Sunday: Shared Responsibility
Image © Providence Collection from GoodSalt.com
Many a dedicated church leader has cut short, or at best diminished, his or her effectiveness by unwillingness to share the ministry load with others. This is not a new problem generated by our fast-paced modern world. Even the great Old Testament leader Moses needed some help in seeing the big picture of shared leadership. We can learn much from his experience and the good advice received from his father-in-law, Jethro.
Carefully read Exodus 18:13–26. What significance do you see in the words “let them” in verse 22?
We can only guess at how long Moses would have been able to keep up his unrealistic work schedule. Likewise, we can only surmise as to what extent Moses was aware of the availability of capable helpers. What the story does reveal, however, is that there were many who were able and willing to help. Moses would need to let them become involved, delegating certain duties of leadership to them.
The ministry that church leaders must willingly share includes witnessing and evangelism. The principles of properly organized and shared responsibility that we glean from Moses’ experience are invaluable to our efforts to win souls for the kingdom.
What significance do you see in the way Moses chose men with specific characteristics (vs. 21) and gave them varied degrees of responsibility (vs. 25)? How would these principles apply to the evangelistic strategies of today’s churches?
It was probably the intense spiritual nature of the task of speaking for God that made Moses reticent to share his responsibilities. We, too, sense the awesome responsibility of talking to people about God and speaking for God. Our witnessing and evangelism is serious business. We are mindful that eternal lives are at stake. And while this would, and should, cause us to be careful as to how we proceed, we must be ever willing to involve everyone in outreach and evangelism.
Read again Exodus 18:21-22. Notice that the newly appointed leadership made their ministry of the leaders available at all times. Thus, we should always be ready to give an answer for the hope that is within us.
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God's work is a shared work that all should have a part to do to make the work successful. Freely has the Lord given us our talents so we should allow every child of God to display what they can do to make the work successful as well as share their responsiblites.
Praise our God for He is in control of everything and has envolved us at his work by evangelising and witnessing.
Yes, we should pick up the mantel and run to finish the work of God to rid ourselves from this cursed earth.