Empowering Leadership: Embracing Challenges with Faith

Today’s gathering centered on the heart of biblical leadership and how God calls His people to face challenges—both as a church and as individuals. We began by celebrating the life of our community, sharing birthdays and upcoming events, and remembering our purpose: to develop a passion for God and compassion for people through the life-changing message of Jesus Christ. Our four pillars—exalting Christ, equipping His people, engaging the world, and expecting His return—remain the foundation of all we do.

Turning to Acts 6, we explored how the early church encountered a significant challenge: as the number of believers grew, so did the needs within the community. Some widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food, revealing both the blessings and the complications of growth. The apostles recognized they could not meet every need themselves without neglecting their primary calling to prayer and the ministry of the Word. Rather than seeing this as a failure, they saw it as an opportunity to multiply leadership and empower others.

The process the early church followed is instructive for us. First, they clearly identified the challenge, refusing to act on rumor or preference but seeking the truth and comparing it with Scripture. Next, they collaborated with the congregation, seeking out individuals of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, to take on new responsibilities. This was not a popularity contest, but a call to spiritual maturity and consistency. The congregation intentionally selected these leaders, and the apostles commissioned them through prayer and the laying on of hands, symbolizing both spiritual empowerment and community recognition.

The results were profound: unity increased, the Word of God spread, and the church grew—not just numerically, but in depth and reach. The faithfulness of God was evident as the church expanded locally, regionally, and even globally, fulfilling the very mission Jesus gave in Acts 1:8. We are reminded not to cling to past successes or become short-sighted, but to remain open to God’s leading, ready to reorganize and expand our vision as He directs.

As we shared communion, we remembered that our acceptance before God is not based on our own righteousness, but on Christ’s. The indwelling Holy Spirit empowers us to face every challenge, and God’s peace is available to us in every season. May we each consider how God is inviting us to draw closer to Him and to one another, especially in the midst of our own challenges.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Identify and Define Challenges with Clarity and Discernment When facing challenges, it is essential to move beyond vague complaints or personal preferences and seek to identify the real issue at hand. The early church did not act on rumors but investigated the facts and compared them with biblical principles. This approach prevents wasted effort and ensures that our responses are rooted in truth and love, not just tradition or convenience. [33:09]
• 2. Collaboration and Delegation are Marks of Healthy Leadership True leadership is not about doing everything oneself, but about empowering others and sharing responsibility. The apostles recognized their limitations and invited the congregation to participate in selecting new leaders. This collaborative spirit not only multiplies effectiveness but also fosters unity and accountability within the body of Christ. [36:38]
• 3. Spiritual Maturity, Not Popularity, Qualifies Leaders God’s standard for leadership is not based on charisma or popularity, but on spiritual maturity, consistency, and a life marked by the Holy Spirit and wisdom. The process of selecting leaders should be intentional, prayerful, and rooted in observation over time, rather than hasty decisions or superficial criteria. [37:22]
• 4. God Grows His Church When We Organize Around His Priorities When the church reorganized to meet new needs, God responded by growing the church in unity, depth, and reach. Spiritual empowerment, local and regional growth, and even global expansion followed as the church aligned itself with God’s mission. Our willingness to adapt and expand our vision is often the very context in which God brings new life and fruitfulness. [43:52]
• 5. Letting Go of the Past Opens Us to God’s Future Clinging to past methods or successes can blind us to the new things God wants to do. Like Kodak’s failure to embrace digital technology, churches can become short-sighted if they fear change. Faithfulness means being willing to step aside, reorganize, and invite new leadership so that God’s mission can move forward unhindered.
  
  ** [48:37]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [02:25] - Announcements and Birthdays
• [14:52] - Call to Worship and Psalm 57
• [15:26] - Communion Reflection
• [16:05] - Prayer for the Church
• [17:10] - The Lord’s Prayer
• [19:18] - Prayers for Individuals
• [19:48] - Introduction to Leadership Series
• [20:51] - Jesus’ Model of Leadership
• [22:38] - The Church Identifies Needs
• [23:30] - The Challenge of Growth
• [25:41] - The Apostles’ Response
• [26:31] - The Value of Pastoral Care
• [28:10] - The Congregation’s Role
• [29:27] - Facing Personal and Church Challenges
• [31:34] - Four Steps to Facing Challenges
• [35:19] - Collaborative Planning and Delegation
• [36:38] - Qualifications for Leadership
• [41:08] - Spiritual Empowerment and Accountability
• [42:46] - Measuring God’s Results
• [43:52] - Local, Regional, and Global Growth
• [47:42] - The Kodak Illustration
• [49:19] - Moving Forward in Faith
• [50:05] - Prayer for Future Leadership
• [50:57] - Communion
• [54:25] - Our Identity in Christ
• [55:23] - Blessing and Dismissal

Bible Reading

Acts 6:1-7 (ESV) — Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

Acts 1:8 (ESV) — But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

Observation Questions

1. What specific problem did the early church face as described in Acts 6? How did the apostles respond to this challenge? ([23:30])
2. What qualifications were required for the seven men chosen to help with the daily distribution? ([26:31])
3. According to the passage, what were the results after the church addressed the challenge and reorganized leadership? ([28:10])
4. In Acts 1:8, what is the scope of the mission Jesus gives to His followers? How does this connect to what happens in Acts 6? ([46:41])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think the apostles refused to handle the food distribution themselves, even though it was an important need? What does this say about priorities in ministry? ([25:41])
2. The apostles asked the congregation to select leaders “of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom.” Why do you think these qualities were emphasized over popularity or other skills? ([36:38])
3. The sermon mentioned that the process of selecting leaders was intentional and took time, prayer, and observation. Why is it important not to rush leadership decisions in the church? ([37:22])
4. After the new leaders were chosen and commissioned, the church experienced unity and growth. What does this suggest about the relationship between healthy leadership and the spiritual health of a church? ([43:52])

Application Questions

1. The early church faced a real challenge and took time to clearly define the problem before acting. Think about a challenge you are currently facing (personally or in ministry). Have you taken time to define the real issue, or are you acting on assumptions or preferences? What would it look like to clarify the challenge this week? ([33:09])
2. The apostles recognized their own limitations and delegated responsibility to others. Is there an area in your life where you are trying to do too much on your own? What is one responsibility you could delegate or share with someone else? ([34:06])
3. When selecting leaders, the church looked for spiritual maturity, not just talent or popularity. If you were asked to help select a leader in our church, what qualities would you look for? Are there ways you can encourage spiritual growth in others around you? ([36:38])
4. The church grew in unity and effectiveness when everyone played their part. Is there a ministry or need in our church where you feel God might be prompting you to step up and serve? What is holding you back? ([28:10])
5. The sermon warned against clinging to past successes or being afraid of change, using the Kodak illustration. Is there something in your spiritual life or in our church that you are holding onto simply because it’s familiar? How might God be inviting you to let go and embrace something new? ([48:37])
6. During communion, we were reminded that our acceptance before God is based on Christ’s righteousness, not our own. How does this truth affect the way you approach challenges and leadership opportunities? ([54:25])
7. The Holy Spirit empowers us to face every challenge. What is one practical way you can rely on the Holy Spirit this week as you face a specific challenge? ([55:23])