Lesson 7: A Shepherd’s Equipping and Multiplication
ii. Give opportunities for service to Christians.
1. A part of equipping is giving church members opportunities to use their gifts. They need practice and opportunities to develop their skills and talents. Some opportunities are provided by ministries such as Bible classes, benevolent outreaches, mission efforts, and leading in public worship.
2. What opportunities have leaders provided you that allowed you to grow?
iii. Give encouragement to Christians.
1. A part of equipping is the follow-up aspect of encouraging and walking with the church member. You coach and guide the person so they are trained and grow along the way.
Barnabas was a great equipper.
2. How has someone’s encouragement developed your skills and gifts for God?
III. “To Do Ministry.”
A. A Christian’s duty is to do ministry. Rom. 12:1-2; Eph. 2:10 B. The typical expectation in churches looks like this:
Leaders Minister Members / World C. The Ephesians 4 model of ministry looks like this:
Leaders Equip Christians Minister Members/World D. Each Christian is a minister. Each Christian has unique gifts and talents that are to be organized, equipped, used, and developed by the leadership to allow the body to function properly (v. 16).
E. This has always been God’s plan.
i. Jethro gave Moses a similar plan. Exodus 18:13-27 1. Moses – Equip
2. Israelite Leaders – Entrusted with the work of ministry ii. The apostles followed a similar model in the early church. Acts
6:1-7
1. Apostles – Equip
2. 7 Spirit-filled men – Entrusted with leading the work of ministry.
3. Notice a few points from this important leadership passage.
a. The church needed organization in order to properly serve one another.
b. Leaders assume different roles in the church. The apostles could not be diverted from their important work. Leaders have to prioritize their efforts. As a leader, your “no” is often more important than your
“yes.” The key for leaders is not just getting people on the bus but getting them in the right seat. The
main job of a basketball coach is to get each player to know and assume their role so the team can be most effective and reach its potential. Church leaders focus on getting each member to reach their full potential in Christ (Eph. 4:12-16).
c. Leaders delegate for efficiency.
i. Delegation empowers others.
ii. Delegation is simply “shoulder-tapping” to those in your influence.
iii. Delegation is subtraction, addition, and multiplication.
iv. Delegation is necessary for growth. Leaders have to adjust their equipping and authority as the church grows. Consider being a leader or coach to the following and the
differences:
1. Golf or Tennis Coach (8 players – Individual instruction)
2. Basketball Coach (12 player) 3. Football Coach (40+ players) 4. Athletic Director (10 sports, teams,
etc)
d. Leaders appoint spiritual and capable men whom they trust to get the job done.
i. These seven men had to assume the responsibility and get the job done. The apostles didn’t need to watch over them and take meals for them when they failed to do such.
ii. We need to delegate authority and responsibility, which also gives leaders accountability.
4. Consider the Situational Leadership graph on the process of delegating and mentoring. (Image from Penn State
University ; http://atodorov.org/blog/2017/11/11/4- situational-leadership-styles/).
5. Which style is most often used in the church?
a. Research in the business world reveals this:
i. 54% of leaders can use only 1 style ii. 34% of leaders can use 2 styles iii. 11% of leaders can use 3 styles iv. 1% of leaders can use 4 styles b. You can also label the squares as such.
i. S1 – Tell them ii. S2 – Show them iii. S3 – Let them try iv. S4 – Leave them alone IV. “For the Building Up of the Body of Christ”
A. It is more thrilling when members “do” ministry. It feels like you are making a difference for Christ and stepping out in your faith. It is more exciting to go on a mission trip than it is to hear about the mission trip!
B. Three things happen to a church when members are equipped to minister.
i. The body is unified. Eph. 4:13
ii. Members are matured in Christ. Eph. 4:13-14
iii. The church is healthy and growing in Christ. Eph. 4:15-16 1. It speaks the truth in love to the world and one another.
2. It grows into the image of Christ.
3. The whole body is joined and held together.
4. Each part is working properly.
5. The body grows so that it builds itself up in love.
V. How do you equip future leaders in the church.33
A. People grow when godly leaders apply the truth of God to their hearts while they are in a teachable posture.
i. Growing leaders doesn’t just happen. Leaders have to intentionally seek to mentor, or disciple, future leaders.
ii. Christian leaders come from the fertile soil of having the Word of God sown in their hearts and minds. As a leader we must do this for future leaders. James 1:18-25
iii. But they must be in a mindset or stage in life where they are able to receive the Word. They have to be teachable and eager to receive.
B. How are disciples developed?
i. Three areas are necessary: Experiences, Knowledge, Coaching ii. Jesus trained disciples this way.
1. Luke 5-8 – Watch and learn (Truth) 2. Luke 9-10 – Go and do (Experiences) 3. Luke 9-10 – Let’s talk (Coaching) iii. In order to train disciples, we must . . .
1. Give them truth (Bible study, sermons, material)
33 This information taken from Eric Geiger and Kevin Peck, Designed to Lead: The Church and Leadership Development (Nashville: B&H, 2016), 162-76.
2. Provide experiences (ministry, opportunities, leadership) 3. Coach and Mentor (support, counsel, guide, love) Phil.
3:17; 2 Thess. 3:7-9; Heb. 13:7
C. You cannot fill anyone else’s cup for them! But you are responsible for pouring out your cup into others!
Lesson 8: A Shepherd’s Family