The aim of leadership is that leaders/elders/servants should “profit" and “advance" the congregation. There should be much profit (in marriages, families, financial management, social justice…) but primarily there should be soul profit among the people from the work of leaders in the church.
Leadership must be watchful…
1. Watchful of The Word: Know it. Hold fast to it. Teach each it. Model it. Correct with it. Sing it. Comfort with It.
2. Watch Christ in the Word. Hebrews 2:1. It’s not just words on a page… He is our Living Lord. We aim to know His heart and live in fruitful relationship with him individually and in community.
3. Watch our Conduct. “All Christians are supposed to be godly. Yet scripture says to ordinary saints “watch your elders… consider the outcome of their way of life…”. There are higher standards for leadership than for membership. If an elder falls, it should be much harder to restore him as a leader than to restore a member to community.”
4. Watch over our flock, the congregation
The current situation, as we know and see it (though certainly, we do not know or see all!) is in dire need of God’s specific grace…. Hebrews 13 earlier says, “it is good for our hearts to be strengthened in grace.”
Right now, of the three small gatherings of believers that we have any knowledge of in our area, there is deep concern over doctrine (upholding the divinity of Christ and triunity of God), there are deep marital struggles, and there is also great concern over possibly too-heavy-handed leadership with extreme requirements for his flock, so much that one dear brother was understood as not allowing members of his church to fellowship with any believers outside their church. How much better if believers would fellowship together, strengthen each other in the Lord and spur each other on in prayer, in the Word and in bold sharing.
There is painful discord between these brothers over some issues as well… one specific area of difficulty is in knowing how to relate to a few other Uyghur Christians who are following some extreme charismatic- prosperity Gospel teaching.
Please ask for the Holy Spirit to be drawing these men, showing the truth of His Word, empowering them in relationships, and making humble and gentle their hearts as shepherds over the flocks. Would you also ask for us, that we would have wisdom and unity with others working here as we are, for how to speak into these needs in the local church. We do not want to roll over local leaders, we want them to be the leaders of the church here! And yet if they need help or encouragement or accountability, we want to bless and serve and love and share with them the best ways that God intends.... We need his wisdom and guidance and unity among the foreign workers for these discussions and decisions too!
Thank you!
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