Week 8 Bible Centered Leadership

HEY GUYS!

This last week we spent our class time with Eric Barlow, a super smart man with lots of wisdom. Originally he was going to name the topic Advanced Bible Study but changed it in class because of how important it is to live as "Bible Centered Leaders". If you are wondering what a bible centered leader is or (BCL) for short. A (BLC) refers to a leader who's leadership is informed by the Bible. Who is personally shaped by Biblical values and grasps the intent of the scriptural books and their content in such a way to apply them to current situations and who uses the Bible in ministry so as to impact followers.

We spent the first day looking at some key verses showing the importance of the Bible.
Isaiah 40:8 The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.
2 Tim 3:16-17 All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
These are just two verses where it talks about the importance of the word, there are lots!

Loving Jesus means that we are in the word!
The one thing we can always rely on in ministry is the word of God, it provides all the truth we can rely on. It really hit me hard thinking about what i'm saying next.... North America has the word of God around every corner, we have it on our phones and many times we have numerous versions of Bibles. And yet we don't even long for it. So much of it and we don't give nearly as much value as it deserves. Places in the world that are secluded and poor or where the word of God isn't legal. People are willing to sell anything or even go to the length of cutting off an arm for it.
It was hard to see that we have so much resource available to us and yet sometimes don't use it. We are so blessed to have so much of the word of God. Its encouraging!

The week was very "hands on" which was nice to be able to figure things out for ourselves. I had the opportunity to learn new study techniques with the Bible. Also created a 3 year and 10 year Bible study plan so I can get more out of my time with God!

That is a short summary of what I did last week! Thanks for reading! :)  

WEEK 7 IN PHASE 2 THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP

Hey guys! This week here in YWAM was full of great teachings on the cost of discipleship, the musician DTS went up to the eagle rock base so it was also very quiet.

This week was full of fun, thursday night as a school we had Bowling night. Not your average bowling night, It was costume bowling night! My small group and I decided to be old people, and it just got crazier the more we looked for our costumes. Originally we were going to be old guys but as it went on we ended up being Grannies and Grandpas on dates. I would just like to say that I have a lot more respect for women now, make-up takes forever! 

Friday we had our weekly small group hangout and we went to Panara bread. It was very good food, and we played Taboo. 

This week Troy Sherman came to speak on the Cost of Discipleship. This was a very impacting week for me, it gave me lots to think about. In fact I'm still processing everything that he taught on. 

First 

"As a leader God has no choice but to show us more of our problems so we can minister to full potential" Theres a bunch of crap in our lives, and God will choose certain things that we need to work on. If he convicted us with all of the stuff we would have a hard time changing anything because it can be hard to deal with everything at much. But as a leader that will change because God will show us so much more so we have more to minister with. As its our job to be ambassadors of truth we need to have pure hearts. 

The teaching was based out of 1 Corinthians 4 

There is no formula in ministry, Is Jesus the light of the world? No we are called to be the light of the world as ministers. 

1 Cor 4:1 Regard us as Servants. As a leader I will be judged but still give them what they need. 

Just because I can do something for someone doesn't mean I should. Are we trying to go the distance or are we going for speed? We CANT look at the horizon we must look at Heaven! 

Measurements 

Why is it that we look at the size of the church? We have all these measurements of what success looks like when the Kingdom of God doesn't look at it or adhere to that. 

4:1 Men (the world) regard us servants 

This is the mark if are doing our job 

YOU CAN ALWAYS TAKE AWAY POSITION BUT! BUT YOU CAN'T TAKE THE ANOINTING AWAY.

The point is that school or training can't and won't make you a servant or make you better than anyone els. Teaching takes place where you actually experience it. We judge the level of leadership on the church bubble. 

1 Cor 4:1 It is measurable, Desirable it is work

The battle for the heart of a leader is not about the furture achievements (BIG STUFF). Its about the DAY TO DAY stuff. Jesus is only expecting me to do the best I can with what I have or been given. 

ARE WE BEING REALISTIC WITH WHAT WE CAN DO? The Kingdom of Heaven is an upside down one. 

1 Cor 4:2 Now it is required that those who have been given trust must prove faithful

Give it all for him

What is God doing to TEST your FAITHFULNESS?  Gods really looking for willing and able, we are tools for him. 

COMPASSION WE DON'T LACK AS A GENERATION< CAPACITY IS WHAT WE ARE LACKING 

Are we as a generation even putting ourselves out there to be used? 

God wants to use us out of a motivation of love not just simply obedience, he will take the simple obedience but he wants us to do it out of LOVE. 

4:2 Those given trust (responsibility) remain Faithful 

God is asking us to give 100%, (if we say 99% truth and 1% not true we are still lying). How do we prove anything? out of action and evidence. In leadership we will be crucified, but there is nothing better than to be. If we consistently act like jesus while crucifixion we are taping into the real POWER.

People give us the right to to lead them if they are actively still doing stuff wrong. 

Complete all the father has told you to do, God has called each of us to a ministry of obedience not SUCESS.  

Often we think we are disqualified as leaders what is it that disqualifies us? There is nothing in the bible that says that we are. Never assume what being spoken is being said. Most of the time the thing that we think disqualifies us is exactly what gives us reason to lead. 

1 Cor 4:3 I care very little if I am judged by you as by only human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. 

WE WILL BE JUDGED, NOT IF BUT WHEN!

The word of the lord isn't safe, and it defiantly isn't a straight line. I think it's important to know who we are (identity) so that we can stand firm when attacked. 

Not to say God can't use us in anyway he wants in anyway possible. 

To know your identity :

1) To know who you are/how God made you

2)know your gifting's/anointing 

YOU ARE UNIQUE JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE!

We learned this week that it is not our job to dig or convict others and there sin. In leadership its only obedience to God.  LET THE HOLY SPIRIT DIG! 

We don't have to make the seed grow WE ARE NOT GOD!

There is so much to cover on the teaching this is not all of it. Mainly we looked at 1 COR 4 

Overall we were taught this week that it is not about us, and that as a leader we will be hurt/put down. 

But the best part is that God has it under control, we don't need to take control of any situation. Let God do the work and partner with him in the places he asks us too. 

Strengths

When I was a younger boy in junior high and going into high school I played the trombone in band. To say the least I hated the trombone. We were required to practice our instruments on a daily basis, obviously I did not want to practice. My Mother had gotten me a stereo system that recorded sounds, now what comes next may not surprise you. I got this magical idea, I would just record myself once in a while and press play so to my Mother's listening ears from upstairs would think i'm happily playing day to day. This went on for awhile until of course I get caught, but it was a good idea right?

Now this was a story that came to mind in class a week or so ago, we did a class on something called strength finders. I did a test online with a book, asked me loads of questions and the end result is a list of strengths. It is very accurate and really cool to have the opportunity to see these. Now the story I started with relates to this, My 5 strengths that came up out of this are: Woo, Communication, Strategic, Achieve and Ideation. I found it fun to look back through my life and relate these strengths to things I did. My strategic strength as well as Ideation came out then. 

The world focus is one that always seems to focus on our weak points. Think back to school you could get full A's and that one F on your report card was the one that always got the attention. Always focusing on what we weren't good rather what we were good at. To be effective for the kingdom of God or in general work, I think its important that we recognize our strengths and work on those. Imagine if you practiced what you were always good at rather than spending that time on something you knew wasn't your strongsuit suit? Now this isn't to say that you should just forget about everything you weren't good at. But to spend more time and build on what you are good at will go a lot further. To be able to see the strengths we have and to use them in ministry and letting people with differences do different things I believe can make something for God very affective.

I encourage you all to recognize different strengths that God has given you, and to really see where you can put those into action. Its how we were made, its your DNA. I'm so thankful that God makes each of us different! 

Hey Everyone!
          I started this blog to let you all know how my live in YWAM Denver is going, and what God is doing in my life. Also to let everyone know what the next step is in my walk with Christ and what I will be needing prayer for. So please don't hesitate to ask me questions or any specifics on what I'm doing if i somehow forget to post it. Thank you all for your support and look forward to hearing from you!