Sermon Tone Analysis

INTRODUCTION

“Godly Leadership” ~

INTRODUCTION

Indeed – LinkdIn – The Ladders – GlassDoor – Monster…do you know what they all have in common?

(Yes – no?) How about CareerBuilder?

Does that help?

Each of them are websites designed to help people find a job.

A 2-15 report donw by the Pew Research Center discovered that 79% Americans used on-line research sources when looking for employment.

If you’re looking for a summer job or a change – there are many great jobs listed on-line and some of them are really weird or odd.

Here’s few actual jobs you could apply according to UnderCover Recruiter.

· LIST

If you’re looking for a job you can still go old school- you can get a copy of the Star Herald and check the job-listings.

Many of the positions being advertised include the basic requirements or qualifications a candidate must have in order to get an interview and hired for the job.

(Read specific add from Star Herald) Every position you might apply for at a business will have a few requirements and qualifications for the job.

Companies to select the right people for the job—they need to ensure they are qualified for the position in order to ensure the company will be able to effective in their business.

Need

Did you know that the same is true for leadership in the local church?

The church is not a business—it is a body—and yet God desires that His church has qualified leaders in place fulfilling their unique role and responsibilities.

God cares deeply about the qualifications for leaders in His church.

Following God’s design for the selection of leaders is a vital for us to effectively fulfill our disciple-making mission.

Preview

Take your Bible and open to the book of Titus.

If you don’t have a Bible please use one in the pew and follow along – if you don’t own a Bible please take that home as a gift.

Last week we began this new series in Titus called “The Essential Building Blocks of an Effective Church” Last week we discovered the Building Block #1 – does anyone remember what it was from ?

Yes—“A Gospel-centered Ministry.

If we’re going to be a church that develops dedicated followers of Jesus Christ who worship, grow, love, and share – we must have a gospel-centered ministry – because the gospel impacts our identity, leads to godliness, provides hope for the future, and we’ve been entrusted with sharing the good news!

Today we consider “Building Block #2 in .

Before we dig into the text let’s review what we learned about this NT Letter.

God is the author of this letter, penned by the apostle Paul to Titus between D 62-AD 66.

We know that Paul had left Titus on the island of Crete (MAP).

Today we uncover the second building block of an essential church.

If you read the sermon title in the bulletin you already know it, if you didn’t it will be obvious as we read the passage.

Turn your attention to . .

(Read )

GODLY LEADERSHIP

Leadership

How many of you have ever filled out some type of personal survey, job application, or test that has a question like this.

“What three words would your friends use to best describe you?”

I hate those kinds of question.

How am I supposed to know what “so and so” thinks about me?

The question either causes me to well up with pride (they think I’m awesome) or raises my insecurities (“What are they thinking about me?

The probably think I’m a loser.

Does anyone ever think of me at all?).

(I get the idea of the question but I don’t like them.

The questions remind us that everyone has a reputation.

Do you know your reputation?

How do you think people describe you?

One of the cools things about our reputation is that it can change!

Back in the day I definitely had a different reputation than I do now, Christ has changed my life and people have noticed, and yet there are some of my old friends that won’t ever let me forget my past reputation no matter how hard I try to run from it.

Some parts of our reputation are true and some parts of our reputation are speculation & false.

Do you know our reputation as a church?

Every now and again I’ll catch wind second hand how people describe Cornerstone Church and sometimes I’ll hear it for myself.

Most of the descriptions are good, some are off the wall funny, and a few flat out false.

There are lots of different words used to describe churches, there are rural churches, mega churches, traditional churches, contemporary churches, mainline churches, Pentacostal churches, new churches & old churches, and the list goes on and on.

Most of us most to be a part of and know as being a “good” church, a “friendly” church, a “gracious” church, a “growing” church, a “healthy” church, a “fun” church, a loving church, a bible-teaching church, and an effective church!

Need

One of the things that I would love for the community to say about us is that God is effectively using us to impact lives for His glory in Greenfield and the surrounding communities.

The Bible reveals that He wants to work in and through us for His glory.

He’s called us to be “salt and light” in this world and “ministers of reconciliation” as we obey His call to make disciples of all nations.

It’s important that we be faithful stewards of the work God has entrusted to us as His church.

Therefore we must ask ourselves what we need in order to be a church that effectively impacts the world?

“What the Essential Building Blocks of an Effective Church?”

This is the question we’re going to answer every week as we continue a new series through the book of Titus.

Take your Bible and turn to the book of Titus.

Titus is found in the NT between Philemon and 2 Timothy.

The book of Titus is Paul’s letter to a man named Titus who was ministering to churches on the island of Crete.

(MAP) The gospel had come to Crete after the amazing events in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost when the HS was poured out on the first century believers and Peter was preaching of Jesus death and resurrection in many foreign languages.

There were some Creten citizens in Jerusalem that day that were likely cut to the heart by the gospel and then brought the good news back to the island.

On route to Rome Paul was briefly shipwrecked there and eventually went back to the island after being released from prison in Rome and took Titus with him to do some ministry among the churches on the island.

Eventually Paul left Titus on the island of Crete to set things in order so the church could have an effective impact in the various cities located on the island.

Therefore we’re going to uncover eight essential building blocks of an effective church.

The church is an assembly of God’s people, much more than a building, and we need to uncover the essential things that will enable us to be effective disciples who make an eternal impact in our community as His church!

Can anyone remember the first essential building block of an effective church that we uncovered in ?

(Gospel-Centered Ministry) Excellent!

Last week we learned that it’s essential for us to have a “Gospel Centered Ministry for it’s the gospel that changes our identity (self-centered to surrendered sent out servants of God), promotes godliness, and brings the hope of eternal life!

Today we uncover the second building block of an essential church.

If you read the sermon title in the bulletin you already know it, if you didn’t it will be obvious as we read the passage.

Turn your attention to . .

(Read )

GODLY LEADERSHIP

Titus highlights the second essential building block of an effective church is “Godly Leadership” “Godly Leadership.

highlights the importance of godly leadership.

Titus’ “ministry assignment’ on the island of Crete highlights the priority of establishing godly leadership in the local church.

The book of Titus, as well as the other NT letters, consistently reveal the importance of godly leadership in the local church.

Quote: “It is essential for Christian churches to possess some orderly scheme of government”[1] (Donald Guthrie)

God has ordained that His church be organized and led by godly leaders.

Let’s take a closer look at together and the implications for our lives as a church.

I) The Ministry Assignment (1:5)

We begin in which reveals Titus’ “Ministry Assignment in Crete.”

Titus’ “Ministry Assignment in Crete” was two-fold.

A) Organize the Churches (1:5a)

The first part of Titus’ ministry assignment was to “Organize the Churches” on the island Crete.

In we read that Paul had left Titus on the island of Crete to “straighten out what was left unfinished” (NIV).

Titus’ task on the island was to “set in order the remaining matters” (NET) or “put what remained into order” (ESV).

Titus was charged with the task of “putting things in the proper manner; setting things right by way of correction.

Paul’s challenge is a Greek word often used in the medical field to speak of “setting” a broken bone.

Titus was charged with the task of arranging what needed to be set in order after Paul’s departure—things that were out of line in these young churches needed to be set right and things that were lacking needed to be established—and Paul believed that Titus was the right man for the job!

The gospel had likely come to Crete after the Holy Spirit’s arrival on the day of Pentecost.

We know there were Cretan’s visiting Jerusalem on that day and heard Peter’s preaching of the gospel – some likely put their faith in Jesus and brought the message back to the island of Crete ().

Paul and Titus had as come to Crete together (after being released from his first Roman imprisonment) to share the gospel in various cities but weren’t able to establish these local churches on the island.