November 28 I Thessalonians 1-5 How To Disciple People

1 Thessalonians 2:5-12 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed-- God is our witness. We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else. As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

Our church is a couple of weeks away from having our 1st elders. I have always thought that the verses above depict a beautiful picture of spiritual shepherds leading and caring for their spiritual flock. Too many times, Elders see their position as a "board" position similar to a corporate board. Although there is an "overseer" or managerial aspect of eldering, it is not the complete picture. Shepherding people is an essential aspect of being an Elder Council and not just being an Elder Board.

Let's look at some of the aspects of Paul's, Timothy's, and Silas' shepherding:

1. "not looking for praise from men": Our church is really Christ's church. Elders are undershepherds that should be committed to pleasing God, not doing popular things. Sometimes people want to move the church toward being a club that is comfortable and they lose the urgency of being disciplemakers. Elders need to keep the flock focused.
2. "gentle among you": Gentleness should never be confused with weakness. Gentleness is strength applied humbly. Elders must never lord their titles/authority over people. Elders need to be instruments of the Holy Spirit to move people along as disciples as shepherds (lead out in front), not sheepdogs "(those that drive from behind).
3. We loved you so much...delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us": Elders must be willing to mix with people in many phases of their life - not just at church. Private people make terrible elders excluding themselves from the everyday struggles of their flock and depriving their flock of seeing how they navigate life. Elders must consider the people of their church as "dear." Elders must love their people and be delighted to share their lives.
4. "how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you": Very simply, Elders must be committed to living a solid, Christian life - that is visible to all!
5. "dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God": Elders must see themselves as fathers to each of the people in the flock. Fathering requires different parenting skills at different time and a father must be willing to be implement the right skills at the right time. Fathers and Elders have to treat each of their children/congregants individually. Sometimes and Elder needs to encourage the willing, other times he must be willing to comfort the hurting, and sometimes he needs to courageously urge the unwilling/ignorant/rebellious.

Shepherding is an investment of an Elder's whole self; then again, so is effective discipling. An effective discipler shares their whole life with those that they are mentoring.

May God make Calvary Church's Elders and all of its people willing and able to share their lives making disciples who make disciples that love God, love others, and share Christ.