TOPIC: AN EXAMPLE OF CHRIST’S LEADERSHIP: A CALL TO BUILD MEN FOR GOD’S KINGDOM (Purpose, Job, Cost,Training & and attainment of the fullness of Christ).
Leadership is God’s idea from the beginning of creation. He created the first man, Adam in His image and likeness to govern or rule over all creation. Hence from the fall of Adam God’s highest concern is searching for credible and visionary leaders. Wherever He finds one, the people, community or Church prospers, grows and develops.
2.1 Leadership is God’s grace, call, and ability to mobilize people and resources under someone to bring about a desirable growth and development in a Church or Community. It is the greatest need in Churches, Communities and nations of the world. Hence God’s greatest concern and search is for servant and visionary leaders” (Emphasis mine).
2.2 A Leader is the one who knows the road very well and is able to guide and direct others along it to the desirable destination”- Aps. Dr. Alfred Koduah.
2.3 “Everything rises and falls by the Leader”-John C. Maxwell.
2.4 “The Church has no financial problems but vision problems”-Rick Warren.
2.5 Jesus called His first disciples with a vision, job, purpose in sight: “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men (Mark 1:16,17); If you believe in me you will do the things that I do, and greater things than these will you do” (John 14:12; see Matt. 4:23). What does Jesus mean by the greater things or works? (Discuss). It was the building of the Church: Winning souls, planting Churches, making of disciples, and equipping them for the work, to maturity and the stature of the fullness of Christ
(Eph. 4:11-16) which will build men to become Visionary Leaders of the Church by God’s call and grace: Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers.
3.0 What does Paul mean by attaining to the fullness of God as the highest level of Leadership growth? (Acts 6:1-7; Eph.4:11-16; Revelations 5:6; Isaiah 11:1-2)
3.1 The fullness of Christ was revealed to Apostle John in Revelation chapter 5:6 as “The Seven eyes and Seven horns of Christ which symbolizes the Seven Spirits of God sent unto the whole earth for His Church. These Seven Spirits represents the fullness of revelation and authority (Seven Eyes and Seven Horns).
3.2 The Prophet Isaiah’s revelation of Christ in Isa. 11:1-2 fully explains the fullness of Christ which every leader needs for the job of equipping, training, nurturing, disciplining, and mentoring.
The Seven Spirits of God as revealed by Apostle John in Revelation 5:6 are :
*The Spirit of the Lord or Spirit of Lordship.
* Spirit of power and might
* Spirit of the fear of God.
It comes upon leaders who have daily intimate communion or time with God, praying, studying and meditating on His word to hear, see, and receive fresh messages from Christ Himself.
It comes over leaders who pay the price of sacrificing all worldly pleasures and pursuits to follow Christ’s example of doing the Kingdom business with commitment, vision, purpose, passion, Love, humility to add value to people around and under them (Matt. 19:27-30).
Two kinds of Officers especially Elders in the Church from the beginning to date are:
4.1 Those who followed Christ’s Example and that of their Apostles and Pastors have left legacies of good names and great blessings for the Church and their children (Elders Asem and ROD Asare of Ho Area are your clear examples). Mama Christiana Obo and her daughter Eunice Addison from the Central Region are notable examples of Christ’s Leadership). They and their families are blessed beyond measure.
4.2 There are also many Elders and Officers who feel they are not paid for their work in the Church and do it anyhow, some even go to the extent of paying themselves from offerings and tithes but their end is disgrace and poverty (read Zechariah 5:1-5)
5.1 Should be strong in the grace that is in the Lord Jesus Christ to be able to stand and perform (2 Tim. 2:1). Personal devotion everyday to build your spiritual life to maturity.
5.2 To be able to teach, and care for the saints under them (John 21:15-17; Acts 20:28).
5.3 Study the Bible on daily basis with the Church approved Devotional Guide, CoP Constitution, Ministers Handbook, Tenets, Church Calendar of Activities plus programs in them, and all the Ministries Manuals to be abreast with the current trends in the Church, else you will become an irrelevant Leader to the young generation and a problem to yourself by complaining about everything.
5.4 Take your Pastor and his wife as your personal friend to understand his vision and work to support him. Examples of Elders and Deaconesses who have supported us in Ministry at Kumasi, Bolga, Obuasi, and even Accra and their untold blessings eg. Elder Frimpong, Anokye, Aposuyine, Augustine, Deaconesses Juliana Opambour, Cecilia Wiafe.
6.0 The Elder/ Officer must function as: (John 21:15-17; Acts 20:28)
6.1 A Father for all in the Church.
The above roles and job of Officers call for sufficient preparation through personal devotions, fasting, Bible studies, pursuing higher education, reading wide around the Bible and secular things: health, good nutrition, politics, geography, agriculture, economics, accounting, farming etc. to help and teach your members. Make every effort to add value to your members by learning to acquire deeper knowledge in all things. “You stop learning, you stop leading” is an axiom by John C. Maxwell.
Kaneshie Area Head of The Church of Pentecost
This was first presented at the closing of Ho Area Officers Apostolization Retreat on 18th February 2017.
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