Columbia Union Conference Church: Who Leads It? Young Adult Summit Columbia Union Conference April 2 Steve Case Involve Youth

Church: Who Leads It?

Who leads your church?

1. God 2. People

What are the most important qualities for leaders at your church?

1. A lot of church experience 2. Be married; good example 3 1. A lot of church experience 2. Be married; good example 3. Highly educated 4. Do lots at church 5. Donate significant money 6. Have leadership qualities 7. Regular church attendance

Please put these in order from most important to least important: According to you

__ A lot of church experience __ Be married; good example __ Highly educated __ Do lots at church __ Donate significant money __ Have leadership qualities __ Regular church attendance

Please put these in order from most important to least important: According to those who seem to be in charge at your church

__ A lot of church experience __ Be married; good example __ Highly educated __ Do lots at church __ Donate significant money __ Have leadership qualities __ Regular church attendance

There aren’t a lot of good BIBLE TEXTS about how to be a good church leader.

1 Corinthians 11:1 (MEV) “Follow me, as I follow Christ”

Many church leaders turn to business leadership literature to glean ideas to use for church leadership.

A different option: Follow what Jesus said!

Team up with one other person from your church.

16 short quotations from Jesus, recorded in Matthew Which ones are for you?

Matthew 4:19 “Come, follow Me.”

Matthew 5:15 “Let your light shine.”

Matthew 5:44 “Love your enemies.” “Pray for those who persecute you.”

Matthew 6:12 “Forgive us.”

Matthew 6:25 “Do not worry about your life.”

Matthew 7:7 “Ask and it will be given to you.”

Matthew 7:12 “Do to others what you want them to do to you.”

Matthew 7:15 “Watch out for false prophets.”

Matthew 8:26 “Why are you afraid? You don’t have enough faith.”

Matthew 9:2 “Be encouraged. Your sins are forgiven.”

Matthew 9:9 “Follow Me.”

Matthew 9:17 “Pour new wine into new wineskins.”

Matthew 10:8 “You received without cost; give without charge.”

Matthew 10:16 “ I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.”

Matthew 10:28 “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.”

Matthew 10:39 “ Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.”

The 16 short quotations from Jesus, recorded in Matthew The 16 short quotations from Jesus, recorded in Matthew. Which ones were for you?

Church: Who Leads It?

Ideally, those who lead your church are those who are

Ideally, those who lead your church are those who are good followers

Ideally, those who lead your church are those who are good followers (of Jesus).

Let’s try it!

Looking for good followers

A paraphrase of Acts 5:1-9

things started to fall through the cracks. The church grew so rapidly that the church leaders couldn’t keep up and things started to fall through the cracks.

So the core group of leaders brought all of Christ’s followers together and said:

we’ll neglect the teaching ministry we’re doing. We’ve got too much on our plates. We need help with the basic care of serving others or else we’ll neglect the teaching ministry we’re doing.

Please choose some people with these key leadership qualities: 1. Filled with the Holy Spirit 2. Wisdom

“We’ll put them in charge of serving others while we continue our ministry of: 1. Teaching 2. Prayer

So the believers chose additional leaders. The apostles then prayed over them and laid their hands on them.

The result was that the Word of God spread even more The result was that the Word of God spread even more. Religious leaders from other faiths started following Jesus, too.

More miracles happened More miracles happened. So some of the long-time, established Jewish leaders decided they had to put a stop to these things.

What does it take for you to lead at your church?

__ Requires a church position __ God’s call; Spirit’s power __ Wait for someone to leave __ Gotta have money __ Help what’s happening __ Need permission __ Guarantee: No criticism

Some resources for you

InvolveYouth.org

AdventSource.org

AdventSource.org In the search space, type: Steve Case

What did it take for the early church leaders to lead?

1. Filled with the HS 2. Wisdom

Then church leaders: 1. Prayed over them 2. Laid hands on them

Time for some practical applications

Show Up!

Keep showing up!

Team up with one other person from your church.

The two of you join another set of two from another church.

What are you already doing to FOLLOW at your church?

What are you already doing to LEAD at your church?

What could you start doing to FOLLOW at your church?

What could you start doing to LEAD at your church?

What are you already doing to FOLLOW/LEAD at your church? What could you start doing to

How is your spiritual life? What vision did God give you? Who mentors you? Where are you volunteering?

Time for PRAYER