Letters To Leaders – Everyone Is A Leader

‘As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith. The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. ‘ 1 Timothy 1:3-5

Pastor Jeremy Smith from Crosspoint Church in Niceville, Florida, started a new sermon series called “Letters to Leaders.” This sermon series studies Christian leadership based on Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus as he sent them into a couple of challenging scenarios. He asked Timothy to stay in Ephesus with a charge to set straight some false teachers who had infiltrated the church. And Paul sent Titus to Crete to do the same while setting up a leadership structure in a very challenging culture on the Island.

After accepting Jesus into our lives, we are called into leadership.

‘We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.’ 2 Corinthians 5:20-21

As believers in Jesus Christ, we have the best leader to follow in the person of Jesus Christ.

Christlike leadership is influence acted upon with self-sacrificial love.

‘Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ‘ John 15:13

‘Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”’ Matthew 28:18-20

This is our commission as believers in Jesus from His very mouth before He was taken to heaven.

1. Make disciples
2. Baptize them
3. Teach them to obey

Pastor Jeremey quoted a statistic from a couple of years ago that said that nine out of ten people who profess to be Christians have never witnessed their faith in Jesus to another person.

WOW, that is a pretty sobering stat!

‘Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. ‘ Luke 9:26

Our calling is to lead others to the saving grace that Jesus has provided us. We are to lead others to Jesus through our words and, more importantly, our actions!!

“The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.“

Our faith in the Lord should create “fruit” in our lives. And the fruit of the Spirit is “love.” And that “love” gives us “joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control.”

One of the first principles of Christian leadership is:

Leaders lead themselves FIRST!

For us to influence the lives of those around us, we must first be living out our faith, which must be apparent in how we carry ourselves.

Without that, our words are empty. But when our lives are a reflection of the fruit that God provides us with a submitted heart to the Lord, people will be drawn by that, and God can use that to change the heart of another human being.

‘And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.’ 2 Timothy 2:24-26

The Lord can use our words and actions to change the hearts of others, and we must understand that this is under God’s sovereign will.

“Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance…”

So how do we lead ourselves?

Pastor Jeremy expressed a challenge he faces every so often when someone approaches him from the church who is leaving because they say, “I’m not being fed enough.”

I find this interesting because I was a “personal development” guy, and I used to study the “Advanced Time Management” material before I even picked up my fingers to do the basics.

When the Lord was gracious enough to bring me to my knees, I realized that I had better have the basics in check before I went any deeper. And I am finding out that the basics have a lot of depth.

I am the one who has to be responsible for “feeding” myself. One of the guys I like to listen to says, “If you’re waiting for someone to wind you up, what if they never show up?”

If we are not leading and feeding ourselves, we leave much to chance.

I suggest three Spiritual disciplines for leading yourself:

1. Systematically read the Bible every day! I’m at a point where I would give up a shower before I’d give up the time in God’s Word. I see this as bathing my mind with the living water of God’s Word.
2. Pray without ceasing! I find myself constantly asking for the Lord’s guidance. It doesn’t matter how great or small the task is; I ask Him to lead me.
3. Surround yourself with other Godly people. When you are forward about your faith, you will be pleasantly surprised that other Christians are around you. Get into a Bible preaching/teaching church! Get involved with others. There are people that you need, and there are people who need you.

‘Command and teach these things. Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.’ 1 Timothy 4:11-16

When Paul says to Timothy, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”

He is not referring to correcting those who may say things about you; he is saying to Timothy let your life be above reproach. He says, “do not let others be able to say something about you because of how you live.”

“Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”

If we do this as believers in Christ, our lives and those around us will change.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word.

I pray that Your Word dwells richly in my heart and that Your Word affects my thinking, attitude, and actions.

I thank You for the people You put around me; I pray that they see You in my words and actions.

I ask You to help me to see others with compassion. I ask You to help me minister to their needs in a way that glorifies You.

In the Holy name of Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen!! 🙏❤️