Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev19980719.htm

ACTS: THE LOCAL CHURCH AS GOD'S AGENCY FOR DISCIPLING MEN
Part XLIX: Receiving And Passing The Baton Of Quality Spiritual Church Leadership
(2 Timothy 2:1-2; Acts 20:17-38; 2 Timothy 3:10-4:2)
  1. Introduction
    1. The single greatest organizational need in the Body of Christ today is developing quality church leaders.
    2. We review Paul's message to the Ephesian elders with his instruction to Timothy for insight on the subject:
  2. Receiving And Passing The Baton Of Quality Spiritual Church Leadership.
    1. Paul told Timothy to be strong in God's grace so as to pass his leadership mantel to good men, 2 T. 2:1-2.
    2. Also, comparing Paul's charge to the Ephesian elders on leadership in Acts 20:17-38 with his later pastoral charge to Timothy (2 Tim. 3:10-4:2), we note a set format on what the leadership mantel was for others.
    3. Examining Paul's points in 2 Tim. 2:1-2 (with its related 2 Tim. 1:6-14 context) and in Acts 20:17-38, we discover specifically how one both receives and then passes along the "baton" of quality church leadership:
      1. Factor One - The established leader's example of using God's gracious gifting and equipping as did Paul leaves a deep impression on the value of such power for the future leader, 2 Tim. 1:6-14 with 2:1-2.
        1. Paul told Timothy to be strong in the grace of God in Christ as a basis to training others, 2 T. 2:1-2.
        2. He had just testified of his example in doing so under fire in 2 Tim. 1:8, 9, 12-14.
        3. Accordingly, Timothy was to use this grace and his grace-based spiritual gift for power, vrs. 6-14.
      2. Factor Two - The grace-empowered, established leader's faithfulness in his role is to leave a deep impression on the value of such leadership role faithfulness before the future quality spiritual leader.
        1. Paul told the Ephesian elders of his past faithfulness (Acts 20:18b) and present faithfulness to his role (Acts 20:22a and "bound in the spirit") and of their own need to be faithful in future duties (20:28a).
        2. In similar fashion, he later told Timothy of his ministry faithfulness before Timothy, 2 Tim. 3:10, 14a.
      3. Factor Three - The grace-empowered, established leader's exemplary life in his leadership role is to leave a deep impression on the value of such exemplary living before the future quality spiritual leader.
        1. Paul reminded the Ephesian elders of his past lifestyle (Acts 20:19a) while testifying of his present exemplary dedication (Acts 20:24). He then called the elders to heed his exemplary life, 20:32-38.
        2. Likewise, Paul later urged Timothy to remember the exemplary lifestyle he had lived as a pattern for his own life in future ministry, 2 Timothy 3:14b,c with 3:10.
      4. Factor Four - The grace-empowered, established leader's perseverance under fire in his leadership role is to leave a deep impression on the value of such perseverance for future quality leaders.
        1. Both in past (Acts 20:19b) and present (Acts 20:23) events, Paul reminded the Ephesian elders of his ministry endurance under fire. Thus, he urged the elders to stand against godless leaders, 20:30-31.
        2. Similarly, Paul later urged Timothy to expect opposition to his ministry as he had experienced in 2 Tim. 3:11-13 [cf. Acts 13:8-14:19], something that would follow throughout history, 2 Tim. 4:2-5.
      5. Factor Five - The grace-empowered, established leader's primary focus on giving out God's Word in his role is to leave a deep impression on the value of such a ministry focus for future leaders.
        1. Both in his past (Acts 20:20-21) and present (Acts 20:24b,c), Paul reported to the Ephesian elders his commitment to giving out the Word of God's truth to evangelize and edify the Church. Then he urged the elders to shepherd the flock of God , most of which implies feeding them the Word and secondarily guiding people in the application of that Word to living, Acts 20:30-31; Jn. 21:15-17.
        2. Paul also later called on Timothy to shepherd mainly through presenting Scripture, 2 Tim. 3:15-4:2.
Lesson: Since there exists a great NEED to develop godly, quality leaders worldwide, many current leaders must therefore be heeding incorrect examples and/or beliefs. What we NEED is CURRENT Church leaders to bypass heeding errant leadership examples and doctrines and copy Paul's instead!

Application: For effective, quality spiritual leaders to arise in the Church, (1) CURRENT errant leaders must desert the man-powered, transitory, ungodly, weak, human-view ministry style that some promote and mimic the (a) grace-empowered, (b) faithful, (c) exemplary, (d) persevering and (e) Bible-heralding style of Paul. (2) Second, th ose passing the baton on to new men should REMIND them of these fact so they can (3) copy the Pauline ones and (4) pass them on to others!

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