1. The Pastor’s Prayer LIfe Burmese Bible School Intro to Homiletics Kelvin S. Jones
2. Natural and Spiritual Leaders Natural Self-confident Knows men Makes own decisions Ambitious Creates methods Enjoys command Has a big ego Seeks personal reward Independent Spiritual Confident in God Also knows God Seeks God's will Humble Follows God's example Delights in obedience to God Loves God and others more Seeks the kingdom’s welfare Depends on God
3. Why is it important to talk about the spiritual life of leaders? Jesus exemplified a strong prayer life. Jesus nurtured spiritual life in his disciples. A heart for God is essential for true fruitfulness. Passion for God grows churches.
4. What is needed to maintain our spiritual fire? “Spiritual leadership requires superior spiritual power, which can never be generated by the self.” Sanders “Let every pastor take note: Our attempt at ministry will be an absolute exercise in futility if we are not expecting and experiencing divine help through the power of the Holy Spirit.” Jim Cymbala in Fresh Power
5. Spiritual leaders prioritize their own spiritual disciplines Prayer time Bible reading Fasting Time away Reading for your heart
6. A leader’s spiritual life is on display Public prayers Sense of worship and humility before God Dependence upon the Holy Spirit God’s guidance
7. Prayer and the sermon Prayer helps pick the subject (sermon planning) Prayer guides the emphasis and formation Praying pastors apply each sermon to themselves as part of the preparation Before preaching pray specifically for empowerment While preaching be in prayer for guidance in calling for response.
8. A spiritual leader’s promised fruitfulness You will bear much fruit – John 15:5 God will enlarge your harvest – 2 Co. 9:10 You will not be unproductive 2 Peter 1:8 Proverbs 11:30 You will receive a rich welcome into God’s eternal kingdom – 2 Peter 1:11
9. Quiet Moments “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.” Isaiah 55:6 NIV
Editor's Notes
“Spiritual leadership requires superior spiritual power, which can never be generated by the self.” Sanders p. 28“Let every pastor take note: Our attempt at ministry will be an absolute exercise in futility if we are not expecting and experiencing divine help through the power of the Holy Spirit.” Jim Cymbala in Fresh Power p. 48
“The prayerful life is a fruitful life” Donald Demaray Introduction to Homiletics p. 58“I find by actual experience I am better or worse as I pray more or less. If my prayer life sags, my whole life sags with it; if my prayer life goes up, my whole life goes up with it. To fail here is to fail all down the line; to succeed here is to succeed everywhere.” E. Stanley Jones - quoted in Introduction to Homiletics by Donald Demaray p. 58“The spiritually developed person knows that powerful and effective sermons comes through prayer. True preaching is God talking through his prophet; neat essays in themselves do not disclose God, nor do merely entertaining talks.” Donald Demaray in Introduction to Homiletics p. 58
