In service he safeguarded his spirituality and morality before God and man.

·          The prison was to benefit from his servanthood – Genesis 39: 21- 40. His inspired leadership and service affected the prisoners and so ‘Prison Ministry’ was born! He could serve the interests of two of Pharoah’s servants and cope with the fact that his ministry to them was temporarily forgotten!

·          When exalted to being next to the throne, in the providence of God, his leadership is used to save a nation Genesis 41: 46. Egypt was to be the nation that would become a resource centre for the relief in the time of famine. The Servant became a Leader/Saviour.

·          Through his servanthood the choice, prospective household of God was to be overseen and preserved - Genesis 41: 46 through to 47. The dreams that he had had earlier were all about being exalted to leadership in order to serve. There is no wonder that he received a double blessing upon him and his family from the Lord!

 

(5)       THE ESSENTIAL GUIDELINES

 

There are some helpful safeguards and counsel to aid in the fulfilling and preserving of servanthood so that it will achieve its ends in leadership.

 

· Service from the right inspiration is the real token of spiritual greatness – Mark 10:45.  Christ came in order to give Himself to others both in life and death.

· True spiritual position is not in the fact of how many are serving you but how many you are serving in the divine way.

 

“The measure of a man is not the number of his servants, but the number of people he serves.”                                                                                                            Moody

· Service must not be conducted in order to win public approval and acceptance but performed with the sole purpose of blessing and benefiting others – see 1 Corinthians 13. Not men-pleasers.

· Christ taught that the way up to an honoured leadership and placement was through humble service – Mark 10: 35-45; Acts 20: 35. Leadership should not be the mainspring but service.

· The menial and the ordinary must not be treated as insignificant in service – Matthew 10: 42; Acts 9: 36-43; 10:1,2.

· It is being a servant/leader of God and not the slave of men or systems.

· Not becoming galled up when your servanthood/service is not valued or appreciated.

· Determined not to focus on the service but rather on the One served, Christ.

· Knowing when to say ‘No’ as well as ‘Yes’

 

(6)  THE KINGDOM MANIFESTATION

 

One of the maxims that prevailed in Christendom was that ‘we are saved to serve.’ This is true and should be evidenced by leaders in particular so that others become infected and affected. A principle feature to be manifested in the kingdom of God is that of loving, dutiful service so that all will be blessed and benefited. Christ desires and has designed a ‘Serving Church’ so that all, leadership and membership form a partnership in genuine and effective ministry to profit.

 

·          In His kingdom teaching, Matthew 5-7, there is an emphasis on works and deeds – 5:17; 40-48; 7:12,17-29. Out of divine sonship and being, subjects within His kingdom service must be in view.

 

“It is a truth that stands out with startling distinctness on the pages of the New Testament that God has no sons who are not servants”     -                   Ward

 

“We have committed the Golden Rule to memory; let us now commit it to life”   -  Markham

 

·       The apostle also made it clear that service was not an option but an obligation – Galatians 6:9,10.

 

(7)  THE ULTIMATE FACTORS

 

The long term vision and facts must ever be born in mind and these should influence the matter of servanthood as to how it is conducted in the present.

 

·          The judgement seat of Christ is to be the place where each of God’s servants are to be judged and it is to be an occasion of accountability with regard to service – 2 Corinthians 5: 1-10.; Colossians 1: 28,29. Paul expected that his life’s work would come under review and scrutiny before the omniscient Lord and nothing would be left out and he wanted it to be a pleasurable and profitable occasion.

 

“What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us.  What we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal”      -                    Pine

 

·       There was to be either reward or loss according to the character and quality of the service.

·       The final unfolding is that of divine commendation and the prospects of eternal promotion and service – Matthew 25:21,23. Eternity will mean the manifestation of greater servanthood. The present is the training ground for bigger and more lasting service.

 

“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way”  -  J. Maxwell

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                      

 

Keiran Richardson

Sunderland Football Club

 

 

The 23 year old has revealed that he has spent time reading the Bibl after being introduced to Christianity by a close friend a few months ago.

 

And he said that were several others on the team who already have faith.

 

Richardson remarked: “I’m reading the Bible at the moment, and I’m learning so much from it as well. It’s showing me that it’s not all about material things, and it’s teaching me to be humble as well.

 

 “l think that I’ve always been well grounded, but the Bible is teaching to do that a lot more. Football is important to me, but so is being a good person.

 

I’ve been reading about John the Baptist, about how he was a special messenger from God and about how he introduced people to Him. It’s been interesting.

 

“There are a few religious people in the team, but I’m maybe not as open about it as them because I am still learning. I’ve read my Bible on the coach a few times, but I mostly read it when I’m at home by myself.”

 

Injuries have restricted the England international’s appearances this season  as Keane’s Red and White Army have struggled in the Premiership. But the prayers of Richardson and his Christian colleagues look like they are being answered, as the Mackems have moved away from the drop zone. 

 

 

                                                 

FLYING THE FLAG OF JOY

Marion Cooper

 

 

My concordance says, ‘In no other religion and in no other literature is joy so conspicuous as in Christianity and the Bible… Christianity stands firm so long as men who have it are invested with joy.’

 

In other words, joy sets us Christians apart from all other faiths. I have loved preparing this article, because I aspire to be a woman of joy, with, as the French say, a ‘joie de vivre’. Every single one of us, who calls ourselves Christian and has Jesus in our lives, is entitled to and should exhibit joy.

 

Joy is what Jesus came to bring. In the beginning, at his earthly birth, the angels told the shepherds that they brought ‘good news of great joy, for all people’ (Luke 2:10). As a man, during his years of minis­try, Jesus reinforced this: ‘I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete’ (John 15:11).

 

Romans 14:17, paraphrased, says, ‘The Kingdom of heaven is not “laws” but righteousness, joy and peace in the Holy Spirit.’ And in Galatians 5:22, joy is a fruit of the Spirit, which will automatically grow in the right circumstances. The Old Testament is also full of joy scriptures, my favourite being Nehemiah 8:10: ‘Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’

 

The joy of the Lord is a source of great spiritual, physical and mental well-being, which everyone needs. But although joy is provided in abundance for each of us who knows Jesus, I have found that it is often in short supply.

 

‘Joy is a flag flown high from the castle of my heart, for the King is in residence there’ - so goes the well-known children’s action chorus. So why is our flag of joy often at half-mast? Probably because life often throws pebbles, rocks and even boulders into our fountain of joy, and if we allow this to build up, its free flow may become restricted.

 

Personal problems and difficulties can rob us of joy. There are many serious world issues that, if we dwell on them too much and so neglect to keep our eyes on our God, can also be another rock that blocks joy. Sin will rob us of our joy. King David pleaded with God, ‘Restore to me the joy of your salvation’ - Psalm 44. Yet Philippians 4:4 tells us to ‘Rejoice always’, even when we are in need; to keep rejoicing because we have a great God who meets those needs. And Isaiah 54:1 says, ‘Sing barren woman… shout for joy’. It’s a command to counteract barrenness, dryness and emptiness both in our natural and our spiritual lives.

 

All of us have a tendency, at times, to lose our joy, and often a good talking to is all that’s required. King David says, ‘To God my exceeding joy’; then, contrarily, he goes on to chastise himself and asks, ‘Why are you downcast, 0 my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God’ - Psalms 43:4-5. I love the simplicity of this. When joy seems in short supply, don’t accept it; let’s give ourselves a good chastising and keep God central in our vision 100 per cent of the time He alone is our joy giver.

 

Joy is also a testimony to the world around us. We are ‘ambassadors for Christ’, and we represent a King and a Kingdom of joy. Yet so often this is not what the world sees, and we are portrayed as miserable and dour. Dear Christian, don’t let our joy be so deep that no one ever sees it. Instead, let it reach our faces. There is a lovely yoghurt advert that talks of ‘licking the lid of life’. This really ought to be us, sucking the juice Out of life, enjoying every day God gives us on this earth. Joy keeps us well and attractive to others. No one is drawn to God by a misery - the world has that in abundance.

 

The world, with all its problems of drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, material­ism, and so on, seeks joy. Let others see that we have it. Joy is our advert that shows the world ‘Jesus touches parts that other faiths don’t’. And even when life is incredibly tough and circumstances have thrown into our joy not a rock but a huge concrete slab, remember, ‘Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning’ (Psalm 30:5). We have a God who deals with our sadness and replaces it with his joy: ‘You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent’ - Psalm 30:11-12.