Mentor's Manual

178 For the Nex t Generat i on: The Urban Mi n i s t r y I ns t i tute ’ s Mentor Manua l

concept of bishop or overseer. Beginning with a consideration of the NT language, we will trace its probable context from the council of elders in Jewish rulership, including the development of the concept, through the history of the Church. After considering the calling and criteria of the bishop’s office, we will examine the concept of bishop through the images of supervisor, apostle, and spiritual director. We hope our study will show how the very nature of Christian leadership and Christian community demands bishop- level oversight and relationship which goes beyond just the local body itself. It is hard to imagine a more wonderful gift to an assembly or group of assemblies than godly, Christlike leadership, true shepherds who guard and protect the flock of God. May God use this study to inspire you to nurture and care for his people, to emulate the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep. 1. Articulate the foundations of Christian leadership as it relates to the offices and functions of leadership in the local church (deacons, elders, pastors, and bishops). 2. Define one of the foundations of Christian leadership from the standpoint of the ministry of deacons, or, in the Greek, diakonoi , giving evidence of the meanings of the term diakonoi in the Greek NT. 3. Trace the origins and development of the role of the deacon from its parallel role in the Jewish synagogue, the hazzan . 4. Lay out clearly the key issues related to the call to the diaconate, or ministry of deacons, and the various biblical criteria and qualifications connected to being a deacon in the Church of God. 5. Outline the authority of the deacon’s office in both Scripture and history, and elaborate on some of the functions of this important ministry among the people of God. 6. Unpack the data on three images or models of the deacon’s role, i.e., the roles of servant, steward, and assistant. 7. Define the kinds of issues and concepts involved in equipping deacons for urban congregations, as well as the various principles and practices associated with the office. Objectives for Capstone Module 7, Foundations of Christian Leadership After your reading, study, discussion, and application of the materials in this lesson, you will be able to:

Teaching Objectives for Capstone, by Module

Objectives for Lesson 1 The Christian Leader as Deacon: Diakonoi