Servant Leaders' Support, Inc
Dr. Steve Goold, New Hope Church
"We must focus on identifying points of encouragement and affirmation of ministers rather than isolating the wearisome and burdensome points of division. Our objective is to build relationships among people who discover how to love and serve one another. We should seek to be instruments for allowing and facilitating the manifestation of the Body of Christ among believers…one that increasingly mirrors heaven."
Kingdom Relationships
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Capturing a more complete Kingdom vision through the perspectives of diverse Christian Leaders
Dan and Sandy Adler"What has become normal for most churches, having the church revolve around the gifts of one person - the preaching pastor - is an unBiblical and broken model. This model breeds passiveness and criticalness in the congregation and sets up the perfect storm for moral failure, burnout and discouragement or pride and dictatorial leadership in the pastor. We must get back to a Biblical model of the giftedness of the Body with the role of pastor being part of that picture in equipping the saints for the work of the ministry instead of trying to be the main focus of a congregation. This different model would also break the CEO and Shareholder, competitive, business model of the Church and would bring more openness to having congregations support one another and serve together in Biblical unity."
"HONORING CHRIST IN OTHERS"
...For we are the temple of the Living God. 2 Corinthians 6: 16b
VISION
Reconciled Believers Transforming Communities Together
MISSION
Strengthening and Reconciling Christian Leaders to Transform Communities
PURPOSE
To encourage formation of a sustainable, loose-knit fellowship of Like minded leaders who pray for one another and cooperate in advancing God's Kingdom in the Twin Cities.
“A Christian fellowship lives and exists by the intercession of its members for one another, or it collapses. I can no longer condemn or hate a brother for whom I pray, no matter how much trouble he causes me. His face, that hitherto may have been strange and intolerable to me, is transformed in intercession into
the countenance of a brother for whom Christ died, the face of a forgiven sinner.” Dietrich Bonheoffer
The Father has fashioned believers so that our unity constitutes His Temple. The Temple is each and all of us joined together by His Spirit. This is what Paul taught in calling us all members of Christ's Body.
“Honoring Christ in Others” is a ministry of presence through which Christian leaders gather before the Lord to "hear" and "see" each other and their respective missions, struggles, triumphs, and prayer concerns. As written in 2 Corinthians 5: 16, "from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view..."
In Christ, each believer is called to fulfill a distinct and essential role for the sake of the Body. Therefore, it is incumbent upon Kingdom-seeking believers to view each other from the "Kingdom perspective" where all believers are neighbors, and co-laborers in proclaiming and demonstrating the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. A fundamental tenet of conciliation is that we learn from one another.
Within this “Kingdom” context, our prayer and worship bring us to a consciousness where we hear God’s word more fully and clearly without the debilitating diffusion effected by egocentrism. We will discern God's creative purpose for diversity, and will cultivate passion for His Spirit to build us up together in Christ-honoring, transformative ministry.
MINISTRY MODEL
Although Servant Leader’s Support believes Christ ordains collaborative ministry, we do not foster or develop such initiatives. Instead, we focus on strengthening the personal and inter-personal well-being of leaders for Kingdom ministry. We are convinced that Christ will reveal His vision for collaborative work to the men and women He has gifted to serve as leaders as they gather in His name. As we submit to one another and Christ, the faults of divisive ideals and constructs are revealed more clearly as is Christ’s glorious vision of shalom. That which is perfect, love, casts light that helps us to see ourselves and each other in truth. With this capacity, we are able to build God’s Kingdom together.
“Honoring Christ in Others” is one of the fundamental means which SLS employs in its mission.
PROCESS:
1. We invite several diverse panelists to unapologetically share concise summaries of their respective beliefs on a specific matter related to ministering the Gospel of the Kingdom. For example, we have convened groups where leaders explained their missions, the two biggest challenges they face in ministry, and the top two opportunities they see for Kingdom expansion.
Within an environment of prayer, humility and worship, The Spirit of Truth liberates each presenter to share from her/his heart as attendees listen, and pray for God’s Kingdom to manifest within the gathering. As Christ is honored, we witness prejudice, bias, pride, and other divisive attitudes falling in subjection to the Lord’s grace and love.
2. Convene additional panels, nominated by previous panelists, and follow the same process. Panelists and other attendees from previous gatherings are encouraged to participate as listeners;
3. SLS facilitates prayer gatherings in which “Honoring Christ in Others” leaders and others seek Christ’s vision and direction for collaborative, Kingdom expanding initiatives for community transformation;
4. SLS facilitates and leads corporate worship gatherings in which participating leaders of “Honoring Christ in Others” minister prayers, the spoken word, prophetic demonstrations, and artistic psalmistry to cast, reinforce, and celebrate unity in Christ.
