We NEED More Leaders

I preached a sermon last night on leadership. I thought I would share the main points of the sermon.

The premise is that our Churches have a vacancy or a vacuum that exists because there's an absence of leadership. Not from the Shepherds and not from the preachers - but from the Christians. You see, Jesus set up the Church's organizational chart. It's pretty clear. But what folks often fail to realize is that they are on that org chart. And the roles and responsibilities of the Shepherds, preachers and Deacons do not cover everything. And when Christians are fulfilling their roles, then a vacuum or black hole is formed. And unfortunately, too many congregations have been sucked into that black hole, never to be seen or heard from again.

I tried to point out these three lessons - that Jesus needs Christian leaders:

1. Who are Willing to Serve - John 13:1-17

Jesus was preparing the disciples for new form of leadership. They knew about and were expecting the kind that included leading big armies, having riches and lots of power. But what they didn't realize (vs.7) was that Jesus didn't need leaders like that. He had a plan for them to take the torch and grow the Church that He was about to establish. They were going to do that with a new type of leadership. The type that was willing to serve instead of be served.

2. That Dare to Be Different - John 4:1-45

Jesus didn't need to go through Samaria. Most Jews traveling back and forth from Galilee and Judea would cross over the Jordan rive and completely avoid Samaria altogether. But Jesus had to go through Samaria (vs.4) because He understood that there was an entire town that he would reach if He would. And because He did, he saved an entire town and in the process taught His disciples that in order to lead you had to daring enough to be different.

3. That have the Guts to Go - Matthew 14:22-33

Peter made a lot of rash, emotional decisions in his lifetime. Some of them didn't turn out so well. And some of them were great decisions that would should be imulating today. When the storm was at its fiercest, the waves were the highest, the winds were the strongest and all the other disciples were hiding in the boat, Peter had the courage to get out of the boat, down into the water and walk towards Jesus. The Church could certainly use a lot more Christians who have the guts to go.