Download Leadership Part 3 Body of Christ

Auckland Deaf Christian Fellowship
Leadership Training Course:
Church Leadership
Tutor: Rev Sandra Gibbons B.Min,
PG.DipEd(Guidance Studies), Cert Min, Cert
Clinical Pastoral Education
How do we make sure that the church has
good and positive leaders that help people
grow and learn more about God?
We should all try to lead/ministered in the way
Jesus did. If that happened, what a wonderful
difference there would make.
What does Jesus want us to do?
Church leaders are the people who lead us and show
us the way Jesus taught. In the past lessons we have
looked at this.
Church leaders are people who put God and others
before themselves and care deeply for the people
God has given them to care for.
The Bible names the Church as the Body of
Christ Jesus, here on Earth. That gives us a
lot of responsibilities and a lot of joy and
love and happiness.
God wants us to behave the same way in the
church and in our communities as God does
in Heaven.
What should the church be like?
How should the church work?
What does the bible tell us
about how the church should
be?
What does this mean?
The church should be like a mini
Heaven on Earth.
We should love God and care for
each other in such a way that
people who look at us want to
come and be with us.
Let’s be honest – THAT DOESN’T
HAPPEN!!
So let us look at how God works.
God is known as three persons, bound together.
God who is often known as the Father, but I prefer the name
‘Parent’.
God, Jesus the Son
God, the Holy Spirit
How are they bound together? I see this as a blinding fire of
love, which we never will be able to touch or understand.
But Jesus’ great gift of love in coming to Earth to die for the
world shows us something of this. It is a love that is never
selfish and always puts others first.
God wants us to show this love, as much as we can, to others.
They always work together for the good of everyone:
those in Heaven and those outside Heaven.
Scary idea for us?
Yes, it is scary to think God wants us to be like this if
we are doing everything ourselves, but working
together makes it possible.
This is how we can work God’s way:
Just as God’s Holy
Body is made up of
more than one
Person, the Body of
Christ is made up of
lots of people- US!
God created us
and we are made
up of carefully
made and
elaborate parts,
(hands, feet,
arms, legs, head
etc) [members]
which are
amazing and
wonderful.
The Bible says, ‘You are the one who
put me together. I praise you because
of the wonderful way You created me’
(Psalm 139: 13 – 14)
This is a word picture to show that
each one of us has a talent that
God will use to build the church
into a family that is special.
Some people, like hands, care for
others.
Some people, like the feet, will
Take people places or bring them
to see others.
Others will share thoughts and
experiences. They will be like the
mind of the group.
What does this
mean?
How does it work?
Why is it
important?
St Paul explains:
St Paul
explains:
Romans 12
verses 4 & 5,
‘Just as each of us has
one body with many
members (parts)1 and
these members (parts)
do not all have the
same work to do; so
in Christ we who
1: hands, feet, head, legs etc.
are many make
one body, and each
member belongs to
all the others.’
[A Member is someone or
something who belongs to
a group, so members of
the body belong to the
body.] Let’s explore
this idea.
God made
our bodies with many
different parts that
work together so that
we will be healthy. We
are an amazing mix
of ‘members’
Our body’s are
wonderfully made.
So much thought
and design has gone
into each member.
They are made to
work together, not
on their own. Each
part is a ‘member’
of the body because
each part belongs
to the body. The
body needs every
part, working
together.
This is a
wonderful picture
of God’s incredible
life in us. Different
members working
together to make
things work.
What part of the of the Body of
Christ are you?
Hand communicating
Eyes: seeing what
needs to be done
Heart: Kindness
Knees: to bend
in prayer
And altogether, the
whole body to praise God
Mind: knowledge
and wisdom
Arms: caring for
people
Stomach: hosting/
feeding people
Legs: strength:
doing practical
work
Feet: going to
meet & visit
people
If everyone only
wanted to be a
hand, how could
the Body work?
Hands are
important, but the
Body needs more
than just hands.
God has made our bodies
with many different parts
(members) and they need to
work together every second
of every day.
This is a picture of how God
works together in Heaven.
We do this by being the
church God wants us to be.
By being members of the
Body of Christ:
Jesus Christ is our head, but
the head on its own does not
get the work done. This is
the way God chose, the way
God wants it to be, so that we
have a share in God’s work.
The work is done by the rest
of the body doing what the
head (Jesus) tells it to do.
Each of us has a place and
work to do that Jesus is
telling us is important. It is
different for each person.
That is why we need
everyone.
1 Peter, chapter: 2, verse: 9 - 10
You are God's chosen and special people.
You are a group of royal priests and a
holy nation. God has brought you out of
darkness into his marvellous light. Now
you must tell all the wonderful things
that he has done.
Each one of you has a special place and
a special importance. We can feel
pleased and delighted that God has done
this for us.
Here is God’s promise for the ADCF.
I will walk with you;
I will be beside you;
I will lead you and I will not get tired (fed
up) of you or lose hope in you.
I will love you with all my heart and I will
give you a name that will be above other
names because I will lead you.
I will be your God and you will be my
people.
We will walk together side by side:
You and I, we are one.
Ps 33: (parts)
You are the Lord’s people. Obey him and celebrate!
God deserves your praise.
Praise the Lord!
The Lord is truthful and can be trusted
The Lord loves justice and fairness, and is kind to
everyone everywhere on Earth.
The Lord made the heavens and everything in them.
We rely on You, Lord, to help and protect us, because
we trust You, the only God.
Be kind and bless us! We depend on You.
Our God tells everyone in the church to care for
other people. We are all God’s family and we are
told to work together to make this life better for
everyone.
Romans 12: 9 – 14
Be sincere in your love for others. Hate
everything that is evil and hold tight to
everything that is good. Love each other as
brothers and sisters and honour others more
than you do yourself. Never give up. Eagerly
follow the Holy Spirit and serve the Lord. Let
your hope make you glad. Be patient in time
of trouble and never stop praying. Take care
of God’s needy people and welcome strangers
into your home.