The Scrolls is a weekly Bible study written by pastors and other leaders at Central Bible Church, based on that week’s sermon topic. Use The Scrolls as a personal Bible study tool, for family devotions, and for small group discussions. You can read part of it below. The downloadable PDF also includes discussion questions, more in-depth commentary, end notes, and a kids’ page designed for families to study the topic together. This lesson goes with the sermon "Where Honor Is Due."
Some leaders are formal leaders holding a designated position by appointment; some leaders are informal leaders, who do not hold a designated position but emerge as leaders by wielding influence over others who recognize their outstanding skills and abilities—their giftedness. A team’s captain is an example of the first; a team’s star player is an example of the second.
That the earliest Christian congregations had leaders goes without saying. Acts 13:4-14:28 contains Luke’s account of Paul’s first missionary journey on which he and Barnabas established churches in Pisidian Antioch in Asia Minor, as well as in Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe in the southern area of the Roman province of Galatia (see map in the NIV Study Bible, 1851). Luke records that upon leaving Derbe to return home, Paul and Barnabas revisited Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, where they appointed elders for the disciples in each of the churches in each of these cities. The initial leaders responsible for oversight of the church were most likely Jewish converts to Christianity (cf. 13:43, 48; 14:1-2), who came out of the synagogues where they had been taught the Scriptures. “Thus elders from the synagogues became elders in the churches” (Thomas L. Constable, “Acts,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament, 392). These were positional leaders appointed by Paul and Barnabas. Paul’s letter addressed “to the churches in Galatia” (Gal 1:2) is likely the first epistle he wrote—ironically, the term “elder” does not appear in it.
The church Paul and Silas established in Thessalonica on Paul’s second missionary journey also had leaders, but they are not identified in terms of the position each held. Instead, they are identified in terms of the ministries they perform. In his first letter, Paul refers to them as “those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you” (5:12), which leads one source to note: “Not much is known about the organization and leadership of the church at this period, but the reference is possibly to elders (cf. Heb 13:7, 17 and notes)” (The NIV Study Bible note on 1Th 5:12). This may be a sound inference, given Paul’s practice on his first missionary journey. On his return visit to Thessalonica, perhaps Timothy appointed those who were informal leaders already to the formal position of elder. But apart from that inference, the leaders in Thessalonica appear to be people who have emerged as servant leaders by demonstrating their giftedness for doing the ministry (e.g., Jason, Ac 17:5-9). In support of this position, one commentator writes: “It is possible that we are looking in the window at those who emerged as leaders without being formally named to their position, whom the apostle now commends to the congregation” (Gene L. Green, The Letters to the Thessalonians, PNTC, 247).
Leadership in contemporary churches is much more complex. Of course, churches have formal positional leaders of various types. Take Central Bible Church, for example. Central has formal positional leaders that are paid and unpaid. The paid positional leaders include the Lead Pastor and Executive Pastor, as well as other pastoral and ministry staff. The unpaid positional leaders include elders, Community Group shepherds and Home Group leaders, not to mention many others who minister as servant leaders filling various roles in student, children’s, women’s and men’s ministry and Central Storehouse. Of course, churches have informal leaders who emerge as such in various contexts by wielding influence over others who recognize their giftedness. These leaders are typically unpaid volunteers who lead by example in many of the ministries above. Whether they be positional or emerging, paid or unpaid, leaders are indispensable to the accomplishment of the church’s mission.
Central Message of the Text:
Acknowledge the leaders among you, who serve you tirelessly, by regarding them highly and cooperating with their leadership.
Family Talk:
In an early episode of SpongeBob SquarePants, Patrick Star tries to help SpongeBob look fancy when he goes for tea at Sandy Cheeks’ house. Patrick tells SpongeBob, “When in doubt, pinkies out.” Our kids live in a culture where everybody’s living “pinkies out.” They’re trying to look a little fancier than they really are and their heroes are celebrities and social media influencers. Even our youngest kids feel that in order to be liked they need to mimic the name brand clothes, latest hairstyle and most updated technology and social media trends that change in the blink of an eye. Honestly, they may have learned this from us, their parents. How many of us look to Instagram or TikTok reels to stay up to date and relevant? Unfortunately, the people we admire and strive to mimic in this world aren’t always admirable. Paul says to hold in high regard hard workers, people who offer care to others and love you enough to call you out and point you in the right direction. People on the other side of the screen just can’t fill this role and don’t have much to offer in terms of engaging relationships. But our community has everything we need for model behavior. Who do you admire? Who do you know that works diligently for the Lord without regard to promotion or pay? Who is the first to step up to care for the needs of others? Who has the courage to call you out when you drift from the Lord? Those are the people we need to be engaging with. Let’s seek deeper relationships with those admirable people!