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BUILDING UP THE LORD’S CHURCH…

Effective Leadership

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     God’s people have never been without leaders.

1.       In the days of Patriarchy, each family was led by their father.

2.       Moses was the leader of God’s people when Israel became a mighty nation.

3.       Joshua led the people of God into the Promised Land after the death of Moses.

4.       Judges led the people of God after Joshua.

5.       Eventually, kings were placed in Judah and Israel to shepherd God’s people.

6.       Jesus is the Good Shepherd who leads His sheep.

7.       The apostles led the church when Jesus ascended back to the right hand of God.

8.       In churches today, elders are the overseers of local congregations.

 

B.      God knows leaders are extremely important.  If the church is ever going to be built up, the church must have effective leadership.

1.       The church is only as strong as her leaders.

2.       The church will only go as far as the leaders will take her.

3.       The church can never be better than her weakest leaders.

 

C.     What do we mean when we say:  “The church needs effective leadership”?

1.       Effective:  “adequate to accomplish a purpose; producing the intended or expected result”

2.       What makes a leadership effective?  What are some of the things that they must display and practice if they are going to produce the results that God desires?

 

I.                    FOUR THINGS THAT ARE GIVENS

 

A.     They are qualified (I Tim. 3:1-7; Tit. 1:5-9).

 

B.      They understand the works that God has assigned them (I Tim. 3:1).

 

C.     They are extremely knowledgeable of God’s Word (Tit. 1:9).

 

D.     They have rid themselves of negative qualities:  laziness, jealousy, greed, anger, partiality, etc.

 

II.                 MEN WHO CAN IMAGINE A VISION

 

A.     When we say this, we are not referring to a miraculous vision.

 

B.      Vision involves:

1.       Seeing

2.       Seeing into the future

3.       Seeing exactly where they want to go

4.       Seeing exactly what they desire to build

5.       Seeing everything they desire to accomplish

 

C.     Vision is more than generalities.  It involves specifics.

1.       Generalities:

a.       We want to be in existence.

b.      We want to be preaching the Word.

c.       We want to grow.

d.      We want to have a little money in the bank for a rainy day.

2.       Specifics:

a.       God had some specifics with regard to Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3).

 

Now the Lord had said unto Abram Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee.  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing.  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee:  and in thee shall all nations of the earth be blessed.

 

b.      Moses had specifics given to him (Exo. 3:10).

 

Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.

 

c.       Joshua had specifics (Josh. 1:2).

d.      Nehemiah had specifics (Neh. 2:17).

e.       The apostles had specifics (Acts 1:8).

 

D.     This is not an easy thing for most elderships in the Lord’s church.

1.       They cannot envision one year, five years, or ten years down the road.

2.       They have difficulty dreaming big dreams for their church.

3.       They do not have any plans for the short-term or long-term.

4.       They are waiting for the preacher to take them to greater heights and greener pastures.

5.       They justify, rationalize, and blame why things continue as they have for so long.

 

III.              MEN WHO CAN IMPRESS A VISION

 

A.     Once a vision has been formed, it must be impressed upon the followers.

 

B.      Two elements are involved in impressing a vision.

1.       Communication

a.       Exactly where the church is going must be communicated to them.

b.      Exactly what the elders want to build or accomplish must be communicated.

c.       Communication can be done through words, pictures, and examples.

2.       Influence

a.       Influence is the ability to bring people on board the journey

b.      Influence is the ability to get individuals to buy into the dream.

c.       Influence is the ability to get people to want to go where the leaders want to go and to do the things the leaders want to do.

 

C.     Three examples:

1.       Moses communicated and influenced Israel to build the tabernacle.

2.       Solomon communicated and influenced Israel to build the temple.

3.       Jesus communicated and influenced His apostles to build God’s spiritual house.

 

D.     Impressing a vision is mostly about relationships.

1.       The development of trust.

2.       The understanding of temperament and talents.

3.       The cultivation of care and concern.

4.       The presence of love that looks out for the best interest of another.

 

IV.              MEN WHO CAN IMPLEMENT A VISION

 

A.     Once visions have been imagined in the mind and impressed on others, they must be implemented.  The vision must be brought to fruition.

 

B.      Two examples:

1.       Moses completed the tabernacle (Exo. 40:33).

 

…So Moses finished the work.

 

2.       Nehemiah completed the walls of the city of Jerusalem (Neh. 6:15).

 

So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days.

 

C.     Elements needed to implement a vision.

1.       Prayer (Nehemiah)

2.       Faith (Abraham)

3.       Courage (Joshua)

4.       Patience (Moses)

5.       Resources (Solomon)

6.       Delegation (Jesus)

7.       Diligence (the apostles)

8.       Flexibility (Gideon)

9.       Evaluation (Paul)

10.   Accountability (God)

 

CONCLUSION

A.     In the brotherhood, we have some great men who are serving in positions of leadership.

1.       They are qualified.

2.       They know what their job entails.

3.       They are knowledgeable of God’s Word.

4.       They live lives of holiness and godliness.

 

B.      They must develop the abilities to:

1.       Imagine a vision

2.       Impress a vision

3.       Implement a vision

 

C.     Eldership and others in leadership positions who can do this will find great success. If they will do God’s will and reply upon Him at this point, they will have great success.