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Fruitful Leaders: How To Make, Grow, Love And Keep Them
How can you be an effective leader-maker/leader-making church? There s a critical need right now for new leaders in churches - this should never be the preserve of the elite few. This book will help you identify, encourage and keep new leaders, planning for maximum effectiveness in the long-term future.
Extract from Chapter 1
1. GOD LOVES YOUR CHURCH
Main God wants to build up your local church, and he provides gifts of spiritual leadership to help the flock grow.
Communities of Christians come in many shapes, sizes and flavours. God is using large and small churches, multicultural and mono-cultural churches, churches with lively worship styles that appeal to the young, and churches that prefer solid older hymns, to witness to neighbourhoods and to the world. Bible-believing churches may exhibit many surface differences, but one thing is true of them God loves local churches. He wants to see them built up and flourishing.
Local churches are God's idea, not human institutions. The Bible describes them as the household of God. It says that God lives in the middle of these communities of disciples, through the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:22). Jesus revealed just how important churches are to God. He promised God's spiritual provision and protection as we participate in God s plans and purposes when he said, I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not overcome it (Matthew 16:18).
Jesus is committed to building his church around the world. And in case you are still in any doubt about how valuable churches are to God, he says in Ephesians 1 that he has made Jesus head over everything in the whole universe for the church. Just imagine that - Jesus is exerting his ruling power in heaven for the good of your church here on earth. Maybe you are part of a church where this reality feels a long way from your current experience, but that doesn't mean it isn't true. God wants your church to thrive. That might not mean spectacular growth in numbers, but it will mean all the believers knowing and enjoying God and falling deeper and deeper in love with Jesus Christ.
Extract from Chapter 1
1. GOD LOVES YOUR CHURCH
Main God wants to build up your local church, and he provides gifts of spiritual leadership to help the flock grow.
Communities of Christians come in many shapes, sizes and flavours. God is using large and small churches, multicultural and mono-cultural churches, churches with lively worship styles that appeal to the young, and churches that prefer solid older hymns, to witness to neighbourhoods and to the world. Bible-believing churches may exhibit many surface differences, but one thing is true of them God loves local churches. He wants to see them built up and flourishing.
Local churches are God's idea, not human institutions. The Bible describes them as the household of God. It says that God lives in the middle of these communities of disciples, through the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:22). Jesus revealed just how important churches are to God. He promised God's spiritual provision and protection as we participate in God s plans and purposes when he said, I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not overcome it (Matthew 16:18).
Jesus is committed to building his church around the world. And in case you are still in any doubt about how valuable churches are to God, he says in Ephesians 1 that he has made Jesus head over everything in the whole universe for the church. Just imagine that - Jesus is exerting his ruling power in heaven for the good of your church here on earth. Maybe you are part of a church where this reality feels a long way from your current experience, but that doesn't mean it isn't true. God wants your church to thrive. That might not mean spectacular growth in numbers, but it will mean all the believers knowing and enjoying God and falling deeper and deeper in love with Jesus Christ.
- GenresChristian
216 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2011
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6 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 30, 2023
superb book on growing leaders in your church and growing as a leader yourself in the lord.
a few thoughts.
1. the key to fruitful leaders is that they know how much they are loved by God and what God has done for them. then they disciple people in the love of God and teaching others about God's love for them. instead of everything about God just being information
2. a disciple of Christ is someone who is growing in their intimacy with God, not just knowledge.
3. in church training is the key. One does not need to go bible college. Bible college is good but many people come out of bible college with Just more information about God, not loving him more.
4. we should be growing missional communities and looking out for gifting of those who can be leaders in our ministries, small groups, Sunday schools and elders.
5. those with leadership gifts don't always have to be become elders, but could be called to be leaders in other parts of the church life.
6. growing leaders should be enjoying God. Actually a fruitful leader is someone who continually enjoys God and that is the sign of maturity in a believer.
7. leaders should be leading others in enjoying God.
spreading God's love and enjoyment in the church, community and nation
a few thoughts.
1. the key to fruitful leaders is that they know how much they are loved by God and what God has done for them. then they disciple people in the love of God and teaching others about God's love for them. instead of everything about God just being information
2. a disciple of Christ is someone who is growing in their intimacy with God, not just knowledge.
3. in church training is the key. One does not need to go bible college. Bible college is good but many people come out of bible college with Just more information about God, not loving him more.
4. we should be growing missional communities and looking out for gifting of those who can be leaders in our ministries, small groups, Sunday schools and elders.
5. those with leadership gifts don't always have to be become elders, but could be called to be leaders in other parts of the church life.
6. growing leaders should be enjoying God. Actually a fruitful leader is someone who continually enjoys God and that is the sign of maturity in a believer.
7. leaders should be leading others in enjoying God.
spreading God's love and enjoyment in the church, community and nation
December 6, 2020
Very repetitive, could have been shortened considerably, but really made me think about how we think of our leaders within the church and consider more deeply my own position within my church.
November 13, 2024
UTC 2024 3.5/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 12, 2013
Practical, insightful from an author whose haet clearly beats for church planting and leadership developement.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews