-         Those selected into positions of leadership will be called by God, chosen by the people. 

-         They will have the gifts, given to them by the Holy Spirit, that are necessary to lead the church. 

-         They will only lead the church in areas that are necessary for them to lead and they will not operate outside of their gifts to lead.

So where does that leave the rest of us?

-         For the most part, when Christians are being Christians, you won’t have to worry about what the boss thinks and he won’t mess with you.

How is this possible?

Look around the room.  Is there one other person who looks like you?  Is there anyone even close?  Is there anyone who acts just like you act?  Is there anyone who has the gifts and talents that you have?

We are each unique and special.  God hand crafted each and every one of us to be exactly who we are.  There is nothing wrong with you (Unless sin is messing things up) but there is nothing wrong with the real you, the you that lies underneath all the stress, all the pain, all the difficult things in life, all the false fronts. 

God knows exactly who you are and He wants to take you out the drawer and put you to use.

(Some of us are baking cookies without sugar, flipping pancakes with forks, etc.)  It is time to find the sugar and the spatula.

Romans 12:3

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

-          You are special but so is everyone else

-          God made you unique but He did not make you better than everyone else (As a mechanic I can fix things in a rich person’s home as they stand there totally helpless and in the hands of a middle-class blue collar worker)

Romans 12:4

Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function,

-          We were all created different

-          God places different kinds of people in the local church for a reason

o       When you pile all the different ingredients together, it makes a beautiful cake!

Romans 12:5-7

so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

-         This church is your church.  It will become what your gifts let it become. 

o       Whatever your gifts are, we are going to let you use them

o       The ministry of this church will form out of the gifts of the people in the church

-         you don’t need to be a member of an earthly church to use your gifts

1 Corinthians 12:4-6

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

-         Once again, we were all created different

-         The church is more like a Ryan’s Steakhouse than a Hometown buffet

-         It’s more like Wal-Mart than Dairy-Mart

1 Corinthians 12:7-11

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

1 Corinthians 12:27-31

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues^[d]? Do all interpret? 31But eagerly desire the greater gifts.

-         The church is a living, breathing organism that changes and grows in response to the people who are connected to it.

-         As the people change, the personality and ministries of the church change.

So, what does all this have to do with The Leadership Team?

1.     Those with the gifts to lead, will lead

2.     The rest of us will use our gifts in the way we were designed to use them!

Some may say “I don’t have any of these gifts”

-         these things we have mentioned are not the only things the Holy Spirit gifts people with

-         Until you figure out what you are good at…

There is one tremendous thing you can do.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

You can love others

If you have experienced God’s love, If you understand what Jesus did for you on the cross, you can turn around and love people in the same way that you have been loved!

Watch the video

Closing:

Ask God to show you the gifts he has given you and how you can start using them.

Ask God if now is the time to commit to this local church and start using your gifts for Him, whatever they might be.