Sermon Notes - Things Churches Need... Leadership Development - Littleby Baptist Church - June 23, 2024

1.        We are winding down our Things Churches Need series.

2.        Before we disappeared for a week, we talked about Things Churches Need… Vision.

3.        I did not cast a new vision for LBC.

4.        I personally believe that God has already done that for us.

5.        I might be able to come up with some catchy phrase, but there is nothing I can do that is better than what God can do.

6.        That being said, I think we can boil down the vision and mission to 4 statements given to us by Jesus.

a.        Love God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

b.       Love your neighbor as yourself.

c.        Make disciples, teaching them what it means to follow Christ.

d.       Be a witness starting here in our community but continue to the ends of the earth.

7.        Love God… Love Others… Make Disciples… Be a witness.

a.        We could likely tweak the wording a bit, but I firmly believe it boils down to these 4 things.

b.       This is who we have been created to be.

c.        Everything else the church does should fold into these.

8.        As we pick up today, the Vision of the church is important.

a.        As it impacts how people engage in what we do.

b.       It can influence if people want to join the church.

c.        And can impact if some here want to step up and lead.

9.        In many ways this weeks Things Churches Need builds off several others, including Discipleship.

a.        As one is being discipled one tends to grow.

b.       To step outside of their comfort zones.

c.        For many that means stepping into some form of leadership in the church.

10.   Things Churches Need… Leadership Development is very important.

a.        One that most places, churches included, don’t do a great job at.

b.       It is an afterthought at best in most cases.

11.   In the corporate world leadership development follows a variety of paths but they have some common themes.

a.        Someone who has had some success is rewarded with the opportunity to lead others.

b.       It is treated as a reward, but some are not sure they want it, and most are not trained for it.

c.        Some believe that part of development is learning how to convince people you are right.

12.   In the church sometimes you find some of those same things.

a.        I would say, Biblical leadership development takes a different approach.

b.       In many ways it is intertwined in everything we do as a church.

c.        But at the same time we are not purposeful enough with it.

d.       We go through it week by week and month by month and may not even realize it.

e.        We see it in how Jesus interacted with His disciples.

13.   The first step of Things Churches Need… Leadership Development is to teach.

a.        Earlier in our series we looked at Things Churches Need… Biblically based teaching and discipleship.

b.       Teaching the Word of God will lead to the development of people and new leaders.

14.   Jesus modeled this for us.

15.   Take the parable of the Sower for example.

16.   Luke 8:4-8

a.        Reading these verses alone would cause someone to scratch their head a bit.

b.       We read that in the next couple of verses.

17.   Luke 8:9-10

a.        The disciples did not understand.

b.       So, they asked Jesus what it meant.

c.        We do read here that the others, the crowds, were not meant to understand what was being shared.

d.       Not part of today’s point, but Jesus spoke in parables and the crowds did not understand Him.

e.        Often the crowds rejected Him.

f.          They were going to reject Him if they understood Him or not.

g.        If they rejected Him and understood what He meant, the judgment would have been worse.

h.        Remember how those who rejected the 72 and the teachings of Jesus were going to be judged harsher than Sodom.

i.          Same for those who understood the parables but rejected Jesus.

j.          God was showing grace by hiding the meaning behind the parables.

k.        God was showing grace here by teaching in parables that people did not understand.

18.   Luke 8:11-15

a.        My focus is more on what Jesus did than what He had to say for a change.

b.       Jesus took the time to explain what the parable means.

c.        Those that are closest to Him.

d.       Those who were going to be leaders, Jesus developed.

e.        He taught them.

f.          He invested in them.

g.        When we see someone with leadership potential, we need to invest in them.

h.        We need to teach them the Word of God.

i.          Help them develop any other skills they may need.

19.   The first step in Things Churches Need… Leadership Development is teaching.

20.   The second is arguably and extension of teaching, which is modeling.

a.        Now I am not talking about walking down the runway in some crazy looking outfit.

b.       When we are helping someone develop as a leader, we are to model the behaviors and traits we want them to learn.

c.        Jesus did this with the twelve.

21.   Luke 9:1-6

a.        Jesus empowered the twelve and sent them out and they preached the good news and healed people as they went.

b.       But He modeled this behavior before He sent them.

c.        The parable of the Sower is an example of Jesus teaching the people.

d.       The twelve witnessed it.

e.        They had seen Him teach about the kingdom of God many times.

f.          Jesus had modeled if for them.

g.        Between that parable of the Sower and Him sending them out we see several miracles.

h.        The wind and waves obey Jesus.

i.          Demons are driven out.

j.          A woman is healed from years of bleeding.

k.        A girl is raised from the dead.

l.          Jesus modeled that the power was real.

22.   As individuals grow in leadership, we need to model behavior for them.

a.        We need to give them opportunities to see that behavior in action.

b.       Invite them to come along when doing ‘ministry’, making visits or whatever else that entails.

23.    The third step of the Things Churches Need… Leadership Development is discipleship.

a.        Taking teaching and modeling to the next level.

b.       Making sure they are bathed in the Word of God.

c.        Helping them grow in their faith as well as their leadership skills.

d.       We see this over and over with Jesus and the guys.

e.        He did not just dump and run.

24.   Luke 9:10

a.        He sent the twelve out and then He spent more time with them.

b.       They were with Him when He fed the five thousand.

c.        They served the bread to the people.

d.       They were part of the miracle.

25.   Luke 9:11-17

26.   Jesus continued to teach, model, disciple, and in turn was doing the fourth step.

a.        Jesus was giving them an opportunity to serve.

27.   The fourth step of Things Churches Need… Leadership Development is to Serve.

a.        Some will tell you it is to lead, but I think if we look at Jesus’ teachings when we serve others, we end up leading.

28.   Mark 10:42-45

a.        People trust and follow those who care.

b.       As we serve others, they see that we care.

c.        Those that demonstrate with their actions that they truly live their faith.

d.       Are serving and ultimately ending up leading in one way or another.

e.        Just like Jesus who served in every way yet is the One we call Lord.

f.          He is our Leader and He served all of humankind.

29.   As you can see, most of the Things Churches Need… Leadership Development we do to some level already.

a.        We teach the Word of God.

b.       We are hopefully modeling Godly leadership consistently.

c.        As discussed, when we looked specifically at Discipleship, we have a solid start.

d.       Something we can and need to grow in, but we are on the right path.

e.        The one area we need to grow in is the serving and leading step.

f.          As a small church we don’t always have a lot of options, but I also don’t have anyone expressing any interest.

g.        Please don’t assume that I know you would like an opportunity to develop your leadership through serving here at Littleby.

h.        I do believe the Holy Spirit guides, but I cannot read minds.

i.          If you feel led, please let me know.

j.          We can talk and pray about it and look for opportunities.

30.   Churches Need Leadership Development…

31.   We as believers need it also…

32.   We need to grow and step out in faith as we feel led to do so.

33.   All of this starts with faith in Jesus.

a.        If you are sitting here today and would like to know who this Jesus is, please come talk to me.

b.       I would love to tell you about a man who paid for your sins and who has set you free from the burden that comes with them.