Sir Peter Medawar, Nobel Laureate in Medicine (whom I heard speak once) wrote this: "The beginning of scientific wisdom, I would argue, is an informed and respectful recognition of its limits." Those who believe science has all the answers, tend not to be actual scientists. - CHRISTIAN scientist Sy Garte
ETERNITY OF POSSIBILITIES
Birth begins the journey of possibilities.
Youth brings the dream of endless possibilities.
Middle age lives the dream of possibilities.
Elderly concludes past possibilities.
Death ends all present possibilities.
Eternal life brings the fulfillment of all possibilities.
Psalm 90:10 - The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
WHO INSPIRES YOU
Vision comes from being inspired, so who is inspiring you right now that gives you the passion to do what God has called you to do?
The Ultimate Test of Leadership: Creating Positive Change by John Maxwell
I. PROFILE OF A LEADER IN TROUBLE
A. Notice that of the 12 trouble spots for a leader listed below, five (5) deal with an unwillingness to change and that spells trouble for the organization.
1. Has a poor understanding of people.
2. Lacks imagination.
3. Has personal problems.
4. Passes the buck.
5. Feels secure and satisfied.
6. Is not organized.
7. Flies into rages.
8. Will not take a risk.
9. It is insecure and defensive.
10. Stays in flexible.
11. Has no team spirit.
12. Fights change.
Nicolo Machiavelli – “There is nothing more Difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, then to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.”
B. The first order of things to be changed is me, the leader.
1. After I consider how hard it is to change myself,
2. Then I will understand the challenge of trying to change others.
3. This is the ultimate test of leadership.
4. Effective teaching comes only through a changed person.
Howard Hendricks said the more you change, the more you become an instrument of change in the lives of others. If you want to become a change agent, you also must change.
KNOW YOUR FOUNDATION!
Before you go to start a church make sure you know what you believe, build a strong foundation with great study books so that no one or any book that you read will change your Philosophy of Ministry and move you from the vision that God gave to you.
PREPARATION NOW REWARD AFTER
To do great things takes years of preparation. You must make the necessary sacrifices to see the plan that God has for you.
If you take up the challenge to raise above, the rewards will be greater than anything you ever dreamed about. Now the challenge is yours.
Hebrews 11:6 - But without faith it isimpossible to please Him,for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and thatHe is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
GOD, HEAVEN AND HELL
Because of His love, God allows man freewill to choose between heaven & hell & both are an expression of God’s love. Heaven is a place where man who has done the will of God, will dwell, & hell is the place where man who has done his own will, will dwell.
NEVER NUMBER THE SHEEP
I say this to every pastor who starts a church, do you want to suffer? Then count and worry about how many people come to your church.
I started a church almost 30 years ago and pastor Raul told me this. Best advice I give to pastors today. Remember David’s sin, he numbered the people.
THE GRACE OF GOD
The grace of God allows us to live a victorious holy Christian life, not a life that can justify sin. Read the book of Titus today. Pray for someone today! TITUS 2:11-12 - 11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,
ARE YOU A PRIEST OR A PROPHET
PREIST - Want my will before God’s will. Don’t need to know the heart of the people. Don’t need to know the heart of God. Just know the ceremonies. Stop growing in your calling. Stop growing in the study of the bible. Greedy for money.
PROPHET - Know God’s will. Know the heart of God Know the heart of the people. Keep growing in the word of God. Growing in your fellowship with God. Know and keep growing in your calling and live out the fruit of the spirit in your life.
1 John 4:1 - Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
CALLING OF THE PASTOR TEACHER
As Pastors and leaders that teach never and I mean never base your calling on how you look, dress and how you deliver your message. To be a biblical teacher is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:11) and this gift is always from the power of the Holy Spirit and it does not matter how you dress or look or whether you speak well. It will always be if you have the gift of teaching from the Holy Spirit and if God is speaking through you.
Zechariah 4:6 - So he answered and said to me: This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,” Says the Lord of hosts.
SPIRITUAL MATURITY
Hebrews 4:16 - Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Spiritual maturity is not how much you know about God, spiritual maturity is how much time you spend with God and to know that He is with you.
“TAKE HEED”
“Take heed,” Paul said, “therefore unto yourselves & to all the flock.” Notice the order. Yourselves first, then the flock. The elder needs to be careful of his own walk, of his own spiritual fellowship with God, and then he is to have care for the flock of God.
–Ironside
KNOW GOD!
When we know what we believe about God from the Bible we will always respect people. But we don’t have to agree with what others believe if what they say goes against what the Bible teaches.
4 FACTS TO THEOCRACY
Christian Theocracy only works in a personal relationship with Christ. It means when I submit myself to Christ & allow Christ to govern my life in a relationship with Him through reading & trusting the Bible & prayer. Can never work with government or law.
1) Theocracy between God and Man.
A. Is abiding in a personal relationship with God being the head.
2) Theocracy in Marriage.
A. Christ being the Head, followed by man, then the woman.
3) Theocracy in Church Government.
A. Christ the Head, to the senior pastor, then to the assistant pastor etc.
4) Theocracy in Abiding and Freewill.
A. Theocracy is based God’s love for us and us abiding with Christ.
B. God as Supreme Being, directly rules over a person who chooses (free moral agent) to serve God and have fellowship with God through His Son and will humble themselves before God.
C. And this Theocracy is conditional and a voluntary (freewill) (if – 1595 KJV) covenant.
If any of these 4 views of theocracy are not followed you will have division.
Calvary Chapels are a theocracy. This means that the church is governed by God and His word first, then the senior pastors being guided by God leads the church. Pastor Chuck Smith created a wonderful book called “Philosophy of Ministry” to explain how a Calvary Chapel church government is to be set established.
When the church removes Christ, the Bible, prayer and the purpose of the church to mature others (Eph. 4:11-13), the church loses its purpose and love which is Theocracy theology (personal relationship) and can become a Liberal / Liberation (political rebellion) Theology which is a progressive (socialist) world view.
CHRISTIAN THEOCRACY
John 15:5 - “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
When we study Christian Theocracy we discover that it will only work in a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. We must remember that Christian Theocracy will never work in any government or works relationship.
We can define Christian Theocracy it means that we must freely choose to be born again and humble myself to Christ, thus we become the bride of Christ and allow Christ to govern my life in a personal relationship with Him.
Also we continue in this Theocracy by fellowship with Christ through prayer and by reading and trusting God’s word the bible. And as we mature in our walk we humble ourselves before God and allow God to work through our lives for His glory.
KNOW YOUR DOCTRINE
Before you go to start a church make sure you know what you believe, build a strong foundation with great study books so that no one or any book that you read will change your Philosophy of Ministry and move you from the vision that God gave to you.
THE TRINITY (UNITY) OF GOD
Charles Ryrie defines the pre-existence of Christ as meaning that; “He existed before his birth”
Unity – There are not two or more gods.
Simplicity – There are not two or more parts in God.
Tri-Unity – There are three persons in the one God.
Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics - Trinity. Trinity simply means “Triunity.” God is not a simple unity; there is plurality in his unity. The Trinity is one of the great mysteries of the Christian Faith. The Trinity goes beyond reason but not against reason. It is known only by divine revelation, so the Trinity is not the subject of natural theology but of special revelation.
The Basis for the Trinity. While the word Trinity does not occur in the bible, the concept is clearly taught in the Bible. The logic of the doctrine of the Trinity is simple.
Two biblical truths are evident in Scripture, the logical conclusion of which is the Trinity. There is one God and there are three distinct persons who are God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
MULTIPLY YOURSELF
Ephesians 4:11-13 - And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
As pastors or leaders in your church today, for you to do great work in ministry and to see as God sees, we must see the potential of others in your ministry, so that they can be discipled, equipped and raised up for the work of the ministry.
WHAT KEEPS PASTORS IN UNITY?
Our Love for God.
Our Love for His Word.
Our Love for Truth.
Our Love to Teach Truth.
Our Love in each of our Marriages.
Our Love for Sound Doctrine.
Our Love for Each Other.
Our Love for the Brethren.
Our Love for Fellowship with Brethren.
Our Love for Accountability to our Pastors.
If anyone of these on the list are not followed, it will divide the church and than it will not allow us to be in unity or in fellowship.