16 Apr What Happened in Thessalonica | Part 3 “The True Substance of Spiritual Leadership” | All Locations

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Key Verse: Thessalonians 2

May 13/14, Mother’s Day Weekend is our Really Big Things Weekend.

Our world is starving for TRUE LEADERSHIP

Leadership is lacking in every sphere of our world.   We are starving for leaders in business, politics, advertising, the military and even in our families.  We need men of God in our families, fathers to be strong, loving, kind, and godly.  We need spiritual leaders.  Now is not the time for the Church to look like the world, but it is time for the Church to look like Jesus.  We cannot afford to follow the crowd.  Leaders who follow the truth are honorable and don’t follow the crowd.

The hope for change in our country is our Church.  God is looking for His people to get back to being salt and light, to be influencers in the world for the cause of Christ.  As Christians, wherever we go we are leaders.  We may be the only representative of Jesus that someone else will ever see.

Ice breaker:

Q. Other than church, where do you see positive true leadership in your community?

Spiritual leadership has:

1. COURAGE in the WORD of God.

This is the call of Christ on the Church.  We have to have confidence and courage that God’s word is true.  Every step we take the devil tries to undermine our confidence in God’s word.  He twists and bends the word in our ear.

1 Thessalonians 2:1-2 (ESV)

The word ‘vain’ means empty.  Paul was saying that there was fruit in their coming to them and in spite of what they suffered they still had boldness in the message they were preaching.  They did not change what they were saying so they would not suffer.  They did not twist the message to appease people.  We need preachers and Christians not afraid to stand up for truth. We have to have conviction and not be afraid if others hate us.  As Christians, we tell people the truth and declare the glory of God.

Leadership is formed from COURAGE born of CONVICTION rooted in CHRIST.

Q. How have you stood up for truth this past week or recently

despite the rejection you may have received?

When the TRUTH is preached, people will both RECEIVE IT and REJECT IT.

2 Corinthians 2:15-16 (ESV)

Spiritual leadership has:

2. A STRONG ACCOUNTABILITY to God.

1 Thessalonians 2:4 (ESV)

As Christians we have to embrace that pastors, at the end of the day, are accountable to God.  Only God knows the pastors heart.  Pastors can fake it to people but cannot fake it to God.  We need preachers and Christians who understand the message of Jesus is a sacred trust.  When we receive the truth, he gives us even more understanding of it. We need a high respect level for the word of God.  It is sacred, it is not to please people or make others feel good.  Our culture is all about feelings, but feelings come and go.  God chose to love us and he stands by us through the ups and downs that we put him through.  He is faithful to us and his mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).

Q. What truth have you recently discovered about God that he gave you more understanding about it?

Spiritual leadership has:

3. SINCERE CONCERN in the context of GENUINE RELATIONSHIPS.

1 Thessalonians 2:5-8 (ESV)

They did not just build people up to win them over, nor did they do it for the money.   They were gentle.  Gentleness is meekness.  Meekness is strength under control.  That is why God describes himself as Father. It is because he is possessive of all the power of the world and could squash us, but doesn’t.  That is what a good father is.  A good father has strength under control.  We love people in the truth.  God was patient with us, we need also to be patient with others.   We cannot just beat people over the head with the truth but we need to also love them.  We need to have a sincere concern for their spiritual welfare.

Q. What experience might you have had this past week with a non-believer that may have required a little extra grace and patience?

Spiritual leadership has:

4. A LIFESTYLE consistent with the MESSAGE.

1 Thessalonians 2:9-10 (ESV)

We need to be true to what we are saying.  Many who have problems with Christianity say Christians are hypocrites.  Little do they know they are quoting Jesus, as He was the first to say that.  We cannot give people a reason to curse Jesus.  We need to pray and have God help us live it before we say it. We are not perfect but part of our faith is confessing we are not perfect.  Becoming a Christian is admitting we are not perfect.  Admitting we are not perfect goes a long way with some people.

Q. What encounter have you had recently with someone where admitting to them you were not perfect may have led them closer to Christ?

Spiritual leadership has:

5. An EXPECTATION of TRANSFORMATION in those you lead.

1 Thessalonians 2:11-16(ESV)

Leaders challenge us to believe we can do it.  They challenge us to do better.  We can do more than we think we can do.  There are future Life Group Leaders in the Church, there may be future business owners, pastors, or teachers in the Church. If God is for us, no one can be against us.

CHALLENGE:

Life Group Leaders: Challenge those in your group to become leaders.

Leaders in business or ministries: Challenge those you lead to do better and to believe they can do better.

Those who desire to be pastors, business owners, teachers etc., believe that you can do these things and pray for God to open the doors.