David Louis
David Louis
August 5, 2021
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The Israelites had been slaves to the Egyptians for 400 years. They certainly would not have had any experience governing themselves. One of the most loving things God did for them was to teach them how to govern themselves – with God at the helm, of course! It started with one – Moses – who had grown up in the palaces of Egypt. Moses knew how to govern. But how could one person GOVERN AN ENTIRE NATION?

“Now Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses, heard of everything God had done for Moses.” (Exo. 18:1) Jethro saw Moses take his seat to serve as judge and how the people stood around him from MORNING TILL EVENING. Then he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening? What you are doing IS NOT GOOD.” (Exo. 18:13-17)

So, now Jethro gives Moses and all our Pastor’s some good godly advice. “Listen now to my voice; I will give you counsel, and God will be with you: Stand before God for the people, so that you may bring the difficulties to God. And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do.” (Exo. 18:19-20) I’m sharing this because one in three pastors will quit doing their job because it’s TOO MUCH FOR THEM.

GOOD LEADERSHIP ADVICE:

  • STAND BEFORE GOD FOR THE PEOPLE: The MOST IMPORTANT work of a Pastor is to stand before God for and PRAY for his flock. “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, PRAY TO YOUR FATHER who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret WILL REWARD YOU OPENLY.” (Matt. 6:6) There is nothing a pastor can say to his flock that will reward them as much as what he SAYS TO GOD about them.
  • TEACH THEM THE WORD OF GOD: Gods word is LIVING it is POWERFUL it is THE BREATH OF GOD. See Tim 3:16, Heb. 4:12 When the world was created it was SPOKEN into existence, so speak the word into God’s people so they will be equipped to speak it into others.
  • SHOW THEM THE WAY IN WHICH THEY MUST WALK: The pastor should be about, “…equipping of the SAINTS (church members) FOR THE WORK OF MINISTRY, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ…and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you PUT ON THE NEW MAN which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” (Eph. 4:12-13, 23-24)

“Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. And let them judge the people AT ALL TIMES. Then it will be that EVERY GREAT MATTER they shall BRING TO YOU, but EVERY SMALL MATTER THEY THEMSELVES SHALL JUDGE. So it will be easier for you, for they will bear the burden with you.” (Exo. 18:21-22)

-Bill Stockham