If You Are Breathing…….. You Are Leading!!!

Sharing Life—Connecting Journeys—Following Christ

Your impact in your sphere of influence should never be underestimated. Joel Comisky—a top authority on cell group development shared a thought in his book entitled, “Priesthood of Believers”. He says, “While the church has done a good job of training people to go directly to God, by and large, it has failed to train people to minister to others. The Pastor is still considered the priest, the only one fit to minister. This barrier, tied in with lack of mentoring, produces a church of spectators who watch the pastoral performance each Sunday. Long accustomed to sit and soak, the “sermon tasters” in many churches become experts in critiquing the pastor and grumbling when their needs aren’t met. How far we have fallen from the New Testament Christianity of Peter’s day when he depicted the church as “….a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God” (1Peter 2:6).

God has prepared a place for each and every one of us…not only a physical place, but a role in His kingdom. Sometimes that place is in the business, farming or medical world. Sometimes it is in the public classroom and certainly it is in our own families. We are all leading in some capacity, and most of us desire to do it well but struggle with “how”. Often we are coming from a point with very little personal mentoring and few role models who have demonstrated to us how to lead and disciple. While the Holy Spirit often directs and guides our interactions with others we are also called upon to be diligent in our own pursuit of learning and intentional growth.

This fall starting September 12th Dr. Mitch Whitman will be making available to our congregation a series of classes taught specifically with developing the skills of leadership in mind. This is a series that is taught internationally by Dr. Whitman’s leadership resource organization with the focus being primarily on Christian leadership and mentoring. It will introduce both the practical and the biblical application of leadership in the Christian community, the secular community and the family. In other words in the places where we all live, serve and work.

Who should attend: All who see themselves as leaders, or potential leaders in any way. Life group leaders, teachers-sacred and secular, Dads and Moms, grandparents, those who currently lead in their business or profession.

Pastor Steve Bishop