1. Seeking Natural Church Growth
Need #1 – An Empowering Leadership

2. Church Leadership Structure
God and Christ
Elders
Deacons
Preacher
Kingdom and priests

3. God and Christ At The Head
 1 Corinthians 11:3 --But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.
Ephesians 4:15 -- …but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ.

4. Elders as Overseers
Acts 20:28 – Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.

5. Evangelists and Preachers
2 Timothy 4:2-4 – “…preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.

6. Deacons as Servants
1 Timothy 3:13 – For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

7. Kingdom and Priests
Revelation 5: …for you were slain and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”

8. Functioning as an Empowered Body
Ephesians 4:  And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

9. What Is Our Function?
Leaders lead and equip the family of God for service.
Saints (members) do faithful works and deeds and grow in stature.
Everyone matures toward the fullness which belongs to Christ.

10. Placed Specifically By God
1 Corinthians 12:4-5, 18 – Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord….But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body just as He desired.

11. Assigned By Ability Matthew 25:14-29 Master assigned EACH slave.
Each slave was assigned according to his ABILITY.
There are no church members without abilities.
There are no church members without assignments from God.

12. Do you know your assignment?
What abilities do you have that can be used for God?
Are you employing your abilities in His service?