Next Steps

Family: parents (leaders) children (followers) Work: bosses/owners (leaders) employees (followers) Government: government officials (leaders) citizens (followers) Church: pastors/elders (leaders) church “members” (followers).

The biblical pattern of leading and following: Leaders (parents, bosses, government officials, pastors) have authority to lead should work hard should have a good attitude should not “lord it over” Followers (children, employees, citizens, church members) should obey/submit should respect/honor should pray for their leaders

The biblical pattern of leading and following: Leaders (parents, bosses, government officials, pastors) have authority to lead should work hard should have a good attitude should not “lord it over” Followers (children, employees, citizens, church members) should obey/submit should respect/honor should pray for their leaders OBEY: Submit to your masters, not only to the good and gentle but also to the cruel. (2 Peter 2:18)

HONOR/RESPECT family: Honor your father and mother (Eph. 6:2) work: Honor everyone…. (1 Peter 2:17) government: Honor the Emperor (1 Peter 2:17) church: respect those…who are over you in the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:12)

Honor everyone. Love the family of believers. Fear God. Honor the Emperor. (1 Peter 2:17)

Respect/honor: To admire someone because of their abilities, qualities, or achievements. Respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13)

Q1: How do I respect someone who I find hard to respect? A1: focus on a positive quality you do admire about them. Q2: It is possible to speak our disapproval of a leader and still be respectful? A2: Yes.

Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples: “The scribes and the Pharisees are seated in the chair of Moses. Therefore do whatever they tell you, and observe it. But don’t do what they do, because they don’t practice what they teach.” (Matthew 23:1-3)

If you talk to others about your disagreement with a leader, don’t walk away from that conversation without also expressing your commitment to obey, respect and pray for them.

You can show respect to everyone – even bad leaders You can show respect to everyone – even bad leaders. Choose to see the good in them and admire them for that. If you talk to others about your disagreement with a leader, don’t walk away from that conversation without also expressing your commitment to obey, respect and pray for them.