Text: 1 Timothy 5:17-25
Exegesis
- Theme: Leaders in the church
- Topic: How Timothy should treat leaders in the churches that he is overseeing
- Truth: Leaders must be treated both with dignity as well as with accountability.
- Thrust: Timothy must learn how to treat leaders and leadership in the churches that he is overseeing.
Exposition
- Theme: Church Leaders
- Topic: How church leaders should be treated
- Truth: Church leaders must be treated both with dignity as well as with accountability.
- Thrust: The church must learn to treat its leaders according to God’s will so that they will not become discouraged but at the same time they must be held accountable so that they will not arrogant.
Exhortation
- Type: Thrust-oriented Passage
- Take Home Message: Treat leaders with dignity but with accountability.
- Trailing question: How should we treat our leaders in the church?
- Talk:
A. Take-off
John Maxwell once said, “Everything rises or falls on leadership.” It may be an overstatement, but there is a lot of truth in it. Christian leaders in particular have a high responsibility in the local church. They can make or break any ministry. It is important, therefore, for us to know how to treat our leaders in the church.
B. Teaching outline
- Leaders must be treated with dignity (vv.17-19)
- Leaders must be treated with accountability (vv.20-24)
C. Touchdown
When the church knows how to treat its leaders according to God’s will, the church will prosper. God has ordained that there will be leaders in the church. They have grave responsibilities for its welfare and success. So they must be treated both with dignity as well as with accountability. The right balance is needed at all times. Failure in one can result in either unnecessary discouragement or moral failure, which will not benefit the church.