Small Group Leadership

[S] Deuteronomy 1:11-13 --
11  ‘May the Lord, the God of your fathers, increase you a thousand-fold more than you are and bless you, just as He has promised you! 12  ‘How can I alone bear the load and burden of you and your strife? 13  ‘Choose wise and discerning and experienced men from your tribes, and I will appoint them as your heads.’

[O] After the Israelites left Egypt and over a million people journeying through the wilderness, God provides the wisdom to assign wise and discerning and experienced men over small groups of people to provide an orderly way of leading His people without over burdening a few leaders like Moses and Aaron.  The criteria of wise, discerning, and experienced in leading others was invaluable to be used by God in these positions.  However, just because these leaders have been chosen and placed to lead others, it does not mean they will magically lead the community of people.  In fact, when we see that out of the twelve spies who returned from Canaan, ten of them displayed lack of trust in God, becoming a godly leader of people is no simple matter.

[A] As we mature our small group ministry, this passage convicted me to develop training materials for our leaders.  I need to follow up on the task of inviting external "consultant" to help us better prepare our leaders of the small group ministry.

[P] Dear Father, I can see so vividly how You desire to take care of each member of the community we belong by assigning leaders and that is so comforting.  You don't want anyone to fall through the cracks or get lost in a crowd.  Please continue to put wisdom in my heart to follow after Your principles of leading the small group ministry.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.