Good Shepherds

Chris Hearty

1 Peter 5:1-4

Peter uses the imagery of the shepherd who lovingly tends his flock to describe the attitude Christian leaders should have as they oversee the flock God has entrusted to them. Godly leaders are self-sacrificial, know how to feed and lead the flock, seek and give God's direction. Spiritual leaders are humble and understand they are accountable to God. They are not in it for temporary or shameful profit. Spiritual leaders will be rewarded for their sacrifices by Jesus.

Shepherd of the Flock

Scott Risley

1 Peter 5:1-7

In the Old Testament and the New, God often uses the imagery of a shepherd when describing leaders of God's people. Jesus is the ultimate shepherd of His people. Peter exhorts the elders in his audience to shepherd the flock of God 1) with an attitude of "I get to" rather than "I have to," 2) eager to give rather than eager to take, 3) serving under versus lording over, and 4) humbling yourself versus exalting yourself. When the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

Leadership in the Body of Christ

Dennis McCallum

1 Peter 5:1-7

Peter appeals to the elders, as a fellow elder, to exercise their authority over the flock of God not under compulsion but voluntarily, not seeking their own will but the will of God. They are to lead with a zeal to love not for sordid gain. They are not to lord it over the flock but be examples to the flock entrusted to them. Clothing themselves with humility, they will be lifted up in due time.

Husbands and Wives

Conrad Hilario

1 Peter 3:1-7

Peter's admonition for wives to be submissive to their husbands must be understood in the context it was given. It was not a blanket statement for all wives to be submissive to their husbands. The context is for wives of unbelieving husbands living in a Greco-Roman world where wives were not considered equal to their husbands. God on the other hand did view women as equal in value or worth to their husbands, but in this case, wives are asked to be submissive to unbelieving husbands in order to win them to Christ by their chaste and respectful behavior. Furthermore, husbands are to treat their wives in the same way, with understanding and showing her honor.

Humility

Ben Foust

1 Peter 5:5-7

Paul writes to Christians who are experiencing persecution, raising up the importance of humility--being willing to be "lower." He gives us 5 directions we should "clothe ourselves in humility": under God, toward those "over" us, toward those "under" us, toward one another, and toward God in the specific condition of anxiety.

Shepherd the Flock

Ben Foust

1 Peter 5:1-4

Peter instructs elders in the church on how they should lead, particularly in the midst of trials. He gives them 3 "hows" and 1 "why" to keep in mind as they lead, calling on them to shepherd the flock as the Good Shepherd, Jesus, has shepherded them. He tells them to have the mindset that leading is a privilege, offering them the chance to share in Jesus' glory, and to see it not as a way to be over people, but to under them, serving as Jesus does for them.

Leading through Uncertainty: Lessons from Nehemiah

Shane Coulter

Nehemiah 8:1-17

Times of crisis, fear, and uncertainty present unique challenges and opportunities for servant leaders. Nehemiah offers us an example of how we too can be bold, faithful and loving in the midst of overwhelming and uncertain times. The effective servant leader will cling to prayer, be bold in the face of opportunities, be creative in the face of setbacks, and will see opportunity in upheaval.

The Confluence of Character and Competence in Leadership

Josh Benadum

2 Timothy 2:24

Leadership and character are related but they ae not the same. This workshop dives into how Christ-like character and leadership are connected and seeks to demonstrate how pursuing Christ-like character should lead to greater effectiveness in serving God. Thesis: Growth in character ought to drive development in competency as a leader. Expanding leadership influence must be sustained by continued growth in character.

Bowing to God's Rule

Mike Sullivan

Psalms 2

Like the first Psalm, Psalm 2 is not a prayer but more instruction on how to pray effectively. This Psalm instructs us to bend to God's will because that is in our rational self-interest. Our attitude to God's right to rule us, our beliefs about his goodness, shapes how we pray to him. When we understand he is good, he has the right to rule us, and how desperately we need his rescue, that should affect our willingness to bow to his rule.