Leadership and Spirituality (Part 3)

Dennis McCallum

Matthew 6:19-34

Paul tells Timothy to raise up leaders who are free from the love of money. Loving God and loving money are mutually exclusive - it is impossible to pursue both! Material greed doesn't just change our value system away from what God values, but it actually warps our perception of what we need to be content and leads to constant worrying. But if we pursue God's kingdom instead of money, God says he will give us all that we need.

Leadership and Spirituality (Part 2)

Dennis McCallum

1 Timothy 3:2

Paul continues to describe the characteristics to look for in raising up Christian leaders. They should be well-ordered and stable, hospitable and welcoming to strangers, familiar enough with the Bible to teach it to others, without substance/alcohol abuse, not violent, gentle, and someone who resolves conflict. If we are to become an influence for God, it requires complete character reconstruction that is only possible through God's power to change lives. This is God's will for all believers and leads to an incredible sense of purpose and value!

Leadership and Spirituality (Part 1)

Dennis McCallum

1 Timothy 3:1

God has designed the church to be overseen by a plurality of leaders. This keeps the top leaders of the church accountable to one another, keeps the church safe, avoids a man-centered attitude in the church, and makes the leadership more available to the members. Paul says that elders of the church need to have a good reputation, an absence of flagrant disqualifying sin, their sexuality under control, spiritual sobriety and alertness, and mental stability.

Leadership and Balance

Dennis McCallum

1 Timothy 1

All of us are in one way or another in a position of leadership with influence on others, therefore everyone has the opportunity to lead for God. In this passage, Paul instructs Timothy on how to be a godly leader who prioritizes the right things. He tells Timothy to dismiss strange and esoteric teaching, refusing to focus on it. Timothy should also refute legalism and guide the focus of the church to core important teaching, like who Jesus is and salvation by faith, instead of going off on tangents. Dustin White gives his testimony.

Replicating Home Groups (Part 2)

Dennis McCallum

1 Corinthians 12:18

It is key to understand constraints and the needed elements when fostering an underground indigenous church-planting movement. The common constraints to quality growth include superficiality, impatience, inward focus, and many more. Nine important elements to growth include: a commitment to New Testament practices; a commitment to discipleship; a team approach; a commitment to organic church growth; a strong prayer ministry; a mission-oriented self concept; a willingness to fail; centralized support for equipping; and a plan. \r\n

Women, Men and Servanthood

Dennis McCallum

Galatians 3:28

Paul wanted the Corinthian church to maximize their witness within their culture, so he called for certain cultural gender norms to be followed as to increase the spread of the Gospel. God and Paul both taught equality for men and women, as different but equal beings. God called men to lead in sacrificial love in the context of marriage.

A Legacy of Leadership

Jim Leffel

Genesis 45:4-8

Spiritual leaders look at difficult circumstances in their lives and ask how God is working in the situation to further His work and provide for them personally. Instead of hiding their weaknesses that are exposed by circumstances, spiritual leaders are vulnerable about their struggles and depend on God's Spirit to make them adequate to serve others. Lastly, spiritual leaders have trust in God's sovereign plan for them, and they seek God's glory above their own. These qualities create an opportunity to leave a powerful legacy for generations of Christians to follow.

Character that Counts - Fleeing Lust & Pursuing Righteousness

Jim Leffel

2 Timothy 2:19-26

God's standards for leadership in the church are centered around godly character. Spiritual gifts, ministry skills, and calling are useless in the life of a leader without character, and God wants to integrate who we are with how we live as we grow in our relationship with Him. This integration happens only when Christians understand the proper motivation for change and pursue a life of others-centered, sacrificial love. God also calls Christian leaders to be patient and humble in correcting people in their lives who are seeking change since they too are learning what it looks like to follow God. A video testimony from Jim Dorado was included.

A Call to Diligence; Wielding the Sword Accurately

Jim Leffel

Ephesians 3:14-19

Timothy's church was facing a unique form of false teaching that combined mystical Judaism with popular Greek philosophy, and Paul commanded Timothy to handle the word of God accurately as a result. This command is not just relevant for Timothy though - modern believers face similar teaching and must be able to accurately interpret and explain God's Word to those questioning the Christian faith. These skills can be developed through diligence and intentional study of the Bible, and when they are combined with personal experience of the Holy Spirit, Christians can thrive and serve others more effectively.