ted4leaders

Greetings,

I am continuing to write in regard to Paul’s instructions to Timothy. These were the instructions of a spiritual father to His spiritual son. It was a letter of apostolic authority to the authority of a local church in regard to the responsibilities of leadership in the community of God. Last week I presented that an overseeing leader in the community of God was, and is, to be an example of the character of the family of God. In the family of God there are leaders who are apt to teach, they are apt to set direction for the community of God in the direction that God is leading them and in the character that God is creating in their midst. There are other kinds of leaders in the church as well. Some leaders are not apt to teach, but they are graced and gifted to facilitate the things implemented by the overseeing leaders. They have a grace to keep in motion what has been put in motion by the overseeing leaders of the community. These types of leaders are referred to in the Scripture as deacons. The word deacon is a transliterated word from the Greek language that simply means to serve. God has put a grace upon some leaders to activate the spirit of serving in the community of God. They are elders by character, but deacons by gifting. They don’t merely do the practical things of ministry; they lead to see to it that members of the community do all of the practical things in the family of God. This includes practical duties like laying hands on the sick, ministering deliverance to those who are bound, feeding the poor, teaching children, or tending to any of the practical everyday needs of community life. Paul gave instructions to Timothy that he was to expect the same character requirements for those who would be appointed into the responsibility of deacons as facilitating leaders as was also expected of the overseeing leaders.

The character requirements for elders, both bishops and deacons, are not given as a measuring tool to see who fails the test. They were instructions given by Paul to a church leader concerning the criteria to look for in seeking to recognize those God was appointing to those areas of responsibility. The overseeing elders and deacons were to be examples of faith and a godly lifestyle in their own households so they could serve in the same type of responsibility in the household of God – the church.

The leaders were to conduct themselves as examples to those they lead.

1 Timothy 3:8-13 Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless. Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Again, failure in the past is not the measurement of those in these areas of responsibility. It is a testimony in the present that qualifies those who lead to be examples to others in the practical realities of life. The objective was not to seek out people who could obey the rules of character, but to look for those who had discovered the life-changing power of God’s grace in their lives. All people have faced challenges of failure in their lives and the community of God needs examples of people who know how to pass the tests of adversity in order to prevail with the testimonies of God’s grace in an everyday world. The community of God is one of grace and not law. It is one of victory; therefore it is also one of challenges, tests, failures, mercy, triumph, and glory. Leaders must be an example to the community of God in the everyday realities of family and life. The body of Christ is a community of heaven, not merely a ministry of works!

Paul was writing to Timothy in regard to a leaders responsibility in the church. Those responsibilities were a matter of relationship, not gift and function. Paul demonstrated that in his own letter to his spiritual son, Timothy.

1 Timothy 3:14-15 These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

Paul’s charge to Timothy as a leader included an example of the way of Jesus in the flesh. Just as Jesus was manifest in the flesh, Christ must be manifest in the life of each leader to lead all to discover the testimony of Christ in them. Just as Jesus was empowered by the Spirit, witnessed by heavenly powers, revealed as truth to those who had not known truth, believed by those who had not known God’s glory, and received to God’s glory; A leader must live in the justice of the Spirit, know the power of the Spirit, reveal God to others by the testimony of the Spirit, experience the fruit of the work of the Spirit in the lives of others around them, and live for the full hope of the glory of the Spirit.

1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory.

Leadership is a matter of being an example of the life and power of God’s Spirit in and to the community of God. It is not about seminary degrees, skills of ministry, preaching abilities, or detailed strategies of vision. It is about a testimony of something of heaven upon the earth. Leaders lead the community of God for the testimony of communion with God and one another as His family upon the earth.

Food For Thought,

Ted J. Hanson

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Ted J. Hanson

Greetings;

Today I will continue to address the topic of leadership responsibility in the church. I am writing concerning Paul’s letters to Timothy in regard to his responsibility as a leader. This letter to Timothy included Timothy’s role in responsibility as well as those leaders affiliated with Timothy in the work of ministry. These letters establish a principle, pattern, and value for us as leaders in the church today. Timothy was to set order for honor and submission in the church. He was to understand his responsibilities as an overseeing elder and require the same of others appointed to the same call of apt to teach, or administrative, leadership

1 Timothy 3:1-6 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.  A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.

An overseeing leader must first understand that the role of leadership is one of responsibility. It is not a position of hierarchy. It is a position of serving the body of Christ and it is a great honor and a good work. The role of an overseer is not one merely based upon charismatic gifting, administrative skill, qualification of education, or mere experience in ministry. It is one of character. A leader’s personal life is directly connected to their ability to lead. They must seek to be blameless. This doesn’t mean that they are perfect, but it does mean that they seek to do their best in all things. When faced with things that need to change in their own lives they willingly embrace the process of change. They know their righteousness is in Christ and they depend upon the power of Christ in them to empower them to not only grow in their ability of gifting but also their testimony of character. They are the husbands of one wife. This is not meant to be a law concerning marriage and divorce, nor do I believe that it is only inclusive to men in ministry, it is a present quality of character in leadership. Whether it is a man or a woman in a position of leadership; the principle, pattern, and value to be gained from these verses is one of covenant. It is not meant to be a legal requirement for leadership. We have all had failures in our past in some way; the question is where are we in the present? A leader must know that their ability to keep covenant in their own family relationships is directly connected to their ability to lead others in the church to know how to stay at the table of covenant. When faced with challenges in their personal lives they willingly seek the empowerment of God’s grace to give them a testimony of a growing, maturing, life-giving covenant. This takes both a man and a woman working together for the greater testimony of the two as one. This gives a leader the grace to empower others in the matters of relationship in life.

A leader is to be temperate – a term for being vigilant, circumspect, and self-controlled. A leader knows how to be heedful of their circumstances with a view towards the potential outcome of any situation in their lives. They are dependent upon Christ in them to give them the needed testimony for the sake of others. They must be sober-minded – to be modest, chaste, and discrete in their way of live. They must demonstrate good behavior to others. They must be hospitable, demonstrating that they willingly live for the well being of others. An overseeing leader (bishop) must be able to teach. I don’t believe that this is merely teaching Scripter. Anyone should be able to teach Scripture in some way. A leader must be able to hear the direction of God for the church and set the direction that others can follow. They are like a dad or a mom in the family that is capable of teaching the children the way in which they must live. They know the family values of Christ and they lead others to embrace the attributes of the family of God, the desires of the family of God, the vision of the family of God, and the destiny. They must not be given to wine. I believe that this is a testimony concerning their desires or personal indulgences. Leaders don’t seek their own pleasures, but live to help others be free from things that produce bondages in people’s lives. Surely a leader must not be a drunkard, but it includes the principle, pattern, and value of living for others and not their own personal indulgences. A leader must not be violent, but demonstrate a spirit and actions of kindness, peace, and love. They are not greedy for money – simply stated they must not lead for personal gain at the expense of others. They must be gentle, demonstrating a willingness to care for others above themselves. This means a they avoid quarrels and do not demonstrate an aggressive attitude towards others. They must be content with what God has given to them and they must not be covetous of what belongs to someone else. They lead their own personal lives well, because they are required to seek God’s direction and grace to lead His house. They set an example of tending to the business of family so that others can follow their example in tending to the business of their own families. Surely children are responsible to make their own decisions in life and the children of a leader may decide not to walk in their ways. This does not disqualify a leader. If a leader is doing their best to lead in the path of life and they demonstrate the character of Christ in that process they are not to be held accountable if their children choose a path of failure. God is a good Father and sets an example for His children to follow yet many choose not to walk in the path of His way. This does not disqualify God from being Father. The scrutiny is not upon what the children do, but upon how a leader leads. People are imperfect living in imperfect situations with imperfect realities. No one is measured by the choices that others make, but they are measured by their own personal example, attitude, and actions in regard to their willingness to live for the sake of their families. Knowing how to rule in your household is a testimony of character, not one of legalistic law. A leader must know how to walk through difficult and challenging things so they can lead to help others walk through all that they must walk through in life. A leader is not a novice in the matters of family, relationships, and walking through the challenges of relationship in life. Most of life is about relationships, not works of ministry. The pressures of life and having to walk through the difficult matters of human connections are a prerequisite to qualifying a leader to lead. They must not be prideful and fall into the deception of the devil who thought his gifting and independence was more important than his relationship with God and his responsibilities before God.

A leader must also have a good testimony to people who do not know God. How do they present themselves in the world they live in?

1 Timothy 3:6 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Food For Thought,

Ted J. Hanson

Greetings;

Today I want to continue with Paul’s charge to Timothy in his first letter to him. His instructions were those of a spiritual father to a spiritual son, an apostolic father to the pastor of a church and a regional overseeing leader. The principals, patterns, and values presented in Paul’s instruction to Timothy reveal to us the responsibilities of leaders and the character of what they are responsible to lead.

Paul reminded Timothy that his role of leadership was a gift given to him by the grace of the Holy Spirit. Timothy was to wage a good warfare concerning the prophecies that had been made concerning himself and he was to walk in the faith before those he was responsible for.

1 Timothy 1:18-20 This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience, which some having rejected, concerning the faith have suffered shipwreck, of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.

He was to not become shipwrecked in his faith like Hemenaeus and Alexander, whom Paul had delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme. This reveals the weight of the responsibility of leadership and the willingness to take harsh measures if necessary in the protection of the souls of those within their sphere of authority. If you study the action of turning someone over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh you will discover that the purpose was one of love and redemption. It was not a action taken lightly nor was it a act of anger in retaliation to harm caused by someone. It was a strategic and deliberate action intended to lead someone to the place of repentance unto life in Christ. It was not an act of the flesh, but one led by the Holy Spirit as was the case in Paul’s first letter to the church of Corinth and his second letter confirming the restoration of such a man. Paul simply references two individuals who had gone down such a path to encourage Timothy to sent an example that encourages others to remain faithful in the faith. Timothy was to set an example in faith and give a clear testimony to those in the family of God so they would not be influenced by others who had gone astray from their commitment in Christ.

The responsibility of leadership is a very practical one. It involves dealing with people in an everyday world and it deals with the realities of everyday life. Timothy’s responsibilities were not merely about activities within a church structure, but the testimony of the church in the communities of the world. Timothy was to pray and teach those in his charge to pray for kings and all in authority. He was to teach them to live peaceable lives with godliness and reverence. These are not mere activities of the church, but are targeted to the very character of the members of the church in their everyday lives in the communities of the world.

1 Timothy 2:1-4 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 

Paul’s own example was one of being a teacher of faith and truth. A teacher of faith is someone who demonstrates faith before others. Faith comes by hearing God and it is demonstrated with actions of love that demonstrate a faith towards God. Truth is a testimony of the transformed reality of Christ within our lives. Paul was to be an example of truth so that others could also become truth in Christ. These same instructions were given from Paul to Timothy and they are still true within the sphere of responsibility of leadership in the church. Leaders are to be an example as teachers of faith and truth before the people so that everyone can be obedient to the words that God speaks to their hearts and be a true testimony to the life of Christ that is transforming them from within. It is not about church structure, it is about a way of life that demonstrates the lordship of Jesus in all things.

1 Timothy 2:5-7 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

The family of God is the community of God. They are a testimony of a culture of honor and love in the world. They are not seekers of self, fearful in their focus, or vain in their personal desires. They live as examples of the likeness and the image of God in their testimony as men and women before Him. Wives are in submission to their husbands and are not contentious, striving to be separate from relationship. A woman learning in silence with all submission is not a woman without a voice. It is a woman learning with an attitude of relationship with her husband. There are examples of women teaching in the early church, such as Persilla, who with her husband Aquila were somehow fellow workers with Paul in the gospel (Rom. 16:3). Phoebe was an influential woman in the church and commended by Paul in the work that she did in the church of Cenchrea (Rom. 16:1,2). Adronicus and Junias, were relatives of Paul who had been imprisoned for testifying of Christ (Rom. 16:7). These were known among the apostles for their testimony. Junia was likely a woman with a notable testimony for Christ. Tryphena, Tryphosa, and Persis were “women who work hard in the Lord” (Rom. 16:12). Julia, the sister of Nereus, and the mother of Rufus was a woman involved in the churh (Rom 16:13, 15). Several women were mentioned by Paul that clearly imply that women had a prominent role in church life. I believe that what Paul’s words in his letter to Timothy are not intended to be a law against women teaching, but a guideline for proper relationships and submission in the church.  The word for woman in Paul’s letter to Timothy is the Greek word gyneœ , GS1135, and it means a woman, a married woman, or wife. The text is implying the relationship of a wife and her husband where the man is the head and wife is the testimony of the body in their one flesh testimony in Christ.  The inference is simply a way of relationship and life, not a structure for ministry. Leaders must deal with real life situations and real life relationships in an everyday world.

1 Timothy 2:8-15 I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. Let a woman learn in silence with all submission.  And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve.  And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control.

The testimony in this text is one of being a married couple. It is one of being a family unit. It is a testimony of being one flesh. This is not a woman to all men, it is a woman to one man. It is the testimony of a wife and her husband as Adam and Eve were husband and wife as a testimony of one flesh before God. The statement of being saved in childbearing is not a salvation unto heaven, but a testimony of a healthy family before God that lives in the grace of salvation in a testimony of faith, love, and holiness with self-control. Again, it is a healthy lifestyle and not a means or method of ministry. It is a testimony of a life empowered by grace, not rules subjected by leaders for law and order in the church. It is a characteristic of the church, not requirements of members in an institution. The church is a body, not an organization and leadership serves a role of responsibility in helping the members of the body of Christ live their lives with a good testimony as the body of Christ.

Food For Thought,

Ted J. Hanson

Greetings;

When we read the books of 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus, we are reading a unique section of Scripture. These letters are written from a spiritual father to His spiritual sons concerning their responsibilities as leaders in the church of God. These letters are not written to the church, but to the leaders of the church. They are profitable for us all to read, but when we read them we must understand that they are instructions concerning practical and relational responsibilities of specific leaders in specific churches. The issues of their day set a principle, pattern, and value for the issues of our own day. These letters were not written so we can examine leaders to see whether they are fulfilling their responsibilities or not. They were written so we will each understand the kind of responsibilities carried by leaders, the kind of culture they are required to develop and maintain, and the kind of instructions given to leaders as to their position in the church in their responsibility of authority. These things should be understood by church leaders as well as by members of the church community. They were not intended to be a means of apply legalism or law concerning word-by-word rules in the church. They are guidelines for roles of authority in the church. Remember, authority is an attribute of giving. It is not one of control. Authority gives life and leadership has a responsibility of maintaining a kingdom culture of life in the church.

In the first letter to Timothy, Paul instructed that Timothy was to teach people to live godly lifestyles. He was to charge those in his care to not be caught up in pointless things that merely prove to be fables, endless genealogies, or other things like that that simply cause disputes. As a shepherd to the flock of God, Timothy was to guard the culture of the community. It was to be a culture of life and peace. This principle, pattern, and value apply to church leaders in our day as well.

Members of a congregation will sometimes pursue things that don’t really matter in the scope of the flock. They are simply things of personal preference, personal opinion, or some personal revelation that promotes a personal idea in some way. The shepherds in the flock of God must guard against things that merely cause disputes in the community of faith. They must exercise their authority in charging those who promote things that cause disputes to cease their pursuit of such things in the context of the community of God. Leaders are responsible to guard the community of God to maintain a safe, life-giving culture of love.

1 Timothy 1:3-4 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia—remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith.  

The culture of the community of God must be one that promotes godly edification and faith. Leaders are responsible to command if necessary in maintaining the culture of life for the community of God. Timothy was to charge those who sought to bring disputes into the church to cease their pursuit of dispute. His motive in his commands was one of love and a pure heart. He was to set an example of conscience and faith. In the church of the first century some had strayed from true faith in the pursuit of worthless talk and meaningless legalism. These things reveal a principle, pattern, and value that must be embraced by leaders in the church of God. Members of the community of God must understand that God-given leaders are like shepherds in a flock of sheep, responsible to maintain a safe environment of life for the flock of God.

1 Timothy 1:5-7 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk, desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.

Timothy was to present that the law is for sinners and the ungodly, not the standard of judgment of one another. He was to teach grace and forgiveness and present himself, like Paul, as an example of God’s goodness and forgiveness to mankind.

1 Timothy 1:8-11 But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust.

1 Timothy 1:12-17  And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.  Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

The community of God is a place of reconciliation, forgiveness, redemption, and restoration. The mercy of God ends the past and the grace of God empowers each one to experience a life-transforming change in their lives. Leaders must set an example in these things and lead to create, guard, and protect a culture that gives glory to the King of kings – Jesus Christ the Lord of glory!

Food For Thought,

Ted J. Hanson

Greetings;

I am sorry for the late blog posting, but it was Thanksgiving yesterday in the U.S. and as Bob Cratchet would say, ‘I was making quite merry with my family’. I have had a lot to catch up on from being away from home, but none is as important as family fun and feasting. For this I am very thankful!

I have been addressing the issues of character in our lives as leaders. Our character is the inner strength of our lives. It is not our gifting, our charisma, or our personal abilities that will sustain us as leaders. It is our character.

The true substance of character is seen in our ability to live for the sake of others. All things are lawful, but not all things are beneficial. The beneficial things in life are those things that bring life to others. The true substance of character is seen in our ability to make sacrifices, endure difficulty, and press through resisting forces for the sake of giving life to others.

1 Corinthians 10:23-24 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.

As leaders we must set an example in living for the well-being of others. We cannot be lovers of self, self-centered, or self-willed. We must not desire what belongs to another or be covetous in our attitudes towards anyone. We must set an example in humility and never seek a wrong evaluation of ourselves that exhibits a better than others attitude. Ungodly pride of self has no place in our lives. We must never be disrespectful of others, for to do so is disrespectful of God.  Disobedience, rebellion, or lawlessness has no place in our lives. We must seek connections of relationship and we must see to give the life of authority to others. We must be grateful and thankful in all things. The desires of others must be a concern in our lives, even more than our own desires in life. We live to multiply the life of God in those who are part of our spheres in life and we do not live to simply add others to our own personal ambitions and goals. Remaining true to our covenant relationships in life is at the top of our priorities. We do not live to gratify our own needs or to see our needs met through what others can do for us. Our life is in God and He is the fulfillment of our needs in life. People can be a part of that testimony, but no one is an idol to gratify the needs of our hearts. Our word must be our bond. Our yes is yes and our no is no. We can be trusted with what we say. We indulge in the Spirit of God and the fruit of self-control and patience are exhibited in the attitudes and actions of our lives. The fruit of the Spirit’s goodness is exhibited in the good things we do in life. Loyalty to others is high among our values. The motivation of our lives is never rash, reckless, headstrong, or high-minded. We love God and others more than we love the personal pleasures of our lives. Personal pleasures are not necessarily bad, but people are more important. Relationships are more important than our personal desires. We cannot just mimic a form of godliness and live a hypocritical lifestyle. We must be genuine in our faith. Our connections with life-giving authority will guard us from deception. Our diligence in our pursuit of God, including understanding Him in His word and character, is foundational in our own character. Our greatest teaching tool in the lives of others is the character of our own lives.

These things are not attributes that can simply be added to our lives by studying God’s word or doing religious ceremonies. These things are attributes birthed from within the life of Christ in our hearts. They are made known through the sufferings of our lives.

1 Peter 1:6-9   In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

I believe that the salvation of our souls is not just our going to heaven when we die. I believe it is the restoration of who we are meant to be in life. Our souls are the bridge between the spirit and the natural. The soul is the throne of our lives and it causes our desires, thoughts, reasoning, emotions, and imaginations to be manifest in all that we do. A key to allowing God to change our character is to present our bodies in the right place. We must present our bodies as living sacrifices and that means that we cannot live like we did when we were in the world. We must live for the well-being of others and our character is the utmost important in our journey of life!

Food For Thought,

Ted J. Hanson

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Blessings,

Ted J. Hanson

Greetings,

God is concerned with the heart qualities of every leader, not merely their gifting. D. L. Moody once said, “If I take care of my character, my reputation will take care of itself.” Character development comes by the power of Christ within us and it is only revealed by the power of Christ in us and a process of time. Promises are only inherited through faith and patience working together in our lives (Heb. 6:12). We are called to be a part of the plan of God’s kingdom in the earth and the testing of our character is linked to our ability to fulfill our destiny in this world. We are part of the hope of Christ’s calling, a testimony of His inheritance in the earth, and one piece in the revealing of His power at work in the world.

Ephesians 1: 18-19 …the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power…

God’s purpose for mankind far exceeds what each man is simply called to do. Man was created in the image and likeness of God. We were created to be perfect, as God is perfect. That perfection is not just an individual testimony, but it is being part of something corporate. It is one of being a part of the body of Christ that reveals the character, nature, way, power, and authority of Christ in heaven and upon this earth. Our aim in life is not to fulfill some great commission of personal ministry. Our goal is to see Christ formed in us and in the lives of those we lead. Our goal is to come to become a perfect man, which is a corporate expression of Christ in the earth. There is no perfection without the process of God’s grace in our lives (Rom. 5:1-5).

Hebrews 2:10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

As the sons of God we are destined to reveal God’s glory in this world. We are being made perfect through sufferings. It is through the sufferings of our lives that we manifest the true character of Christ within us. This is the power of God’s kingdom to the world. This is the key to His will being done and His kingdom coming into our lives.

What is character? Character is the seat of one’s moral being. Character is the inner life of a man and it is manifested through the outer expressions of that man. Character is the combination of qualities that distinguish any person from another. The true character of our lives is displayed in our actions while we are under the pressures of life. Within us are attributes of both the character of Christ and the character of our own carnal nature. Our character is manifested in our thoughts, values, motivations, attitudes, feelings, and actions.  The Greek word for the testing of our character is the word GS1382  dokimh/ dokimeœ  and it means trial, proof by trial, 2 Cor. 8:2; the state or disposition of that which has been tried and approved, approved character or temper, Rom. 5:4; 2 Cor. 2:9; Phil. 2:22; proof, document, or evidence.

True character is only truly revealed when we are under pressure. Character is not what we will be; it is what we are. It is easy to say that our character is a certain way, but our true character is manifested when we face pressures in life. Character includes your thoughts, motives, and attitudes. Our character affects what others see, but our character is deeper than that which can be acted out on the surface. Only the ‘heat’ of pressure can reveal the true inner self. It is when we go through the pressures of life that the true treasures of life are revealed. It is through the testing of our character that the true works of our lives are revealed. Precious stones are created in the deepest pressures and hottest environments of the earth. They are created in the depths of the earth and then they are discovered in the common ground of the earth’s strata above the places of their creation. Pearls are the result of wounds in the soft part within an oyster. When the irritation of a foreign material is lodged in the soft tissue of the oyster the oyster releases minerals and enzymes to produce a pearl. A pearl is a symbol of love created through what could be a bitter wound of the heart. God wants us to be covenant keepers in life. We maintain the God-joined relationships in our lives through the proving of the character of Christ within us. We learn how to endure the pressures that oppose the character of Christ within us. When we face pressures in life, it is not a sign that the devil is having victory over us. The pressures of life are the very things that reveal the hidden truth within us. Christ in us is the hope of glory! If Christ is in us, then the pressures of life should manifest the testimony of Christ in us to the world around us.

Matthew 7:6 “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.”

A dog is a symbol of an un-covenanted person. A swine is a symbol of that which is unclean or unholy. Again, it testifies of one who does not understand the covenants of God. God wants for us to be people of covenant who become a testimony of His true treasure with a value of what makes for true love. Do we value the treasures of relationship more than the treasures of being right? Do we value the testimonies of love more than our need to hold on to some judgmental attitude of law?

Our character will be exhibited in how we seek and respond to God. It will also be revealed in how we seek and respond to people. Our willingness to remain faithful to God and faithful to one another reveals the character of our lives. This is the overcoming power for covenants of marriage, covenants of leadership, and every covenant in life.

Food For Thought,

Ted J. Hanson

Greetings,

As leaders in the body of Christ we are not just gifted to lead by the grace that is given to us in Christ, we are to also be examples of the character of Christ to those we lead. This is perhaps the greatest testimony of our leadership to the lives of those that we stand before in the spheres of our influence in life. The process of God’s grace in each of our lives is one of revealing the testimony of Christ in us. This means that the character, nature, way, power, and authority of Christ must become embodied in each of our lives. Whether it is the promises of God or the pressures of testing, both are part of a process in our lives that makes us partakers of God’s divine nature. The promises are the substance of life that He gives us and the pressures of testing are the proving of what is being given to us by God within our lives.

2 Peter 1:4 …by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Romans 5:1-5 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the Holy Spirit who was given to us has poured out the love of God in our hearts.

Our peace with God is not merely a state of being calm in our hearts or at ease in our soul. Our peace is a positioning in Christ whereby there is no gap between God and us. We have been made one with Him and there is no separation between Him and us. In this He manifests in our lives and His Spirit is the substance of His grace that changes our lives from the inside out. The true test of what is in us is made known by the pressures that come against us from the outside sources of our lives. This dynamic of the inward life of Christ and the outward pressures upon our lives causes the testimony of Christ within us to become a force of life that changes the character of our lives. In this process of grace we face tribulations or pressures in life. All who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

2 Timothy 3:12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

When we face the pressures of persecution we choose to persevere. Perseverance is not just a holding on to something in pain. It is a position of attitude from within our hearts. It is a choosing to cheerfully endure in the midst of the pressures that are against us. This is not just a thing of our soul. It requires us to draw from our spirits to receive the life of the Holy Spirit within our hearts. In the presence of the Lord there is the fullness of joy and true perseverance is drawing upon the presence of God in our hearts in order to see His life flood our souls with the testimony of true endurance. It is not a thing of misery, but a decision to embrace the life of Christ that is within us. True perseverance always carries the substance of a choice to be cheerful and to endure. It is a cheerful endurance. When we find the secret of true perseverance we discover the key to seeing the character of Christ in us manifest. Our own character changes by the life of the character of Christ within us. The beliefs of our hearts become transformed by His life within us and this empowers our actions to be those of the character of Christ. Those inspired actions activate the imaginations of our hearts. Our imaginations begin to create the truth of Christ and His kingdom that defy the pressures that oppose us. This in turn releases an influence of the change of character in our lies. This is seen as hope – a testimony of Christ in us revealed through the substance of our lives.

As leaders we set an example that others can follow in this process of change. The character of Christ becomes manifest in us when the beliefs of our hearts receive and trust Him more that the things that oppose us in life. Whatever we believe determines how we act, how we act determines what we think about, and what we think about determines our influence in this world. What we think about determines what comes off of us, and this influences those around us in this world.  Andre Maurious said, “If you create an act, you create a habit. If you create a habit, you create a character. If you create a character, you create a destiny” I believe that the true actions of our lives are determined by the true beliefs of our hearts. Christ in us is the key to this process of change in our lives. Our character is to be the character of Christ. This is more important than the gifting, the skills, the charisma, or the manifested talents of our lives. It is Christ’s character that can sustain Christ’s gifting and it is only that which of Christ that can overcome the world. As leaders we must know that the pressures of life appear as our enemy, but the power of Christ within us is a greater friend than the weapons that oppose us. We must pay more attention to our character, than to the surface abilities of leadership.

Food For Thought,

Ted J. Hanson

Greetings,

Being a leader is not a position of hierarchy, control, importance, or an elevation of importance over others. Being a leader is a role of responsibility for the sake of those that God has given you to lead. Leadership is a gift to the body, not a position to be served. It is a responsibly that is given to those who have a grace to lead for the sake of serving God’s will and purpose in a body of believers. The apostle Paul gave specific instructions to those who serve as overseers in the body of Christ.

 Acts 20:28-32 “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.  And now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”

It is the Holy Spirit that qualifies leaders. Leadership is a grace given by God to shepherd the church. The heart of a shepherd is the heart of a sheep, since their first role is one of a sheep to the Chief Shepherd and a sheep to others in authority who are sent representatives of Jesus in the flesh. If a leader cannot be a sheep, they cannot serve the flock with a shepherd’s heart. To be a good leader, one must first be a good follower. There are no independent shepherds in the body of Christ. True shepherds are dependent upon the voice of the Chief Shepherd wherever His voice can be heart. This means that true overseers are connected to the voice of God in the expression of others. They are not meat eaters! They do not see leadership as something that gives them their identity. They find their identity in Christ and thus they lead with security in their hearts. They seek to give life to others, not to take it. Wolves are people who see others as a means of satisfying their own personal needs in some way. Leadership is not a position of finding one’s needs satisfied by those they lead. They find their needs met in God their Father and thus they lead others in a way that connects them to the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ. An overseer must seek to guard the flock of God from those who would seek to take advantage of them for their own personal gain. This means they must guard their own hearts towards becoming leaders who lead do in the world. Worldly leaders lead to be served, while leadership on the kingdom of God is the role of a servant to the Father’s will and a servant to assist those they lead in connecting to God in their own lives.

Matthew 20:25-28 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Members on the church must recognize those who have been sent into their lives as representatives of the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ. Leaders have a responsibility of shepherding the flock and it is important that everyone works together to prevent any hindrance of the Spirit in this task. Church members must be at peace with their leaders and with one another. Leaders must be at peace with the members of the congregation and with other sent authority in their own lives.

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves.

Shepherd’s rule with a rod of iron. That means, they are uncompromising in the character, nature, way, power, and authority of Christ. They serve metaphorically as overlays to the things that are natural carnal objectives of human will. They crush things that are lifeless and false as examples in who they are and in the way of their lives. They serve the will of God in bringing the people to God as their Father, even as Jesus, the Chief Shepherd, gave His own life in asking for the nations for the glory of His Father’s name.

Revelation 2:26-28  “And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations– ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the potter’s vessels shall be broken to pieces’–as I also have received from My Father; “and I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Psalms 2:8-9 Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.’ “

God does not break us! He breaks the things that prevent us from becoming who we were meant to be in Christ. We lost our lives to truly save them. We laid them down to find them in Christ. As leaders who serve as overseers in the church of God we must lead to see everyone find their true life in Christ. We must stand as shepherds in the responsibility of leading people into the path of purpose and destiny in Christ.

Food For Thought,

Ted J. Hanson

Greetings,

As leaders we carry the responsibility of shepherds in the flock of God. A leader must understand the responsibilities of a shepherd. A shepherd’s responsibility is to lead, guard, tend, or guide as or in the manner of a shepherd of sheep in the natural. His goal is to raise healthy, fruitful, productive sheep. His primary goal is not to heal sheep, but he is trained, skilled, and sensitive to know what to do if a sheep in his flock is ill. A shepherd provides healing care for a sick sheep, but the ultimate goal is a healthy flock for the fulfillment of the purpose of the flock. If all of his sheep are sick and needy, he needs a new flock of sheep, so his or her purpose as a leader is to create and maintain a healthy, safe environment for each member of the flock. Healthy sheep create a healthy flock.

I believe that the purpose of every aspect of a local church expression is one of raising healthy sheep for the glory of God. Leading departments, facilitating activities, or producing works of ministry are never the primary goal of leadership in a congregation. Diversity of leadership is a testimony of the diversity of care needed to create a family of purpose for God. Leadership is an expression of pastoral care in some way. Anyone who takes on the responsibility of pastoral care (shepherd care) in the house of God must do so not merely to shepherd the people, but to serve the overseers in shepherding the people. All authority is under authority and all authority is a portion of life given for the sake of those they lead. Life is given in order to be given to others so that life can be given and received by everyone for the purpose of life. Leaders at various levels in a congregation represent God and they are shepherds (pastors) of the flock. All authority is under and not over. When responsibility is given to anyone over any area, their primary focus is to serve the authority that placed them in that responsibility. Received authority is received life for the sake of those they lead.

All leaders must receive the authority to fulfill their portion of shepherding the sheep. All pastoral anointing is under the overseeing shepherd’s anointing. All pastoral ministries represent the Chief Pastor (Shepherd), not the people.

There is a diversity of needs when caring for people. If sheep are in a flock are sick, they need a veterinarian, not just a pastor (a physician shepherd). This could be termed as specialized counseling or deliverance ministry. Those who care for specific needs of the sheep are not pastors, but they do serve the bigger picture of pastoring by helping to bring health to a specific area of the flock. The overall purpose is to serve the shepherd in his or her responsibility of producing a healthy flock of sheep.

A leader must lead as a shepherd. Pastors see to it that sheep are in the right place at the right time, out of the storm, and in the grassy fields of life. A pastor sometimes needs the advice of a dietitian, a veterinarian, a genetic breeding consultant, or some other specialist to assist in the task of raising healthy, fruitful, productive sheep. The task of shepherding is a team effort, but it involves a very close relationship with each sheep to know the condition of each one.

The destiny of a sheep is to provide for others. They provide a holy offering. This involves living in an intimate relationship with God in their lives. They provide food for life. The live for the wellbeing of others. They provide clothing for others to be protected from the cold. They produce generations of increased quality sheep for the future testimony of the flock.

Their primary responsibility of a sheep is not to receive fellowship, but to give their lives, and of their lives, for others. Sheep must be led into proper pastures of fellowship, however. Without a healthy sheep environment, they will be unhealthy sheep. Sheep see the social connection found in the fellowship; leaders see the purpose of the fellowship. A shepherd must love to fellowship sheep and to draw sheep to the Chief Shepherd (since he or she merely represents Him). A leader also serves to draw sheep to one another – this is called a flock.

A shepherd smells like sheep as well as a shepherd. If a shepherd doesn’t smell like sheep it means they don’t live among them. When Jesus used the analogy of sheep and a shepherd, it was in a time where shepherd’s gave their lives for the sheep and they also lived among the sheep to provide the daily care, protection, and direction needed by the flock.

1 Peter 5:1-4 The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by constraint but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

A shepherd does not shepherd the flock for personal gain. He or she serves in the role of the shepherd for purpose of the Chief Shepherd and His desire for all of the members of the flock. It is an honor to serve in the role of leadership and to provide the care of a shepherd. It is an honor to serve in any area of leadership that serves the purpose of the Chief Shepherd as His role as the Shepherd is fulfilled through the diverse aspects of leadership. Leaders serve to keep the members of the flock connected to the place of God’s purpose and care!

1 Peter 2:25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Food For Thought,

Ted J. Hanson

Greetings,

As leaders in the church we serve in the role of shepherds. Jesus is the Chief Shepherd, but we serve in the role as under-shepherds in our expression of Him as the shepherd to the people. We can never allow our role as leaders to replace anyone’s personal connection with God in their lives. Each and every believer must see that Jesus is the Shepherd of their soul, but each and every believer must also see that Jesus will manifest in various expressions of leadership. When we submit to authority we submit us unto the Lord, but we never submit to leadership as being the lord. We understand that when we submit to authority as unto the highest the authority we allow the highest authority (God) to manifest through those authorities we receive in life. If we depend upon God in our relationship with authority, God will open the gift of leadership given to us for our benefit. Leadership is a gift to those they have been delegated to lead, not a gift unto themselves. Submission is a matter of relationship. When we are given a measure of authority it means we have been given a measure of life for another. There is a submission of those who come under a life source to receive what the life source has been given on their behalf and there is the submissions of the life source to come over and tip in the direction of those they serve. The positions of under and over or over and under are a matter of relationship in order to receive and give and give and receive the life that ultimately comes from God.

Since leadership is a matter of relationship, all leaders must be relational. They must have an intimate relationship with God in order to lead others into the same. They must have a close relationship with people in order to lead others into relationship with people. We all have different skills and abilities, but leadership is more about relationship than it is about skills and abilities. In my many decades of ministry I have never seen that skills are the real issue of division in the church. It is always about relationships in some way. To be the community of God we must pursue communion with God and communion with one another. I believe this is the greatest qualifier for leadership and for mature membership.

A leader must be an expression of various roles that God holds in the lives of people. Those expressions of God must be made through proper relationship. God holds the place of Father to His children, so there is an aspect of revealing a father to the children or a parent to a family home. Jesus is the head of His body, so leadership will be an expression of the headship of Christ to His church. Jesus is the Vine and members of the church are the branches. Leadership must be an expression of Jesus the Vine. They must be a relationally connected to those they lead in order to provide life and inspire a vision of destiny. They must seek to abide with the members of the church and inspire members to abide with God and one another. God is the husbandman in a vineyard relationship with His people, so leaders must take the role of pruning, trimming, cultivating, protecting, nourishing, irrigating, harvesting and many other things that are involved in vine dressing. God is the Potter and the people are His clay. A leader must take the role of one who shapes, molds, creates, and assists members to become all that God intends for them to be. This involves shaping identity, character, and abilities. God is the Captain and his church is His army. Leadership must at times take the role of a commander or one who rallies the troops for battle. They must set an example of a good soldier before God so others can be inspired to keep the rank in God’s order of purpose and destiny. They must train, equip, and repair the people for the battles of the enemy. They must demonstrate endurance, faithfulness, and willingness to stand strong in the battles of life. God is the Creator and His church is His creation. A leader must take the creative role of God in the lives of people on many occasions. This is not to create what the leader wants but to help others find what God is creating them to be and what God may be creating in their lives. Jesus is the Chief Shepherd and the people of the church are His sheep. A leader must take the role of an under-shepherd in shepherding the flock.

As leaders we must embrace the grace of God to become an expression of a shepherd to the flock of God. A shepherd must have a love for sheep, the environment of sheep, and the purpose of sheep. Sheep are not poodle dogs, rabbits, hamsters, cats, or some other domesticated pet. Sheep have a purpose! Sheep provide wool, cheese, meat, and more generations of sheep. The shepherd cares for the sheep so the sheep grow, are healthy, live in safety, and live in a healthy environment of sheep in order to fulfill the purpose of sheep. Sheep meet the needs of others and must grow in an environment conducive to a healthy flock. Leaders carries a responsibility of assuring these things are so for the flock.  All leaders must have the heart of a shepherd. They must be willing to commit their lives to the task and also be willing to put their own lives on the line for the sake of the flock when necessary.

Ambitions for position, power, and financial support are not motives for loving sheep. A true shepherd loves sheep and the purpose of sheep. They are willing to lay their lives down for each one and they are willing to make sacrifices for the destiny of the flock. As believers in Christ, there is a two-fold dynamic in leadership. We are both leaders and members of the flock of God. To be a good shepherd we must also be a good sheep in our own relationships to various expressions of the Chief Shepherd in our own lives. A pastor is one who raises sheep to be eaten, to be sheared, and to birth lambs for future meat, wool, and lambs. He feeds and protects the sheep for that purpose. He does not raise sheep for the sake of the sheep. He raises sheep for the Chief Shepherd’s sake. There is a market for sheep. In the kingdom of God that market is that sheep love God with all of their hearts, minds, souls and strength. They also love their neighbors as they love themselves. In other words, their lives are for God and others. They live for the wellbeing of others. They are alive for God, the nations, and the generations.

Food For Thought,

Ted J. Hanson