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Justin DuBose
GC6831 6 November 2012 Assignment 9-6 My assigned passage for this exegetical paper is Ephesians 6:17-20. The word which I will complete a word study for is the word translated in the NIV as “given” in verse nineteen. Word: “given” (may be given) Transliteration: “didōmi” Text: “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel,” G/K Number: 1443 Why study this word? I deliberately chose this word due to its importance in proper interpretation of this verse as well as the context at large. Other words in these verses are rather self-explanatory – they lack ambiguity – and are not as central to the text. For example, “pray”, “mouth”, “gospel”, etc. are rather self-explanatory. This particular passage seems to hinge greatly upon this particular phrase of “may be given”, for this is central to the entire verse and surrounding context. What could this word mean (semantic range)? a. to give, as a gift (Matthew 5:42) “Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” b. to put; to have been placed by God (Matthew 9:8) “When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men. c. to grant, as a favor (Matthew 14:11) “His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother.” d. to pay (Matthew 16:26) “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?” What does this word mean in context? As determined by the surrounding context and the context of the book, the best determination is that the word means that of definition “b”. The best way to approach this is to determine first what the word does not mean. Within the context of this passage in Ephesians, Paul is obviously not talking about definition “d”. There is no payment for anything – no financial exchange or bargaining taking place. Paul is discussing the spiritual armor of God which we are to put on in order to win spiritual war against and over the enemy. Paul just wrapped up his list of items which we are to put on, all of which Paul uses allegorically. He talks about the “breastplate of righteousness”, the “boots (my word) of the gospel of peace”, and the “helmet of salvation”. All of these things refer to super-natural powers of the Lord given to man in order to fulfill the Great Commission. Therefore, the “giving” of payment can be ruled out. It simply does not fit into the context of the passage whatsoever. The definition of “c” can easily be ruled out as well. This follows the same lines of the previous discussion of definition “d”. God is supernaturally imparting gifts into man, and therefore there is no granting of favors. Man is certainly not granting God any favors, and, while God could be seen as granting man a favor, the definition is certainly much deeper than this. As we can see from the remaining definitions, this definition does not do justice to the depths of this supernatural impartation. It is much more than a favor, and other definitions are certainly more suitable. We are now left with definitions “a” and “b”. This word likely means either to give as a gift, or something that has been placed by God. Perhaps these definitions could be viewed as interchangeable. The spiritual gifts discussed in Romans and 1 Corinthians could certainly be considered as gifts that have been placed there by God. However, “The Strongest NIV Exhaustive Concordance” makes a clear distinction between the two. These two definitions are the most often used when the word “didōmi” is used in Greek. Given the context of supernatural impartations by God into man, I would determine that definition “b” is better suited here than definition “a”. God “puts” or places these gifts into man more so than simply gifting him with them. This is what Paul means when he says that “utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth”. Paul is asking that their prayer would be that God would supernaturally put or place in him the right words at the right time. Paul understands that “making known the mystery of the gospel” is something that he himself cannot accomplish. Therefore, he asks the believers in Ephesus to pray this prayer: that God would supernaturally impart into him the right words.
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Justin DuBose
GC6831 4 November 2012 Philippians 1:3-6 Prior Context: The prior context to this passage is that Paul greets the church in Philippi. Part of this greeting is his standard greeting (Grace and peace to you). Part of this greeting, however, signifies that Paul knew this church rather well (…all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons). So, the context immediately prior to this passage is Paul expresses his warm greeting to the church there in Philippi. Immediate Context: In writing to the church in Philippi, Paul expresses his prayers for the church there in Philippi. He begins by saying that he prays for them upon each remembrance of them. He gets a bit more specific, saying what he prays for them about. He finishes the passage by reminding them that Jesus Christ will carry them to complete their work. 3 I thank my God every time I remember you. (My thankfulness is expressed to God for you) (I do this each time I remember you.) 4 In all my prayers for all of you, (Each time I remember you, I pray, and this is what and how I pray…) I always pray with joy (This should be the tone of your prayer when you are thankful) 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, (This is the source of my joy! This is why I am thankful, and this is why I pray for you. The work cannot be accomplished alone, partnership is needed, and it brings great joy as well.) 6 being confident of this, (Your partnership, which brings me joy, and makes me thankful, and causes me to pray, is a reminder that...) that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ. (This is the summation of all I have said. Your partnership brings me joy – because it reminds me why I minister and am in prison. Jesus Christ will carry me. Your partnership makes me thankful, for it reminds me that Christ is the wind beneath my wings. Your partnership causes me to pray for you, for it reminds me that Jesus Christ is the source of my strength, and you need prayer as much as I do.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ M.O.T.: Christian Life C.I.T.: Paul expresses what their gift meant to him. It was more than just needed financial help – it was a reminder that Christ Himself carries Him and sees him through in his mission. Thesis: When we bless one another, and minister to one another, simply by meeting needs, the Lord can minister much deeper with these gifts than we could ever imagine. Listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit – fill a need for someone. Proposition: I want my hearers to heed to the voice of the Holy Spirit when they feel lead to “bless” another believer. The Lord often prompts us to do things for greater reasons than we realize. Probing Question: “How can the Lord use you to minister to others?” Unifying Word: Catalysts Title: “Meeting Temporary Needs Yields Eternal Results” Sermon Points: I. Giving Brings Thankfulness (v. 3) II. Thankfulness Brings Us Back To The Lord (vs. 4-5) III. The Lord Reminds Us That He Carries Us (v. 6) A Pauline Chronology
Dates Activity 32 Damascus Road Experience 33-35 Ministry in Arabia (Gal. 1:17) 35 First Jerusalem Visit 35-43 Silent Years (Ministry in Cilicia) 43-44 Ministry in Antioch with Barnabas 44 Death of Agrippa 45/46 Famine-relief visit 46-48 First Mission (1,400 miles) 48 Apostolic Council 48-52 Second Mission (2,800 miles) 52 Return to Antioch 53-57 Third Mission (2,700 miles) 57 Arrival in Jerusalem 57-59 Caesarean Imprisonment 59-60 Voyage to Rome 60-62 House Arrest in Rome 62-64 Ministry in the East (?) 64-66 Death in Rome (?) Paul’s writings in the New Testament Galatians Date: 48/49 Provenance: Antioch, Jerusalem, or route between the two cities Destination: Churches in South Galatia visited during his first missionary journey Purpose: Defending the true gospel against Judaizing heresies Theme: Jews and Gentiles alike are saved through faith, not by works Key Verses: 3:10-14 1st and 2nd Thessalonians Date: 50 Provenance: Corinth Destination: Church at Thessalonica in Macedonia Purpose: Encouraging believers in times of persecution; clarification on eschatology Theme: Persecuted believers should be encouraged by the anticipation of Jesus’ return Key Verses: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 1st Corinthians Date: 53/54 Provenance: Ephesus Destination: Church at Corinth Purpose: Addressing issues received in oral reports and written letter from the Corinthians Theme: Practical issues: lawsuits, church discipline, idolatry, marriage, spiritual gifts Key Verses: 13:1-3 2nd Corinthians Date: 54/55 Provenance: Macedonia, perhaps Philippi Destination: Churches in Corinth and throughout province of Achaia Purpose: Addressing issues received by Titus’ report on the church/ false doctrine/apostles Theme: Nature of new covenant, sacrificial giving, challenging false apostles Key Verses: 5:16-21 Romans Date: Mid-to late 50’s Provenance: Greece, probably Corinth Destination: Several congregations in Rome Occasion: Preparation of Paul’s journey through Rome to Spain Purpose: Promoting Jewish/Gentile unity in the church through the gospel message Theme: Gospel proclaims that God acquits Jew and Gentile who believe in Jesus on the basis of His sacrificial death Key Verses: 1:16-17; 3:21-26 Philippians Date: Around 59 (likely prior to Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon) Provenance: First Roman imprisonment Destination: Church at Philippi Occasion: Thanksgiving for Philippian support and warning against disunity as hindrance Purpose: Promoting gospel-centered unity for the sake of advancing the gospel Theme: Partnership in the gospel, walking worthy of the gospel in unity Key Verses: 1:27-30 Ephesians Date: Around 60 Provenance: First Roman imprisonment Destination: Circular letter or Ephesus Purpose: Promoting cosmic reconciliation and unity in Christ Theme: Summing up of all things in Christ; spiritual warfare Key Verses: 1:3-14, especially 1:9-10 Colossians Date: Around 60 Provenance: First Roman imprisonment Destination: Colossae Occasion: Combating false teaching Purpose: Combating false teaching with the supremacy of, and sufficiency in, Christ alone Theme: Christ is complete in every way and thus believers are complete in Christ Key Verses: 2:6-10 Philemon Date: Around 60 Provenance: First Roman imprisonment Destination: Philemon Occasion: Onesimus, Philemon’s slave, escapes, meets Paul and converts, and is sent back Purpose: Encouraging Philemon to accept Onesimus as a brother in Christ and send him back to Paul Theme: Love and reconciliation in the Body of Christ Key Verses: 17-20 1st Timothy Date: 61-66 Provenance: Macedonia Destination: Ephesus, where Timothy was leading the Ephesian church Occasion: Instructions in church structure and dealing with issues in the church Purpose: Instructing Timothy in his role as an apostolic delegate; “passing the torch” Theme: Establishing the church for the post-apostolic period Key Verses: 1:3-4; 1:18-20 Titus Date: 61-66 Provenance: Unknown Destination: Crete, where Titus was leading the Cretian church Occasion: Instructions in church structure and dealing with issues in the church Purpose: Instructing Titus in his role as an apostolic delegate; “passing the torch” Theme: Establishing the church for the post-apostolic period Key Verses: 1:5 2nd Timothy Date: 64-66 Provenance: Second Roman imprisonment, written shortly before martyrdom Destination: Ephesus, where Timothy was leading the Ephesian church Occasion: Instructions in church structure and dealing with issues in the church Purpose: Instructing Timothy in his role as an apostolic delegate; “passing the torch” Theme: Establishing the church for the post-apostolic period Key Verses: 4:1-2 DuBose, Justin Z: GC6831
CM 730 Writing Assignment #1 The Chaplain in the American Civil War carried out perhaps the greatest responsibility of any war-time Chaplain in history. Chaplains have always been in an awkward position since their inception, being a non-combatant in an organization whose entire purpose is combat. Combine this with the fact that they were also the most under prepared for their duties, and that they were carrying out this ministry in a divided, fighting, hostile country, and you discover a group of ministers in the greatest place of hardship imaginable. In addressing these three issues – their being in an awkward position, their being grossly unprepared, and their ministry taking place in a civil war – it will become evident that these men had the most awesome responsibilities of any group of Chaplains in history. Chaplains have always occupied an awkward position in combat. Chaplains, at first glance, seem to be almost a contradiction of sorts on the battlefield. Firstly, they are non-combatants in a combat zone. Beyond this, though, they are symbols of peace in war, love in violence, and servitude in their role as superior officers. It is quite easy to see how they have a difficult time finding their place and acceptance among the very men they seek to serve. However, this position of awkwardness goes beyond raw facts – it extends also to perception. As postwar author Louisa May Alcott wrote in her famous novel Little Women, “I think it was so splendid in father to go as a chaplain when he was too old to be draughted, and not strong enough for a soldier.” 1 This is often the perception of Chaplains – as not really being soldiers. They wear the same uniform, but yet are outsiders. What is the reason behind this? In _______________ 1 Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women (1868; New York: Oxford University Press, 1994), pg. 11. specifically addressing Civil War views, Gardiner Shattuck writes that “some skeptics worried that Christianity itself encouraged ‘feminine’ qualities in men” and as a result, Christians “usually made ineffective soldiers.” 2 This perception is something that all Chaplains have an uphill struggle against, and just another variable in the equation of why Civil War chaplains, in particular, had an unusually difficult time. When the statistics of prewar Chaplains are examined, it becomes evident why Civil War chaplains were so grossly unprepared for their awesome responsibility. “Prior to the attack on Fort Sumter, the 16,000 soldiers in the U.S. Army had been served by just thirty chaplains, and some of those men held concurrent civilian pastorates while others were not even formally ordained.” 3 This is a ratio of one chaplain for every five-hundred and thirty-three soldiers! By war’s end some 3,694 Chaplains served in total. 4 This is an increase of over twelve-thousand percent in just four years! No one is ever fully prepared to be a Chaplain in war, but these men certainly were so rushed into their positions that preparation was almost a non-factor. Consider, too, that the Civil War was, by far, the most deadly and gruesome war in American history. To equal the number of Civil War deaths, one would have to combine the total American deaths of World Wars I and II, Vietnam, the Revolution, and the War of 1812. These Chaplains certainly were underprepared, if prepared at all, for the horrors that awaited them on the battlefield. Ministry is never an easy thing to do. Ministry in combat is exponentially more difficult. _______________ 2 Bergen, Doris L. ed., The Sword of the Lord: Military Chaplains from the First to the Twenty-First Century (Notre Dame, Ind.: Univ of Notre Dame Pr, 2004), page 109. 3 Ibid, page 107. 4 “National Civil War Chaplains Museum,” http://www.chaplainsmuseum.org/i/?page_id=21 (accessed October 15, 2011). Ministry in civil war is perhaps the most difficult ministry imaginable. Not only are you forced to address normal combat concerns of killing and being killed, but now those whom you minister to are killing not just their fellow man, but their fellow countryman. In some cases, even their own family. How is someone prepared to address such issues? Additionally, one must continue to be a staff officer and perform these functions as well. One Union chaplain describes his duties by saying that he “not only conducted worship services, prayed, preached, and counseled his men, but he also cared for the sick and wounded, buried the dead, guarded prisoners, delivered the mail, chronicled the activities of his regiment, functioned as its librarian and treasurer, taught freed slaves how to read and write, and even assisted officers as an aide-de-camp.” 5 This ministry and these responsibilities took place in a combat zone. Certainly such responsibility - physically, mentally, and spiritually - has never been shared on such a grand scale by any other American chaplain. The chaplains who served in the American Civil War had, in the opinion of the author, the most awesome responsibility of any chaplain in American history. While all chaplains, especially those in combat situations, have a difficult time, none can compare to what these men had to face. In today’s Army, chaplains and chaplain candidates are given a twelve week course in how to be a chaplain. These men had no such preparation. They simply felt compelled, convicted, and called to serve, and a great many of them did so heroically – four of whom were awarded the Medal of Honor. Today’s chaplains can and should look to these men not only for encouragement, but also as example of the power of God to use men as light to the world, even in the most dire of human circumstances. _______________ 5 Bergen, Doris L. ed., The Sword of the Lord: Military Chaplains from the First to the Twenty-First Century (Notre Dame, Ind.: Univ of Notre Dame Pr, 2004), page 106. SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women (1868; New York: Oxford University Press, 1994). Bergen, Doris L. ed., The Sword of the Lord: Military Chaplains from the First to the Twenty-First Century (Notre Dame, Ind.: Univ of Notre Dame Pr, 2004). “National Civil War Chaplains Museum,” http://www.chaplainsmuseum.org/i/?page_id=21 (accessed October 15, 2011). Homiletical Bridge – I John 5:14-21
I John 5:14-21 Prior Context: John had warned his readers about falling into the heresy of “Docetism”. He had written to them that this was a proclamation of Jesus – the same Jesus that he had touched, seen, heard, etc. Immediate Context: John was finishing up his letter and was writing of the testimony of Jesus by men as well as God. His final words were a warning against idolatry to his readers. 14 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. John begins by talking about the confidence that we have in Him [Jesus]. We can ask Him anything and we know that He hears us. 16 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. 17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. With this confidence, we know that we have forgiveness of sins when we ask for it for ourselves and our brothers. There is also a differentiation of sin – those that lead to death and those that do not. We know that we have forgiveness of sin, but how do we avoid sinning and being guilty of unrighteousness? 18 We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. We have the promise of safety with God and are safe from the evil one. 19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. We have the promise of knowing God and, again, being safe the control and influence of the evil one. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. Here John wraps up his entire letter in one thought. We know that He has come, we know that He has given us understanding, we know that we know Him, and finally, we have the promise of God that we are in Him – the one true God and eternal life. With all of these promises, we have nothing to fear of slipping into the sin of idolatry and being under the influence of Satan. If we are in God then we are in the true God and eternal life. 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. Here we have the famous last words of John in this letter – keep yourselves from idols. This is the summation of this entire letter. Do not fall prey to the sin of idolatry. In other words, simply look to Christ and hold fast to His promises that you are safe in Him and you will avoid sin and receive eternal life. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ M.O.T.: Christian Life C.I.T.: John warns them to “guard themselves from idols” Thesis: Idolatry is a serious sin that can be avoided by remembering the testimony of proclamation of Jesus by John and others. Proposition: I want my hearers to remember the promises of Christ to them about who He is and worship Him only so as to avoid looking at others things for fulfillment and committing the sin of idolatry. Probing Question: “What do we know of Christ that will help keep us from sin?” Unifying Word: promises Title: “Famous Last Words” Outline: I. We have the promise of safety with Him (v. 18) II. We have the promise of knowing Him (vs. 19-20) III. We have the promise of being in Him (v. 20) A BIBLICALLY SOUND PERSONAL PHILOSOPHY OF LEADERSHIP
A Paper Presented to Dr. Rusty Ricketson Luther Rice Seminary In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Course LD 511 Leader/Follower Theory and Practice by Justin Z. DuBose GC 6831 OUTLINE
INTRODUCTION The area of leadership is perhaps one of the most written about topics in Christianity. What makes a Christian leader? There are multiple theories in existence that attempt to describe what qualities make for a good Christian leader. This paper will examine the biblical mandates of Scripture on those who seek to lead. When the Bible is examined as the primary piece of evidence, certain key elements materialize. The Christian leader is called to be a follower who yields their life to the will of God. Several biblical models will be examined, the words of Christ will be analyzed, and a clearer picture of the biblical philosophy of leadership will emerge. THE BIBLICAL MODEL OF LEADERSHIP When addressing the issue of leadership within the organization of the church, many would agree with Harold L. Fickett who stated that, “There are three requirements for a good program within the church. The first is leadership, the second is leadership, and the third is leadership.” [1] Much of the literature of today’s religious societies emphasizes, perhaps to a fault, the essential role of leadership in the church. Like Fickett, many agree that without leadership church programs are doomed before they even leave the printing press of great ideas. Many would expand this from church programs to include the church at large. That is to say that without good leadership, it is simply a matter of time before the doors of the church close permanently and a real estate sign is placed in the front yard. In asking the fundamental question, “What is the greatest struggle of the church today?”, many pastors, scholars, and theologians would respond similar to Frederick J. Finks. “In many churches across America today there is a lack of effective leadership.” [2] If this truly is the greatest struggle for churches, the Bible should be the first place visited in order to discover what the Scriptures have to say about solving this potentially deadly problem. Primarily, the person of Jesus Christ should be studied for what He has to say about leadership. If the number of followers one accumulates determines the measure of leadership, Christ Himself would likely be the greatest leader who ever lived. In studying the words of Christ in Scripture it is very interesting to note His words as quoted in John 6.38 when He says, “For I have come down from Heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me.” [3] The depth of this statement is worthy of further examination. Christ Himself, the founder of the Judeo-Christian religion, says that He is simply executing the will of the Father who sent Him. The implications of this simple statement are that Christ Himself, perhaps the greatest leader to ever grace the planet, was nothing more than a simple but exemplary follower. All of the marvelous things that Jesus Christ did or said were simply following the directives of the Father who sent Him. This puts the leadership of Christ in an entirely different perspective. In this regard, it is actually the followership of Christ which creates and leaves the greatest impact on those who follow Him. What then is the greatest benefit of studying the leadership of Christ if His greatest characteristic, and in fact His self-stated purpose for existence, was His followership? Mark Schmitz, Senior Pastor of Summit Baptist Bible Church in Pennsylvania has stated that, “Finding the definition of good leadership will lead to a discovery of good followership.” [4] In the opinion of Schmitz, the greatest benefit of studying Christ’s leadership is that we learn about His followership, His greatest characteristic. Let us examine a couple of the prominent theories of leadership and then we will return for an examination of followership. In today’s leadership fascinated society, there are many theories as to what make the most effective type of leader. The most prominent are the transformational leadership theory and the situational leadership theory which will be discussed briefly and put into biblical context. The most prominent theory of approximately the last three decades is the transformational leadership theory. This theory epitomizes the idea that everything rises or falls on leadership. At the heart of this theory is the visionary leader, without whom the theory cannot exist. If you remove the transformational, visionary leader from the center of the equation, nothing else can self-sustain. Richard Parrott, Executive Director of the Sandberg Leadership Center at Ashland Theological Seminary, has stated of transformational leadership that, “It is a process of leadership in which the motives, needs, and humanity of followers is given full consideration. At the heart of the process is the visionary leader.” [5] Notice that, as Parrott himself states, everything in this process hinges upon the visionary leader. If one reads between the lines, it becomes evident that Parrott believes that this theory is the only one in which the “motives, needs, and humanity of followers is given full consideration.” The status of “follower” is automatically relegated to something undesirable, as they cannot possibly exist without their transformational, visionary leader. According to this theory, the followership of anyone, including Jesus Christ, seems to not be worthy of examination. Situational leadership theory is the second most prominent leadership theory in existence. This theory of leadership states that specific leaders are raised up for specific situations for a specific time period. William D. Dobbs, Pastor of First United Methodist Church in Holland, Michigan, cites Moses as a biblical model of situational leadership. “God’s authentication is visible in the continual demonstration of God’s power from the court of Pharaoh to the top of Mount Sinai. God authenticated Moses’ leadership in the sight of the people.” [6] Dobbs seems to grasp biblical leadership better than Parrott in that he cited God the Father as the center, rather than Moses. However, notice that the status of those who follow has not changed. They are still relegated to being portrayed as mindless machines incapable of accomplishing anything substantive. Rusty Ricketson, Chair of the Leadership Department at Luther Rice Seminary and University, has noted that, in actuality, “Leadership is an interdependent relationship between a leader and a follower in which there must be cooperation or leadership does not exist.” [7] Notice the difference in the role of the follower with both Parrott and Dobbs to that of Ricketson. Parrott and Dobbs portray the leader as the center of everything, and that the follower is, for all practical purposes, useless. Ricketson, however, highlights the importance of both, but particularly that of the follower. With this differentiation, let us jump back into the biblical example of Jesus’ followership as it pertains to Christian leadership. A third theory of leadership is that of servant leadership. Contrary to transformational and situational leadership, servant leadership places the role of the follower at the heart of leadership. In addition to the words of Christ quoted earlier from John 6.38, He says in Matthew 20.26-28, “Whoever desires to become great among you, let Him be your servant.” Jesus Himself here is addressing this issue of servant leadership and citing it as the proper biblical model of leadership. He continues on to say that, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” [8] This line of thinking aligns perfectly with the purpose of Jesus as He stated it in John 6.38, that Christ came to serve and to carry out the will of the Father. This is clearly emerging as the proper model of leadership for those who seek to lead others in a church setting. Laurie Pederson, upon reading these verses in Matthew, stated that, “The kind of authority and leadership that Christ modeled and taught always found expression in servanthood.” [9] God is established as the leader, and all others are followers. Paul the Apostle expounds on this theory when he writes in Ephesians 1.22-23 that, “He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” [10] William D. Lawrence very aptly stated that, “Christian leadership is different from other kinds of leadership because no Christian leader can assume the position of being ‘number one,’ that is, the leader.” He goes on to say that, “This is true because those who believe in Christ know there is only one ‘Number One,’ namely, the Lord Jesus Christ.” [11] Again, the role of the leader as portrayed in both the transformational and situational theories of leadership is very different from this biblical model of servant leadership. The role of the leader becomes much more subjugated, to the point of simply being the head follower. Other scholars and theologians have included in this servant leadership theory the specific role of the head follower. There is agreement among some that the essential role of the head follower never changes. Kenneth O. Gangel stated that, “Christian leadership is the exercise of one’s spiritual gifts under the call of God to serve a certain group of people in achieving the goals God has given toward the end of glorifying Christ.” [12] According to Gangel, the role of the Christian leader is simply to discern the will of God for a group of people using spiritual gifts to the glory of Christ. Robert Clinton seems to agree with Gangel. He states that, “Leadership is a dynamic process in which a man or woman with God-given capacity influences a specific group of God’s people toward His purposes for the group.” [13] These two men seem to be combining all of the above types of leadership into one. This Christian leader must be a servant of Christ, following Him. However, this leader must also be a visionary directing the people toward the will of God for them. Additionally, this leader, much like Moses, has been given certain spiritual gifts for a specific time and place. Can these leadership theories be combined to make for a biblically sound philosophy of leadership? There certainly seems to be an element of transformation in leadership. However, the discrepancy seems to come when deciding on the agent of transformation. According to Richard Parrott and others who subscribe to the transformational theory of leadership, it is the human leader who is the agent of transformation in those who choose to follow. By virtue of his or her charisma, personality, or some other human characteristic, others are transformed. However, Gangel and Clinton seem to be arguing that the human leader is simply a vessel used by God in deciding how God wants to transform those who choose to follow. This second theory certainly aligns more with biblical principles than does the first. Romans 12.2 states that Christians should, “not be conformed to the ways of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” So then, the Bible is clear that transformation should take place, but from whom? For this clarification, the preceding verse provides the answer. Paul encourages the Romans to, “present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. [14] Notice the simple phrase “to God”, which, transliterated from the Greek as “theos”, literally refers to the Trinitarian Godhead of the Bible. [15] Thus, He is the agent of transformation in the lives of the Christian leader, who is simply another follower. Theologian and scholar Dallas Willard has written of this transformation that, “If I am Jesus’ disciple that means that I am with Him to learn from Him how to be like Him.” [16] The biblical agent of transformation is clearly God, not man, and the Christian leader is simply instructed to pursue God and yield himself or herself to the spiritually transforming work that God wishes to accomplish in their lives. This being established, is there a biblical model of how we are to respond to God? What type of Christian leader is God looking for? The example of Moses has been discussed briefly. In Exodus 3 God calls Moses to yield himself to the transforming work of God in order that God may use Moses to free the Israelites from slavery to the Egyptians. Moses reluctantly does so and God goes on to do some incredible works through Moses simply because of his yielding of his body to the service of the Lord. Another example is that of the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah 6.8 records God asking the question, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Isaiah’s response was, “Here am I! Send me.” [17] Again, the Christian leader whom God used to accomplish His purposes was a man who yielded himself and bent his will to that of God. Daniel Smith says of Isaiah’s leadership that, “God continued His divine initiative of leadership by instructing Isaiah where to go, what to say, and what to expect in the process.” [18] Thus, the Christian leader is responsible only for the yielding of himself to God. He is not even responsible for what to say or where to go, this is all the work of God, the true leader. The Christian leader is simply called to follow, just as Christ Himself did. From the New Testament there is perhaps no greater human leader than the Apostle Paul, from whom we can learn much about Christian leadership. In Acts 9, as Saul was on his way to Damascus he encountered the Lord. When the Lord spoke to him, his response was simple, “Lord, what would You have me to do?” This is the proper response for a Christian leader. Later in the chapter, God calls to Ananias, and his response is eerily similar to that of Isaiah. He says simply, “Here I am, Lord.” [19] The Christian leader, in all walks of life, is called to yield their bodies to the Lord for His purposes and God will do the rest. Many more examples could be named to include Noah, Abraham, Joseph, David, the apostle Matthew, and a host of others. The common denominator of all biblical Christian leaders is the yielding of themselves to the transformational work of Christ in their lives. Acts 2 records wondrous works of the Holy Spirit in the life of the early church. The final verse of the chapter, verse 47, talks about the agent of this transformation and upon whose shoulders rests the leadership of the church, “The Lord added daily to their numbers such as should be saved.” [20] The Christian leader is not called to be transformational. The Christian leader is not called to gather followers. The Christian leader is called to be transformed and to become a follower. This is the biblical philosophy of leadership to which we are all called. CONCLUSION Christian leaders are called to give up their own desires and take up the desires of the Father. Like Christ, they are called to execute the will of the Father. In yielding themselves to God to be used for His purposes, they can accomplish far more than if they were operating in secular leadership principles outside of His will. Christian leaders should seek primarily a relationship with Jesus and to conform their lives to His. Once this process is underway, God can use this exemplary follower to accomplish wondrous things for His Kingdom. May all Christian leaders remember the words of Scripture in their leading of others: “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption-- that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD." [21] SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY Blue Letter Bible. "Dictionary and Word Search for theos (Strong's 2316)". Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2012 Clinton, Robert. The Making of a Leader. (Colorado Spring, Colorado: NavPress, 1988) Dobbs, William D. “For Such A Time As This: A Situational Model of Leadership”, Ashland Theological Journal 33:0 (NA 2001) Fickett, Harold L. Hope for Your Church: Ten Principles of Church Growth. (Philadelphia: Pilgrim Press, 1969) Finks, Frederick J. “Leadership Profile – New Testament Style” Ashland Theological Journal 16:0 (NA 1983) Gangel, Kenneth O. Feeding and Leading. (Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Publishing, 1989) Holy Bible. New King James Version. Lawrence, William D. “Distinctives of Christian Leadership” Bibliotheca Sacra 144:575 (July 1987) Parrott, Richard. “Transformational Leadership – Theory and Reflections”, Ashland Theological Journal 32:0 (NA 2000) Pederson, Laurie. “Servant Leadership” Priscilla Papers 07:3 (Summer 1993) Ricketson, Rusty. Follower First: Rethinking Leading in the Church. (Cumming, GA: Heartworks Publications, 2009) Schmitz, Mark. “The Second Man in Ministry”, Journal of Ministry and Theology 03:2 (Fall 1999) Smith, Daniel H. “A Theology of Leadership” Emmaus Journal 01:1 (Winter 1991) Willard, Dallas. The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God. (San Francisco, California: HarperSanFrancisco, 1998) [1] Fickett, Harold L. Hope for Your Church: Ten Principles of Church Growth. (Philadelphia: Pilgrim Press, 1969), pg. 83. [2] Finks, Frederick J. “Leadership Profile – New Testament Style” Ashland Theological Journal 16:0 (NA 1983), 22. [3] Holy Bible. New King James Version. [4] Schmitz, Mark. “The Second Man in Ministry”, Journal of Ministry and Theology 03:2 (Fall 1999), 77. [5] Parrott, Richard. “Transformational Leadership – Theory and Reflections”, Ashland Theological Journal 32:0 (NA 2000), 64. [6] Dobbs, William D. “For Such A Time As This: A Situational Model of Leadership”, Ashland Theological Journal 33:0 (NA 2001), 35. [7] Ricketson, Rusty. Follower First: Rethinking Leading in the Church. (Cumming, GA: Heartworks Publications, 2009), 102. [8] Holy Bible. New King James Version. [9] Pederson, Laurie. “Servant Leadership” Priscilla Papers 07:3 (Summer 1993), 1. [10] Holy Bible. New King James Version. [11] Lawrence, William D. “Distinctives of Christian Leadership” Bibliotheca Sacra 144:575 (July 1987), 318. [12] Gangel, Kenneth O. Feeding and Leading. (Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Publishing, 1989), 31. [13] Clinton, Robert. The Making of a Leader. (Colorado Spring, Colorado: NavPress, 1988), 7. [14] Holy Bible. New King James Version. [15] Blue Letter Bible. "Dictionary and Word Search for theos (Strong's 2316)". Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2012. 26 Mar 2012. < http:// www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm? Strongs=G2316&t=NKJV > [16] Willard, Dallas. The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God. (San Francisco, California: HarperSanFrancisco, 1998), 277. [17] Holy Bible. New King James Version. [18] Smith, Daniel H. “A Theology of Leadership” Emmaus Journal 01:1 (Winter 1991), 75. [19] Acts 9.6,10. Holy Bible. New King James Version. [20] Holy Bible. New King James Version. [21] 1 Corinthians 1.27-31. Holy Bible. New King James Version. Dr. Guthrie defines expository preaching as an oral proclamation of a properly interpreted passage of Scripture, inspired by the Holy Spirit, by a God-called messenger, to an assembled body of believers, for the glory of God and to accomplish His purposes. Now, let's delve into an explanatory discussion of each element in this definition.
First, let's examine %60an oral proclamation%60. In this, I am reminded of the words of Paul as he writes to the Romans, %60How can they believe if they have not heard?%60. Dr. Guthrie makes note of the fact that our culture is one that is overly concerned (perhaps obsessed!) with the VISUAL. One of my roles as Associate Pastor is to lead worship at our church. I put the words of each song we sing up on the screens for all to read. I clocked it once, and it occupied close to two hours of my time simply picking out visual backgrounds for each song! I then shifted to simply black backgrounds, noting all the other things I could be doing with those two hours. God calls men to ORALLY proclaim the truths of His Word. After all, it is His WORD that brings about salvation and change in the lives of people. The very word %60preacher%60 means %60to proclaim%60. We, as preachers of the Gospel, are called by God to orally proclaim His Word to the masses. If we do everything else BUT this, then we have failed in our responsibilities. However, if we do ONLY this, then we will have succeeded in carrying out God's call on our lives. Next, let's look at a %60properly interpreted passage of Scripture%60. As preachers, our calling is to preach upon various passages of Scripture. This calling presupposes that we will actually interpret them properly! There are several elements of this. The first is that we must examine closely surrounding context. How does our passage of Scripture fit into the immediate context, the context of our book, and the context of the Bible as a whole? If we read our passage in isolation and derive a meaning from it, and then try and fit that into the surrounding context and it doesn't work, we must change our interpretation. The text can never mean to us what it did not to the original readers. Also, one must consider language and type of literature. If the type of literature is poetic and metaphorical (like much of the Psalms), then one should not interpret the text to be prophetic, apocalyptic, etc. A properly interpreted passage of Scripture is absolutely necessary for the preacher to be effective in his calling. Next, let's look at being %60inspired by the Holy Spirit%60. I recall the story in Dr. Guthrie's book of the young man who proclaimed that, even though he only had twenty minutes, when the Spirit got to moving, nobody knew when he might stop! This young man, who later repented, was inspired by his reputation, his ego, and other things. We are called to be inspired by the Holy Spirit as we preach the Gospel. Many, many biblical examples shed light on this fact for us. Moses is my favorite. When called by God in Exodus at the burning bush, Moses expressed his own hesitations is speaking and the Lord, in His grace, said that Aaron could speak for him. And yet God had called Moses simply to open his mouth rather than to proclaim wondrous truths out of his own abilities. Paul, in writing to the Corinthians, says that He preaches Christ only and Him crucified. Everything else, says Paul, is DUNG! John 14 tells us that the Spirit convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. This is the role of THE SPIRIT, not of JUSTIN DUBOSE! All I am called to do is respond to the call of the Lord. When someone is trusting in their own abilities, the ceiling of their ministry is set very low. However, when someone trusts the Spirit to inspire them and their message, the Lord can (and will) do wonderful, powerful, life-changing work. Next, we turn to the idea of a %60God-called messenger%60. Charles Spurgeon defined the calling of God in these terms (which I'll paraphrase). When you find that you have tried all other things and exhausted all other avenues, you discover that all you can do is preach the Gospel. When this is all you can do, you know that you are called to the ministry. The call of God on someone's life is one that is overwhelming and will not leave. In my own life, I knew that I had heard from the Lord on April 12, 1998 to %60preach the Gospel and play the keyboard like Bro. Kenny%60 (my youth pastor at the time). In early 2007, I knew that I heard from the Lord that, specifically, He was calling me to the Army Chaplaincy. In the case of the first, I did not run from the call - for I was eager to hit the streets and preach! In the case of the second, I ran like a scared little girl! I had NO desire to get my undergrad degree - much less a THREE YEAR MASTERS! So, I did a slew of other things. I drove an eighteen-wheeler, I sold construction equipment, I did everything BUT pursue this calling. And yet, God would never let me forget His calling - for it was something far beyond me. And so, even though I had made life much more difficult for myself, I finished school. It took working two jobs, staying up late to watch children, and going to school more than full-time, but the Lord saw me through! The Lord told Jeremiah that He had been called from birth, and this is the case with us all. If someone is a %60God-called messenger%60, the Lord will lead them to a pulpit! If they are not, they will find that out as well. God is sovereign! Next, let's examine the "assembled body of believers". Acts 2:42 records for us what the church is called to do. They are called to ASSEMBLE and fellowship, study the Word, pray, and break bread together (I think!). The church is an assembled body of believers. Most of the Bible is written to Christians, providing them with encouragement and instruction for holy living. Jesus provides us with the greatest example of this. When would He preach? When people were GATHERED - when they were assembled together. He would preach to EVERYONE willing to listen. He has preached to one solitary individual (like the woman at the well) or thousands of people (like the feeding of the five thousand). We are called to preach the Word to ALL people. Finally, we are called to do all this "for the glory of God and to accomplish His purposes". When preaching, it is VERY easy to accomplish our own purposes. It is very easy to glorify ourselves. (Our ministry, I think, won't last long, but it can be done.) The Lord taught me a great lesson in my current position. I was scared to death when I first accepted the position. I was going from a church of about 35-40 to one of about 500! I was terrified, and I think people knew this. Yet, through it all, I simply asked the Lord to keep me humble and give me HIS vision for the people. I discovered that, through it all, people were very accepting when they could see humility and genuineness. People who were initially vehemently opposed to me, came around months later and we were the best of friends. All this because God's glory was what was being sought! When this is the case, God honors. God HAS honored and I am incredibly humbled that He allows me - and you too, sir - to accomplish His purposes. No higher calling, man! The two rules of preaching, as Dr. Guthrie outlines, are to a)Be Uncompromisingly Biblical and b)Be Unquestionably Interesting. Let's look at Being Uncompromisingly Biblical. We are called to minister the message of Jesus Christ - the words of Scripture. John 1 tells us that the Word was with God and the Word was God - this is Jesus Christ. We read in Paul's letter to Timothy that the word of God is "God-breathed", and Peter writes that "men of God were moved by the Holy Spirit to record the words of Scripture". We must never stray from God's Word. John, in Revelation 22, tells us that is anyone adds or takes away from the words of this book, then plagues will be added to Him and he will be removed from his inheritance in the tree of life. In preaching, we have the potential to shoot ourselves in the foot by being alot of things other than the Bible! However, we are called, and we must, be uncompromisingly Biblical. We must always be interesting. The fact remains that if people are not interested, they simply will not listen. Sometimes this means changing our approach. The first church I was in was a polo shirt and jeans brand of church. When I went to my second church, I discovered that this would not do. This was a suit and tie brand of church. This, to me, is part of being interesting. You must first be interested in those whom you preach to. They will not listen to what you have to say if your values are out of tune with theirs. In your message, however, you must hold their attention. Dr, Guthrie points out that minds will begin to wander to all sorts of things if you are not interesting. People don't get as excited about the "jot and tittles" of Scripture as you do! This is an easy way to lose their attention. Use plenty of illustrations - ones that are actually pertinent to them. This requires living in the same world as they do! As Dr. Guthrie said, you must limit your "Civil War stories" or people will begin to think that you lived through it! Be biblical, but also don't be boring! The three aspects of communication are the Message, the Messenger, and the Masses. All three aspects of communication must be factored in when putting together a message. First of all, what IS the message? How does this message connect to the masses who will be listening to it? How can the messenger effectively and accurately get the message across to the masses? Dr. Guthrie mentions walking though the sanctuary remembering all the people listening as you put your message together. As a messenger, be genuine! The masses will appreciate genuineness and they spot "fakeness" a mile away! If any of these three aspects of communication are absent, the sermon will suffer. The message will not be done justice, the masses will not hear from the Lord, and the messenger can get in the way of both! The homiletical bridge includes the following elements: 1) The M.O.T. - this is the main objective of the text. What does the text seek to accomplish in the lives of those who read it? Most often it will be for Christian Living or Evangelism. This should be the over-arching goal of your message. 2) The C.I.T. - this is the central idea of the text. The CIT puts the reader in the context of the original readers or hearers. What did this massage mean to them? 3) The Context - How does this passage fit into the Immediate, the Prior, and the Book Context? This is extremely important, for it helps the preacher understand what the meaning of the text CANNOT be. Something can never be taken out of its context and still retain meaning. 4) The Thesis - This is the present tense of the CIT. What does this passage mean NOW? What does this passage mean to those who are listening to what you are preaching? 5) Plural Unifier - This is a single word (that is plural!) that connects all of your outline points. For example, in a recent message I had a series of %60Understandings%60. What does God want us to understand about Him through this passage? This word will unify all of your outline points. 6) The Probing Question - This is a question you ask directly of the text. Who, what, when, why, where, how? This is a question that will lead everyone to a deeper understanding of what the text is ACTUALLY saying, and its answer can come ONLY from the text itself. 7) Proposition - What do you propose that the hearers do as a result of hearing this message? This, to me, is the clincher! This is the %60so what%60 part of the sermon. So you've said all of this, so what? What am I supposed to do with it? If this is left out, the sermon will be null and void. 8) The Transition Sentence - this is the phrase that you use to transition from one outline point to the next. This will help smoothy transition from point a to b and so forth. This helps the audience not to get lost is moving from one point to the next and helps keep everything unified. 9) Title - a title that you decide to give the message. I usually like to make it something unusual and easy to remember. This can actually help spark the contents of the message for those listening after they leave the church. |
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