Roots of Leadership

💬 Habit 1 – Daily Prayer: Philippians 4:6 reminds us to bring all things to God with thanksgiving. Set aside time each day to talk to Him — not just with requests, but also with listening and gratitude.

📖 Habit 2 – Reading Scripture: Psalm 119:105 says God's Word is a lamp to our feet. Build a daily rhythm of engaging Scripture, even if it's one passage at a time.

🤝 Habit 3 – Fellowship & Community: Hebrews 10:24–25 urges us not to give up meeting together. Make church, small groups, and Christian friendships a regular part of your life.

👐 Habit 4 – Service & Giving: Mark 10:45 tells us that Jesus came to serve. Find ways to give your time and talents to serve others and reflect the heart of Christ.

💬 What is leadership? According to the Oxford Dictionary, leadership is more than a position — it's about influence, direction, and setting an example. In the context of the Great Commission, Jesus calls every believer to this kind of leadership: to guide others toward Him through teaching, baptizing, and modeling obedience.

📖 Servant Leadership in Scripture: 1 Peter 5:1–3 teaches that Church leaders must serve willingly and humbly, not for gain or out of obligation. Leadership in God’s Kingdom means tending to the flock with care, not ego.

🔥 A Noble but Costly Calling: 1 Timothy 3:1 calls the office of overseer a “noble task.” But with leadership comes spiritual warfare. Stepping into a role of influence — whether as a council member, Bible study leader, or servant in the church — puts a target on your back. Ephesians 6:12 reminds us that our battle is not against flesh and blood.

🛡️ Personal Testimony: This week’s lesson includes a vulnerable testimony of what happened after answering a call to serve in church leadership. Financial hardship, spiritual attack, and relational stress followed — but so did incredible growth in faith. The challenge: Pray about where God might be calling you to lead, and trust that He will walk with you, strengthen you, and provide.

📖 Faith in Action: James 1:22 urges us to be doers of the Word, not just hearers. Leadership begins when we live out what we’ve learned — even in small, unnoticed ways.

🙇 Servant Leadership: Jesus reminds us in Matthew 20:26–28 that greatness in His Kingdom is shown through humility and service. We are called to lead like Jesus — not by being served, but by serving others.

💡 Practical Leadership Opportunities: Whether at home, work, church, or in your neighborhood, you have opportunities to influence others. That may look like leading family prayer, mentoring a coworker, serving at church, or helping a neighbor in need.

📚 Biblical Examples: Barnabas showed leadership through encouragement and advocacy (Acts 9 & 11), while Stephen modeled boldness and faithfulness even in suffering (Acts 6–7).

🛠️ Weekly Challenge: Pick one leadership principle to live out this week. Make a plan, take action, and reflect on how God works through your obedience.

🌍 The State of the Church: Church attendance and Christian identity have been steadily declining in the U.S., with predictions that less than half of Americans will identify as Christian by 2070. Meanwhile, Christianity is exploding in other regions. The need for intentional, Christ-centered discipleship in the West is urgent.

📖 Restoring Biblical Literacy: 2 Timothy 3:16–17 teaches that God’s Word is essential for equipping the saints. Discipleship helps believers understand, apply, and live out Scripture in a time of widespread biblical illiteracy.

🤝 Building Authentic Community: Hebrews 10:24–25 reminds us not to give up meeting together. Discipleship restores the kind of deep, accountable relationships that sustain spiritual growth.

🌐 Engaging a Changing Culture: 1 Peter 3:15 calls us to be ready with an answer for our hope. Discipleship equips believers to represent Christ with clarity and compassion in a secular age.

👥 Raising Up Leaders: 2 Timothy 2:2 shows us that the future of the Church depends on training the next generation to teach and lead with integrity and boldness.

🍇 Bearing Fruit that Lasts: John 15:5 says we bear fruit only by remaining in Christ. Discipleship keeps us rooted, connected, and fruitful — even when the world encourages self-reliance and spiritual compromise.

⛓️ The Cost of Discipleship: Jesus makes it clear — discipleship involves denying ourselves, carrying our cross, and putting Him above everything else. It requires serious commitment, and we must count the cost before committing to follow.

💎 The Rewards of Discipleship: While the cost is great, the rewards are far greater. Jesus promises abundant life, eternal glory, peace, joy, purpose, and the deep, transforming presence of God. His rewards are not only for the future but also for the here and now.

🏃 Persevering in the Journey: Following Christ means we will face trials — but He gives us the strength to endure. By keeping our eyes on Jesus and leaning on His promises and our community, we can finish the race well.

🌱 What It Means to Be a Disciple-Maker: Disciple-makers model the love of Christ, invest intentionally in others, and teach what they’ve learned so others can grow in faith and pass it on.

🏛️ Why It Matters: Disciple-making sustains the Church, multiplies spiritual impact, and fulfills our calling as believers. It ensures the Gospel continues through generations.

🛠️ How to Begin: Start with prayer, identify someone to invest in, and lead by example. You don’t need to be perfect — you need to be faithful. Disciple-makers build up others through relationship, encouragement, and shared Scripture.