INTRODUCTION:
Stay True to the Family, the Faith, the Father and the Fight.1 Timothy 1
Prioritize Prayer. 1 Timothy 2

WORD POWER
Bishop (Elder)- episkopos, Overseer describes pastoral oversight of the local church.

Deacon (diakonos)- Servant The role or office of deacon was developed in the early church primarily to minister to the physical needs of the members of the body of Christ.

ANALYSIS/APPLICATION: Appointing Spiritual Leadership in the Church.

1. Spiritual Leadershipshouldreflect Kingdom Construction (Position).
This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. Vs 1
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Eph 2:10

But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.” (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints 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. Eph 4:7-13

2. Spiritual Leadership should reflect Kingdom Conditions.
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; 3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; 4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence 5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); 6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 8 Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money, 9 holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. 10 But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless. 11 Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 13 For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. Vs 2-13

3. Spiritual Leadership should reflect Kingdom Conduct.
These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; 15 but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:God was manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory. Vs 14-16
Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they are doing evil. Eccl 5:1
Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?1 Cor 10:16

Guard God’s House.
Guard God’s mystery of Godliness!