The Making of a Leader

On December 7, 1941, the Japanese Air Force launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and forced the United States into World War II. Vice Admiral Nagumo led a thirty-three ship strike force which steamed under cover of darkness to within two hundred miles of Oahu. His carriers launched 360 airplanes against the American Pacific Fleet. The first bombs fell on Pearl Harbor about 7:55 a.m. Eighteen U.S. ships were sunk or severely damaged, some 170 planes destroyed, and American forces suffered about 3,700 casualties. President Roosevelt described it as “a day which will live in infamy,” and the motto “Remember Pearl Harbor!” became a rallying cry for the rest of World War II.

In Great Britain, Prime Minister Winston Churchill received the news of Pearl Harbor differently. Though deeply sympathetic with American losses, he understood that this fatal mistake by the Japanese in underestimating American resolve would now force full-scale U.S. involvement in the war. Upon grasping this enormous consequence, Churchill reportedly said, “Now we will win.”

Throughout the course of human events we find such history changing moments, decisions which move things in a different direction. Such is the case with the chapter before us today. God’s plan to take the gospel west into Europe rather than north into Asia changed the face of global evangelism and the march of the church for hundreds of years. When we think of Zwingli, Luther, Calvin, we remember Europeans ultimately influenced by the decision Paul made to follow God’s leading against his own personal preferences.

God still changes history in directing the efforts of his people. Not many years ago, we thought the Berlin Wall impregnable and expected the Cold War to go on forever. Who could have predicted in 1985 a united Germany and frenetic missionary activity all across eastern Europe, especially throughout the old Soviet Bloc countries?

God’s timing often differs from what we would have planned and often makes little sense to us. Of course, our reasoning, so dimmed by sin and the limitations of mortality, has no way to grasp the historic impact of immediate decisions. Like Paul, we must trust the leading of God’s Spirit day by day in living our lives, raising our children, making decisions for a business or ministry. In every arena of life we must serve him with a constant alertness to the Holy Spirit’s leading and changing our direction.

This morning we find Paul and Silas on a mission to strengthen the early Christian churches. Their journey brings them to Derbe and Lystra, two cities where they had previously preached the gospel. This time, they meet a young disciple named Timothy. Timothy’s mother is a Jewish believer, and his father is Greek. He has a strong reputation among the local believers, which catches Paul’s attention.

Paul sees great potential in young Timothy and decides to take him along on their missionary journey. Following God’s guidance, Paul made some strategic decisions that led to significant growth of the church and it’s impact.

Let’s take a look. Acts 16:1-5.

With this background in mind, let’s look at how Paul’s choice to recruit and prepare Timothy shows us our first main point: seeing the potential in others.

Recognize the Potential in Others (1-2)

When they arrive in Lystra, they meet a young man named Timothy.

It’s possible that the best thing that happened at Lystra was the enlistment of Timothy to replace John Mark as Paul’s special assistant.

Timothy probably came to know Jesus through Paul’s ministry when he first visited Lystra, because Paul called him “my beloved son” (1 Cor. 4:17) and “my own son in the faith” (1 Tim. 1:2). Timothy’s mother and grandmother had prepared the way for his decision by being the first in the family to trust Christ (2 Tim. 1:5).

If you remember Lystra, this was the place where Paul had been stoned and drug out of the city and left for dead.

Some reception, right.

And now Paul’s back.

And there he finds Timothy.

Timothy’s mother was a Jewish believer, and his father was Greek. The local believers spoke highly of Timothy. They spoke of his strong faith and good reputation. Paul saw something special in Timothy, recognizing his potential to become a great leader and helper in spreading the gospel.

We all encounter people with untapped potential in our lives. It’s easy to overlook them because they may not stand out immediately. But like Paul, we need to look beyond the surface and see the potential in others.

We were left here on this earth to make disciples.

It’s our responsibility to put in the effort. Who are you discipling? Who are you mentoring?

Take a moment this week to identify someone in your life who has potential but might need encouragement or guidance. Reach out to them, offer your support, and help them grow. Just like Paul did with Timothy, your mentorship could make a significant difference in their life and in the larger community.

Who knows what God could do through them because you took the time and invested in their life?

Seeing the potential in others is just the first step; the next crucial part is learning how to adapt our methods for effective ministry.

We Need to Learn to Adapt for Effective Ministry (3)

We might be a little surprised by verse three.

This is following so quickly the determination of Jewish Council. No one needed to be circumcised in order to be saved. So why did Paul have Timothy circumcised if he didn’t need to be?

It seems there was an important spiritual principle behind Paul’s decision.

After recognizing Timothy’s potential, Paul faced a challenge. Timothy was the son of a Jewish mother and a Greek father, and he hadn’t been circumcised. Paul knew that this could be a stumbling block when they were ministering to Jewish communities.

In the Jewish world, Timothy would have been considered a Jew. As Paul saw it, being a good Christian didn’t mean being a bad Jew. Instead, it meant being a fulfilled Jew.

Even though the Jerusalem Council had decided that Gentiles didn’t need to be circumcised to be saved, Paul chose to have Timothy circumcised. This decision wasn’t about salvation but about removing barriers that could hinder their ministry.

Think about a missionary who is bringing the gospel to a group of people from a different culture. They will need to learn the local language and customs to communicate effectively and gain the trust of the people.

They can’t use church language or even Bible terms right off the bat. It would be lost over their heads. The missionary would have to begin teaching the concepts in the language and idioms they understand first.

It’s not about changing the truth of the Bible, but adapting the language and adapting to the customs so as not to offend them before they have the opportunity to gain their trust.

In our own lives, we might face situations where we need to adapt our methods to be more effective. This could be in how we share our faith, how we approach and talk to others, or even how we interact with them.

Don’t take for granted that they’ll understand our Christianese or our insider language and rituals. It’s about being flexible and understanding the needs and perspectives of others to better connect with them.

Think about areas where you might need to adapt your approach to be more effective. It could be how you communicate at work, or how you engage in your community.

Be flexible, keeping in mind that it’s about removing barriers and being more effective in your mission. Just like Paul did with Timothy, these small changes can lead to significant impact.

Paul simply wanted to remove any barriers to Timothy’s effectiveness wherever he went.

Adapting our methods is vital, but it’s equally important to communicate clearly to make sure everyone is on the same page and working together.

Communicate Clearly (4)

As Paul, Silas, and Timothy traveled from city to city, they shared the decisions made by the Jerusalem Council. These decisions clarified that Gentiles didn’t need to follow Jewish customs to be saved, which helped unify the churches. By clearly communicating these decisions, Paul and his team were able to strengthen the faith of the believers and bring everyone together.

Clear and transparent communication is an area where, I’m afraid, we at Faith have been lacking.

We have not always communicated everything we should have. This was not always on purpose.

But lack of communication breeds mistrust and does not engender unity.

We need to do better.

Moving forward, I want to make sure we share important decisions and plans and the reasons behind them to keep everyone on the same page.

We also want to hear from you. We will be scheduling a family meeting to hear your concerns and suggestions on how we can become more effective and experience healing and grow closer together.

We also welcome anyone to attend our board meetings and give suggestions or raise concerns. We will announce them so you know when we are meeting.

In our lives, clear communication is essential in our families, workplaces, and communities. When everyone understands the decisions being made and the reasons behind them, it builds trust and unity. Whether you’re a parent, a manager, or a friend, being clear and transparent can make a big difference.

Clear communication is important for unity and growth, but to truly thrive, we must also continuously encourage and support one another.

We Should Continually Strengthen and Encourage One Another (5)

As Paul, Silas, and Timothy continued their journey, the churches they visited were strengthened in their faith and grew in number every day. Their efforts in teaching, encouraging, and supporting the believers led to a vibrant and growing community of faith.

Think about a gardener who tends to their plants regularly. By watering them, providing the right nutrients, and removing any weeds, the gardener helps the plants grow strong and healthy. In the same way, our efforts to support and encourage each other can help our Faith community thrive.

In our daily lives, we all have the opportunity to strengthen and encourage those around us. Whether it’s offering a kind word, lending a helping hand, or simply being there to listen, our actions can have a significant impact on the people in our communities.

Action Point:

Make it a habit to encourage someone every day. It could be a family member, a coworker, a friend, or even a stranger. Simple acts of kindness and support can build a stronger, more united community. Just like Paul, Silas, and Timothy, your efforts to strengthen and encourage others can lead to growth and positive change.