“To exercise spiritual oversight a man must be of unimpeachable virtue, for he is God’s agent in the affairs of his household. He must not be aggressive or hot-tempered or over-fond of wine; nor must he be violent or greedy for financial gain. On the contrary, he must be hospitable, a genuine lover of what is good, a man who is discreet, fair-minded, holy and self-controlled: a man who takes his stand on the orthodox faith, so that he can by sound teaching both stimulate faith and confute opposition.” - Titus 1:7-9

TOP 10 Suggestions To Having An EFFECTIVE and SUCCESSFUL PASTOR:

1. Let him have family time.

2. Don’t expect him to be everywhere.

3. Lower the expectations on his kids and spouse.

4. Respect his leadership.
“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account.” - Hebrews 13:17

5. Encourage him.
“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as in fact you are doing.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)

6. Stop gossip.
“A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.” - Proverbs 16:28 (NIV)

7. Pay him fairly.
“The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.” - 1 Timothy 5:17-18 (NIV)

8. Serve with him.
“For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.” - 1 Corinthians 3:9 (RSV)

9. Pray for him.
“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” - James 5:16 (KJV)

10. Grow personally.
“Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.” - Hebrews 4:1-2 (NIV)

Week 2: "I am a Church Member" - Chapters 2 & 3

I Will be a Unifying Church Member 
I Will NOT Let the Church Be About My Preferences & Desires

GOING DEEPER

When have you heard the response, “I WILL!”? What was the response to? At a wedding? A military commitment ceremony? A pledge for a job? What about, “I WILL NOT!”? When have you heard or used this? Both of these have to do with attitude and commitment. Both statements can either build up or break down relationships depending on our attitudes and our heart. The church is not immune to our attitudes. The two chapters that we are focused on are about unity, servanthood, and our preferences.

A CLOSER LOOK:

UNIFYING CHURCH MEMBER- Chapter 2

Read: “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.” - Ephesians 1:15-16

What is Paul thankful for? How do we show “love for all God’s people”? What are the practical implications if this? What if this is not present in the church?

One of the enemies of Unity is Gossip.
Read Romans 1:29-31. “They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy.”

Gossip is listed here with some very disturbing stuff. Why is that? Why is gossip so dangerous to the church? When have you encountered it? How should you respond to gossip?

Read Page 28 in “I Am A Church Member” from “Jesus said it clearly…” to “also must forgive.” How is forgiveness related to unity in the local church? What does the passage above (Colossians 3:12-13) say about forgiving one another?

I WILL NOT LET THE CHURCH BE ABOUT MY PREFERENCES AND DESIRES - Chapter 3

“But the strange thing about church membership is that you actually give up your preferences when you join. Don’t get me wrong: there may be much about your church that you like a lot. But you are there to meet the needs of others. You are there to serve others. You are there to give. You are there to sacrifice. Get the picture?” Page 34.

What do you think about this statement? Do you agree or disagree? What might make this so controversial in how we approach church?

Read about the survey on page 36. The survey was about churches that were “inwardly focused.” Review the list of 10 factors. Which ones stand out the most to you? Of these, which ones seem to be the most critical in dislodging the church from its mission?

Why do so many churches have “worship wars”? What does that have to do with the right or wrong attitude about church membership?

How would you describe a servant as it applies to being a member of a church?

The Mind of Christ: Read Philippians 2:5-11. Explain how the attitude of Christ in this section becomes a pattern for us as church members?

BONUS QUESTION:

HOW CAN YOU BE A SOURCE OF UNITY AT HOPE THIS NEXT MONTH? IS THERE AN AREA AT HOPE WHERE YOU ARE HOLDING ON TO A PREFERENCE THAT YOU NEED TO RELEASE FOR THE GOOD OF THE CHURCH? ARE YOU WILLING TO DO THAT TO ADVANCE THE MINISTRY?