A Portrait of Peter: Leadership

 There are, then, three peaks, or highpoints, in the period of Peter's leadership of the church.  First, there was the role Peter was allowed to play in the founding of the Jewish congregation in Jerusalem at Pentecost.  Second, there is his role in establishing the important principle that Samaritans, who by a generous estimate might be called half-jews, could have a place in the church.  And finally, Peter was allowed to demonstrate that even full-blooded Gentiles  could be accepted into the Christian church. (A Portrait of Peter, Panning, p.30)

Peter's life is incredibly instructive for us today, especially for those of us in Christ's church.

Peter's leadership journey had distinct phases of prominence, influence, and anonymity.  He is the prominent apostle throughout the first twelve chapters of Acts, but even here, several chapters are already laying the foundation for the early church moving beyond him (Acts 6-9:31).

There is no doubt Peter was the rock of the early church.  His leadership was crucial in keeping the apostles together after Jesus' ascension.  It is his sermon that Luke records on the day of Pentecost.  We are told of several times that he was arrested for proclaiming the message of Christ crucified.  He was crucial to the original church in Jerusalem.

Peter also played an important role in the church's understanding that "all nations" meant Samaritans and Gentiles as well, not just Jews.  Peter's time living and serving in Joppa and Lydda, and his visit to the house of Cornelius emphatically demonstrated to the early church that Samaritan and Gentile believers were just as much a part of Christ's church as any Jew.  This may be where Peter's leadership was most important.  We are still blessed by the ripple effect of this part of Peter's ministry.  Most of you reading this are likely Gentiles.  This part of Peter's ministry opened the door for Paul's minsitry to the Gentiles to be accepted and celebrated by the early church.  Paul had an ally at the meeting of the Jerusalem council (Acts 15) in Peter making the point that the Church is made up of all who have faith in Jesus Christ as their savior, not just those who can trace their lineage back to Abraham.

Let's look at three important leadership lessons from Peter's ministry and life:

Somebody Needs to Take Responsibility

Peter stepped into this role right away.  When the all the dicsiples returned from the mount of ascension it is Peter who stands up before everyone and declares that they should appoint someone to take the spot vacated by Judas.  He recognizes this need and takes responsibility for making sure the situation is handled sooner than later, immediately.

Throughout the first chapters of Acts, Peter seems to be the one giving the infant church its organizational structure.  Luke records Peter as the one who addresses the crowd at Pentecost defending his congregation.  It is also Peter's sermon on Pentecost that Luke has recorded for us.  (Panning makes the point in his book that it is likely that all the apostles would have been preaching on Pentecost since they were each given the ability to speak in different tongues.)

Leaders Act Courageously

There are two distinct groups with whom Peter had to demonstrate courage: The Sanhedrin and his own church.

Peter continued to preach in public despite constant persecution by the Jews.  Several times Peter was arrested, flogged, and brought before the Sanhedrin.  Every time they warned him, and whoever was with him, not to preach in the name of Jesus.  Every time Peter refused to capitulate: "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God." (Acts 4:19)  Peter evevtually had to leave Jerusalem because both the Jews and King Herrod wanted to kill him.

The other group Peter had to act courageously with was his own church.  One form this took was him rebuking the sinful actions of his members: specifically Ananias and Sapphira.  That rebuke led to their immediate death and judgment.

 The other group within the church was the council.  After Peter visited Cornelius, at God's direction, members of the Jerusalem council were not happy that he had visited the house of a Gentile.  Peter had to instruct them about God's declaration that no people are unclean.  God's wants all people to be saved.  

Often times, a leader's fiercest battles will be fought against people who are supposed to be on his side.  Peter was incorporating change within the church and this was a problem for the Jewish believers who had strong preconcieved notions of what the church was.  Leaders have the courage to make the changes that need to be made.  Leaders attack the status quo and long-entrenched paradigms about "this is how it's done because this is how we've always done it."

Never be suprised when you are attacked and criticized for changing the status quo.

Leaders Are Humble Enough to Pass the Torch

Yet we also notice that Peter's stature declines in direct proportion to the church's movement away from Jerusalem. (A Portrait of Peter, Panning, p.18)

This is a hard lesson for many leaders.  Sadly, many never learn this lesson and their organization pays the price.  

A leader's true job is to develop other leaders.  If that's true (which it is) then the whole purpose of leadership is to replace yourself.  If you care about the mission more than personal glory this isn't difficult.  It's what supports your long-term vision.  To me, the most tragic loss a leader can experience is the death of his organization the day after he leaves.

There is nothing in Scripture that tells us Peter ever suffered from jealousy of Paul, Philip, or any of the other apostles and early evangelists.  Peter cared about Christ's church and leading people to heaven.  He didn't seem to care whose preaching was accomplishing this work.  Peter understood team ministry.

It is sad to me that so few churches today focus on leadership development within their congregation.  Then they complain that no one will step up and take leadership positions within the church.  If the men who have held those offices for decades won't step down, and if the church is doing nothing to help its members develop their leadership skills and abilities this church will die within the next twenty years.  They probably don't really have that long.

The apostles were constantly developing the next generation of leaders as a matter of course.  They never carried out the ministry of the church alone.  Their discipleship is what prepared the next generation of pastors and church leaders.  Maybe there's a lesson in the pages of Scripture for the church today...maybe.

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.- Luke 10:1

God bless

Jason Fredrick

A Portrait of Peter: Training

 From that point on [Luke 5:10] Peter was a full-time disciple, or learner.  In this triaining program, there were no classrooms, no formal requirements, and no written assignments with footnotes and bibliographies.  Peter and the rest of the disciples used a better method.  According to the ancient mode of education, discipleship meant personal attachment to the master. (A Portrait of Peter, Panning, p.7)

Look carefully at this description of Peter's education.  Discipleship is much more than just mentorship.  Peter didn't meet with Jesus once-a-month to check his thinking around his gameplan and results, or to get some counseling to improve his marriage.  Discipleship meant (and should still mean) walking in the footsteps of the master.  Peter spent every day with Jesus.  

Peter was privileged to be at Jesus' side everyday.  He would have seen how he interacted with people.  He had a front-row seat to how, and how often, Jesus prayed.  He witnessed many of his miracles.  He heard all his parables, and probably had Jesus explain them during the down times.  Peter didn't learn from Jesus through his lectures, books, essays, or podcasts.  Peter learned from Jesus by living life side-by-side with him every day.

Peter went from fisherman to apostle by living a life of ministry for three years walking daily with his teacher.  This definitely was not conveyor-belt schooling.  Peter recieved a leadership education.  He could never have learned everything he needed to learn by sitting for hours in a classroom listening to a theoretical lecture on ministry.  Peter was living his lessons every day.  When Jesus taught a lesson it was relevant to the day's events and immediately applicable.  The closest thing we have to discipleship today are apprenticeships, but an apprentice doesn't live his life with his master.  Today's apprentices clock in to work for 8 or 9 hours and then go home.  Peter lived his life with Jesus.

There is coming, and very soon now, a time in which Peter will be very influential in establishing the fledgling Christian church.  Peter and the other apostles were to realize that order and discipline, not anarchy, must rule in the church under the guidance of a leader, Peter, whom Jesus had trained and prepared for that work. (A Portrait of Peter, Panning, p.13)

Peter's three years of discipleship were preparing him for Jesus' departure from the earth physically.  Peter would be the one all the other apostles and disciples would look to for leadership after Jesus ascended into heaven.  Jesus knew what was needed.  He knew who he had assigned this responsibility.  He was intentional about training and preparing Peter for his calling: 

        Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men."

        So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything, and followed him.

        Luke 5:10-11

It's interesting to me that through true discipleship Peter was trained for his call, which was significant, in three years of serving alongside his master.  

Today it takes more than eight years to train men for the ministry.  Likely, because instead of serving while they're learning, they are isolated from the world they will be serving.  Spending everyday in a classroom instead of the mission field.

My dream is that one day the church will make a move back to discipleship and leave behind schooling.  The world can have its conveyor-belt schooling.  The church needs discipleship.

God bless.

Jason Fredrick

God Has Not Abandoned You

Psalm 138:6 

The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;
your love, O LORD, endures forever-
do not abandon the works of your hands.

Do you ever feel like you've been abandoned by the Lord?  Does it seem like God has left you to fend for yourself?

If you ever feel that way, take encouragement from this Psalm of David.  

Not only does God have a purpose for you, but he will fulfill that purpose for you.  You are not alone.  God has not abandoned you.  It may feel like it.  Your life may be crumbling down around you.  Your health may be failing.  But God has not forgotten you.

Jesus has promised, "And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)

When life gets tough and everything is going against you, it can be difficult to remember this promise of Jesus.  It's so easy to get caught up in your struggles and hardships, and that's right where Satan wants you.  He wants you to take your focus off Jesus and focus all your attention on yourself.  And its so easy to do.  As sinful people, we are all naturally bent on focusing on ourselves.

This is when it's so important for you to run back to Jesus in his Word.  The harder your life is right now the more you need to be in God's Word everyday.  You will not find answers or relief in complaining about your situation.  You will only find anwers and relief in the comfort and encouragement found in Scripture.  That is where Jesus is found.

As the Psalm above says, "God's love endures forever."  Never forget it.  Never doubt it.  Jesus will never leave you nor forsake you.

God bless

Jason Fredrick

Let Your Praise Come from Others

 Proverbs 27:2

Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;

someone else, and not your own lips.

This is a challenge for most of us.  We would much rather make sure everyone knows all the great things we have done instead of waiting for someone else to tell the world.  I think, so often, our biggest fear in this matter is that no one will.  We fear that no one will talk about how awesome we are and tell others about us.  This fear drives us to boasting and praising ourselves.

How much do you enjoy being around people who are constantly singing their own praises?  How much fun is it to spend time with a self-promoter?  How often do you fall into the trap of being one of these two characters?

Being around proud and arrogant people is miserable.  People get sick of them very quickly.  If this is you, I have news for you:  The reason no one is talking about your awesomeness is because you aren't.  No one cares about how great you think you are.

Letting someone else edify you and tell others about the great things you have done is difficult.  It requires humility.  Most of the time, the things other people think are awesome about you and tell others about is stuff you don't think is that big of a deal.  It's just a natural part of who you are, but some people see it as what makes you amazing.

This brings up another point about boasting.  Often the stuff we boast about isn't really that great.  People hear it and think, "Really?  You think that's awesome?  Everybody does that, they just do it better."

What we say, and how we say it tells people alot about us.  If you want people to think highly of you it's time to stop making that the focus of your interactions with others.  Be humble.  Talk about them.  Ask them questions about themselves and be impressed with what they tell you.  Stop trying so hard to be impressive to others.  Stop praising yourself and let others praise you-if there is anything worthy of praise.

God bless.

Jason Fredrick

Take Jesus at his Word

John 4:46-53

Once more he [Jesus] visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine.  And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum.  When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.

"Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe."

The royal official said, "Sir, come down before my child dies."

Jesus replied, "You may go.  Your son will live."

The man took Jesus at his word and departed.  While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living.  When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, "The fever left him at the seventh hour."

Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live."  So he and all his household believed. 

Do you ever have trouble with taking Jesus at his word?  Jesus has made a number of promises to us in his Word, the Bible.  He has promised to provide for our every need.  He has promised to take care of us.  He has promised to be with us always and never abandon us.  Do you find it difficult to remember and trust these promises when you're experiencing great challenges and difficulties in your life?

What if you stopped worrying about every little thing in life and trusted Jesus to take care of it?  

What if you stopped giving into your fears and starting trusting Jesus to carry you through that situation that is scaring you?

While it can be difficult to let go of fear and worry, you can.  You can lay it all before Jesus and trust that he will take care of it.  When you turn to Jesus and stop worrying about possible outcomes to situations, you find that things rarely work out as badly as you had been imagining.  Jesus is able to work in and through other people to resolve problems in simple ways that you have overlooked. 

When you let go of fear and trust Jesus you find that those things you have been fearing aren't that big of a deal.  Whether it's stepping outisde your comfort zone to take on a new responsibility at work or having a difficult conversation with your spouse; Jesus is able to give you the ability to handle it.  And often you will find that fear creates scary monsters out of situations that you are capable of handling.  You can do an excellent job making that presentation at work.  Your spouse loves you and wants to have that conversation with you because they want to strengthen your marriage.  

Do not be afraid that others will react negatively toward you when you step out of your comfort zone.  Even if you mess it up on your first try most people are gracious enough to appreciate that you did try.  Too many people won't even take that first step. 

Fear and worry are birthed out of a lack of faith.  Fear and worry hold us back from so much in life.  The only way to truly kill fear and worry is to take Jesus at his word:

Matthew 6:31-34

So do not worry, saying, "What shall we eat?"  or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?"  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kindgdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.

You can lay your fears and worries at the feet of Jesus with confidence, trusting his love for you, because he has displayed his love for you by laying down his life for you.  He is the atoning sacrifice that paid the price for all your sins.  Because he has redeemed you with his blood, you can trust his love for you.  You can trust his greatest promise: all your sins are forgiven and you have eternal life through faith in him.  Jesus will never leave you nor forsake you.  In Jesus, you have nothing to fear.

God bless.

Jason Fredrick