Foundations of Christian Leadership, Mentor's Guide, MG07

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F O U N D A T I O N S O F C H R I S T I A N L E A D E R S H I P

time, does the assistance of the deacon; and so does the duty of ordination, the practice of having two others to co-operate in the bishop’s own ordination, and the concept of a succession of teachers, each committing to his successor, through instruction and ordination, the message with which he has himself been entrusted. Elders, however, continue to have certain judicial duties, in the repelling of impenitent offenders from the Lord’s table, and certain ordaining duties, in assisting with the ordination of other elders. ~ R. T. Beckwith and M.A. Warden. “Presbyters.” in The New Bible Dictionary . D. R. W. Wood, ed. 3rd ed. (electronic ed.). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996. pp. 954-955. The role of elder represents an important connection that NT leaders have with the ongoing life of the nation given to us in the Hebrew Scriptures. Make sure that the students recognize and appreciate this continuity between the two. Prayer is a significant element in leadership development and theological training. This section is neither to be discarded or overlooked, nor are you to consider the need for prayer a kind of gratuitous matter that can be easily dropped in the course of your class session. Model for your students the wonder, power, and comfort of prayer. Intercession is a wonderfully practical and helpful way to apply truth; by taking specific needs to God in light of a truth, the students can solidify those ideas in their soul, and receive back from the Lord the answers they need in order to be sustained in the midst of their ministries. Of course, you must manage your class time well, and the amount of time you give to prayer will be directly limited by your setting aside space for prayer. Follow your own flow and class schedule, by all means. Still, because prayer is a such forceful and potent part of any spiritual encounter and teaching, you should make sure that it always has its place, even if it is a short summary prayer of what God has taught us, and a determination to live out its implications as the Holy Spirit teaches us.

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Counseling and Prayer