KNOWING THE STATE OF YOUR FLOCK AS A CHURCH/CHRISTIAN LEADER SERIES (PART 9) - CONCLUSION

As a Christian Leader, we must do the following to ensure a sound state for your flock.

a.       A Christian leader must keep a smooth communication in order to effectively care for his/her flock; “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel” 1 Timothy 5:8

b.      A Christian leader should initiate invest in quality relationship with his flock

c.       A Christian leader should be able to identify he needs which his/her people are facing and should embrace them. “Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach” Nehemiah 2:17.  

d.      A Christian leader should be able to quietly do his/her homework on the needs of a challenged person. “And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.  And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire.  Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the king's pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass.  Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned” Nehemiah 2:12-15.

e.      A Christian leader should be able to provide relevant solution to meet the need of a challenged follower. “Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach” Nehemiah 2:17.  

f.        A Christian leader should be able to provide God’s perspective on any situation his or her follower may be facing. “Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families with their swords, their spears, and their bows.  And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the LORD, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses” Nehemiah 4:13-14.

A Christian leader should always allow his or her followers to enjoy access to him or her. “Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews and rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that are about us. Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people” Nehemiah 5:17-18 . 

Continue reading

KNOWING THE STATE OF YOUR FLOCK AS A CHURCH/CHRISTIAN LEADER SERIES (PART EIGHT) - MEETING YOUR FLOCK’S NEED OF APPRECIATION AND AFFIRMATION

Church/Christian Leaders whom people love and loyally follow are usually those who express appreciation to their followers. Leaders are to give appreciation and affirmation because they boost their followers’ ego.

A good leader specifically declares what he/she appreciates about a follower, says how important it is to him or her and encourages his or her follower in public.

Appreciation and affirmation should be given sincerely, personally, specifically, publicly and frequently.

Appreciation and affirmation encourages. It is like the oxygen of the soul; everyone needs it and they perform better when they get it. The apostle was always boasting about his followers. “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;  So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:  Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:  Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you” 2  Thessalonians 1:3-6.

It costs little or nothing to affirm others, yet pays great dividends.

Continue reading

KNOWING THE STATE OF YOUR FLOCK AS A CHURCH/CHRISTIAN LEADER SERIES (PART SEVEN) MEETING YOUR FLOCK’S NEED OF MENTORING

          

   Mentoring is simply pouring one’s life into another. Everybody needs mentoring, especially emerging leaders.Elisha is a very good example of someone who passed through mentoring. He was mentored by Elijah. Elisha was taken through all necessary preparation for ministry by Elijah. What mentoring does;

   1.  Mentoring prepares people to replace

   2.  Mentoring is to raise servants or disciples and not lords

   3.  Mentoring teaches the flock patience on God’s timing

   4.   Mentoring teaches the people respect

   5.   Mentoring develops into people sound values

   6.   Mentoring is nurturing, growing and developing

   7.   Mentoring models people to be competent

   8.   Mentoring corrects mistakes and blunders

Jesus mentored his disciples  and made them to progress from ordinary and ignorant laborers  to bold spiritual teachers  in less than one generation.

A Church/Christian leader must be a mentor to his flock, nurture and grow them into God’s purpose for their lives.

Continue reading

KNOWING THE STATE OF YOUR FLOCK AS A CHURCH/CHRISTIAN LEADER SERIES (PART SIX) MEETING YOUR FLOCK’S NEED OF SECURITY AND TRUST.

  

“And he said unto him, God forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing either great or small, but that he will shew it me: and why should my father hide this thing from me? it is not so……… And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the field.  And Jonathan said unto David, O LORD God of Israel, when I have sounded my father about tomorrow any time, or the third day, and, behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee, and shew it thee;  The LORD do so and much more to Jonathan: but if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the LORD be with thee, as he hath been with my father.      

                                                                                                                              1 Samuel 20:2, 11-13

A Church/Christian leader gains more fellowship if he/she could just be trusted and if people find security being with him or her and trusting such leader with confidential information.

Although Jonathan, the son of King Saul was a royal prince, David could fine security and trust in him. Jonathan could have betrayed David’s trust by revealing his secrets to his father, King Saul. Instead, he used his power as a royal prince to protect David from the danger of his father, King Saul. A Church/Christian leader must protect his or her followers’ interest according to the will of God. It will be wickedness for a Church/Christian leader to be revealing sensitive information about a follower to a third party or the general public. Jonathan was;

    1.   Available for David - Availability is a key factor for ensuring security and trust on the part of followers. A Church/Christian leader should be available at any time the followers are in need okf Him especially when it comes to counsel, prayer, instruction and teaching.

    2.   Dependable or Reliable – The flock should always see their Leader in the church as reliable no what the circumstance may be. He shouldn’t be a disappointment but should always be able to render solutions to their challenges any time they come to him/her for help or assistance.

    3.  Responsible for David – Jonathan practically took responsibility of the security of David by revealing his father’s plans to him and making sure that he never caught up with him.

 Because Jonathan ensured David’s safety, he won David’s loyalty. “And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded”. 1 Samuel 20:41.

When Jesus fed the five thousand and the four thousand, he met their immediate needs. He provided security (food security). The disciples wanted him to send the people away with tired and hungry, but he saw that they needed food, he had compassion on them and made sure they didn’t leave hungry.

“And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.  And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed:  Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat.  He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?  He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.  And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass.  And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.  And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.  And they did all eat, and were filled.  And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes.  And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men”.

                                                                                                                                 Mark 6:34-44

See Also Mark 8:1-20

Continue reading

KNOWING THE STATE OF YOUR FLOCK AS A CHURCH/CHRISTIAN LEADER SERIES (PART FIVE) MEETING YOUR FLOCK’S NEED OF KNOWLEDGE AND TEACHING

            

“For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love”.   

                                                                                                                             Ephesians 4:12-16

It is the duty of every Church/Christian leader to meet the knowledge needs of his/her flocks and for the perfecting of the saints. It is the teachings that are imparted on the flock that edifies them and makes them to grow into Christ. It is when the flock receives sound doctrine from its Leaders that they would be able to grow into perfection in Christ and help them to stand firm in faith. The Church Leaders should always endeavor to equip their flock in order for them to be able to meet their life assignment because it their nurturing that will help them to determine which way they should go in life.

In order to meet the knowledge needs of the flock, a leader must do the following;

    Ø  A Church/Christian leader must work on the weaknesses of individual member of his/her flock, but at the same time work out his/her strength.

    Ø  A church/Christian leader must give a reasonable amount of time, energy and focus to meet the knowledge needs of his/her flock.

    Ø  A Church/Christian leader must guide his/her flock to discover her individual assignment, helping them to gain ownership of the assignment.

    Ø  A Church/Christian leader must become resource person for his flock, providing a conducive atmosphere, training, support and tools.

    Ø  A Church/Christian leader should always know that it is his/her duty to empower his/her flock with the word of God.

Also, remember that Church leaders can never empower anyone else until they are first supernaturally empowered by God through the word and prayer. Empowered Church leaders express God’s power and empower others.  

Continue reading