Christlike Leaders & Leadership Teams

Q: The early church was led by Christlike leaders and leadership teams. Why is this important for our Lifegroups and how do we do this at Antioch Waco?

The early church was marked by Christlike leaders & leadership teams. We want the same type of character in the leaders and teams for our Lifegroups.

What This Value Is: 

God’s plan for leaders in the church, like those leading our Lifegroup, is that they abide in Him, reflect His character and values, and equip and partner with others for team based ministry.

Abiding in Him:

John 15.4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Jesus told His disciples that they key to fruitfulness came from abiding in Jesus. We desire that our Lifegroup leaders have an abiding relationships with Jesus marked by a consistent devotional life and walking with Jesus throughout the day.

Christlike Character and Values:

1 Timothy 4.12 Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.

When the Apostle Paul was instructing Timothy for church leadership, he emphasized the need for Timothy to be a Christlike example to those he led, particularly in the areas of speech, conduct, love, faith and purity.

While no one other than Jesus is without sin, we desire that our Lifegroup leaders are Christlike examples to those they lead.

Equip and partner with others for team based ministry

Ephesians 4.11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

God’s desire for church leaders is that they equip and partner with others so that the whole body works together and is built up in love and maturity in Jesus.

We desire our Lifegroup leaders to be committed to equipping and developing others, as well as working in partnership with their Zone pastor, section leaders and co-leaders to work together in ministry that builds up the body.

Key Teaching on This Value: