1 Peter 5:1 So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.

Leaders should understand the missionGod designed the church to have leaders to serve itGod has things for us to do. He has given us the power of the Holy Spirit, He has given us the Word, He has given us each other for encouragement. The only reason for the church not to succeed in this world is because of leadership.The Greek word used here, presbuteruos is a word which is sometimes used in speaking of a person being and elder or an older person. The Greek word which is translated “bishop” is spiskopos, and it speaks of the office of the man, not the person of the man. It is the spiritual office of shepherding; the same word is used for Shepherd. This is all that Peter every claimed to be – he calls himself a fellow elder. He never claimed a superior place above them, but a fellow elder who exhorts them.

Peter also says that he is a presbyter, one who leads, along with themAs we look closely at the roll of Elders we discover that the NT pattern has them in leadership in the local church body, but also in terms of churches and different groups of believers. Peter considered himself a presbyter of churches, while we find Paul telling Timothy that the elders in the local church have a roll to be examples to younger believers as well.

X – ALC is an AG church. When I was brought before this local church it was the leadership of the presbytery that established me the “pastor” or “bishop” of this local body. But it was the local body that selected me through a process of examination and prayer. All this because the church has a mission. Matt 28:18-20 – Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." NIV

Popular view of the church’s mission

3,500 churches will close this year aloneNext to China, India America is the most unchurched country in the world.

According to George Barna: "With its 195 million unchurched people, America has become the new mission field. America has more unchurched people than the entire populations of all but 11 of the world's 194 nations."* Today 7.2 billion people in the world nearly double that in 1970And still, if you gave everyone on earth a 700sf apartment, we could all live in Texas – For my fam 7 - -4900sfSeattle and Portland are the most unchurched cities in America.Another credible resource shows Seattle as fourth

Cities with lowest share of self-identified Christians: San Francisco (68%) Portland, Oregon (71%) Portland, Maine (72%) Seattle (73%) Sacramento (73%) New York (73%)

If you are under 30 and a man, church is the most unlikely place you would find yourself this morning 80% of churches in America are under 250 in attendance. Sometimes that is a sign of stagnation, but there is so much good a healthy smaller church has to offer. Some view smaller church as not having the quality of credible teaching and preaching, worship music, child-care, etc… (People are screened, educated… “Love Connect Serve”-Abundant Life is postured for growth and will not always have less than 250 attending, relevance to our generation, family friendly…

What is the church supposed to do? Every part of it should have an evangelistic nature.Biblical definitions of the activities associated with corporate worship, the “Gatherings”:1 – Preaching – Biblical churches have preaching as part of their gatherings. Different churches have different preaching styles.2 Tim 4:2 – Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage — with great patience and careful instruction. NIV

2 – Sacraments of Baptism and Communion – Biblical churches practice water baptism by immersion and participate in communion together. Now whether that is in a river, tank, or ocean… Whether we all drink from one cup or have a cup for everyone, for communion, tear off the bread or eat wafers.Matt 28:19 – Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, NIV X – 1 Cor 11:23 – For I received from the Lord…

3 – Prayer 1 Tim 2:1 – I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— NIV

4 – Reading Scripture1 Tim 4:13 – Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. NIV

5 – Financial Giving – 2 Cor 8-9 – offerings in the church on first day of the week, don’t give under pressure by a plea to give, but cheerfully, for the work of the ministry. We also learn that this is how we pay the pastor of our local church.

6 – Singing and musicCol 3:16 – Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. NIV

Shepherd God’s PeopleVerse two uses the word “shepherd” (I am part shepherd mom’s side). But the Greek implication is a bit pithier: poimaino (poy-mah'-ee-no); to tend as a shepherd of (figuratively, supervisor): KJV - feed (cattle), rule.-The Greek also adds a few other words that connect the meaning better. “Feed the flock of God which is under your oversight, not because you are under compulsion to do so, but because you must, it is your purpose your great calling. Not to lord it over them, this calling is not to see what you can get but rather live to be an example to God’s people.”

Not under compulsion. In other words, don’t serve because you have to. But do it because you want to and are called to do it. X – While Paul was in Miletus, they sent for the elders at Ephesus and they came and Paul encouraged them with these words…Acts 20:28-31 – 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. 29 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. 31 Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. NKJV

Exercising Oversight It is imperative that God’s church be of one mind and in unity, and where there is threat of division or that would potentially threaten the peace of God’s family the shepherd must stand and confront, whether it is an issue or it is a person. The oversight includes a number of areas, those working with the pastor, those in ministry areas serving alongside the leader. The church business, finance, legal requirements… And more specifically leadership in ministry with those spreading their wings, and confronting wrong and harmful doctrine. Paul told Timothy, watch your life and doctrine closely…

Not for shameful gain Paul writes in 1 Cor 9 that a pastor gets paid from the offerings that are received in the church. Now, here at ALC we have a budget that is set every year and the church sets aside a specific amount to pay me and the other ministry people here at the church. There are different churches that do it differently. Some give their pastor a huge wage because they believe the pastor’s family should be a model of prosperity with a certain amount of extravagances. We don’t do that here, we have a guide that gives us averages for tenure, size of church, education, etc…

Feed the flock-The pastor/shepherd/elder must preach the Word. If we do not hear “turn in your Bibles with me to…” We might as well go home. Not only that but the preaching of that word in Sound Doctrine is extremely important. Many have ventured away from God or become frustrated in ministry when there has been little or no accountability in knowing the Word of God. X – Missionary David Willis, careful to train pastors in the Word in sound doctrine first. Why? Because he said these go out and become either frustrated or begin false doctrines that ultimately lead to cults without accountability.

2 Tim 4:1-5 – In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage — with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. NIV

-When Peter uses the term “Shepherd” he connects it to the context of his work. In other words, being a Presbyter is the roll of leadership that he has in the church, but the work of the shepherd is what he does.-This is God’s calling, to shepherd His flock. There are any number of things a shepherd will do, but the first is to follow the example of the Chief Shepherd who is returning for His church.

God rewards His servants1 Peter 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. X – Crown of Glory

Genuine humility is the avenue God uses to lift us up1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,

How humble are you?-Do you cut people off who ignore you? -Do you hurt when those you dislike are honored?-Do you find it difficult to admit you are wrong? -Do you react when people criticize you?-Do you give your opinions before being asked for them? -Do you talk more than listen?-Do you give the impression that you have no problems? -Do you seek ways to humble yourself?-Are you quick to correct others when they make mistakes? -Do you react when you do no receive the credit you are due?-Do you compare yourself to others rather than God?

Humility is recognizing and acknowledging my total dependence on GodX – Many times we wonder why God lets us get to the end of our rope. Some hopeless place, physical ailment, financial distress or difficult relationships. These are God’s lessons of humility to us. Unless we can sincerely say that God, I have nothings else but you, we have nothing.-I am sure in your times of forced dependence on God sometimes we don’t go peacefully. We fight and struggle to solidify our agenda, until everything is removed and He is all that remains.-As difficult as it sounds, I do have good news… You can save yourself a whole lot of pain from pride by switching to God’s plan. Sometimes the deductibles are high, because He requires only everything, but the benefits of peace, protection, and satisfaction in life are the things the world looks for and fails to find.

Humility is building my life around God and others rather than myself X – sharing our home, pride was confronted

Humility is realizing that we ourselves are nothing, but we are everything in Christ. Rom 7:18 – I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. (NIV)“The higher a man is in grace, the lower he will be in His own esteem” – Charles Spurgeon“The greatest of all faults is to be conscious of none.”-Pride really covers the ears of genuine conviction. It’s almost like wearing headphones listening to trash tunes when all the time the Philharmonic symphony is playing live.

J. Hudson Taylor – X – missions to Chinese orphanages, sat to eat with the children and wife, no food and began to pray and a man came with a wagon load of food.“All God’s giants have been weak men who did great things for God, because they reckoned on God being with them.”

Cast your cares on the Lord1 Peter 5:7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. ESV

Giving our anxieties to God overcomes fearAnxiety comes when we react with fear when we face trialsWe must realize that going through adversity doesn’t mean…

1 – That we have missed God’s will -Jn 16:33 – in this world you will have trouble but take heart I have overcome the world2 – That we have sin in our lives – Jas 1:2-3 – consider joy, test of faith makes patience3 – That we lack faith

Paul writes the same thing in Phil 4:6-7 – Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 - And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (NIV)-If you are suffering from anxiety, if there are fears that grip your heart, then there is room at the cross for you. Peter and Paul both tell us to cast our anxieties, concerns, and fears on the Lord. Trusting Him to take those fears.--Friends don’t let your feeling deceive you, don’t let a friend tell you different, don’t cry to Dr. Phil, Jesus died for your anxieties.

1 Peter 5:12 By Silvanus, a faithful brother as I regard him, I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it. 13 She who is at Babylon, who is likewise chosen, sends you greetings, and so does Mark, my son. 14 Greet one another with the kiss of love. Peace to all of you who are in Christ. ESV