In Numbers chapter 16, an interesting thing happened. Some priests rose up against Moses and Aaron. Moses was just being obedient to what the Lord was telling him to do in leading the people. Korah thought that Moses was wrong in taking that leadership even though Moses was God’s chosen. Korah said,
“You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the Lord’s assembly?” (Numbers 16:3)
How often do we see that very thing happening? People who, out of a desire to control others, attack the God-called and God-placed leadership. We are all important and called by God, but the Minister’s calling is to lead, train, equip, and challenge in love! The man of God called to lead as a Minister will place value in the following…
1. God’s Kingdom to be exalted, not the minister.
2. God’s people to be led by the Word, not pushed around by those wielding it.
3. Relationships of love to be built and strengthened within the faith-family, not a sense of lording-over or unavailability.
4. An outward focus of reaching the lost, along with the desire of equipping the saved.
5. Releasing the saved to serve within the capacity of their spiritual gifts, not being a “Lone Ranger” type staff.
6. An ability to see people for who they can become when surrendered to God rather than who they are living for themselves!
7. An understanding of when to reshape an existing “ministry”, kill the “sacred cow”, and develop new ministries while having a spirit of mercy and restoration for those who struggle with change.
Obviously, making God’s Word a priority and being a Prayerful Leader are BASIC and necessary elements of this Leader’s life.
May God bless us as we, at FBC Weaver, move into God’s future for us under the leadership of our new Pastor, Ron Sweatt! We are excited for what God is going to do in and with us under the leadership of Ron’s ministry!
Ron, we love you and are eager for your arrival in late June! May God bring blessings to your family and the faith-family you leave behind!
May 17, 2010 at 7:06 PM
My prayer has been throughout this process and will be now that we are moving forward that everyone…that means everyone…will accept our new pastor as just that: Our new pastor. We’ve prayed, searched, listened, felt, thought, spoken, and then prayed some more for this man, and I am 100% confident that we have found the one whom God planned for us to find. I also believe that anyone possessing an open mind and heart can’t help but recognize God’s presence within and around Brother Ron and his family. June can’t get here quickly enough for me!