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The Outstanding Characteristics Christian Leadership Worth Emulating

Great leaders take charge The concept of moving intentionally toward a clear and compelling purpose and motivating people to follow you is implicit in the word "leader." A leader has a goal in mind and rallies his or her followers to help him or her achieve it. In ancient history, no one is a greater example of this than Jesus. How did a lowly carpenter, seemingly out of nowhere, lead a small group of undervalued blue-collar followers to "make disciples of all nations"? Leadership is the answer! The test of a Christian leader's efficacy is what happens to his or her followers after he or she has passed away. The incredible thing about Jesus' leadership abilities is that his disciples are still carrying out his mission 2,000 years later. Jesus was a great leader. And, if you think about it, he's still in charge, but now from a higher vantage point. “I will construct my church...” Jesus said to Peter in Matthew 16:18. From the right hand of the Father, t...

Five Characteristics of Effective Church Leaders

Today's Church has a huge need for strong, effective leadership . Leaders who only seek to preserve the status quo will fail to lead the Church to fulfill its God-given purpose and vision. Pastors and leaders in the Church today must be individuals who are aware of the times and who lead accordingly. According to 1 Chronicles 12:32, the men of Issachar, in David's day were individuals who knew what was going on. “Of the sons of Issachar, men who grasped the times, with an understanding of what Israel had to do...” reads 1 Chronicles 12:32. (NASB) What traits should today's Church leaders have? In today's church leader, there are five basic leadership traits that should be present. Demonstrate a sense of safety Leaders must be confident in who they are and what God has called them to achieve. Even in uncertain times, this assurance gives you the flexibility to make critical, life-changing decisions and take the necessary risks based on those decisions. Show that yo...

Discipleship in the Next Generation

There is a particular taste to the Black Church and discipleship in general. The Black Church provided him with the opportunity to feel "seen" in a culture that did everything it could to make black people disappear. As a result, he felt more like a human being. It met all of his needs and specifications. There has never been a time when history lessons were more essential than they are today. The Gospel would be worthless if it were not for the redeeming grace demonstrated by Jesus' death on the cross. We are spiritually dead in our sins if we do not believe in Jesus. According to Scripture, we are dead in our sins and without hope of salvation. Many individuals feel that best would strengthen their relationship with God if they are kind to other people. We can try, but we'll never be able to make it there. No matter how hard we try, our "good deeds" remain a disorganized mess; they are worthless and do not get us any closer to God's perfection. Whe...

Making Disciples at Home: Following in the Footsteps of Jesus

  The technique Jesus took to creating disciples may be used by parents in their own households. A number of groups have adapted Jesus' technique, but when it comes to disciplining our children, we are unclear of the best approach to take. Many Christians in the Western world have realized for a long time that 80% of their children will not become followers of Jesus. Thousands of dollars are dedicated to children's and youth ministries because we were told that enrolling our children in child care and youth group was essential, only for them to reject God once they left the safety of their parents' home. Because many parents believe they are spiritually inept, it is frequently easier for them to entrust their children's spiritual instruction to professionals than themselves. There is a revelation in the tale of Jesus' last dinner with his disciples that they had addressed the issues of discipleship and parenting improperly. However, rather than striving to fit o...

7 Christ-Centered Discipleship Games for All Ages

Our attention spans appear to be growing shorter and shorter. As a result, Bible teachers utilize games to assist individuals in their spiritual growth . There are games for all ages, from toddlers to adults. 1. Storytelling for Young Adults from the Bible Directions: Sit in a circle with a group of individuals. Tell the group ahead of time to bring 1-2 things to illustrate a Bible narrative. Have the group pass their things to the right, and the others of the group must guess what they represent. They can pass it two more times if they are unable to predict. Each individual who correctly guesses receives a point, as does the person who brought the things. The player with the most points win. 2. Domino Memory Game for Elementary School Students Directions: Choose a Bible passage and write or print it on a sheet of paper or a label. Then, place each label on a domino, making sure that there is no overlap on at least one side so that they can stand up. Then combine the dominoes with the...

What Jesus' Discipleship Model Was and How to Recreate It

  Jesus' discipleship style centered on teaching his students a lesson and providing opportunity for them to take risks and he formed connections with them, reprimanded them, and eventually sought to equip them to disciple others.  1. Using Parables to Teach The use of parables as a teaching technique was one of Jesus' major ministry tactics. When speaking to a gathering, he utilized parables. He also taught his pupils about the principles in these stories. An analogy is comparable to a parable. We can better grasp difficult or complex issues by using parables. Jesus would frequently explain topics to his disciples in the context of a parable. In this example, Jesus connects the separation of the good and bad fish during the end times to the separation of the evil and righteous. Several of his followers were fisherman, so they would have been familiar with this technique. 2. Chances to Take a Risk in Faith Giving his disciples the chance to put their beliefs into p...

What You Should Know Before Starting a Discipleship Group

The discipleship crowd is the gathering of Christians who meet on a regular basis to study the Word of God and to live life together by sharing meals, helping one another, and bearing one another's sorrows. Engage If you wish to lead a discipleship group , you should involve a community that is comparable to the early church described in Acts. The believers there met in a communal worship service. They got to know each other in a private setting, their own houses, and most importantly, they shared meals. Jesus intended for us to be in a secure community where we might thank Him and share our honest emotions. When beginning a discipleship group, consider how you can make it a safe environment for all participants. Don't just preach at them or reel off a list of reasons why they should attend to your discipleship group; instead, love them as Jesus would and begin to pray for them on a daily basis to guarantee your discipleship group is a safe place. It goes without stating t...

The Biblical Response: Paul's Discipleship Model

The discipleship model of Paul describes how he established and disciple the churches in a variety of locales during his lifetime. His lessons, connections, prayer, suffering, objectives, example, team, trust, time, and the God’s power through him were 10 major factors in his ministry that led to effective discipleship. All of these factors combine to create one of history's most dominant discipleship tactics. By looking at Paul's discipleship model, we may understand how we might enhance our own process and begin to experience the same dramatic change that Paul did. Paul did a lot in his lifetime, thanks to the Holy Spirit, and if we can learn how, we may apply those tactics to our own discipleship practices , we can do the same. Paul's Instructions As proclaimed and expanded upon in his letters, Paul's discipleship model included a large amount of instruction. His letters largely intended to address any concerns that arose in the church after his departure, as ...

A Side-by-Side Comparison of Discipleship and Apostleship

  Being a follower of Jesus is what it means to be a disciple. Being an apostle entails being a sender, or a messenger. A disciple is a learner under another Christian who has been on their path with God longer than you have. An apostle is one who delivers those teachings to others, whereas discipleship  is learning under another Christian who has been on their walk with God longer than you have. Apostleship: A Definition In Biblical words, an apostle is a plenipotentiary or representative of his lord. The apostle would be someone who talks on behalf of his master, the person he represents. God chose a group of individuals to create the basis for the church and a guarantee that the New Testament was written. Pastors and instructors at the church today wield power, but not to the same extent as the apostles of old. When Judas died and committed suicide in the New Testament, the apostles got together to see if they could find a successor for him. Discipleship: A Definition A d...