Mentoring Men and Discipling Leaders

Men's Leadership and Discipleship 2018-19 @ LCBC

Fellow brothers in Christ,

One of the most exciting things I get to be a part of at LCBC is our men’s leadership training and discipleship ministry.  Few things energize me more than talking about the Christian life, doctrine, the local church, and things that matter most with like-minded believers…especially faithful men like you! 

As the Sr. Pastor of this wonderful fellowship this is one of the most important things that God calls me to do. This ministry flows directly out 2 Timothy 2:2, “And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also;” and out of Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”  One of the biblical roles of a pastor-shepherd is to help train, disciple, and equip leaders and future leaders.  Since biblical, male leadership in the home/local church is God’s design, this is a vital ministry at LCBC.

Based on many helpful comments and ideas from those who participated in Track 1 beginning September 15^th we are going to offer a Track 2A and a Track 2B.  Track 2A will be more in depth/intense with a special focus on elders/future elders.  Track 2B will be more deacon focused with less reading.  BOTH TRACKS will be biblical, theological, and practical.   After reading this note, praying, talking with your wife, please reach out to me if you’re not sure which Track to sign up for.

Leadership and I cannot emphasize enough just how important these once a month sessions are as we seek to implement a robustly biblical philosophy of ministry.  This ministry and everything we do at LCBC is based off of key texts such as Colossians 1:28-29; Eph. 4:11-16; Hebrews 5:12-14; 2 Timothy 2:2; and Proverbs 27:17.  As you pray about whether or not God would have you sign up for Track 2 please consult these passages of Scripture. 

God made us (Gen. 1).  He brought us into this world and chose our specific gender.  He created men and women equal in dignity, value, personhood, and worth but He also created us with different roles.  As such, the LORD calls each of us to be examples in word and deed.  He calls men in particular to provide spiritual leadership in the home and in the church (Eph 5-6; 1 Tim 2:9-3:10).  Many of you have, or at some point will, serve in official deacon and/or elder capacities.  Others, will continue to serve and lead without ever functioning in one of these N.T. offices.  Either way, this discipleship ministry is foundational to the mission of LCBC.

To help you better understand the particulars of this year's super sessions allow me to briefly address 7 commonly asked questions:

1. How often do we meet?  Only once a month.  Generally on the third Saturday of the month from 7:00-10:30am.  Men are expected to read in preparation of each supper session (note 2018-19 calendar attachment- I’ll email you these attachments separately).

2. What will the sessions look like?  Our entire group will meet to discuss the 50 Core Truths of the Christian Faith: A Guide to Understanding Theology resource.  We will break up into small groups to talk about practical applying R Kent Hughes’ classic, Disciplines of a Godly Man.  We will also break up one time into Track 2A and 2B to discuss group specific resources.  Pastor Caleb will lead the 2A guided discussion time and Pastor Kent will lead the Track 2b guided discussion time.

3. Why are you utilizing biblical resources?  Shouldn’t we just study the Bible?  The value of any Christian resource is determined in so much that the author is rightly interpreting and applying the Word of God.  These are supplemental resources written by faithful believers/teachers.  The Apostle Paul himself utilized such resources as is seen in 2 Timothy 4:13.  The meat and potatoes of LCBC is our expository pulpit.  This ministry is not intended to replace one’s personal bible time, rather, it should supplement it.  We will compare everything we read and study against the perfect Revelation of Scripture “to see if these things be so.”  The teaching in these books flows out of the doctrine and application that is in Scripture.

4. Tell me more about the resources that we will be using this year?  Both Track 2A and Track 2b will study-  Disciplines of a Godly Man and 50 Core Truths of the Christian Faith: A Guide to Understanding Theology.  The first resource flows out of Paul’s command in 1 Timothy 4:7-8a and highlights the discipline of purity, marriage, friendships, prayer, worship, integrity, prayer, and ministry (to name but a few things).  The second resource flows out of 1 Timothy 3:15, Jude 3, and 1 Peter 3:15.  The local church is called to the pillar and buttress of Divine truth.  Each one of us is called to be defend the faith (Jude 3; 1 Peter 3:15).  As such, it’s important that we know what we believe and why we believe it.

Men's Leadership Training and Discipleship

2017-18 LCBC Men's Leadership 

Once a month a band of brothers gathers together for fellowship, biblical instruction, and small group time.

This Saturday we hope to come together for super session #4.

Our men will have read chapters 6-7 in Steve Lawson's "Made In Our Image: What Shall we do with a 'User-Friendly' god?"  Chapters 5-6 of MacArthur's, "the Master's Plan for the Church."  Chapters 7-8 in Stuart Scott's, "The Exemplary Husband (plus the workbook)."  And chapter 6 of Timothy Witmare's "The Shepherd-Leader: Achieving Effective Shepherding in Your Church."

Please pray that God would use this ministry to make us more Christ-like leaders and more faithful men of God.  Ephesians 3:21

"I'm Just Not Getting Much Out Of My Preacher's Sermons..." (pt. 2)

BORING!

What's a Christian to do if they are just not getting much out of their preacher's sermons?  In some cases, it may be helpful to share this loving concern with one's pastor.  If you choose to do this, provide a few specific examples to help your shepherd understand more specifically where you are coming from.  Do this with humility and bathe everything in prayer (Prov. 3:5-6). Having said that, before setting up such a meeting you should acknowledge that the difficulties your experiencing may reside as much in your own heart/mind, or in your own unrealistic and/or unbiblical expectations, as it does in the human mouthpiece of the Word (note 1 Peter 4:10-11).  One must evaluate each situation on a case by case basis.  Of course in many real world situations the matter is both/and rather than either/or.

Biblical humility should temper your criticisms with the honest acknowledgement that your pastor has invested 4-8 years of his life via bible college and seminary and to countless hours preparing weekly expositions.   I remind myself of this very principle when walking into a medical clinic. Before informing my doctor that "I don't think he's doing his job right and needs to do this or that" I realize that the few hours I spent on Web M.D. does not make me a "subject matter expert" in medicine.  That's not to say we should never question a doctor.  Some medical professionals are really poor in what they do and we would be foolish to not get a second opinion (or to find another doctor all together).

In this vein, if your preacher has not received received adequate ministry training he may need to "go back to school" before assuming such a huge responsibility as is feeding the flock of Christ (see John 21).  Note Clint Archer's helpful article on "should men go to seminary before leading the church of Christ.".

Having said that, those in the pew should be humble enough to listen to their pastor's thoughts knowing that he's likely spent hundreds of hours reading books on expository preaching, has invested thousands of hours listening to classroom lectures on theology, hermeneutics, counseling, Scripture, and homiletics, and probably benefits from many of the same well known preachers that you do.  What Christian doesn't love the preaching ministries of Alistair Begg, Steve Lawson, and John MacArthur?  

On this note, one of the present dangers of the internet and the proliferation of "celebrity pastors" is that some Christians expect their local church preacher to sound just like you fill in the blank; not realizing that God does not give "five talents" to every servant (Matt. 25:14-30) and has given each individual a unique personality/style.  If your preacher does not herald the Word as well as John MacArthur (join the camp), this does not mean that this brother has not been called to the ministry.   All believers are expected to be faithful stewards of the talents that have been sovereignly dispensed on them by the Lord of the Church (see 1 Cor. 12-14; 1 Pet. 4:10-11; 1 Tim. 3:1f).  In this same vein, if you expect your praise leader(s) to sing like Matt Boswell or Chris Tomlin, or to write arrangements like Fernando Ortega or Bob Kauflin, you are setting yourself up for being a church member who is never content.  Be biblically realistic and remind yourself that the power ultimately resides in the Word of God not in the heralds of His Word!

These Entrust to Faithful Men, Who Will Be Able to Teach Others Also!

Lake Country Bible Men's Leadership- Track 1

The response to our men's leadership training and discipleship ministry at Lake Country Bible Church has been humbling and overwhelming both in terms of sheer quantity and in view of spiritual quality. Here is how you can partner with us in prayer.

In our opening super session I asked our band of brothers a series of questions.  A) Such as:  What are you guys thinking with regards to personal expectations and goals?  B) What do you hope to get out of these men’s leadership training and discipleship sessions?  C) Why did you sign-up?  D) Why this investment of sleep, time, and money?  E) In your estimation, what would a successful “class” look like?

Here is how the class answered.  I am confident these desires are of the Lord because they reflect the biblical ideals of Scripture.  Please join in praying that God would accomplish these 12 requests in the spirit of Col. 1:29; 1 Tim. 4:7-8; and Phil. 2:12-13.

1) We want to enjoy deeper fellowship with other brothers in Christ and to develop spiritual comradery.

2) We want to grow in the knowledge of God.

3) We want the Spirit to revive our hearts and to give us a deeper passion for Christ and a greater burden for lost souls.

4) We want the Lord to raise up another generation of Godly, Word-driven, Shepherd-leaders (organically).

5) We want to grow spiritually.

6) We want the Lord to strengthen our marriages and our families.  We want to learn what it means to be “exemplary husbands” that we might truly love our wives as the Lord Jesus Christ calls me to (per Eph. 5:22-33).

7) We hope to receive loving correction (Gal 6) in an individual way via our small group time.