The Blessing of Spiritual Leaders

Last Sunday morning Bob Walker was ordained into elder ministry in our church and I preached from Hebrews 13:17, a verse that reminds us that the Lord means for us to experience spiritual profit, gain, advantage and blessing through our leaders.  I love and appreciate our elders and pastors very much!  They are huge blessings to our church and to me!  Please pray for them faithfully.
Here is a follow-up to the sermon: There are three God-given dynamics that make his design for leadership and follower-ship work in the church:

1. Humility among leaders and church family, following the example of Christ-- “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a bondservant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”  (Phil. 2:3-8)  Humility, humility, humility before our Lord!

  2.   Pursuit of joy--
       Leaders pursing joy for their people: “Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy...”  (2 Cor. 1:24)
       People pursuing joy for their leaders:  “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who have to give an account.  Let them do
       this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”  (Heb. 13:17)
       Joy, joy, joy in obeying our Lord!
  3.  Love for one another-- “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers...By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us, and we         ought lay down our lives for the brothers.”  (1 John 3:14, 16)