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Ministry Encouragement Podcast – Episode #87 – Sponsored by: Proactive Ministries
Your Host: Rev. Jim W. Hollis / 3-25-14
Welcome to each of you today to Episode Number 87 of the Ministry Encouragement Podcast. It’s my prayer that you will know how very much I appreciate each of you being a loyal part of our podcast community. Today’s topic is on encouraging Leaders in the community of faith, particularly in a local church. I will be talking about:
Encouragement Through A Leadership Covenant
The responses to the idea of having a Leadership Covenant in the local church can vary widely. For leaders who are content, satisfied and comfortable – creating a Leadership Covenant would be something to resist and oppose. After all if the goal is not moving toward excellence in a disciplined process, why would we want a Leadership Covenant?
Covenants are God’s idea. There are many of them in the Bible and God has used them across the centuries to encourage Leaders in the faith to come together in a closer relationship, ministry and walk with God. In some cases if there had been no Covenant, bad situations would not have moved forward. Here are just a few examples of Covenants in Scripture:
- The Edenic Covenant – Genesis 1 & 2
- The Adam Covenant – Genesis 3
- The Covenant with Noah – Genesis 6-9
- The Covenant with Abraham – Genesis 12-22
- The Covenant with Moses – Exodus 19-41; Galatians 3:24
- The Palestinian Covenant – Deuteronomy 27-33
- The Covenant with David – 2 Samuel 7; Psalm 89 & 132
- The New Covenant – Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8; & Matthew 26
- The Everlasting Covenant – Hebrews 13:20; Ephesians 3:11 & 1:4-9
God’s Covenants express God’s:
- Divine Love
- Grace
- Mercy
- Will
The Bible makes it very plain that God is:
A COVENANT–MAKING GOD: “Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you …” Isaiah 55:3
A COVENANT-KEEPING GOD: “…He is a faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands.” Deuteronomy 7:9
A COVENANT-REVEALING GOD: “The Lord confides in those who fear Him; He makes His covenant known to them.” Psalm 25:14
A COVENANT-ENABLING GOD: “ I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13
Covenants provide Leaders with tangible, steady encouragement as they lead others in the ways of God:
“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.” Hebrews 3:12-14
There are clear benefits to a Leadership Covenant:
- Deeper growth in personal relationship with Christ
- Closer relationships with other leaders
- A growing and maturing prayer life
- Greater awareness of both strengths and weaknesses
- Loving accountability – encourages our strengths & helps in areas of weakness
- Provides for equipping and strengthening for each Leader’s area of ministry
Moving from a congregation leadership model with no Covenant to one with a clear, concise Covenant requires great wisdom, discernment and a process that allows others to learn the benefits and be brought along in positive ways. It can’t be done retroactively, but has to be approved by the Senior Pastor, the Leadership Selection Group and voted on by the central Leadership Group in any congregation – such as an Administrative Council, Church Council, Deacons, or Elders.
How is the Leadership quality in your local church? Are you seeing Leaders who are deeply passionate about their faith and engaged in the joy of ministry? Are your Leaders involved in worship and the ministry of reaching others consistently? An excellent, personalized Leadership Covenant could make all the difference in Leadership in your church.
Let me encourage you to share this podcast and others in this series with those on your list of friends. You can send them the LINK for the Podcast, www.ministryencouragementpodcast.com, or send them a short email encouraging them to listen. Your doing so will help to build our community that God has designed.
Feel free to contact me personally with your thoughts, input, suggestions and questions about ministry in your congregation or spiritual growth in your own life. You can reach me at:
Email: jim@ministryencouragementpodcast.com
Phone: (GA, USA) (770) 803-9988
Voicemail: Use your mouse and tab on the right hand side of this page to leave me a voicemail.
LinkedIn: Jim Hollis
Facebook: Jim W. Hollis (Friend me or LIKE our Proactive Ministries page)
Until our next time together, may the Lord bless you and keep you in joy.
Blessings,
Jim
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