R443 Leadership

We all could use some encouragement and will find it together today in the Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton on this message only so good to have you with us. Another were here to pray with you and for you 866-899-WORD for all online RTW line.org. Now today's message from pack six and first Timothy this is Dr. Don Wilton die about leadership.

Leadership is you turning your Bibles with me to the book of acts chapter 6 and I'm going to cost everyone here to take a copy of God's word going to begin in the book of acts chapter 6 and I want to speak to you today about leadership, even though I'm going to be speaking to you about a very special kind of leadership I'm going to be very specific and very personal this morning. You see friends whenever we turn the day the cry and the clarion call of people today is for definitive leadership. This is not a political I never involve politics in this pulpit and I don't mean to do so right now but I'm going to say to you, beloved frames that it disturbs me greatly when people tell me that they want to find a church that mirrors society. Is that right. In fact, there are churches springing up all over the place today that all basing their fundamental premise on the fact that they are going to be marrying society.

They want to look like the world I want to make things easy for people.

I reject that on the basis of God's word.

There are people today who say I'm going to go to church because it looks like society do you want church to look like America do you want Ellen to be the fundamental premise upon which we base everything that we do you want the kind of family values and ethics that we read about from the White House to the state capital to be part and parcel of your church. You want the church to be run like the local government from the state office to the highest office.

You want the leadership principles that we see espoused in the world to be espoused in the church. I've heard people say listen, we need to accommodate the name of the game is compromise. We need to act. We need to adhere to the feminists and we need to adhere to the radicals and we need to adhere to the super human accommodation that is going on in the world today. We need to bring the world, not to God's standards, but down to the standards.

The plans when it comes to leadership with talking about definitive things people say to me from time to time. Foster, what is it about First Baptist Church nondata say to you, beloved friends that I have so much joy when I consider what God is continuing to do in this church, I think, for example, of the unprecedented unity that you think about it. We are all different people, no doubt about that. Just look at the person next to you. We have all our likes and dislikes and the way we like to do things we like to stand up and sit down. Some people like courses, some people like hymns.

Some people don't like this. Some people like that.

We got our likes and dislikes, but I'm going to say to you something today beloved frames that as your pasta.

I do not know of any major area at First Baptist Church where there is dissension, unhappiness where there is a group of people standing up bickering, fighting, backstabbing starting rumors. We do not do that at First Baptist Church.

We are a body of believers, and if you find anybody who does that.

You have my permission to tell them we don't do that here. That's life. You see, something is going on with seeing God move God is moved in this church for over 150 years I contract you about leadership in the WMU and I can talk to you about leadership in ladies first Thursday in Sunday school classes in our children's programs in scouting in missions organizations. We've got men giving up a whole month of the time to go to Brazil. We got teams going up to Tennessee and Kentucky missions we talking about many different facets of leadership. Where does all this come from, what is the Bible say what I want to show you two marvelous passages of Scripture today and I'm going to begin in acts chapter 6 in acts chapter 6 we going to find out what God's word has to say concerning the reason why deacons exist. Why do we have deacons. What kind of leadership are deacons all about. Why is there role servant leadership. Why are they not a board of directors while on deacons service of the church. Why are they nominated and elected by the church who these people to be, how do you know when to nominate a man to be a deacon with his outcry carrier. Is it because someone's been in the church for 25 years. Is it because someone is well-known why do you nominate and vote for Annika.

Well let's ask ourselves what the Bible says it's amazing isn't it, how God's word on Fazoli's questions for us down this first section I'm going to stop just a few times in chapter 6 because it's important. Let's look at it together. Acts chapter 6 and verse one in those days when the number of disciples was increased good place to stop.

Because what happens folks you watching this, the more all the disciples increase the more necessary to have more deacons. Since a tear in the Bible. Watch what happens and what happened when the body of believers began to come together something interesting happened within verse one.

The Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews to different groups because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food now cloaks that phrase did the daily distribution of food is a direct reference to the needs that people had in their totality. I say this to you. It's not profound because we all would readily agree. I want you to know folks. It would probably your mind if you knew all the leads in this congregation come and sit in my office on one day you'll understand. It's amazing the number of leads I carry around a beef with me. I was with Steve Skinner the other. Diane came Holton and the and Eddie Robinson and and between the time that I left the church in the time that I brought to my destination. How many calls I have about 10 or 12 goals with with different needs in the congregation. Why because we are people of folks I want to tell you something in just a moment. Some of your kindness. I will pasta I'm outta here because when I look at God's word. There's no way I'm gonna match up to God's word.

Please don't leave because I brought an announcement this morning. Garrett is the only difference between the base to bussing here and the rest of their mouth is what the grace of God, a man that is the only difference we are sinners saved by the grace of God, I'm so grateful for that because folks when I get reading through these passages, and speaking about them. I want you to know there's not one man here to deserves to be a deacon at this Foster does not deserve to be the posture of this church but by the grace of God, you are not all that we all backed by God's grace well look what happened yet.

They had a problem. The number of disciples increase there was more to be done. Needs more activity action programs and what happens some of the people began to be neglected that I was to scale this morning.

Is there anybody who's been neglected. I'll guarantee you all of us at some point in time can raise our hands and say, will you love. We been neglected. Someone didn't visit us. We didn't get enough coal somebody there's somebody that of us because we've got leads God's word tells us how to overcome this. So, look what happened. So I burst through some of the 12 who were the 12 the apostles died with apostates. This began in the pastor's heart.

Listen to what happened.

So the 12 gathered older disciples.

The whole church.

All believers together and said it would not be right for us as pastas to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables now friends, listen to this for just a second. If anybody ever asks you what is the most important thing that you will pasta does in your church, what would you tell can you categorize that I'll tell you we go to go to the Bible you know what the Bible says my most important job is prayer and the preaching and teaching of God's word, the Bible says if I do anything that causes me to neglect prayer and the preaching and teaching of the word of God that I'm flailing in the calling that God has called me to not want to tell you something. I don't think I have ever been in the church who understands that more clearly and I love you for that folks that is not to diminish all the important things that we are about because everything we do is, there is plenty of time for visitation and for missions and for programs and for coming in for strategizing and administration and finances in hospitals and retirement centers and individual needs from from marrying people to varying people but God says that the pastas got up and said it is not right for us to neglect the preaching and teaching of the word of God. God basically says to me pasta there is never a time that you get into this pulpit that you not prepared to proclaim God's word. Whatever platform God gives you.

So look what happens here verse three. Does the solution brothers choose seven men from among you who are the brothers and sisters here. The congregation you might say to me today pasta. Why do we nominate and elect deacons because the Bible says so says young men and brethren choose salmon mainly from among you who are these men. They are drawn known to be full of the spirit and wisdom.

We, the pastas will turn this responsibility over to them and we will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.

I look what happens in verse five.

This proposal pleased the whole group and in fact they name the salmon mainly from Stephen all the way down the Nicholas from Antioch verse six they presented these men to the pastas who prayed and laid their hands on them.

Have you lost the question, why do we will dine deacons because the Bible says Bible says we ought to lay hands on deacons.

We ought to set them apart.

The Bible says they ought to be examined before the Lord, they ought to be found in keeping with what God's word says, look what happened in verse seven, because the consequences folks, this is what happens when a church obeys God.

So the word of God spread the folks I'm going to say this to you.

I want you to listen this morning we have seen an unprecedented number of adults in particular coming of Jesus and that wonderful that deserves an Ironman folks, we are seeing people coming to know Jesus Christ in our client doors in in Kentucky missions and hearing the worship services God is moving. We sing from young to old youth ministry is exploding. Children's ministry is exploding. We're running out of space.

Everywhere we look, we are making definitive questions we are asking the monster to write upon our hearts, a master plan for his church. When we need to be in the year 2000. But listen to me.

Folks if we want to know where we need to be.

We've got to go back and offguard. What we need to do God speaks about definitive leadership. I get so disappointed. I had someone about three weeks ago. Come to me and say to me, pasta we've been visiting, but I want to find a church that resembles the community that are living want to find a church that's going to make it comfortable. Do not the keyword today: temporary natural keyword. We gotta make it comfortable. We going to make everything feel good and sound good. We going to apply the principles of society). The fabric and the heartbeat of the church friends what we've got a new as we gotta go to God's will. God wants us to do.

Listen to what happened in verse seven.

I love this. So the word of God's prayer that we preach. I wish I had another this morning. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. Are you ready for this, we come to church on Sunday morning just to feel comfortable or to hear what God has to say that folks listen to what happened. I want you to turn over the page now to first Timothy couple of pages first Timothy chapter 3, we've had a look as to why deacons in this form of leadership was instituted. I love that sigh I think elections are so important. I think voting is so important. I appreciate every member of our church who stands up for those people who stand upon moral principles. People say to me pasta. How should we vote will I want to tell you something I will never tell anybody how to vote. But if you're a believer. God will tell you how you should vote. Why, because God applies these principles to live, and we've got a vote according to God's principles, not according to what we feel we got apply God's principles. And if somebody is not carrying out the principles of Almighty God, we should for them. We should like to stand and take a stand and wait. Is it all began. It begins in the chart.

The church never to look like society.

The church going to be the church of God standing upon God's principles, standing up on God's word. The church must be different. It cannot be the say we cannot accept the Constitution of the United States of America as the African fundamental platform upon which we stand. We write according to that because God calls us to be good citizens. Good citizenship is grounded in the fundamental principles of God's standards and God's word about the rest of today's message of leadership Dr. Don Wilton in just a moment, but he wants me to remind you were here for you to pray with you and for you to connect with great resources like the one on spiritual warfare we been talking about these last few days.

It's all on a website EW online.org you can call us at 86689866899673 online TW online.org now back today's great teaching Dr. Don Wilton so we discover here in one minuscule aspect of leadership. The reason why deacons and reporting to the church where did it come from the next question is what qualifies a man to be a deacon. All this is the top or maybe I should read this part. Garrett is and I'm going to stop a few times. First Timothy chapter 3 shows a trustworthy saying if anyone 60s hawked on being an over cedar Sia on being a bishop on being an elder on being a deacon on being a pasta on being a leader. He desires a noble toss now. The overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife just by the way, they are not doing an exegesis of this passage, but polygamy was a major problem in Paul's time, men were marrying multiple numbers of wives.

God's word says no. One man for one woman for one lifetime. That's what God's word says the climate is on a mission in Kenya at the moment in Africa.

Polygamy is a particularly important issue because the African culture is based upon a polygamist relationship man have multiple wives when they come to know Jesus Christ. We've gotta bring out the word of God in love.

Listen to what happens, the husband of but one wife, temperate self-control, respectable, hospitable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money he must manage his own family will and see that his children obey him with proper respect doesn't say that a deacon has to have perfect children because they enroll in trouble with maybe a few exceptions as I look around. It says that a deacon must manage he's own children and family will verse five explains why.

If anyone does not know how to manage his own family. How can he take care of God's church.

I'm so grateful folks I've said this many many times.

I'm grateful that we are a family church, the emphasis we places on our families, our children, our loved ones on single parents, single mothers, we believe in that we believe in restoration.

We believe in reconciliation. We believe in forgiveness. We believe that there is hope for tomorrow. We do not believe that anybody is beyond the love of God why because we are sinners saved by the grace of God that we should ever become a country club. There are too many churches that become country clubs.

They are places where people go and where they can enjoy their wellness and their blessings in life but God doesn't feature. Listen to what the word says in verse six he must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil you know that in our church. A man cannot be nominated as a deacon until he's been a member of this church for at least two years. Why do we have that in the bottles devil wanted because many people to become members of the church become members of the church, having given their hearts to Jesus most wonderful thing in the whole world is not Bible says that a deacon cannot be a deacon, a visa recent convert now why because he needs time he needs time to learn he needs time to grow we need to be, therefore, that the Bible says we must not do that. Number seven.

He must also have a good reputation with outsiders all that really matters doesn't come you not Paul is saying here, God is telling us he signed. Listen, you talk about definitive spiritual leadership in the church. Your talk my symmetrical mismatch of talk $listen you in order to be a spiritual leader in the church with your Sunday school. Whatever it is, folks. This applies right across the board, you will is gotta match your talk, not just on Sunday but on Monday the some tough guidelines folks says it's not good enough to come to church on Sunday and thought them for the rest of the week to live for yourself closer. It says you got have a good reputation with those outside you know why folks the church does not exist in isolation.

We exist in the community for the community that is the mission and goal of our church, Judea, Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the outermost parts of the world and I'm going to say to you, with all the love in my heart when the church is strong when the church stands upon God's word. The community is strong. When the community is strong, the state is strong when the state to strong the nation is strong. The reason why the laptop is so pathetic today is because the nation that this all week and because the communities we visited the most romantic irony that a president who is in all the stuff that is going on has the highest approval ratings of any president in the United States. If that is not a commentary about America, folks.

I don't know what is something is wrong. You know where it's coming from from within the heart of the church. Churches are getting weaker and weaker churches or compromising churches or basing everything they do on showmanship.

I want to say to you, my friends, that we need a clarion call to come to the basic fundamentals of the word of the living God, look at the site.

Deacons likewise are to be made worthy of respect. Since he is not indulging in much wind, not pursuing dishonest guy. They must hold on to the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience.

They must first be tested and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons in the same way that wives ought to be woman worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but tempered and trustworthy and everything I deacon must be the husband of but one wife. He must manage his children will Chinese household will those who have served will gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus, wow, wow. And that's something.

What is God have to say about leadership today.

What is God have to say about you and me. Where does that leave us tell you, folks. I've said this already, but when I read these directors.

It makes me want to run because there's no way that I can measure up to the standards, but by God's grace I am what I am by God's grace. You are not all what we all we are children of the King truth but the truth is involving a choice. We can be children of God.

The children of the King, but it starts with the decision decision to say yes to Jesus as Lord and Savior all day long we been talking better phone number. If you've got questions about what you been listening to questions like to have someone pray with you.

You can call us at 866-899-WORD. That's 866899673 or better yet open your heart now to what Dr. Don Wilton share with you rather than calling us, perhaps right now it's time for you to call out to God hears Dr. Don Wilton are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. Why don't you pray this prayer with me right now. Dear God, I know that on the center and I know that Jesus died for me on the cross. Today I repainted my sin and by faith I receive Jesus name, my friend.

I welcome you today into the family of God. This is exciting news. If you just pray to give your life to Christ. Dr. Wilson moments. Perhaps we dedicate your life you're excited to see what God can do next and would love to be part of encouraging next steps wonderful free resources Dr. Don Wilton to have if you gave your life to Christ to rededicate your life. Call us at 866-899-WORD so we can send them to you. The numbers 866899673 or you can meet us online as well. TW online.org is verified why your online mom look at some exciting things like the daily Encouraging Word from Dr. Don Wilton Herzog for more details. You not love to be a part daily devotional love to be able to sing The Encouraging Word daily devotional thought of what God sees to each one of us through his word every night.

You can become part of that and was seen one your self from me just go online to TW online.org 17 online.org and get a copy of The Encouraging Word devotion number is 866899 word. Would love to connect you with the daily Encouraging Word or other resources, but more than anything else Dr. Don Wilton you know we're here to pray with you and for