Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb20090614.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
Acts: The Continuing Earthly Ministry Of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Part VI: The Ministry Of The Universal Church In Its Spread To The Ends Of The Earth, Acts 8:26-28:31
E. Christ's Use Of The Apostle Paul To Spearhead Worldwide Outreach, Acts 14:4-28:31
25. Christ's Use Of Paul To Provide Invaluable Church Leadership Insight
(Acts 20:17-38)
  1. Introduction
    1. Besides the Pastoral Epistles of 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus, Paul's address in Acts 20:17-38 to the elders of the Church at Ephesus provides invaluably concise insight on the ministries of local church leaders.
    2. We view that passage, gleaning nuggets of wise insight from them for application to needs we face today:
  2. Christ's Use Of Paul To Provide Invaluable Church Leadership Insight, Acts 20:17-38.
    1. When Paul gave his address to the elders of the Church of Ephesus at Miletus (Acts 20:16-18a), it was not a carefully organized thesis on Church oversight, but the passionate appeal of an Apostle who knew he would not be able to address the group again due to future trials and martyrdom, Acts 20:22-23, 25, 37-38.
    2. As such, it is a concise overview of church leadership, and we sum up the essence of church leadership:
      1. Church leaders must serve God in their leadership roles with humility, Acts 20:18-19a.
      2. Church leaders must serve God regardless of tearful trials caused by ungodly opponents, Acts 20:19b.
      3. Church leaders must deliver to God's people all of God's revealed truths, Acts 20:20-21, 26-27:
        1. In outreach, Church leaders must take every opportunity they can to proclaim the need for all men to repent and believe in the Gospel of Christ's salvation, Acts 20:20-21.
        2. In discipling believers in the Church, Church leaders must not shrink back from declaring all of the counsel of the Word of God, to preach and teach all of the written Word of God, Acts 20:26-27.
      4. Church leaders must not be moved from fulfilling God's calling of them by any human threat, even if doing so eventually costs them their lives, Acts 20:22-24a.
      5. Church leaders must realize that the ministry they have was given unto them by God, Acts 20:24b, 28b:
        1. The ministry a Church leader has was assigned to him by the Chief Shepherd of the Universal Church, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, Acts 20:24b with 1 Peter 5:4.
        2. The very believers over whom a leader has been set was assigned to him by the Holy Spirit, 20:28b.
      6. Church leaders must focus on testifying of the grace of God unto others, Acts 20:24c.
      7. Church leaders must pay careful attention to their own spiritual welfare in view of the fact that they will face destructive wolves from without and perverse men from within the Church who will cruelly try to gather followers unto themselves, Acts 20:28a ESV with 20:29-31. [Note how this began to be fulfilled later at Ephesus from the record of 1 Timothy 1:3-7! (Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978 ed., ftn. to Ephesians 20:28-30)]
      8. Church leaders must pay careful attention to all of the believers over whom the Holy Spirit has made them overseers in view of the destructive wolves from without and the perverse men from within the Church who will cruelly try to gather followers after them, Acts 20:28a,b ESV with 20:29-31.
      9. Church leaders must rely on the Lord Himself for edification and discipling blessings, Acts 20:32a,c.
      10. Church leaders must use written Scripture to edify and disciple themselves and others, Acts 20:32b,c.
      11. Church leaders must not covet material possessions of others, but acquire what they need through their own work, and even share what they have earned with other needy believers, Acts 20:33-35.
      12. Church leaders must apply the Lord's words, that "It is more blessed to give than to receive," as a rule in relating effectively to others in their ministries, Acts 20:35.
      13. Church leaders must be men of prayer, and must promote prayer in the Church, Acts 20:36: after finishing this his impassioned, final address to the elders, Paul kneeled down and prayed with them all, revealing he left them with a great emphasis on prayerful dependence upon the Lord.
Lesson: Paul's final, impassioned address to the elders of the Church of Ephesus provides an invaluably concise view of the nature of Christian Church leadership.

Application: May we as leaders or as subordinates in the body apply these nuggets of wisdom provided in Paul's address on Church leadership to maximize blessing in the Body of Christ.