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Word from Scotland
by Sandy Shaw
We are spending time studying leadership as we read these opening words in Acts 13.
Consider for a moment Moses in the wilderness, leading two and a half million men and women and children for 40 years, being led by a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night. When you see the pillar move - you move.
Can you imagine Moses thinking or even saying, "Lord, can You not just tell me Your Plans for the next month? Lord, show me Your Diary! And the reply comes, "No - just keep your eye on the pillar." He is led safely and securely - sheltered by day from the scorching sun, and warmed at night!
"Leaders of Antioch - I want these two men."
This is the only way whereby we can be active and useful in The Church of Jesus Christ - when we have the calling of God upon us.
Some 10 years have passed before Saul of Tarsus received this commissioning. Saul had met Jesus - was blinded and healed - filled with The Holy Spirit - baptised in water - was vehemently and violently opposed because of his early preaching in Damascus and in Jerusalem. He was sent off home to Tarsus for his own safety. He spent sometime in the wilderness of Arabia working out the implications of his calling.
The call of God, and the commissioning, are some years apart. Saul needed to spend time preparing - reading the Old Testament in the light of his being confronted by the Risen and Living Jesus. Saul had to get integrated into the local Church.
You cannot do anything real and lasting unless you are rooted and grounded in a local fellowship. And it wasn't Saul who decided where to go and when to go, and what to do.
It was the Church that commissioned these men under the guidance and specific direction and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. This avoids all individualism.
Saul had to be properly related in the local church - able to get on with all the other disciples, believers and leaders in the city! He had to be recognised as a leader locally before Jesus could send him out all over The Middle East preaching and teaching and planting churches.
Leadership is vital and the Church requires leaders who are men of quality and character called, led, inspired, motivated and directed by the Holy Spirit.
Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!
Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.
Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.
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