The Book of 1 Timothy - Step In!, Part 1

Everywhere I go I hear the same thing.

There is a leadership crisis in the church pastors are hurting church leaders are hurting, what's it look like to be a leader of the church of Jesus Christ. How do you do it it's never been more difficult to leave. So we want to help leaders grow.

That's today welcome to this Edition of Living on the Edge with trip and the provision of these daily programs is to intentionally disciple Christians the Bible to as we continue our newest series.

The book of first type of a complex subject of leadership of the church of Bible defines it. What God expects of those in authority and the subtle traps leaders have fall into the topic. So let me encourage you after today's message to share it with someone in your life, they can easily do that. The chipping roadmap or by downloading and ensuring the free MP3 that you find that LivingontheEdge.org. If you have your Bible handy, let's Georgia Belfour's talk step in store in chapter 3, first Timothy learning from the apostle Paul. Life coaching big take away in tip number one is it ever needs a coach a step up. We all have to ask, what's that look like in our life. Second you get a step down, got become men that are strong by kneeling, praying, surrendering our rights our way, our agenda and experiencing God's supernatural power to bring about change to number three coaching tip number three is if you aim at nothing you hit it every time. Right you aim at nothing you hit it every time I don't know how many of you had fathers that were in the military or maybe your father's there were coaches. My dad was both and if I heard this once, I think I heard this a thousand times and the other one I heard was if you fail to plan you plan to fail right so by the time I was about 12 years old I was a workaholic because you set goals and so and I really look back in and I hope you take this and in a good way so many things my dad built into my life. I look back and think I'm so grateful. It was really hard at the time so I remember going out as a little kid I was eight years old. We had a we had a lawnmower and you know that these have the handles and then there was a little bar and I wasn't big enough to reach the handles like this, but I could take the bar and son eight years old and whether he was a crazy parent or a thought, hey, you know, so I set out I like to mow the lawn said okay son. It took me forever, but I'm I'm pushing at my mom's gone please don't let them cut his feet off some of the time I was nine I had three lawns by the time I was 12 I had a lawn business of about eight or 10 lawns and one really big one and two paper routes and I did pretty well. So when I was 13. I let my parents $3000 at 6% interest was a little entrepreneur and they paid me they wanted to buy a piece of land behind our house and and then that played into everything.

It was like okay I was about 13 and the Tabasco coaching junior high recommended because I was 5 foot three as a freshman. That may be wrestling with my career I should be a wrestler in war that was just like screaming no be a basketball player so I it's in the Midwest so that I mean on on Friday night. You could rob everyone in the entire town because they were either at the football game of the basketball game and I remember sitting in their thinking is a 13-year-old. Someday I want to be on the basketball court.

I will have a scholarship. I want to graduate near the top of my class and one of a pretty girlfriend ready set go and I was maniacal in my pursuit and I member graduated from high school, taking the hectoring in their and is an unbeliever sitting in a big circle about 20 or 25 people read the column refers back then passing it around and talking about what were going to do with our future life and I was sitting next to Jackie and I didn't have any convictions about drugs at my size. I thought I can't put think anything my body is going to limit my I was always so small about 511. By then, and so I pass it on and Jackie turned to me and said you must be very happy tonight. I so why's that you got Abascal scholarship you graduate near top your class. You got the cutest little girlfriend and all I can tell you I had never heard of the Holy Spirit coming. I'm sure her to church or something, but I had the most overwhelming empty cents that I'd ever had in my experience, up to that time in 18 because and I don't blame my dad. It was like he cared so you will be happy if you're successful the way to be successful is set goals the way to get your goals and develop a strategy the way after developing a strategy you come up with tactics the way to have tactics is you do it every day when no one else is willing to get up.

I was that crazy kid with gloves outside shooting in the snow and all those crazy things. Here's the problem.

The goal was way too small.

Even if you aim at something. If you hit the wrong thing. Your life can be a disaster and so what the apostle Paul is going to do in his coaching tip to Timothy's is going to say Timothy yeah the goal is to straighten out the teaching right I mean these false teachers there messing everything up and the how to is not in your power. I want you to kneel down. I want you to pray. I want the church, God's people to live in such winsome godly loving life. The we attract people rather than at this point, raising a lot of negative attention. But like any leadership book you have ever read or ever will read. The only way you change an organization. Is it starts with leadership. Everything rises and falls with leadership you want to change a culture.

You can tweak anything under the world but you either have to have a radical change in the leaders we have to completely change out the leadership.

That's why when teams lose where they do, they will fire the players where they do the coach went out when a company is going downhill. What I do by the CEO.

Basically ways can you say Timothy is yes, we need to put a Band-Aid in this and you got address the problems here in chapter 3 he says if you aim at nothing you hit it. What you have to do now.

Timothy is we have to develop leaders who will be the kind of people. The don't let false teaching happen and are the kind of people that live out the state in a radical way so that we honor the Lord Jesus and the agenda of the gospel goes forward. So were in chapter 3, first Timothy we pick it up is a trustworthy statement.

If any man aspires to the office of overseer. It is a fine work he desires to do and then he's going to get the qualifications to words by way of just a quick moment here I and overseer. The words he Pesca pause the word literally has is a compound word someone that looks into something it's not someone who's in charge who looks into something to make sure things are going okay and then gives help or direction or support. The other word interchanged as the word elder or or you could translate it Shepherd and that's just the different functions are used interchangeably.

So he says look Timothy whether to house church of 20 or 25 or 30 people were 10 or 12 people you know what member how wherever we went down to the best leaders were we put them in charge here is the qualifications going forward, of the kind of men you need to choose. So what we want a long-term play. We we want to solve the issues in the church for the long term and the way to do that is to develop leaders and so the first thing he says he says if any man aspires that's our good English translation. Literally, there's three little words if any man sets his heart if any man other words, his desire, his dream sets his heart like I set my heart to be on the basketball court. I set my heart that cheerleader I set my heart to. If any man sets his heart aspires to the office of overseer.

It's a fine work. And then he says, and overseer were an elder must be above reproach in and what you see is he sort of bookends above reproach includes from inside the church outside the church, how he speaks what he does his money, his marriage, his family, in other words, everything is he's not perfect but what you see is what you get it at the very end of this list will save someone who's dignified, it's another very general Greek word, the basically has the idea that when you meet this guy you respect is a kind of person the you respect, merit has respect his finances that you respect how he handles conflict, respect how he raises his kids and so now he's going to give sort of a very specific list of the kind of men you want to look for. You know in baseball.

I played baseball in college as well and you you the dream was to be member a five tool player you hit for average hit for power.

You can feel you have alarm and is is is speeders is one of the yeah I mean that's the ultimate player that you're looking for. So basically what he saying is look Timothy really do with the problem in working to do it a really different way you use God's power sort and not our human anger and stuff and then we need five tool elders. We need elders that live this out and you need to develop because they don't grow on trees. But what you need to do is you need to have a perspective you need to have a profile like those of you were to ever looking to hire someone you here's how not to hire someone. Find someone you like is evil. Take the job.

Here's how to hire someone. What is the job. What are the functions of what you need to do and you develop a very clear profile of one of the characteristics and skills for that job in the winch of the profile you trying find a person that fits the profile and so that's what he's doing right. Here is an amazing how much leadership there is in the Bible so says here's a profile you must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, skillful in teaching all pretty positive. Not indulging in much wine, not a bully, but gentle, not contentious free from the love of money, you must be one who manages his own household well keeping his children under control with all dignity, but the man doesn't know how to manage his own household.

How will he care for the church of God and by the way, not a new convert. So he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil, and he must have a good reputation with those outside the church so he will not fall into disgrace and the snare of the devil. Deacons likewise very similar must be men of dignity that big general word, not insincere, not prone to drink too much wine, not greedy for money, but holding to the mystery of are you ready get the faith these truths.

These doctrines and how with a clear conscience. Member what the goal of this.

The goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart a good conscience, sincere faith that he's gonna weave that all the way through the book. These men also must first be tested. Then have them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach so you looking for these common men and the spiritual responsibilities and and then these that have more of the this servant hands-on issues coming the early church we get the people we got widows to take care of. We all, very specific issue. So we went a little bit different gift things but we can have great character in both of them. Women must also be dignified, not malicious gossips but temperate, faithful in all things.

Commentators will agree or disagree whether this is deaconesses is a official role in the church or whether it's the wise of deacons iterate just means that the women that are leading you to be godly just like the men. Deacons must be the husband of one wife. Good managers of their children in their households. For those who serve well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus before I go on with just just just pause there's a lot of different words here are. You might jot in your notes. It's a title of the book is called the measure of a man by Jean Goetz. I've taken elder groups through a young man through it. I mean he will take a short chapter on every one of those words probably where there's some some controversy that it's worth pausing is the husband of one wife, you know people say will. Gosh.

That means if your wife died, he or she can never be an elder others. If you ever been divorced for any reason, even if it was an unbeliever he can never be an elder or a backbend he knows people had more than one wife.

You like to or three and that sort it was not what were looking for in a model for the future. I think Jean Goetz has a very interesting observation when he looks at that whole list.

He just makes us one observation because that that thing about you know, the husband of one wife, as it is a very controversy on the church over many many years.

He says literally. It's a one woman man and just makes this point, every single thing in that list is about character, not about history.

So I mean I get it taken a little while and I'm not sure you're all that interested you might be. I mean, most of those things that I just read you be a Greek scholar seek not addicted to too much wine on what that means in the Greek don't get drunk.

Not hula as profound or how about, not a lover of money. I have no idea with this. I don't know if I just keep coming you at this this list is be a Christlike man be a godly man, don't most of you know what a godly man looks like us to know. It looks like to be a loving husband, not perfect, but it really good dad notice look like to have things under control and not have a secret life yes have our issues right. We've all been through. Probably some level of addiction in your life and in struggled with whether it's porn or alcohol were drugs or codependency or in whatever he says to me think this is a trustworthy statement.

If any man sets his heart on the office of being an overseer see I think in in God's perspective, the elder who is living the life and accepts this humongous responsibility of giving oversight to the church of Jesus Christ has far more standing than the biggest CEOs of the biggest companies in America around the world and is just as big a job because as the leaders going to church, so goes the church and so he gets qualifications and and then in verse 14 he says why I'm I'm writing these things to you hoping to come to you before long, but just in case I'm delayed in verse 14. I write so that you will know how one should act in the household of God, the guy I just want you know this is what a pastor does. This is what leaders do and then and then he talks about the house of God, which is the church of the living God, not a religious institution. That's the pillar and the support I put a box around this one in your Bible, the truth over and over and over. He starts with the truth. There is a right.

There is a wrong.

There is a God, there is one there is one mediator. He came to save sinners. There is an eternity. Everyone will stand before a holy God. Jesus paid the price for all men of all time those who receive the gift of eternal life. Those who say I don't need you. I'm on my own. Maybe later, and just God.

God says I respect you. I will give you the freedom to reject me, you can be a part for me, but whatever you choose in this life you get for eternity. I don't need you now God will say I won't force myself on you now or ever answer Chrysler's eternity in your bombarded by an enemy whose orchestrated a world system.

This is success in salary and sacs and security. How make you some money to drive disk on a car and had this kind of life you get this kind of logo and you go to be sporting events.

If your kid makes a traveling team. She makes a scholarship and if you can benchpress so much and blah blah blah blah blah. They keep changing and changing and changing. And believe me, I'm just glad that by 18 years old I came to conclusion that success is not mean happiness. Now I'm successful just a little pond right just a little pond.

We my dad taught me well and he gave her a very driven workaholic type a personality at age 32 I will have a beautiful wife, three kids and I reset her electric car back then a minivan was really cool a minivan and I'll be a leader in my community and never occurred to me that I was there that's that's a big blessing now because his mantra was fail is how you learn what to take the next step get up get up get up so I just assumed if I got up earlier than everyone else. I work harder than anyone else and I played out my dad's game that I would be 32 years old and I would have a beautiful wife and I reset her. I still had. I was going to wear $300 suits because everyone on this planet has this maybe it's not real clear in your mind but you have this invisible picture of what success looks like and if you could ever hit it. Then you beat somebody and UBS somebody you see and understand the games that people play. It's just it's just all relative. You can ask yourself what and who do you really want to be and make sure is the old illustration goes that your latter is really leaning on the right wall as you can be a successful failure when you have lots of money. It's really hard to raise good kids insurance company's have done demographic studies. The only people that have a worse problem with their kids as measured by times in rehab and all the rest is the absolute lowest of the poor of the poor and the richest executives. Be careful what you say you this application been listening to the first part of his message step in this series. The book of first Timothy life coaching from the apostle Paul. Our mission as many of you know is for Christians to really live like Christians, but that's a lot easier said than done nowadays right through this new series based in the book of first Timothy chip highlights the vital warnings and pieces of advice. Paul shared with Timothy that helped him navigate the hostile society lived in. Don't miss how we can put this wisdom into practice in our everyday Christian lives to get plugged in with the series, visit LivingontheEdge.org that's LivingontheEdge.org will chips with me in studio now to assure a special word that's been on his heart recently so chip would you take a minute and do that.

Absolutely Dave what I want to share today something really important. You are one-of-a-kind unique physical and spiritual DNA. You were created by God to fulfill a purpose that no one else can.

Maybe it's to be a safe sounding board when people are wrestling with their faith.

Or maybe it's funding big ideas into big realities.

I don't know what your purpose is, but God has a strategic vision to use your skills to use you in ways that you never dreamed. But what has God designed for you.

Not sure well here, Living on the Edge we've created a brand-new resource called the real you.

It's an online questionnaire designed to provide insight into how God wired you.

This is more than spiritual gift test, you identify the patterns and what you think. What motivates you and white teams need someone just like you to take about 20 minutes to complete and it won't cost you a thing.

Then, based on your responses. The real you will offer suggestions about how you can practically live out God's purpose for your life. Whether that's at home in the office at church or in your community has a Living on the Edge partner.

We want you to be the first to access this resource. Head over to the real you.org to learn more. That's the real you.org most Christians don't know how to leverage their God-given wiring and experiences for the kingdom. We want to change that bike strip.

Well as you can tell, we are really excited about this new resource. We hope the real you will help you not only discover who God made you to be. But how he made you think, act and live as Chip said, you can sign up for this reassessment by going to the real you.org orbits easier text the word real to 741 41. That's the word real REAL27 4141 hapless nurse Special offers which if I'd like to wrap up this message by reading from first Timothy 315. I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and the support of the truth will take a minute if you wouldn't unpack for us how the church at large is failed to be the pillar in support of truth in recent years, I'd be glad today. This is something that is very very painful. I think for us in the church and especially us may be, who are Christian leaders to really own the reality that we have not acted well in the household of God in and whether it's Protestant pastors falling with the big denominations. As we read recently or whether it's priest with immoral behavior or whether it's evangelist and scandals are mega-church pastor or celebrity worship leaders, we have to own the reality that in significant measure, we have not been leaders or Christians that in my words have lived like Christians and it's undermined the gospel it's undermined the credibility we have acted and done some things in some massive ways and honestly at the heart of most of it has been the coverups I was reading in Proverbs chapter 28 this morning and says in verse 13 that the one who conceals or covers his transgression or sin will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes it will find compassion or mercy, and I think honestly we just have to own where we failed instead of being defensive when you blow it when I blow it and whether it's with her family, whether it's at work and there's an outburst of anger we we don't tell the truth or there's hypocrisy. This is what builds credibility.

You own it, you don't cover it you don't say get you don't act like it didn't happen.

I've certainly had to really own things I've said or things I've done wrong and it was very humbling and I hated doing it, but it was so cleansing and even when I've had to do that with unbelievers. I have found that the response is the opposite of what you would think it's like wow really thanks and then I apologized and people are not looking for Christians that are perfect but boy they are looking for Christians that are real. So here's our application today.

Can I encourage you to at least get two or three minutes today, bow your head close your eyes and say Lord, is there anything in my life that I've concealed there anything that needs to come to light and then own it and then asked that next hard question. Is there anyone that I need to go talk to to not just confess it, but for sake it and make this right.

And as you do that, God's gonna work.

And as tens of thousands or maybe hundreds of thousands of people listing to my voice. Can you imagine the cleansing power that would occur in the next couple days as we would just own our stuff and then make things right.

Great challenge Chip banks before we go. Let me remind you of an easy way to listen to her extended teaching podcast here chip any time on Amazon's Alexa echo and echo.just say Alexa open Living on the Edge and you'll hear that these extended teaching any time you want well for Chip and everyone here, this is Dave Drewry saying thanks for joining us for this Edition of Living on the Edge