If the children of God are set apart, why then are leaders further set apart?

Spiritual leadership expands the influence and effectiveness of supporting God’s people.

The Hebrew word for appoint also means to name or ordain.

Jethro describes a two-fold benefit.

He tells Moses, you are going to wear yourself out – and the people, too.

Moses would be crushed under the burden, leaving the people without a leader.

Or, even if Moses endured, the people would languish along waiting for 1 person to sift through all the issues presented to him by a nation of over 2 million people.

Ordain those who can care for groups of 1,000, 100, 50, or even just 10.

Spiritual leadership has a progression of leadership responsibility.

What kind of men was Moses to look for?

Capable, honest men, who fear God and hate bribes.

Resolving personal disputes requires integrity, wisdom, and readiness to do God’s will not to serve the fickle interests of man.

They should always be available to resolve the people’s disputes. Spiritual leadership requires a readiness to lean in with people in their mess and speak wisdom into it so they can see and hear God – and act on His Word.

These men would solve the smaller disputes and send the major ones to Moses. Spiritual leadership requires knowing one’s own limitations.

Spiritual leadership requires determination to lean in where God calls you balanced with humility to let someone else contribute to the solution if the problem is greater than you can solve on your own.

Once they identified the men, the apostles laid their hands on them and prayed over them.

These new leaders were to be full of the Spirit and wisdom.

Ordaining these first deacons met the needs of the people and enabled the furtherance of the gospel.

The appointment of leaders is to the benefit of the church.

God established spiritual leadership to advance His kingdom and care for His people.

The leaders were to be selected – episkeptomai.

It is selection by inspection.

The people chose the leaders – or eklego.

This word speaks to a highly deliberate choice with a definite outcome.

It is a choice made with great consideration because of the responsibility that comes with it.

A Pastor’s life must be above reproach.

Their life stands up to examination. They are not caught doing wrong.

They are faithful, self-controlled, respected, hospitable, and able to teach.

They are not taken to drunkenness.

They are not violent or quarrelsome – but gentle.

They manage their families well.

And they are respected in and outside of the church.

Everyone will be held accountable for their own choices, but leaders who lead people down the wrong path will be held accountable for their own actions and for leading others astray.

Deacons must be full of the Spirit and wisdom.
They must be well respected and have integrity.
They must not be heavy drinkers or dishonest with money.
They must be committed to the gospel!
There is no deliberate, ongoing, unconfessed sin in their lives.
Their wives must be respectable and avoid gossip.
The deacon must exercise self-control.
The deacon must be faithful in everything they do.
They must be faithful to their wives and manage their household well.

The deacon will not be perfect at all of these – and certainly not perfect at them all the time. But the deacon has a desire to be perfected in pursuit of these by the Holy Spirit and for the glory of God and advancement of His kingdom.

The role of chaplain is truly a blend between deacon and pastor.
Like a deacon, the chaplain must be Spirit-filled and sensitive to His direction.
The fruit of the Spirit must be evident in the chaplain’s life.
The chaplain must be trust-worthy and operate with integrity.
Chaplains must be honest and avoid gossip.
Like pastors, Chaplains must be able to teach and guide people into truth.
There must be a passionate commitment to the gospel and an ability to tactfully turn difficult, vulnerable, and often somber discussions into gospel conversations

The charge of Spiritual Leadership

Your Mission
~Study: Exodus 18, Acts 6, 1 Timothy 3, 2 Timothy 4, Titus 1
~Pray for these men in their roles.
~Pray for more men like them to answer the call God has on their lives.
~Tell someone else about Jesus. Do the work of an evangelist.