Christian Leadership
To manage a church effectively we must seriously take our lead from Scriptural principles and not from popular trends. Trend based leadership has been a primary emphasis over the past twenty plus years. In fact, it has been over emphasized as the quintessential aspect of being a pastor. This is not so! Necessary? Yes, but not by strong willed personalities or personal agendas over and against the Word. This role perhaps takes most of the leadership's and pastors' time, for which many are poorly trained and equipped. Leadership is not dependent on a particular personality trait, but on skills that can be learned, even when that spiritual gift or personality is lacking. This aspect can be delegated. Many leaders get their pride hurt and refuse to let go, but no one can do it all. As your church grows, so must the people grow in leadership, so no one person is running the entire show.
In the light of the structure. of the total universe; in the light of our calling to exhibit the existence and character of God between the ascension and the second coming; in the light of the terrible price of the cross, whereby all the present and future benefits of salvation were purchased on our behalf ˜ in the light of all this, the real sin of the Christian is not to possess his possessions, by faith. This is the real sin. But whatever is not of faith is sin (Romans 14:23b). The sin here is in not raising the empty hands of faith. - Francis Schaeffer
Matthew 1:1-17, As Jesus comes in the world via His incarnation, His incarnation needs to come into us the leader. Christian leadership is all about operating in and by Christ, being His Hands and Feet with His precepts!
Matthew 1: 18-25, Immanuel God is with Us! Thus, Christ was birthed in history; by so doing, He must also be birthed into you and evident in you!
Jesus always Invokes a Response
Matthew 2:13-23, Jesus always invokes a response, if not in this life, then, in the life to come, from every person who has ever lived.
Matthew 3:1 -12, How do you prepare for the Lord in you and in the lives of others?
Matthew 4:1-11, Satan pulls out all of his efforts and abilities in a futile attempt to convince...
Repentance is the Central Pronouncement
Matthew 4:12-17, Repentance is the central pronouncement of ministry!
Matthew 4:18-22, Becoming Fishers of Men! Are you doing that?
Touching Ministry to the People
Matthew 4:23-25, This passage summaries Jesus' training His disciples...
Matthew 5:1-2, The "Sermon on the Mount" can be referred to as the Christian Manifesto, which contains the core essentials, the foundation of thought and attitude, of the Christian leadership life.
Our Call to Flavor, Light and Preserve
Matthew 5: 13-16, The Christian leaders role in the world is to be influencers of the world! Not to hide from it, or ignore it...
Beware that Anger Kills Ministry!
Matthew 5: 21-26, Because He is a God of holiness and details, He gives us specific issues that are to show root causes of sin and unrighteousness.
Matthew 5: 27-30, Jesus cuts right to the root, the heart of the problem with most marriages and divorce...
Matthew 5: 33-37, Do you keep your word as a leader? God requires us to take our word and deeds seriously...
Turning Retribution into Relationships
Matthew 5:38-42, Responding to Evil, Jesus calls us to an entirely different perspective and outlook of life.
Yield ourselves over to Christ
Matthew 5: 43-48, Loving your Enemies, Jesus once again challenges the Pharisees' misunderstanding...
Matthew 6: 5-15, Jesus is calling us to seek Him with the emphasis on our sincerity so our public prayers are as genuine as our private ones.
Good Leaders do not Love Money
Matthew 6:19-24, Getting our Hearts Centered On What Is Important...
Matthew 6: 25-34, When we have our hearts centered upon what is really important, our real purposes and plans begin to function correctly, as our perspectives are in line with God's.
We have to be Willing to Look at our Flaws
Matthew 7: 1- 6, Why would you Judge? The best way to cover your own sins and wrongdoings is to attack someone who is good, and righteous, because it will throw the dogs off their tracks, taking the attention off you and placing it elsewhere...
Matthew 7: 24-29, Building your Leadership Life on the Rock of the Word!
Matthew 8: 23-27, Storms Cannot Buffet those in Christ!
The Motivation of Faith and Practice
Matthew 9: 35-38, The Compassion of Jesus! This passage is a summary of Jesus' teaching, ministry, and example...
Matthew 10: 16-26, The Coming of Persecutions: The Christian life is an impossible task; it is a Way that cannot be fathomed...
Matthew 10: 34-42, Christ brings Division. This passage concludes the training exercise Jesus is giving His disciples.
Proclaiming the God who is Here!
Matthew 11: 20-30, The God Who Judges, the God Who Holds Us! God is a God who gives us grace, comfort, and rest, yet...
Be Aware of Traditions and Assumptions
Matthew 12: 1-8, The religious leaders were looking for another opportunity to put Jesus on the spot to try to prove He was a fake.
A Faith all Mixed up and Backwards?
Matthew 12: 9-21, Hypocrisy in action! Jesus cleverly thwarted the attempt of the religious leaders to prove He was a fake by...
Matthew 12: 22-37, A House Divided Cannot Stand! This is one of the most controversial passages in Matthew.
Matthew 13: 44-58, The Value of Christ's Kingdom! In these parables, Jesus explains the value of His Kingdom, and the foolishness of chasing after the things of the world.
Matthew 14: 1-12, John the Baptist is Martyred as he caused quite a stir in the Herodian household. He cut across his social and cultural status...
Matthew 14: 13-21, The imagery here is of the Shepherd feeding His sheep!
Matthew 15: 1-20, Defilement from Hypocrisy. Jesus confronted, head on, the hypocrisy of the religious leaders who...
Matthew 15: 21-39, The disciples continued to show their deficiency in memory and faith.
Matthew 16: 1-12, Seeking a Sign? The Pharisees were hounding Jesus for more miracles to prove who He was.
Matthew 16: 21-28, Following Him! Peter, who had just boldly proclaimed his faith, quickly forgets it and stumbles to his own will. Do you do this too?
Handling Jubilation to Humiliation
Matthew 17:14-27, From the Mountain to the Valley! From a mount of jubilation to a valley of humiliation is "where we live."
Matthew 18:1-14, The Call for Caring. Jesus used the opportunity to call us to take care of the children!
Matthew 18:15-20, The Call to Deal with Sin. Jesus switches the focus from warning about sin to dealing with it.
Matthew 18: 21-35, The Problem of Unforgiveness.
Matthew 19: 13-30, Stripping Ourselves of What Holds Us.
Matthew 20: 20-34, Real Greatness is in Serving and Following.
Matthew 21: 18-32, Jesus' Authority! The fig tree refused to do as it was designed to do-to produce fruit.
How is Christ Received and Treated?
Matthew 21: 33-46, The Parable of the Wicked Tenants, is about rejection.
Matthew 23: 1-39, Woe to Hypocrites!The Word of God is our authority!
Matthew 26: 47- 75, Arrest and Betrayal: This passage continues the theme of missed opportunities.
Jesus Models Suffering and Injustice
Matthew 27: 1- 26, Jesus is handed over! Jesus was obedient! Jesus suffered on our behalf!
Matthew 28: 1- 20, Jesus is Risen! The word "disciple" literally means someone who pledges to be a "learner." Moreover, it is a commitment and a process.
See our sister site for the complete Bible study series in Matthew at www.intothyword.org/
