Podcasts about elder board

Title: Qualities of an Elder Text: Acts 20:13-27 FCF: We all struggle when our leaders are ungodly. Prop: Because an Elder must be and continue to be blameless, so all Elders and would be Elders must endure in these same qualities. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to Acts chapter 20. In a moment we'll read from the Legacy Standard Bible starting in verse 13. You can follow along in the pew bible or in whatever version you prefer. Last week we noted Luke's shift in focus as his book hastens toward its close. Since the remainder of the book is concerning Paul's travels to Jerusalem, his imprisonment, his travel to Rome, and imprisonment there – Luke now shifts his attention to the character, person, and instructions of Paul. He began this last week by focusing on Paul's top priority. To the expense of himself, Paul desired greatly to instruct God's people in His ways. This was his primary objective. Such clarity in purpose reveals to us how all church leaders should prioritize the spiritual instruction of God's people. Today we will lean even more into the discussion of what godly church leaders should be, as Paul summons the Elders of Ephesus to himself to give them parting words of instruction before he goes on to Jerusalem. Let's see what he has to say. Please stand with me to give honor to and to focus on the reading of the Word of God. Invocation: Most Holy God, we come to You as Your children seeking wisdom and instruction from Your Word. We praise You Father for giving through Your Son and empowering through Your Spirit, undershepherds who care for the flock that You have claimed as Your own. We praise You for sending watchmen among us to watch out for wolves and to feed and to guide us. We pray that You would use this text this morning to equip us to understand and pursue all that You have given us regarding godly Elders. And we pray desperately that You would continue to bless us with men who love You and are called to serve. We ask this in Jesus' name amen. Transition: Let's get right to the text this morning. I.) Paul demonstrated the qualities necessary for all church leaders, so all Elders and would be Elders must endure in these same qualities. (13-21) a. [Slide 2] 13 – But we, going ahead to the ship, set sail for Assos (AH-sohs), intending from there to take Paul on board; for so he had arranged it, intending himself to go by land. 14 - And when he met us at Assos, we took him on board and came to Mitylene (my-tell-EEE- knee). 15 - And sailing from there, we arrived the following day opposite Chios (KEY-ohs); and the next day we crossed over to Samos (SAM-ahs); and the day following we came to Miletus (my-LEE-tuhs). 16 - For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost. 17 - Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called to him the elders of the church. i. [Slide 3] On the screen behind me is the travel map of Paul and his 8 companions. ii. Luke records that by the plan of Paul, he desired to go by land from Troas to meet them in Assos. iii. Since this was Paul's plan all along, and we aren't told why, it is likely some unknown-to-us reason that Paul desired to travel by land on the first leg of the journey to Assos (AH-sohs). iv. More than likely, this took a couple days for Paul to catch up. v. Then they all sailed to Mitylene (my-tih-LEE-knee). Then the next day they came to what Luke calls the opposite of Chios (KEY-ohs). By this he probably intends the eastern side of the island of Chios as the map depicts. vi. Then the next day they came over to Samos (SAM-ahs), which is the unnamed island on the bottom. vii. Then the following day they came to Miletus (my-LEE-tuhs). viii. Miletus is about 25 miles south of Ephesus. ix. It has probably been about two years since Paul was in Ephesus at this point. x. Here Paul is faced with a dilemma. He loves the church of Ephesus and the Elders whom he helped to appoint and guide in that city. But he knew that if he stopped in to Asia to meet with them, he would be held up there. Most likely because of the love they had for him and he for them. xi. But, Paul is being led by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem and to make it before Pentecost. xii. Most likely, Pentecost is only a few weeks away when he lands in Miletus. xiii. Nevertheless, Paul cannot ignore the church in Ephesus completely. He had spent 3 years ministering to them. So, what is he to do? xiv. Paul decides to send for the Ephesian Elders to come and meet him. b. [Slide 4] 18 - And when they had come to him, he said to them, i. From verse 18 through verse 35 we have recorded for us one of the fullest expressions in the scriptures of what Elders are to be and what Elders are to do. ii. We will take half of his exhortation this week and next week we will look at the rest. iii. The first half is mostly Paul instructing them from his own example. c. [Slide 5] “You yourselves know, from the first day that I set foot in Asia, how I was with you the whole time, i. The very first thing Paul exhorts them with is his own example of how he ministered in the city of Ephesus. ii. From their own observation and experience, they know that Paul was with them the whole time. iii. This probably is not referring to Paul staying with someone, or not leaving the city. iv. More likely this is Paul indicating that he lived his life before them. They observed him in the most basic functions of human existence all the way to worship services, and evangelism, and discipleship, and preaching, and prayer, and everything in-between. v. He was not separated from them but was with them. vi. But what did they observe of him while he was with them? d. [Slide 6] 19 - serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials which came upon me through the plots of the Jews; i. They saw Paul under pressure. ii. [Slide 7] And the first pressure they observed Paul endure was his own flesh battling against his pedigree. 1. Paul had every reason to be proud. He began a successful church in the city of Ephesus. He taught for three years avoiding persecution from the Ephesians for almost the entire stay. 2. He was a good speaker. He was wise. He was followed by many. 3. Not only that but he was a Pharisee of the Pharisees, a Roman citizen, and well-respected by many powerful people. 4. But in the midst of this the Ephesian Elders observed that Paul served the Lord in all humility. 5. Paul put the needs of others above the needs of himself. 6. He was meek, he was lowly. He was a servant to all. 7. He did not demand that others wait on him, instead he became the servant to them for the sake of Christ, his Lord. 8. He did not expect due compensation for all his work like the traveling philosophers and preachers of his time. Instead, he was content with whatever he had. 9. In this way, Paul served the Lord, as merely a slave to His master's will. iii. [Slide 8] The second pressure they observed Paul endure was the weight of his mission. 1. Paul served the Lord with tears. 2. Paul was passionate about the mission and the message that he was sent by Christ to give. 3. Paul wept with them and plead with them to follow the Lord. 4. Paul cried with tears of joy as they came to Christ and turned from their sin and their idols. 5. Paul no doubt shed many tears when many of them confessed their former dalliances with magic and as they burned their books in rejecting their former ways, never to go back. 6. Paul mourned the tragedy of those who denied Christ, many of whom were his own kinsmen. 7. Paul wept over believers who chose to continue in sin and did not desire to be corrected, like with the Corinthians. 8. Paul sobbed tears of joy when the Corinthians repented and returned. 9. Paul cried over false teachers making shipwreck of believers' faith. 10. Truly Paul's mission was weighty. iv. [Slide 9] The third pressure they observed in Paul was the persecution from the Jews. 1. Paul served the Lord even with his trials. 2. He rejoiced in suffering at the hands of the Jews. For His own Savior had suffered also at the hands of the Jews. 3. He endured the many plots from them all over the empire and even in Ephesus, to destroy him and the message he taught. 4. Through it all, Paul's eyes were on Christ, knowing that he could endure all of it and more through Christ who gives him strength. v. Paul did not bow to the pressures he faced. He had excellent moral character and spiritual strength. He was blameless. vi. But what did he do with such noble character? e. [Slide 10] 20 - how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, i. Against secret societies, hidden knowledge cults, Gnosticism, free masonry, scientology, Mormonism and any other religious group that trickles out secret knowledge to those who are loyal… ii. Paul did not withdraw or shy away from sharing with them everything he knew that was profitable for them. Everything that was expedient to them, he told them. iii. These mystery cults and philosophical and religious gurus ensure that you will continue to support them or their faith by holding back information you need, until you have sufficiently paid for it. iv. Not Paul. v. Paul gave them everything he knew that could help them. vi. He knew a good deal more about the law and about Judaism and about being a Pharisee. But this was not expedient to them. It was not profitable. But the things of Christ? The way of faith? The grace of God? vii. Of these, he told them everything he could. viii. And he didn't do it privately to only a few wealthy people, as if to peddle this gospel for personal gain. ix. Instead, he shared all this publicly, teaching in the hall of Tyrannus. And when those discussions continued, he went to houses and taught too. x. There was no membership fee, no subscription model, no downloadable content. xi. He passionately pursued any who desired to be taught the ways of the Lord. f. [Slide 11] 21 - solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. i. Finally, we see Paul say that they observed the undeniable fact that he, with great seriousness and sincerity, bore witness to both Jews and Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus. ii. Paul shared the gospel, even after the church was founded there in Ephesus. iii. And he shared the gospel to every person he came in contact with regardless of their heritage or lineage. iv. We know that the Jews were despised and mocked in Ephesus. We know from the letter to the Ephesians Paul emphasizes the church being one made of both Jews and Gentiles. v. Paul passionately and sincerely bore witnesses to all men about the command of God for all men to repent toward God and receive faith in Jesus. g. [Slide 12] Summary of the Point: Luke dutifully records Paul's exhortation to the Elders of Ephesus as he commends them to continuing the work there in their city. Paul's opening point is the track record that he exemplified while he was among them. He was a man who selflessly served the Lord by serving them, through tears and trails. He taught them in season and out of season. He reproved, rebuked, corrected and instructed them in all that was helpful to them, and he did the work of an evangelist calling all kinds of men to repentance toward God and faith in Christ. But they knew all this. They observed him for three years being this kind of man. So, what is Paul's message? What is Luke telling us? Quite simply – the church needs this caliber of man to be Elders. In fact, for every Elder or would be Elder, it is safe for us to conclude that this should be our character profile. Transition: [Slide 13 (blank)] Paul leaves the past and now looks to the uncertainty of the future. Will he be the same man? Will he make changes? If the pressure increases, will he break? II.) Paul will continue to demonstrate these qualities despite the cost, so all Elders and would be Elders must endure in these same qualities. (22-27) a. [Slide 14] 22 - And now, behold, bound by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 - except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that chains and afflictions await me. i. Paul leaves the past and now looks to the future. ii. He knows that he must go to Jerusalem. We saw before how he resolved to go to Jerusalem and now, we see that this was by direct leading of the Holy Spirit. iii. Paul has no idea what to expect when he arrives. It has been about 5 years since he last went to Jerusalem. He went there after his second missionary journey and before heading to Ephesus. iv. In fact, the only thing he does know is what the Holy Spirit continues to remind him of in every city he visits. v. Really it is the prediction that Christ gave to Ananias at Paul's conversion. Jesus said, “I will show him how much he must suffer for My name.” vi. The Holy Spirit has revealed that many afflictions and imprisonments await Paul in the near future. vii. So, he doesn't know what will happen in Jerusalem, but he does know that he is going to suffer imprisonments and afflictions for the name of Christ. viii. What is the moral fiber of Paul? What is his outlook here? b. [Slide 15] 24 - But I do not make my life of any account nor dear to myself, i. Paul is holding his life loosely. ii. He is not fighting to stay alive at all costs. He is not striving to avoid all pain and anguish. iii. If the Holy Spirit has revealed that this is God's will for him – it would be foolish to resist and to fight against it. iv. Paul will not flee like Jonah. v. Why? c. [Slide 16] so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God. i. Jesus gave Paul a job to do. ii. He is to go and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to Jews, to Gentiles, and to Kings. iii. Well, so far, he has not proclaimed the gospel to kings. iv. He has certainly had audiences with many powerful and wealthy people. Some of them have even come to Christ. v. But, to date, Paul has never stood before any rulers to preach the gospel. vi. So, his mission is not complete. vii. Here we see again his desire to sincerely or solemnly testify to the gospel of the grace of God. viii. There are many perspectives on soteriology. For the last four hundred years the church has been enamored with the discussion of Arminianism vs. Calvinism. ix. I'm not going to talk about either right now. x. But one thing is for sure. If the gospel you believe is not a gospel of God's grace, then it is not the gospel at all. xi. So, what is grace? 1. We have all memorized the quick definition – unmerited favor. 2. And that is a fine definition of the word grace. 3. But if we are talking about God's grace and specifically God's grace in salvation, which is what Paul is talking about here, I do not believe the definition “unmerited favor” is sufficient. 4. So, how would I define God's grace in salvation? 5. It is simply this. God accomplishes 100% of our salvation. 6. There is no step that God has left to us in order to be saved. 7. According to Romans 3:24, we are justified as a gift by His grace through Christ's redemption. 8. [Slide 17] Another way to remember what grace is, is by the acronym for GRACE 9. God's 10. Riches 11. At 12. Christ's 13. Expense 14. God delivers the gift of all his riches, indeed sonship and becoming heirs to His throne, at the expense of Christ. 15. Notice that this still has nothing to do with us. Our response isn't factored in yet, for God has given His riches because of the redemption of His Son. 16. Now this isn't denying that there are necessary responses flowing out of that gift of justification by grace through Christ's work. 17. In fact, in the other instance in this text in which Paul talks about sincerely testifying about the gospel he explains the command and the responsibility of Jews and Greeks to respond in repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ. 18. But God uses our repentance and faith, both of which the scriptures teach us are ALSO gifts He gives to us, God by grace uses this gifted repentance and faith as means to unite us to our gifted justification. 19. [Slide 18] To suggest that God has accomplished even 99.9% of our salvation and waits on us to do the other .1% - is to make another gospel… one that is not GRACE - God's Riches At Christ's Expense, but is in fact, God's Riches Awaiting Mankind's Submission. I know that spells GRAMS which isn't great… 20. [Slide 19] but My point is not for you to remember GRAMS but GRACE! 21. Call yourself an Arminian. Call yourself a Calvinist. Refuse to take a title. It matters very little. 22. But if your gospel is not ALL of God – then it isn't the gospel of the Grace of God that Paul preached. And that means… it isn't the gospel at all. d. [Slide 20] 25 - And now, behold, I know that all of you, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will no longer see my face. i. Now Paul laments the fact that most likely, he will never see any of the Ephesian Elders again. ii. Is Paul being overly dramatic here? iii. No. Paul knows that his future will be full of all kinds of difficulties. iv. And as far as we know, Paul never did return to Ephesus. Paul will go to Rome as a prisoner. He will be release and then spend time in and around the Adriatic Sea between Italy and Greece, and potentially even going as far as Spain. But eventually he will be imprisoned for the last time and beheaded by Emperor Nero. v. So no, Paul isn't being dramatic. vi. He went among them and preached the Kingdom of Christ- of which they were now a part and working to do the same. vii. But never again will he see them. viii. In light of this, Paul wants to say one more thing about the future… and specifically their future. Then he will move to exhorting them. ix. We won't get to the exhortation this week, but let's look at what Paul says about their future… e. [Slide 21] 26 - Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all. 27 - For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. i. Much like God commanded Ezekiel in Ezekiel 3:17 and 18 warning him to be a watchmen for the people and warn them when God tells him to warn them, Paul recuses himself from any guilt that might be placed on him for the spiritual futures of any of these Elders present with him, and for any of the church in Ephesus. ii. Why? iii. Because he did not hesitate to tell them all that God had revealed. iv. If any of these Elders bring a different teaching or slip away from the teaching Paul gave either by adding to it or taking from it – it is not a charge that can be laid on Paul. v. And if they lead any of the Ephesian church members into apostasy or heresy – it cannot be blamed on Paul. vi. Why? vii. Paul did not hesitate to tell them everything God had given him. The whole purpose or counsel of God was available to them through him. viii. Again, this goes back to his statement that he didn't withdraw from telling them everything that was profitable or expedient to them. f. [Slide 22] Summary of the Point: As Paul looks to the future and understands that there is no hope for things to improve. In fact, things will most certainly get worse, for the Holy Spirit has revealed as much to him. But Paul's intention is to continue to exemplify these qualities and these passions. He desires to continue to be used up, to be emptied out, all for the sake of the gospel of God's grace. His desire is to leave no one's blood on his hands, but like a good watchman, he has told everyone all that they must hear to participate in the kingdom of Christ. Despite a bleak future – Paul intends to continue to exemplify these qualities, until he is extinguished. My friends… Elders and those who would be Elders someday… Is this us? It must be. Conclusion: So CBC, what have we learned today and how then shall we live? Doctrinal Takeaway: [Slide 23] All of our truth points come from Paul's example. This may be challenging for us to receive because Paul is merely a man, but when we understand that these qualities in this text are merely a reflection of who Jesus is and what He demonstrated, we then understand that the qualities Paul has demonstrated are simply those he has received from Christ. But if we were to look at the two letters Paul wrote to Timothy and Titus concerning the qualifications for Elders, we would see a remarkable but unsurprisingly similar 1 to 1 connection between those qualifications and the qualities Paul demonstrated to the Ephesians. Paul is blameless, temperate, sensible, respectful, apt to teach, not a brawler but considerate, peaceable, free from the love of money, he had a good reputation with those outside the church, he was not selfish, nor a liar to cheat people of money, he loved what was good, he was righteous, holy, self-controlled, and he held fast the faithful teaching of the gospel, proving to be able to exhort others in sound doctrine, doing the work of an evangelist, and was able to reprove those who contradicted the gospel. In that sense, Paul's life becomes an illustration of what qualities we must look for in men who are or desire to be Elders. And if we are Elders or desire to be Elders, Paul's example becomes a good template to compare ourselves to. But let me seek to apply this text today, primarily to Elders and would be Elders, but also to the congregation as a whole. 1.) [Slide 24] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that blamelessness is the chief qualification of an Elder. a. All the qualities Paul puts forward in this text are summarized in the basic qualification of blamelessness. b. Blamelessness is the quality one possesses in which it is impossible to find fault with someone. c. This does not, of course, speak to perfection. All men continue to battle and kill off their sin in this life. If the standard were perfection and true sinlessness, then only Christ could be given the title of Elder. d. Instead, blamelessness takes on a legal quality. In the law of moses it took two or three witnesses to bring someone to trial and find them guilty. e. Similarly, we see in I Timothy 5, Paul outlines the process for the discipline of an Elder. If two or three witnesses are not available to substantiate an accusation of sin against an Elder, then the accusation is not even to be heard. But if two or three witnesses confirm that an Elder is in sin, the Elder must be rebuked. f. This again instructs us as to the exact nature of the qualification of blamelessness. g. In order for a man, who desires the office, to be qualified for it, it must be impossible to achieve the necessary quorum among the body to accuse the man of living in sin. In fact, being blameless would imply that any such accusation would be hard to fathom considering the character of the man in question. h. Blamelessness does not mean sinlessness, but it does mean that there is no sin that is cherished, nurtured, encouraged, or befriended by this Elder. They desire the death of sin in their hearts and keep their accounts short. i. Looking at the rest of the qualifications we can see how all of them flow out of or into this one quality of blamelessness. j. Why must the man be blameless? k. Think about an Elder's responsibility. He is to guard the souls of the little lambs of God, serving as an undershepherd below the Great Shepherd. l. Such a place, such a responsibility, such a position given to a man who no one really trusts, or who when a rumor floats around people say, “well that does sound like a sin he would be doing.” Such a man cannot possibly watch for the souls of others… for others much watch out for his soul instead. He would be a liability to the children of God and the rest of the leadership. m. How can an Elder teach or lead someone in holy and Christlike lifestyles when he himself is ensnared and overcome by sin? n. So, by way of application for us this morning, we diverge into a few groups of people. i. First, if you are a man in this congregation, you need to consider blamelessness to be your command. 1. Whether you are an Elder or not, as a man in our congregation we still possess the innate headship of our home meaning that we are in essence an Elder of our family. 2. We have the responsibility of watching out for the souls of our wife and children or future wife and/or future children. 3. Such a role requires us to be the spiritual leader of our family. Setting the example in thought, word, and deed. Exemplifying Christlikeness. And pursuing Christ before our family and leading them to Him. ii. Second, if you are a man in this congregation who desires the office of an Elder, you must first be blameless. 1. No amount of biblical knowledge can make up for lacking blamelessness in your character. 2. No amount of teaching prowess can make up for lacking blamelessness. 3. No amount of kindness, gentleness, rule following, leadership, or charisma can make up for lacking blamelessness. 4. If a man is perfect in every way, and gifted as Paul was for ministry but was known for indulging in a specific sin… such a man is still unqualified to be an Elder. 5. And it is not enough to be blameless until you become an Elder… now you must live blamelessly not only before your family and the church, but before the other Elders as well. iii. Third, if you are an Elder in this church, let this be a healthy reminder to us that we must continue to be blameless. 1. We must continue to serve the Lord in humility. We must continue to serve Him and His church with tears and with endurance through persecution. 2. We must continue to declare the whole counsel of God to His people, sparing no teaching that is profitable and expedient to them. 3. We must continue to solemnly testify to all men the gospel of God's grace and implore them to turn from their sin and to God through faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord. 4. My friends, we must be blameless. And we must make sure we hold each other to that standard. iv. Finally, if you are none of the above, you must pray for and seek out leaders who are blameless. 1. It is the congregation's responsibility to only seek out and receive Elders who are blameless. 2. And if a Prospective Elder is put forward for consideration, who you do not consider to be blameless, you must make your concerns known to the Elder Board. 3. Although we have only been Elder led for a few years now, there may come a time in the future where the Elders put forward another man we have considered to be qualified to be an Elder in our church. 4. You have a solemn responsibility to make your concerns known to us. Perhaps you know the man in a way we do not. o. For the sake of the church and the purity of the gospel message, Elders must be blameless. 2.) [Slide 25] Refutation: “What lies must we cast down” or “What do we naturally believe, or have been taught to believe, that this passage shows is false?” We must deny that Elders can hold others to a standard they do not meet. a. Nothing Paul will charge these men to do next week are things that Paul has not already demonstrated and done himself. b. Paul is not instructing the Elders in Ephesus to do something he would not or could not do. Instead, he is instructing them to be like him and continue doing what he was doing. c. There is a common saying in ministry and it is something like, “the spiritual maturity of the body can never exceed the average spiritual maturity of its leaders.” d. If such a thing could be measured mathematically, we could conclude that if the spiritual maturity of the Elder board was averaged to be 50% conformity to Christ (again, these are very crude numbers – just follow me for the sake of the illustration) – If this were so, then the church body cannot possibly be expected to exceed that maturity. e. Thus, if the Elders are a group of power-hungry little kings vying for their own slice of the church pie – imagine what such a church would be? f. Regardless of whether you are an Elder, a would be Elder, or a member of this body – this is still further incentive to find men who are blameless to lead. g. Because if they are not blameless, the church won't be anywhere close to blameless. h. An Elder can only preach and teach that which he has repented of and submitted to in His own life. i. Elders must practice in example what they intend to preach from the scriptures. 3.) [Slide 26] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must pray for godly leaders. a. This works out in two specific ways. b. First, we must pray for God to give more godly leaders to us. i. Unfortunately, Jerry Gunst isn't going to live forever. Neither is Nick, or CJ, or Justin - and even though I am not even 40 yet, I have already begun praying for and looking for a young man who could potentially replace me as the Primary teaching Elder of the church. ii. Our lives seem so long in some ways – so long that we procrastinate on things that go beyond our lifetime. iii. And yet life is so short in other ways. So short that by the time we do realize we need to plan for the future beyond our lives, it is too late. iv. Even now, we can be in prayer for the future Elders of Columbus Baptist Church. v. We can pray that God would give grace to save and shape and mold young men to rise up to the challenge of blamelessly shepherding God's people. vi. You can start that today. Every week I pray through our membership directory. And when I come to a name of a boy – I pray that God would raise him up to be godly and that he might become a future Elder or Deacon of this church. vii. Be in prayer for the future leaders of our church. Even if you will be long gone before they take office… be in prayer. c. Second, we must pray for the leaders we currently have to be godly. i. Occasionally some of you get a sneak peek into the lives of we Elders. ii. Occasionally you are exposed to the trials, the tears, the pains, the hardship, the difficulties we face in leading this church. And that is all in addition to the normal trials and troubles we face in our families and in our personal lives… And most of your Elders actually have ANOTHER job that they do that has its own set of difficulties. iii. My point is, that we… NEED.. your prayers. iv. I would even say that we are desperate for them. v. And don't just pray that we be healthy, that our kids are healthy, that our bodies are healthy… no… please… pray especially that God would protect us from the schemes of the devil and the principalities and powers that seek to destroy us to get to you all. Pray for that first. vi. I'd rather die of cancer having lived a godly life, than live forever having rejected my Lord's commands. And I can confidently say that that is true for all the Elders. vii. Pray for our physical needs – but not at the expense of praying for our spiritual protection and godly wisdom. 4.) [Slide 27] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” Elders, we must be Watchmen for these people. a. Notice how Paul twice emphasized that he declared the whole plan of God and all that was profitable to the Ephesian Elders when he was with them. He did this to the extent that if any of them walked away from this truth and their faith failed and they were cast into the lake of fire… then he would not be to blame for it. b. We too are watchmen of these people. c. May none here have the luxury of saying in that final day, “But that Elder didn't tell me everything. He never told me the fullness of your plan or the teachings that were of great expediency to me.” d. May we teach with our words and our lives all that is necessary to be known so that in the final day we are innocent of all blood, having watched out for all the souls in our charge. e. Let us not grow weary in our labor. But let us press on brothers. 5.) [Slide 28] Comfort: “What comfort can we find here?” or “What peace does the Lord promise us in light of this passage of scripture?” A plurality of biblically qualified Elders is one of the greatest gifts Christ has given His church. a. Who wouldn't want a bunch of little Paul's looking out for them? b. Who wouldn't want a bunch of little Christ's guarding them? c. God has called and equipped men to lead His church. They are mere men, which means they are not perfect. But they are equipped by God, blameless, so that even when they fail, they humbly seek forgiveness and make appropriate changes. d. Who else would we want leading our church? e. What a great comfort it is to have godly men leading. f. May they remain godly so that we may thrive as the church of Christ. [Slide 29 (end)] Let me close with a prayer by the Reformer Thomas Becon Lord Jesus Christ, you are the true and everlasting Bishop, the mirror and pattern for all faithful pastors both in life and doctrine. You came down from God your Father not only to be our Redeemer, but also our teacher, to open and declare to us the mysteries of the holy Scriptures. We humbly pray now that in your mercy you would look upon your poor and scattered flock, whom you have purchased with your most precious blood. Send us shepherds who will diligently seek the lost sheep, lovingly carry them on their shoulders, and faithfully bring them home again. Lord, you see how great the harvest is, and how few the workers. You are Lord of the harvest. Send us into the harvest! And take away from us those false prophets who come to us in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves. Take away those false anointed and false preachers, who by their subtle doctrine would bring us into error. Grant also, O Lord, that these true shepherds may accurately and reverently minister your holy mysteries to us… [that we may have] our faith … established, confirmed, and strengthened. And may we be comforted and made strong against the gates of hell, the devil, the world, the flesh, the curse of the law, sin, death, desperation, and all that is hostile to us. May their shepherds hands not be stretched out to receive, and slow to give. But establish in them a mind that is content, and willing to spend for the relief of the poor, that they may feed the flock both in word and deed. You commanded your apostle Peter three times to feed your flock. And you gave this command not only to Peter, but to all your apostles-even to all pastors who follow. Deal with your flock, most faithful Shepherd, according to your promise. Raise up faithful and diligent shepherds who may feed their flocks with your life-filled word, lead a good life, and maintain hospitality for the comfort of the poor. And in all things may they behave according to your will and commandments. So when you, the most high Bishop and chief Shepherd, appear, may they receive the pure and spotless crown of glory. In Jesus' name we pray this. Amen. Benediction: May the Lord grant you The love that leads the way, The faith that nothing can sway, The hope no disappointments can dismay, And the passion that burns like fire. Until we meet again, go in peace.

Every church leader I know is looking for best practices for ministry. But one of the most important doesn't sound that exciting: having a healthy governing board. If they can't work together on the big mission and vision, it's really hard to have a healthy church. 5 Moves to cultivate a healthy board.

Today we're joined by Matt Holden, who just began a new term on the Elder Board. However, this is not Matt's first time serving as an Elder, as he previously served two, three-year terms, and he was even the Elder Chairman for part of that time. But after a few years off, Matt is returning to the Elder Board, and he is excited about the ways that God will use his skillset to serve the church. Matt is passionate about helping others in their time of need, and that plays out daily in his career in the insurance industry. Today he is sharing how he's seen God weave that thread of helping others throughout his life, and why he believes it's so important to be Kingdom-minded in all that we do.

Installation of Elder Board

This week we explore what biblical authority looks like in spaces like parenting, work, and the church. Our first Elder Board was commissioned by our body at The Rim on August 4, 2024! LaShaude James

What do you do when people have negative opinions of you? Do you feel uncomfortable or insecure when you feel out of control? Then, you may be surprised when you read the story of King Saul. This king was a people-pleaser and his desire to please people often meant he was tempted to disobey God's instructions. In this message, Chris Inman (a former pastor and a member of Cornerstone's Elder Board) shares about his battle with people-pleasing and how he's learning to reject the model of Saul in his life and leadership.

What do you do when people have negative opinions of you? Do you feel uncomfortable or insecure when you feel out of control? Then, you may be surprised when you read the story of King Saul. This king was a people-pleaser and his desire to please people often meant he was tempted to disobey God's instructions. In this message, Chris Inman (a former pastor and a member of Cornerstone's Elder Board) shares about his battle with people-pleasing and how he's learning to reject the model of Saul in his life and leadership.

Rocky's Elder Board provides updates regarding the Lead Pastor transition.

In addition to being an elder, Jay Weaver is also one of Calvary's Global Partners, based stateside in Lancaster County. Jay has a deep, historical connection to Calvary Church, and his knack for analytics makes him a valuable asset to our Elder Board. Jay's story is a reminder to all of us just how important it is to take the time to remember God's faithfulness in our lives. To hear the stories of our two newest elders, be sure to check out episodes 57 and 59 of Pursuing Life! Do you want to publicly celebrate the work that God is doing in your life? Submit your story at calvarychurch.org/shareastory

Ken Schuetz is CEO and Founder of Aligned Influence, a professor at the University of Colorado in the Leeds School of Business, and the author of “Aligned Influence.” In this conversation, we address a major topic in church leadership - elder board governance. Ken's model offers a way forward from Biblical Eldership toward a healthier responsibility of elder governance. Support the show!! - https://www.patreon.com/chasedavis“Aligned Influence” - https://amzn.to/3PQDUyKAligned Influence - https://alignedinfluence.com/Support the showSign up for the Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/chasedavisFollow Full Proof Theology on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fullprooftheology/Follow Full Proof Theology on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/fullprooftheology/

Teacher: Tiffany Dahlman Class 1: Preachers, have you been frustrated with your elders over matters of theology or mission? Elders, have you felt anxiety or confusion over your pulpit minister's theology? Very often Churches of Christ hire pulpit ministers with advanced degrees in Bible and ministry while the elders do not have any such formal training. Elders may be rich in faith and love for the flock, but the formal training distance between them and the preacher can wreak havoc on a congregation. Some have called this an "upside-down polity" where those without formal training in Bible and ministry are the authority over the ministers who do have such training. As a result, conflict ensues, misunderstandings abound, and church growth stymies. This class will offer several ways for churches to overcome the dark side of the upside down polity system so that ministers and elders can work together and the formal training gap can dissolve without compromising a plurality of leadership or the greater gifts.

This episode we're interviewing Charlie Bailey, a lifetime Bethel family member and currently serving on our Elder Board.

Topics: Stained Glass, the Steeple, Pulpits, Pews, Constantine, Early Church Fathers, Basilica, Bishop, Bishop's Chair, Throne, Catherdra, Cathedral, House of the Throne, Elder Board, Deacon Board, Ecclesia, Cyprian of Carthage, Egyptian Pyramids, Body of Christ, 1 Corinthians 11-14Ashley T Lee PodcastAshley T. Lee Podcast will cover many life issues such as overcoming stress, anxiety...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showSign up for Matt's free daily devotional! https://mattmcmillen.com/newsletter

Topics: Bishop, Cathedra, Throne, Bishop's Chair, Elder Chairs, Elder Board, Sermon from Bishop Chair, 1 Timothy 3, Male Nor Female, Matthew 19-20, Serve to be Great, Gentiles Lord it Over ThemLink to "A Church Building Every 1/2 Mile": https://www.amazon.com/Church-Building-Every-Mile-Christianity/dp/097652225XLink to Pagan Christianity: https://www.amazon.com/Pagan-Christianity-Exploring-Church-Practices/dp/1414364555/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1665601499&sr=1-1Link to The UnSunday Show with Mike Adams: https://www.unsunday.com/Melchizedek ChroniclesInterviews with Pastors and people of faith on very interesting topics. Topics include:...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showSign up for Matt's free daily devotional! https://mattmcmillen.com/newsletter

Pastor Andrew Schmidt continues the sermon series, “People of Presence”. This week we focus on intercession for the church as a whole body. Celebrate's Elder Board shares scripture and prayer with us at the end of the message.

In this podcast episode, we heard from Kevin Norton, a long-time Elder at Red Mountain and Chairman of the Elder Board. It was great to learn about his faith journey and his job insuring churches, and as he prepares to transition into Elder Emeritus, what serving as Chairman has been like for him all these … Continue reading Episode 34: Kevin Norton ft. Co-Host Bob Fox →

Welcome to the Sanctuary Podcast! In this week's episode we're honored to have Steve Thorne on the show. Steve is the Chairman of the Elder Board at Black Rock Church and has be an active leader here since 2002. He shares his life perspectives on unity and diversity in the Church and the Kingdom of God. STAY CONNECTED // Sanctuary Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wearesanctuary/ // Sanctuary Website - https://www.blackrock.org/sanctuary/ HONOR | MERCY | GERNEROSITY Sanctuary is the young adult community of Black Rock Church built on living out the honor, mercy, and generosity found in the love and life of Jesus.         BRC Musicbed SyncID: MB01W4PF6DKXYWA

Episode 464 Oletha Barnett, author of Diversity of a Different Kind Oletha Barnett is a theologian, a lawyer, and a conflict resolution specialist who has directed the conflict resolution ministry at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, TX for decades. She was commissioned by the Elder Board for conflict resolution work. She is also an adjunct professor at Southern Bible Institute & College, and founder of Conciliation Services LLC, which provides services to churches, other organizations, and individuals She serves on the Board of Peacemaker Ministries, is a Certified Christian ConciliatorTM, Certified Management Specialist, Certified in Christian Prevention Relationship Enhancement, and Certified Human Behavior Consultant. She holds a BS in Mathematics, Juris Doctor, and Master of Arts in Christian Education from Dallas Theological Seminary. In her new book Diversity of a Different Kind, Oletha Barnett offers a unique viewpoint to resolve conflict, heal wounds, restore relationships, address and correct sin, and unify the church In a world rife with the issues of division of every kind. Conciliation Services Web Site: https://conciliationservices.com/ ----more---- Ukraine Relief Below are some trusted organizations that you can partner with to meet needs of refugees from Ukraine and around the world. Fred Heumann's Article in Christianity Today: https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2022/february-web-only/ukrainian-christians-church-worship-songs-war-and-peace.html Serve Ukraine Web Link: https://actintl.givingfuel.com/serveukraine Nazarene Compassion FB: https://www.facebook.com/nazcompassion Caritas does great work in Crisis: https://www.caritas.org/2022/02/carit... Mercy Corps is fantastic: https://www.mercycorps.org/blog/human... A local Ukrainian non profit that has been serving traumatized children for years: https://voices.org.ua/en/ Alliance for a New Immigration Consensus Tell your Senators you support meaningful bipartisan immigration reform  Urge President Biden Not to Leave Behind Persecuted Afghans  Project Alpha  Afghan Advocacy Resources  Protecting Ukrainian Refugees  https://alinoorani.org/   Rick Lee James Official Web Site https://www.RickLeeJames.com Shine A Light In The Darkness - The Latest Single From Rick Lee James  Get The Single: https://rickleejames.hearnow.com/shine-a-light-in-the-darkness Music Video:   Rick Lee James Playlist on Spotify: https://t.co/S7nCRl0xqa Just for fun Sign Petition For Weird Al Yankovic Super Bowl Halftime Show  https://chng.it/FgrK2kFZ

Episode 464Oletha Barnett - Author of Diversity of a Different KindOletha Barnett is a theologian, a lawyer, and a conflict resolution specialist who has directed the conflict resolution ministry at Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, TX for decades. She was commissioned by the Elder Board for conflict resolution work. She is also an adjunct professor at Southern Bible Institute & College, and founder of Conciliation Services LLC, which provides services to churches, other organizations, and individualsShe serves on the Board of Peacemaker Ministries, is a Certified Christian ConciliatorTM, Certified Management Specialist, Certified in Christian Prevention Relationship Enhancement, and Certified Human Behavior Consultant. She holds a BS in Mathematics, Juris Doctor, and Master of Arts in Christian Education from Dallas Theological Seminary.In her new book Diversity of a Different Kind, Oletha Barnett offers a unique viewpoint to resolve conflict, heal wounds, restore relationships, address and correct sin, and unify the churchIn a world rife with the issues of division of every kind.Conciliation Services Web Site: https://conciliationservices.com/Ukraine ReliefBelow are some trusted organizations that you can partner with to meet needs of refugees from Ukraine and around the world.Fred Heumann's Article in Christianity Today: https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2022/february-web-only/ukrainian-christians-church-worship-songs-war-and-peace.htmlServe Ukraine Web Link: https://actintl.givingfuel.com/serveukraineNazarene Compassion FB: https://www.facebook.com/nazcompassionCaritas does great work in Crisis: https://www.caritas.org/2022/02/carit...Mercy Corps is fantastic: https://www.mercycorps.org/blog/human...A local Ukrainian non profit that has been serving traumatized children for years: https://voices.org.ua/en/Alliance for a New Immigration ConsensusTell your Senators you support meaningful bipartisan immigration reform Urge President Biden Not to Leave Behind Persecuted Afghans Project Alpha Afghan Advocacy Resources Protecting Ukrainian Refugees https://alinoorani.org/Rick Lee James Official Web Sitehttps://www.RickLeeJames.comShine A Light In The Darkness - The Latest Single From Rick Lee James Get The Single: https://rickleejames.hearnow.com/shine-a-light-in-the-darknessMusic Video:Rick Lee James Playlist on Spotify:https://t.co/S7nCRl0xqaJust for funSign Petition For Weird Al Yankovic Super Bowl Halftime Show https://chng.it/FgrK2kFZ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rickleejames.substack.com/subscribe

If you can't stand the heat, as a pastor you must stay in the kitchen! When the crazy hits the fan, you'll likely get splattered on, but you have to keep your cool. Jeff talks about what to do in difficult situations with people in your church. He shares the story of a board meeting that went off the rails. (The names were cloaked to protect he guilty!) Enjoy!Support the show

Today's interview with Jim Glass is incredibly moving. Jim has been attending Desert Springs since 2001 and has served in many different capacities throughout the years including the Elder Board. However, Jim's childhood and early life were very tumultuous. His mother was bipolar and his father was an alcoholic which resulted in moving around a lot and being in foster care at times. He himself began to struggle with alcohol at a young age and he fell into the chase of always looking for the next best thing. But even in the midst of those incredibly difficult circumstances you can see God's faithful hand all throughout Jim's life. You are going to be so inspired by this interview as you hear about God's healing and the breaking of generational curses. Jim challenges us to have a perspective of being aware of the positive and good things that God has done no matter what the circumstances are. We hope that you know that God has not only been faithful to Jim but has been faithful to you. God's hand is in your story too. You do not want to miss this conversation and we think you'll be filled with hope. For more information about The Impact Project visit dscchurch.com/impactprojector email Shawn Jones at shawn@dscchurch.com.Would you please subscribe and leave us a review? This will help our podcast reach more people! We'd love it if you'd share this podcast with your friends on social media and beyond. Join us next Wednesday to hear another story of God's faithfulness!

In this special episode of SDBC Podcast, our hosts Pastor Paul and Mary are joined by Pastor Jordan and Dave van Til (Chairperson of the Elder Board) to discuss the importance of slowing down from our busy lives to take Sabbath seriously. Sabbath is a part of God's design, and it is good for us to enjoy it, but what does it look like to enjoy Sabbath in our modern context? The team explores this question based on biblical and theological insights. We invite you to carefully consider how you will keep Sabbath and plan ahead to make this happen.You will want to listen to the very end of this episode to catch the special announcement near the end.

On this episode of the 1 Ministry Question podcast, Todd Adkins and Daniel Im discuss what a healthy elder board looks like and how you find the right people for your elder board. QUOTES FROM EPISODE 7 "Elders are overseers of the church; deacons are typically responsible for assisting the pastor in serving the church.""The board's responsibility is to protect, guide, and pray for one another, our staff, and our church.""As elders, we need to model being ideal church members.""You are on the board, not your spouse." RECOMMENDED RESOURCES Boards That Make a Difference by John Carver Elders and Leaders by Gene Getz Biblical Eldership by Alexander Strauch 9 Marks Church Elders by Jeramie Rinne 9 Marks Finding Faithful Elders and Deacons by Thabiti M. Anyabwile

“Today's sermon is given by a guest teacher, Dorman Followwill. It should be noted that Mr. Followwill includes several personal opinions in his sermon that do not represent Cole's position on these topics. You are encouraged to use discernment as you view today's sermon.” Elder Board

Matthew 20:20-28; 1 Peter 5:1-3 We're right in the middle of our September teaching series simply entitled, “We are Crossgate.” At Crossgate Church, we have a definition of a disciple that goes like this: “A disciple is a growing follower of Jesus, who lives and loves like Jesus and leads others to follow him.” If we're going to “live and love like Jesus,” then that means we should also L-E-A-D . . . lead like Jesus in whatever context he has placed us. If you're a parent . . . lead like Jesus. If you're an older sibling . . . lead like Jesus. If you're a supervisor of anyone in a professional context . . . lead like Jesus. If you're a husband . . . lead like Jesus. If you're serving in any leadership capacity in this church . . . lead like Jesus. We're going to see today that servant leadership is the ONLY way to lead.       1)  The Gold Standard for Servant Leadership (Matthew 20:20-28)  Who is the gold standard for servant leadership? Who is the ultimate pace setter? Jesus Christ! When Jesus was teaching his disciples on this matter, He drew a comparison between (1) on the one hand worldly power and selfish ambition and (2) on the other hand godly posture and selfless submission. He said, “If you want to be great, you've got to be a servant; if you want to be first, you've got to be last.” You've heard me say it before and I'll say it again, “The higher you go, the lower you must be willing to become.” After giving them his expectation, Jesus then referred to his example—he said, “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve.” In other words, Jesus put his money where his mouth was. There's nothing more powerful than an example, and Jesus knew how to give an example, didn't he? Regardless of where and in what capacity you lead, I want to strongly encourage you to live, love, and LEAD like Jesus!          2) The Pace Setters in Servant Leadership (1 Peter 5:1-4) Let's talk about leadership in our church. We've got several types of leaders at Crossgate—LifeGroup leaders, Deacons, Trustees, Ministry Team Leaders, Pastors, Staff, and Elders—and I would expect that all of our leaders are pace-setting, servant leaders. But when it comes to leadership . . . and servant leadership, in particular . . . where does the buck stop? Yes, it stops with the Elders. (1 Timothy 3:1-7) (Titus 1:5-9) In the New Testament, each local church had multiple Elders, men appointed by the apostles and key leaders to be responsible for everything that happened or failed to happen in that church. As the Lead Pastor at Crossgate Church, I'm also the Lead Elder. I am absolutely committed to setting the pace at Crossgate Church. In fact, I've got four priorities for myself as your Lead Pastor and Lead Elder that I've had since day one, December 8, 2019: (1) preach the Word, (2) love the people, (3) lead the leaders, and (4) set the pace. “I am what I am by the grace of God—and not without result. I worked harder than all of them; yet not I, but the grace of God that is within me.” (1 Corinthians 15:10) I've challenged our elders along these same lines. And I'm proud of our Elders. Yes, we gather monthly in the conference room to make big decisions on behalf of our church. But they've also shown themselves to be pace-setting servant leaders—from leading LifeGroups and Discipleship Groups to being “basin and towel” men who serve in children's ministry and waiting tables on Wednesday nights in Wholly Grounds. So as we prepare to enter into our nominating process this week, I urge you to bathe this in prayer. Our Elders are the foundation of our leadership here at Crossgate Church and we all need to ask God for wisdom and direction as we add proposed leaders to our Elder Board. I am a huge proponent of transparency, and if you have ANY questions about this process, you can reach me directly at phil@crossgate.org. 

This Lord's Day, we will be privileged to have the chairman of our Elder Board, Gene Andersen, preach a farewell address to the QBC family. Gene is relocating to California and this will be his last Lord's Day morning with us. We have been blessed and honored by his example and sacrificial leadership for over sixteen years, and though we feel sadness, we rejoice in God's goodness of having the Andersen family with us these many years.

Paul had called an Elder Board meeting for the church in Ephesus to meet in Miletus with the primary goal of warning them about wolves, false teachers, but it's not all business. They know that he is leaving, but he has also announced that they will never see each other again this side of heaven, resulting in lots of weeping. Paul, however, has some final words of consolation and encouragement...that will encourage us as well. Part 62 from the "Acts: We're on a Mission from God" series. North Chapel is a part of the Scottsdale Bible Church family Sunday Worship Services | 8:30am & 10am (Arizona Time) Join us live at https://www.nclive.net​ Previous Sermon Messages: https://www.northchapel.net/sermons-series

We're excited to have Brian Dueber, who is a member of our Elder Board, share today. Brian is sharing from his heart on the topic of prayer.Join us each Sunday on Youtube, Facebook, or here on our website each Sunday for our 10:00 am service.

At the heart of the Gospel is reconciliation. Jesus’ prayer was that His church would be one. During this message, Dave Dummitt will preach about the ethos of reconciliation, Jesus’ vision for His church, and how that starts at the individual level. Are we pursuing peace and reconciliation in the relationships around us? Dave will address reconciliation at Willow; sharing about ways the Elder Board and senior leadership team have been pursuing reconciliation with those hurt and broken from Willow’s recent history. Dave will teach towards ways we can link arms with the “Big C” church and go farther together. Dave will also teach towards racial, political, socioeconomic, and other needs for reconciliation.

This episode is designed to give you a taste of what you can expect in our upcoming EFCA West cohorts starting in March. Click here to register for the Elder Board Cohort and here for the Mid-Level Leader Cohort. Each cohort will consist of five two-hour sessions and is designed to leverage the benefits of peer-level learning, relationship building, and practical insights so that you can become better in either of these vital roles in the church. As you listen to this episode you'll hear EFCA West Director of Church Health Bob Osborne and District Superintendent Tim Jacobs discuss the what makes these two areas of church leadership succeed and what tends to trip them up. Hopefully you'll want to join in on the conversation and the experience of learning together by taking advantage of either of these cohorts.

Growing an RIA with Charitable Giving Andrew Aran, Regency Wealth Management – The Sharkpreneur podcast with Seth Greene Episode 484 Andrew Aran Andrew Aran joined Regency Wealth Management as a Partner in 2010 after a two-year affiliation with LPL Financial and over 18 years in Alliance Bernstein’s Fixed Income Division. As a Senior Vice President, he formed and headed Alliance’s corporate bond research group, managed institutional global credit portfolios, a credit-oriented hedge fund, and a retail balanced mutual fund. He has also helped manage numerous institutional and retail bond strategies including open end and close end mutual funds and money market funds. His prior experience includes research roles at PaineWebber, Citibank, and Standard & Poors after being a Relationship Manager at The Chase Manhattan Bank. A visible and respected professional, Andrew has been published in Institutional Investors, authored a case study in Fabozzi’s Bond Credit Analysis: Framework & Case Studies, has been quoted in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal; has been quoted or interviewed multiple times on Bloomberg and CNBC and has spoken at numerous financial conferences around the world. He also served on Markit iBoxx’s Oversight Committee. He is a member of the CFA Institute, FIASI, NYSSA (bond and stock analysts associations), and is an Associate member of The National Association of Personal Financial Advisors. Andrew earned a B.A. from Rutgers University in 1978, an M.B.A. from Fordham’s Graduate School of Business in 1980 and was awarded a Chartered Financial Analyst designation in 1986. He served as President of the Bergen County Chapter of the New Canaan Society from 2011-2015 and still remains active within the organization. Andy is currently a member of the Advisory Board of Street 2 Street and is on the Christian Health Care Center’s Foundation Board. He previously Chaired the Trustee Board at Star of Hope Ministries in Paterson, N.J. He is a member of Grace Church of Ridgewood where he has served on the Elder Board and their finance committee. He is blessed by his marriage to Cindy and with their three children. Listen to this informative Sharkpreneur episode with Andrew Aran about growing an RIA with charitable giving. Here are some of the beneficial topics covered on this week’s show: ● How sharing the work of a client between people helps better serve the client. ● Why delivering excellence to their clients leads to word of mouth advertising. ● How investments have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. ● Why it’s important to keep your clients informed and served right now. ● How you can create brand awareness by being involved in the community. Connect with Andrew: Guest Contact Info Facebook facebook.com/RegencyWealthMangementNJ LinkedIn linkedin.com/company/regency-wealth-management Links Mentioned: regencywealth.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Elder Board & Lead Pastor Carter McInnis July 26, 2020

It is critical to have Godly leadership in your church. However it can be very dangerous to rush the process of appointing elders in the church

Rev. Susie is the lead pastor at Summit Ave Presbyterian Church. She is an ordained minister, MDiv from Princeton Seminary and a Doctorate from Fuller Seminary. She leads the congregation in worship and discipleship as well as pastoral care and counseling. Summit Avenue church kicked off the year by issuing this Statement of Inclusion:Summit Avenue Presbyterian Church welcomes all persons regardless of race, ethnic origin, worldly condition, sexual orientation, or gender identity. All the sacraments, celebrations, privileges, and responsibilities of church participation and leadership are available to each person who responds in trust and obedience to God's grace in Jesus and desires to become part of the mission and ministry of Christ's Church.    It came not from her but from her congregation. The words were intentional and purposeful, going through many drafts with feedback from the elders and the congregation to engage.  The statement had to reflect all people and was built on scripture and responding with trust. The statement was the culmination of a twenty-year long conversation beginning with a pastor who had a family member that came out. This cracked open the conversation but nothing formal was done. In 2011, the Presbyterian Church changed an amendment in their constitution that allowed churches to decide for themselves whether they would be affirming and inclusive, which made it possible for the discussion to happen at the leadership level. Three years ago, the outreach team lead the way in wanting to welcome people from the LBGTQ community. "We learned that advocacy work isn't just for people on behalf of others, it has to be with [them]."So the church began to have conversations with people in their congregation, in their families and in their community.  It takes more than just putting a rainbow flag out, there has to be conversations.  The team spent a year did research, had interviews, they looked up resources. Then in 2018 the Elder Board decided to spend a year doing a Bible Study, followed by inviting the entire congregation to read with discussion groups, have conversations, and Susie preached a sermon series. She calls it "Presbyterian Standard Speed" because they do not move quickly. Danielle acknowledges that it's honoring to take the time and space to engage the conversation. There is sometimes a resistance to the long commitment to the process, starting with  awareness, an evaluation of your beliefs, and a willingness to step into doubts in your faith. The decision to become inclusive wasn't just made by the leadership and then told to the congregation. It was a gift to allow the congregation to participate in the process, engaging and deciding for themselves what they believed and supported. Then when the statement was made, the congregation had some ownership in it.  Doing it this way allowed for each person to have the confidence to engage the conversation, not just Susie as their Pastor.  The resource they used for this process was first and foremost was the Bible. The Bible is also used for the against this conversation, so always starting with the text as the primary source.   The tool they used was a book called "Jesus, the Bible and Homosexuality: Explode the Myths, Heal the Church" by Jack Rogers. The book starts with asking how do we interpret the Bible? How is it that we come to the Bible? He outlines the 7 guidelines for biblical interpretation. Is it through the lens of Christ? Are we keeping the context? Does it follow the Rule of Love?Ultimately the bible has been misused for centuries to justify slavery, never mind that the whole arc of scripture is God's heart to free people from slavery.  And the same with oppressing women even though God honors and gives voice to women throughout scripture. The author engages the "clobber" passages... Susie unpacks the Sodom and Gomorrah: Sodom has been used an example of destruction, but at times the prophets zero in on the sin of Sodom and shed light on why God destroyed it. Isaiah 1:10  says the sin of Sodom is meaningless worshipJeremiah 23 says the sin of Sodom is adultery and worship of other godsEzekiel 16:49 “‘Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.Wisdom of Solomon 19:13-14 "They practiced a more bitter hatred of strangers. Sodomites refused to receive foreigners when they came to them.”So the sin of Sodom is pride, gluttony, idolatry, not helping the poor and needy, and not receiving foreigner... not homosexuality. The term "Sodomite" came from 6th century Emperor Justinian, condemning sex between men punishable by death. Jesus in Luke 10 says “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.'But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say,‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.' ... I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town."Jesus' judgement  on Sodom was not welcoming the stranger and foreigner. And we (Americans) are not doing that well right now either. Susie says it is important to also study the positive passages like about creation, John 1 "Nothing has come into being that did not come from God."  And God's heart for all people: Welcoming Gentiles. The central issue for the Jews was whether or not the gentiles would be circumcised--saying what they do with their private parts impacts their ability to belong. God is bigger than that! We are not created wrong. When the congregation completed the 10 week study through the book, they asked Susie to preach a sermon series and offered to tell their stories too. The series, "Let there be Light" has scripture lessons from Susie and people sharing their own stories. They did have obstacles and push back. The first was just being clear about what they believe. Brene Brown says, "Clear is Kind. Unclear is unkind." Some people didn't know the church was affirming and inclusive, it wasn't fair to them. There were also people who left because it was too uncomfortable to engage the conversation. Another obstacle was assumptions, "Of course you would" mentality on both side of the conversation. The hope they have for a church is offering a place where people can have the conversation.  "We can have hard conversation. We can do hard things." These hard conversations are what leads to transformation. When you engage in these conversations and dig in to scripture you can ask, What else have been missing? It's an opening of your heart to push and pull, give space and take space. Susie is reading: Kate Morton novel  called "The Distant Hours" and "Boys and Sex" by Peggy OrensteinSusie is listening to: Armchair Expert podcast with Dax Shepherd Susie is inspired by: Celtic Daily Prayer book and her chickensYou can connect with Susie or hear her sermons online at http://www.summitave.net/ or find her on facebook.Her church meets Sundays at 10:30am at 403 S Summit Ave, Bremerton, WA 98312Some events coming up for Summit Ave:Social Justice bookclub. March book: Evicted by Matthew Desmond.March 29 – Joint Worship service with Samoan church with Marwan Cameron from G2 Bremerton speaking on homelessness, housing insecurity in Kitsap.Booth at Kitsap Pride this summer – July 18 Evergreen Park

Pastor Adam and the Elder Board speaking today

In Training Wheels episode 9, Pastor Jeff Wheeler and his wife Shirlene wrap-up their interview with Jon and Stephanie Hiatt. Jon is on the Elder Board at Central, and he and Stephanie have been long-time members of the church. This week's episode focuses on how we can stay involved in our kids' lives by keeping an eye on their social media interactions, how college recruiters and companies are checking on our kids' character through social media, and how you can help your kids live in the light when it comes to their online engagement. The Training Wheels podcast exists to help parents better understand how they can talk with their kids about God's truth while also living it out in their own lives as examples.

In Training Wheels episode 8, Pastor Jeff Wheeler and his wife Shirlene interview Jon and Stephanie Hiatt. Jon is on the Elder Board at Central, and he and Stephanie have been long-time members of the church. This week's episode focuses on the challenges and opportunities of raising kids in a tech-driven, smartphone-obsessed society, and how you can create and establish guidelines with your kids when it comes to how they use technology and social media. The Training Wheels podcast exists to help parents better understand how they can talk with their kids about God's truth while also living it out in their own lives as examples.

A Sunday morning sermon by Pastor David Singh. This week we consider the election of new elders for Eternity Church. Our elders are chosen through a discernment process guided by the Holy Spirit. The Nomination Committee does not meet or discuss who to choose. Each committee member spends time listening to the Spirit and then they come with names, which are presented to the others at their first meeting. The committee's task is to observe the convergence of the Spirit and list the names that are common. These names are then given to the Pastor; he has also been praying and made a list of his own. The common names from the different lists are then presented to the Elder Board. The Elder Board approves this list and presents it to the congregation for a vote. During this whole process, the congregation is also given the opportunity to propose names. After the congregation has voted on the names, the newly-elected elder nominees are invited to explore and demonstrate their call over a period of one year. This gives the church the opportunity to observe their ministry and for the nominees to test their own calling. It is only after this probationary period that elected nominees are ordained as elders. They serve a period of three years in the congregation and the church at large. I am deeply grateful that over the years this process has helped us to find elders whose distinguishing marks are: servanthood, humility, prayer, discernment of the Spirit and people of character who command respect both in the church and in the world. Come with prayer and thanksgiving for what God is doing among us!

These are the things we bump into again and again in transitional ministry. Don’t let these things happen in your church!

This week's Leadership Tidbits with Coach Tee Wilson features Alandes Powell.  Alandes Powell recently joined Fifth Third Bank in October 2018 responsible for Controls supporting the various Lines of Business in Operations. Alandes formerly served as Senior Vice-President and Director at Citi Cards, a division of Citigroup. She was responsible for the strategic development and oversight of a Portfolio within Cards Retail Services. Mrs. Powell has over 30 years of experience in the financial services arena. She also served as Director of Collection’s Program Management Group where she directed initiatives supporting 13 sites and eight lines of business impacting over 3.5 million customers. She has held a number of positions at Citi including; Unit Manager, Trainer and Sr. Project Manager. Alandes is an active member of the community serving in a number of capacities over the years to include: Urban League of Southwestern Ohio Board of Directors, Past Chair of the Urban League of Greater Cincinnati Advisory Board, YWCA Board of Directors, Brighton Center Board of Directors, Assistant Director of a youth sports organization, Elder Board of Inspirational Baptist Church, Motivational Speaker for Adults and High School students and Prior Co-Chair of the Academic Scholarship Committee at Triumph Church. She is a graduate of Leadership Northern Kentucky, Urban Leadership Program, and member-alumna of Leadership Cincinnati Class 41. Alandes currently serves as Board Chair of the Greater Southwestern Ohio Urban League and was the recipient of the YWCA Career Woman of Achievement in 2013 and Cincinnati Enquirer/Greater Cincinnati Foundation Woman of the Year in 2018. A native of Dayton, Ohio, Mrs. Powell attended Fort Valley University an HBCU located in Fort Valley, GA. Mrs. Powell from the very start of the show was ready to inspire. She explained how important her seat at the table was not only to her, but to all of those who will come after her. For all you leaders out there, Mrs. Powell cautions you with the advice, “The worst thing a leader can do is play the victim.” She then continued with letting us know how important it is to authentically be yourself in whatever field you are in. “Everyone does not get to go on your professional journey with you.” Mrs. Powell continued to explain that everything you do everyday is leadership. If you have any sort of leadership quality, you are always leading by example, with or without a title attached to your name. Overall, Ms. Powell gave us tons of amazing leadership tidbits. Here are a few to remember: Treat people the way you would want your loved ones to be treated, find time to just do you, have a great core group of friends you can trust, tell people no (politely), study harder than the person next to you, be open to change and fall in love with feedback. Lastly, give grace to people, stay in the present, and never let anyone make you do something that makes you question your integrity. Check out the full podcast to hear more of Alandes Powell’s thoughts and leadership advice!!

In this episode, Bill Hendricks and Dr. Gary Brandenburg discuss selecting good elder board and developing leaders in the church. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Bill Hendricks and Dr. Gary Brandenburg discuss selecting good elder board and developing…

In this episode, Bill Hendricks and Dr. Gary Brandenburg discuss selecting good elder board and developing leaders in the church. The post What Makes a Good Elder Board? appeared first on DTS Voice.

Voices In My Head Podcast Episode #290: Tripp Fuller and the Road To EdmondThis week we welcome guest Tripp Fuller to Voices In My Head.Tripp the founder and host of the #1 theology podcast, Homebrewed Christianity. As an author, speaker, podcaster, and professional theologian he is committed to bringing the best resources from the academy to the church so we can brew a more robust faith today. Tripp is also the star and co-writer of the new film, The Road To Edmond. (http://theroadtoedmond.com/) The following is a Synopsis of The Road To Edmond from IMDB.comCleo loves his life as a youth pastor in suburban Denver, but his genuine support for a teenage girl has put his job in jeopardy. When the church's Elder Board becomes aware of the situation, he's asked to take two weeks off to consider his actions and the impact on his role in ministry. Distraught by the arrival of this news via email, Cleo grabs a backpack and bike to hit the road and figure out what's really true. His journey takes a turn toward Edmond, Oklahoma, when he hitches a ride from a mysterious traveler named Larry and his dead father. Larry's intense skepticism along with a string of peculiar signs causes Cleo to question more than his relationship with the teen...he questions the very existence of Love.----more----Your Host: Rick Lee James RickLeeJames.com Blessings,Rick Lee Jameswww.RickLeeJames.com  This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rickleejames.substack.com/subscribe

Voices In My Head Podcast Episode #290: Tripp Fuller and the Road To Edmond This week we welcome guest Tripp Fuller to Voices In My Head. Tripp the founder and host of the #1 theology podcast, Homebrewed Christianity. As an author, speaker, podcaster, and professional theologian he is committed to bringing the best resources from the academy to the church so we can brew a more robust faith today. Tripp is also the star and co-writer of the new film, The Road To Edmond. (http://theroadtoedmond.com/)   The following is a Synopsis of The Road To Edmond from IMDB.com Cleo loves his life as a youth pastor in suburban Denver, but his genuine support for a teenage girl has put his job in jeopardy. When the church's Elder Board becomes aware of the situation, he's asked to take two weeks off to consider his actions and the impact on his role in ministry. Distraught by the arrival of this news via email, Cleo grabs a backpack and bike to hit the road and figure out what's really true. His journey takes a turn toward Edmond, Oklahoma, when he hitches a ride from a mysterious traveler named Larry and his dead father. Larry's intense skepticism along with a string of peculiar signs causes Cleo to question more than his relationship with the teen...he questions the very existence of Love. ----more---- Your Host: Rick Lee James  RickLeeJames.com  Blessings, Rick Lee James www.RickLeeJames.com  

Our yearly annual report and "state of the church" from our Executive Pastor Mo Thieman, joined by the Elder Board.

In this episode of the Engage & Equip Podcast, John Sekutowski (Communications Coordinator), Kent Rawhauser (Chariman of the Elder Board), and Nic Gibson (Head Pastor) talk about security within the local church.

In this episode of the Engage & Equip Podcast, John Sekutowski (Communications Coordinator), Kent Rawhauser (Chariman of the Elder Board), and Nic Gibson (Head Pastor) talk about security within the local church.

In this episode of the Engage & Equip Podcast, John Sekutowski (Communications Coordinator), Kent Rawhauser (Chariman of the Elder Board), and Nic Gibson (Head Pastor) talk about security within the local church.

The Church of Eleven22 is A MOVEMENT for all people to discover and deepen a relationship with Jesus Christ.“God did not start this movement for us to stop it.” – Deb Petersen (wife of the chairman of the Elder Board)

How can pastors connect with gifted lay leaders in their church? How can they leverage this relationship to be on mission together? Larry and Bob Osborne (and yes, they are brothers) bring a unique perspective on the answers to these questions. For three decades, Larry Osborne, senior pastor at Northcoast Church in Vista, CA, has engaged and involved talented and gifted lay leaders in his congregation for Kingdom ministry. Through his books and frequent speaking to pastor groups, including the PRC, he has provided strategic insight and encouragement to pastors across the nation. Bob Osborne has been one of those gifted laypersons, serving for almost four decades through his church, Grace Church in Glendora, CA. He's done everything from working with pre-schoolers to teaching adults to serving as an elder for 20 years, including 10 years as Chairman of the Elder Board. His “day job” was serving as a Commander with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department where over the course of his career, he led the Major Crimes Bureau, the Detective Division, and the Homeland Security Division until his retirement in 2012. Bob’s passion to see local churches be led by healthy leadership teams is now being lived out as the Director of Church Leadership and Organizational Development for the Western District of the EV Free Church. The format of this PRC will be a little different in that it will be more of a “give and take” conversation between Larry and Bob in response to pastor's questions.

On October 5th, we'll have a congregational meeting about a few big things: our constitution, our affiliation with the EFCA, & our name. Here's a special announcement that we made on Sunday to help bring everyone up to speed. If you consider GVF your home, we'd love for you to join the conversation at one of our focus groups or contact one of the Elders.

Jonny and Jeff talk dysfunctional boards with Small Church Pastor Coach Dave Jacobs. (Disclaimer: not that we pastors aren't dysfunctional!) If you are struggling with your board, Dave, Jonny, and Jeff share some encouragement with you in this episode.

The Elder Board speaks to us about unity in the church body during this time of transition in choosing a senior pastor.

Have you discovered that there are certain things people don't like to talk about? I, for one, don't like to talk about things I don't understand. When the engineers on our Elder Board start talking about their work, I get very quiet because I understand very little about technology and I don't want to call undue attention to my ignorance by trying to participate in the conversation. Here's another topic most people avoid talking about - their weight. Pretty much everyone thinks they weigh either too much or too little, it seems, so we just avoid the topic altogether.

Have you discovered that there are certain things people don't like to talk about? I, for one, don't like to talk about things I don't understand. When the engineers on our Elder Board start talking about their work, I get very quiet because I understand very little about technology and I don't want to call undue attention to my ignorance by trying to participate in the conversation. Here's another topic most people avoid talking about - their weight. Pretty much everyone thinks they weigh either too much or too little, it seems, so we just avoid the topic altogether.