Post by Admin on May 23, 2019 6:18:52 GMT
Tonight’s discussion centered primarily on leadership characteristics for Christ’s church, although the third chapter of Paul’s 1st letter to Timothy also cemented the destination to which leaders should be taking the congregations: Christ (verses 14-16). We opened by making a list of the characteristics that we look for in our church leaders:
Love and caring; humility; no judgement; gentle shepherd; patient; sets a positive example; good communicator; wise; consistent; authentic; encourager; relatable; good father figure; transparent – perhaps summed up as being like Christ.
We read the chapter, and took inventory of the characteristics Paul provided when he gave the same kind of inventory:
Wants to do something good; above reproach; faithful to his wife; temperate; self-controlled; respectable; hospitable; able to teach; not given to drunkenness; gentle; not quarrelsome; not greedy; good manager of his own family well; respected by his children; not a recent convert; not jealous; not prideful; good reputation with outsiders.
The case of both lists, we noted that most of the qualifications are character traits, and only one or two in each list (for example, able to teach) are skills or abilities. Among the other considerations that came out in our discussion is that this list of characteristics is applicable to all who have leadership roles in the congregation – men or women, old or young. Also, that while we all may strive in these ways, we will not perfectly fulfill them all, all the time. Also, there are circumstances in which a member of our family goes astray, or a member of the congregation is disruptive, and that may not be a failure of the father or the leader. Overall, however, this is a good list on which to evaluate a leader and decide to follow.
This chapter provides similar character advice to women, with an entry that can be translated to mean wife or woman or deaconess (verse 11). Our thoughts were that a wife does need to understand and accept her role in concert with her husband as a minister, to support him and fulfill the qualifications of leader along with her husband. Every minister benefits from the active support of his family. Thinking of the meaning of the word to be that women may also be assigned to serve as Deacons, this reiterated for us that Paul’s advice and instruction is for all of us. The reward for this attention to a life like Christ, and a dedication to service, is strengthening and assurance of our faith.
Love and caring; humility; no judgement; gentle shepherd; patient; sets a positive example; good communicator; wise; consistent; authentic; encourager; relatable; good father figure; transparent – perhaps summed up as being like Christ.
We read the chapter, and took inventory of the characteristics Paul provided when he gave the same kind of inventory:
Wants to do something good; above reproach; faithful to his wife; temperate; self-controlled; respectable; hospitable; able to teach; not given to drunkenness; gentle; not quarrelsome; not greedy; good manager of his own family well; respected by his children; not a recent convert; not jealous; not prideful; good reputation with outsiders.
The case of both lists, we noted that most of the qualifications are character traits, and only one or two in each list (for example, able to teach) are skills or abilities. Among the other considerations that came out in our discussion is that this list of characteristics is applicable to all who have leadership roles in the congregation – men or women, old or young. Also, that while we all may strive in these ways, we will not perfectly fulfill them all, all the time. Also, there are circumstances in which a member of our family goes astray, or a member of the congregation is disruptive, and that may not be a failure of the father or the leader. Overall, however, this is a good list on which to evaluate a leader and decide to follow.
This chapter provides similar character advice to women, with an entry that can be translated to mean wife or woman or deaconess (verse 11). Our thoughts were that a wife does need to understand and accept her role in concert with her husband as a minister, to support him and fulfill the qualifications of leader along with her husband. Every minister benefits from the active support of his family. Thinking of the meaning of the word to be that women may also be assigned to serve as Deacons, this reiterated for us that Paul’s advice and instruction is for all of us. The reward for this attention to a life like Christ, and a dedication to service, is strengthening and assurance of our faith.