Leadership Challenge in the Local Church

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16 Jun 2008 – DUMC will have renewal and revival meeting daily for 1 week.

Keeping the Vision Clear (Acts 26:19)

Act 26:19 Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision

 

Paul declared the good news to the gentiles. He pressed on and refused to be stopped by whatever problems he faced.

It's so easy to be distracted by the many things we are doing. We can also be discouraged when things are hard are difficult, when the demands are great and when things are not going as we want. We can get frustrated and angry and start mumbling. We get tired. We get upset about small little things.

The way to guard ourselves from such situations is to focus on God's vision. This will prevent us from losing sight. We must know exactly what God wants us to do in the local church.

Look up, refocus.

Keeping Our Passion High

After a while, our passion can go low or even die. We begin to serve God with our own strength. If we want to keep our passion high, hang around people who are passionate, who has high energy, it will rub off. If we want to be like the eagle, don't hang around chicken.

Attend leadership conference so we can be built up, inspired and be passionate again. Renew our vision to move on to fulfill God's vision.

Recognizing That We Are All In For The Long Haul (Heb 12:1-3)

Heb 12:1-3 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, (2) looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (3) Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

 

We are running a marathon, a long distance race. The original word from marathon, athon means agony. Our life is a race. Everyone is involved in a race of life. We are not just to run it and finish it. We should run it well and finish it well.

We must be physically fit. We need to exercise to keep fit. If we want to serve God for the long haul, it's incumbent for us to be fit. Do not let our physical health hinder our service. We are also to be spiritually healthy.

Three secrets to keep healthy

1. Looking to Jesus (v2) – Let there be no wasted years, months or weeks in our lives.
   
2. Joy of the LORD (v2) – Jesus suffered scorning, suffering and even death. But for the joy set before Him, he endured it all. We need to keep the joy of the LORD in us. We influence others. If we have no joy in us, the joylessness will be passed on and that is not a fruit of the spirit.
   
3. Think about Jesus (v2) – Do we think no one has gone through our situation and our problems? Jesus has gone through all.
   

Raising Two Generation Leaders

As leaders, we must always remember to raise leaders. Not just the next generation leaders to take over from us but also the 2^nd generation to take over the next generation who takes over from us. We must think long term. We are thinking ahead of 40 to 50 years of the ministry. While we build up leaders / pastors of 30 to 40, we need to also think about those in the 20s.

Leadership Challenge Facing the Church

Ethnic Polarization

People won't interact with those from other ethnic groups or cultural background. The church must increasingly reflect the multi-ethnic society. In Malaysia, we are hit with ethnic polarization. As people of God, we should not take part in this. We must love everybody and anybody. We must be the alternative voice in the world. We are the new race that will bring hope and healing to the world.

Economic Disparity

The rich are getting richer and the poor poorer. Greater disparity may take place as prices of many things will go up. How the Church of Jesus Christ can bring justice to such situations? If we believe the church is the answer to the world, is our behaviour reflecting it?

Political Divisiveness

This will continue to challenge us. Politics are so clearly demarcated along ethnical lines. Races pulling apart to jealously guard their own interests while ignoring the rights of others, it is NOT the design of God. When we begin to believe and think like that, it's frightening what can happen to our country. We cannot sit back and do nothing. We must raise our concerns. We must pray for God to give us wisdom. We must pray for God to raise up Daniels.

Relevance to Society

Are we a church whereby we have no connection to the society (city and nation)? Does the society see the church as salt and light? Is it relevant to the society? The place that needs the church the most is not within the four walls of the church, it is outside. We need to reengineer our church so it can connect to the society and be relevant to them. Christian leaders in social organizations do not know how to carry themselves. We must learn to ease in and be there for the society.

There are common issues we face together in Malaysia, e.g. education, burial places, etc. We must come together to talk.

What is Needed for national transformation?

Need for Commitment to the nation (Acts 17:26)

Act 17:26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place

 

God has made us Malaysian not by accident. There is a reason why God put us here. Unless and until we are clear what God wants us to do, we should not move to another country. Otherwise it may not work for us. There are things that happened that become a concern for us. But as a people of God, we need to look to God and see with our spiritual eyes what God's plan is for us.

Engagement with the Community

We need to get involved in the lives of the community. We need to invest. If we don't sow we don't reap. DUMC rented the 1^st floor of the Klang Bus Station to do street ministry. The church must get out to serve and be a blessing. It can be the business world, the political scene, the media, etc. We go and win for Jesus Christ.

Church-planting

The best way to evangelize a country is to plant churches. Let these churches be the light in the countries.

Faith to Believe God for Influence & Impact

Believe that God can use us to make a difference in our land. The church is the media to bring healing and restoration.

Revitalization of God's People & Revival of the Church

Isa 64:1,4-5 Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence …
(4) From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him. (5) You meet him who joyfully works righteousness, those who remember you in your ways. Behold, you were angry, and we sinned; in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved?