Foundations of Christian Leadership, Mentor's Guide, MG07

3 3 8 /

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

the Scriptures. While I wholly agree with their sentiment, we also must recognize the Holy Spirit’s leading in the Church through the centuries, and the ways in which our conception of the leadership have grown and changed. This understanding of the fluidity of the concept of episkopos will be significant throughout our lessons, especially as we seek to link current definitions of this office to the kinds of needs and concerns that real churches have today. Your focus upon the objectives will again help to shape your approach to this final category and dimension of Christian leadership that we will consider. Your role as Mentor will be to understand well these objectives and the concepts that they represent, and to emphasize them during the various sections and interactions with the students through this lesson. This devotion focuses on the kind of heart necessary in order to undergo the kind of sacrifice and suffering involved in loving the people of God. Paul is clear that his intent is to fill up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the body of Christ . He is the prototype for the kind of leader who embraces the kind of suffering, challenge, fatigue, and pain involved in serving the people of God. Anyone pondering the possibility of being used of God in a dynamic ministry must immediately embrace this inevitability. Note the clear promise of the Lord on this salient and important point: John 15.18-20 - If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. [19] If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. [20] Remember the word that I said to you: “A servant is not greater than his master.” If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. John 13.16 - Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Matt. 10.24-25 - A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. [25] It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the

2 Page 140 Devotion