1-2-9-Volunteer Leadership

1-2-9-Volunteer Leadership

Be Faithful

Read 2 Timothy 1:1-12

If you are a church leader, take note of Paul's relationship with this young disciple-his careful counsel and guidance.  Measure your self against the qualifications that Paul gives for leaders.  If you are young in the faith, follow the example of godly Christian leaders like Timothy, who imitated Paul's life.  If you are a parent, remind yourself of the profound effect a Christian home can have on family members.

Right belief and right behavior are critical for anyone who desires to lead or serve effectively in the church.  We should believe rightly, participate in church actively, and minister to one another lovingly.

We must know the truth in order to defend it.  We should stay away from those who twist the world of the Bible for their own purposes.

Christian character must be evident in every aspect of worship.  We must rid ourselves of any anger, resentment, or offensive behavior that might disrupt worship or damage church unity.  Church leaders must be wholly committed to Christ.  If you are a new or young Christian, don't be anxious to become a leader in the church.  Seek to develop Christian character first.  Be sure to seek God, not your own ambition.

To stay in good spiritual shape, you must discipline yourself to study God's Word and to obey it.  Put your spiritual abilities to work.

Caring for the family of believers demonstrates our Christ like attitude and exhibits genuine love to nonbelievers.

It is easy for us to serve Christ for the wrong reasons: because it is exciting, rewarding, or personally enriching.  Without a proper foundation, need a strong foundation for their service, because Christian service does not get easier as we grow older, and it will become no easier as the time of Christ's return grows closer.

The Holy Spirit helps us to be wise and strong.  God honors our confident testimony even if we suffer.  To get over our fear of what people might say or do, we must take our eyes off of people and look only to God.

We can count on opposition, suffering and hardship as we serve Christ.  As we trust Christ, he counts us worthy to suffer, and he will give us the strength we need to be steadfast.

We must prepare people to transmit God's Word to others so that they in turn might pass it on.  Does your church carefully train others to teach.

We should pray consistently for others, especially for those who do God's work.  When you use the gifts God has given you, you will find that God will give you the power you need.

God gives all Christians gifts to use to build up the body of Christ and he gives special gifts to some through church leaders, who serve as God's instruments.

When we allow people to intimidate us, we neutralize our effectiveness for God.  The power of the Holy Spirit can help us, overcome our fear of what some might say or do to us, so that we can continue to do God's work.

Paul mentions three characteristics of the effective Christian leader: Power, love, and self-discipline.  These are available to us because the Holy Spirit lives in us.  Follow his leading each day so that your life will more fully exhibit these characteristics.

If your situation looks bleak give your concerns to Christ.  He will guard all you have entrusted to him.  No matter what setbacks or problems we face, we can trust fully in God.

Paul gave hope and encouragement to Timothy.  Christians came under increasing persecution from Romans throughout the empire.  The pressure to abandon the faith was strong.  We must seek strength from the Lord to deal with daily stresses and the pressure to abandon our faith.

In our house we call 5:00 p.m. the piranha hour.  That's the time of the day when everyone wants a piece of Mom.  Sara, the baby, is hungry.  Andrea wants Mom to read her a book.  Jenna wants help with her homework.  And I - the ever-loving, ever-sensitive husband - want Denalyn to drop everything and talk to me about my day.

When is your piranha hour?  When do people in your world demand much and offer little.

Every leader has had a day in which the requests outnumber the results.  There's not a businessperson alive who hasn't groaned as an armada of assignments docks as his or her desk.  For the teacher, the piranha hour often begins when the first student enters and ends when the last student leaves.

Piranha hours: parents have them, leaders endure them, secretaries dread them. teachers are besieged by them, and Jesus taught us how to live through them successfully.

When hands extended and voices demanded, Jesus responded with love.  He did so because the code within him disarmed the alarm.  The code is worth noting: "People are precious."

(From In the Eye of the Storm by max Lucado)

Do daily stresses cause you to doubt the power of God?  Guard your heart against the external influences that attack your faith.  Turn to the Lord for wisdom and strength to counter these challenges.

I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois. - 2 Timothy 1:5

“My great- grandfather owned this rifle,” the man said proudly. In his had was a mint-condition rifle from the days when the pioneers were moving across the American West. I admired its beautiful walnut stock and shiny brass fittings. He said, “It came down to my grandfather, who passed it on to my father, who gave it to me. It’s been in the family more than 100 years. I’m going to give it to my son when he turns 25.”

We give a lot of thought to what we pass on to our children. My wife Shirley cherishes the crystal and chinaware that belonged to her grandmother. It may be something different in your home: a handmade quilt, or an old family Bible. Heirlooms are important to us.

But by the example of our lives, we can pass on to our children even more important things - such as a good name or honorable character. This Bible verse mentions the best gift of all - the example of faith in Jesus Christ. Timothy’s grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice trusted in Christ and taught Timothy to do the same (2 Timothy 1:5; 3:14-15).

As you think about what you’ll pass on to your children and grandchildren, don’t forget the example of your faith in Jesus. It’s the most valuable “heirloom” of all. The Values we leave in our children are more important than the valuables we leave to them.

O give us homes built firm upon the Savior, where Christ is Head and Counselor and Guide, were every child is taught His love and favor and gives his heart to Christ, the crucified.

Who is someone that has influenced you greatly for Jesus Christ?  What about that person impressed you?  How have you tried to carry on that person's example in your  own life?

In what way has this course challenged you about pressing on after Jesus?

How will you apply yourself to the group disciplines (of study, prayer, shared leadership, outreach, confidentiality, accountability, etc.)?

Volunteers

"Happiness is the utilization of one's talents along lines of excellence"  Aristotle

You can find possible volunteers:

Unemployed, Middle Class Women

-  probably always will to demonstrate a commitment to their community, to advance causes they care about.

Employed and Professional People

-  always have, to challenge talents and skills untapped on the job... and it's "good business".

Retired People

-  more than ever.  We are a healthier nation and our senior citizens are filled with ability, interest and life... volunteering allows them to continue to feel needed.

Teenagers

- to gain a sense of self worth, to develop skills, and to demonstrate their dependability and initiative (supervisors are great references for real jobs)... and many volunteer jobs lead to paid jobs, if just through "contacts."

The Unemployed

-  to make the same kinds of contacts, as a form of career development, and to diminish the negative feelings which accompany the state of unemployment.

The Needy

-  more and more self groups are springing up within communities and sub-groups, whether neighborhoods needing improvements or a food kitchen needing workers.

Newcomers

-  to make friends and to become involved in their new communities.

What Can Organizations Do to assure Leadership for the future?

1. First, and primarily, organizations must recognize the need for continuing education, in part because each new experience we have in life makes us receptive to different things.

2. Assure effectiveness, and leadership.

3. We need to recognize the potential of new volunteers, and to provide avenues for development.

4. Help to develop a team approach and a higher leadership confidence level.

5. Interaction meetings allow members of the group to feel that they are part of things.

How about staff training?

1. If volunteers and staff can't work together it can sink a organization.

2. Staff should be involved in the team building efforts, and made to realize that volunteers do not threaten their job.

Volunteers should:

1. Carefully choose the area in which they wish to work. Jobs suited to their interest and abilities are likely to be most rewarding.

2. Realistically estimate the amount of time they have to give.  Time commitments should be honored.

3. Expect to arrive at their assignments at the agreed time.  If they must be absent, they should call as early as possible to be excused, and if feasible, provide their own substitute.

4. Be clear as to what their roles and duties are, and they may request written job descriptions.  Volunteers should expect continued guidance and direction.

5. Expect  to participate in orientation sessions, and should be urged to attend, training programs.

6. Respect the principle of confidentiality and follow the same ethical standards expected of all staff members.

7. Approach their working situation with open minds.  If their is any procedure they do not understand or agree with, they should ask questions.

Volunteer Income Tax Deductions:

1. The cost of transportation from a volunteer's home to where the services are performed.  Keep track of your mileage and figure credit according to current IRS guidelines.

2. Reasonable cost for meals and lodging.

3. The cost of attending a religious conference as a delegate.

4. Cost of upkeep of uniforms.

5. Un-reimbursed expenses directly connected with and solely attributable to voluntary service performed for one's church.

6. Parking and toll fees.

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Volunteer Contract (Sample Form)

(Organization Name)

Name:______________________ Social Security: ____________________

Address: ______________________________________________________

DOB __________ Sex ____ Phone: Home ___________ Work __________

Current occupation:_____________________________________________

Previous volunteer experience:__________________________________

Applicable professional experience:______________________________

Particular interests or hobbies:__________________________________

Why would you like to volunteer here?___________________________

What type of service would you prefer?__________________________

Please indicate the days of the week and hours you could serve:

______________________________________________________________

Do you have a current license? #________________ Chauffeur's_______

Do you have transportation?___ Could you furnish it to others?______

Do you have minimum automobile insurance required by law?_______

In case of emergency, please notify:_____________________________

Address:_____________________________ phone:__________________

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Job description:________________________________________________

Supervisor:____________________________ Phone:_________________

Areas of responsibility:___________________________________________

Limit of authority:_______________________________________________

Specific expectations:___________________________________________

Assigned schedule:______________________________________________

Where you can go for help:______________________________________

Orientation program:____________________________________________

Training available:______________________________________________

Appropriate policy attached

Signed

Volunteer:_____________________ Supervisor:_____________________

Date:__________________________                _____________________

Rate your current attitude

                                                                High                Low
                                                              (Positive)       (Negative)
                                                              10  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1
My Boss would rate it as:                          
Co-Workers rate as:                                 
Family would rate as:                               
Staff rate as:                                           
I would rate as:                                       
My effectiveness level is:                         
Creativity level:                                      
Enthusiasm toward my job:                       
Enthusiasm toward my life:                       
Patience & sensitivity:                              

Total Score:

If you are not happy with the score; what do you plan to do about it:

The Gospel of Luke

Origin

Of the three Synoptic Gospels Luke affords the greatest amount of information concerning its own beginning.  This introduction (Luke 1:1-4) is the key to the book, and to the book of Acts also, if Luke-Acts is regarded as a unit.

From the introduction a number of inferences may be drawn:

1. In the time of the writer a number of works were extant that contained only a partial, or possibly a garbled account of Jesus' life and work.  The author would not have written a Gospel of his own had he been perfectly satisfied with any of those that he knew.

2. These accounts had attempted some systematic arrangement of available facts ("to draw up a narrative"-1:1).

3. These facts were well known to the Christian world and were accepted independently of the narratives.  Luke says that they "have been fulfilled among us" (1:1).

4. The author felt himself at least as well informed as the others and as capable of writing an account on his own responsibility (it seemed good to me also").

5. His information came from competent official sources ("who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word"-1:2).

6. he was conversant with the facts, either by observation or by inquiry, and he was certainly a contemporary of the main course of action in the sense that he lived in the generation of those who had witnessed it.  The term translated "having traced the course of all things" is the same as the one used in II Timothy 3:10-11, where Paul said that Timothy had "followed" his "teaching, conduct... what things befell me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra."

7. Luke's knowledge covered all of the major facts.  His Gospel contains many particulars that do not appear in the others and is the most generally representative life of Christ.

8. He professed to write accurately and in logical order.  his use of the term "in order" does not necessarily presuppose chronological order, but it does mean that he had a definite plan of procedure and that he intended to adhere to it.

9. Luke's addressee was probably a man of the upper class who may be called here by his baptismal name, Theophilus, which meant literally "lover of God" or "loved by God."  The epithet "most excellent" was generally applied only to officials or to members of the aristocracy.  perhaps he was a convert of Luke, or a patron who assumed responsibility for circulating Luke's works.

10. This addressee had already been informed orally concerning Christ, perhaps through the preaching that he had heard, but he needed further instruction to stabilize him and convince him of the truth.

11. Luke's obvious purpose was to give to his friend complete knowledge of the truth.

Author

Accordingly, the author of Luke-Acts may have been an Antiochian Gentile, converted in Antioch not more than fifteen years after Pentecost.  He became a friend and associate of Paul and traveled with him on the second journey after meeting him at Troas (Acts 16:10).  he remained at Philippi as pastor of the church while Paul pursued his itinerant ministry in Achaia and, after a visit to Antioch (18:22), in Asia Minor (19;1-4).  When Paul returned to Philippi on the third journey, the author again joined his company(20:6).  he went with him to the mainland of Asia, and thence accompanied him to Jerusalem.

The four years of Paul's imprisonment give no reference to the writer's activities during that time, but at the close of the people he accompanied Paul to Rome, where Paul was about to stand trial before Caesar.

Briefly, he was a Greek-speaking Gentile by birth, who had received a good education and possessed considerable intellectual ability.

Luke was no mere spectator, viewing Christian truth from outside, but an active preacher and missionary himself.  He was the first great church historian and literary apologist for Christianity.  Since he was an associate of Paul his work might be expected to reflect the knowledge of Christ that was used in the preaching to the Gentiles.

Date and Place

perhaps A.D. 60 would serve as a median date, for by that time Luke would have been a Christian at least ten years or more, and would have traveled in Palestine, where he could have met many of those who had known Jesus in the flesh.

Outline

The section on the preparation of the Savior contains material that is not duplicated in the other Gospels.  Matthew states that Jesus was born of a virgin, but he tells the story from the viewpoint of Joseph, whereas Luke tells iit from the viewpoint of Mary.  Nothing concerning the birth of John the Baptist can be found in Matthew or Mark.

The third section, the introduction of Jesus to his full ministry, opened with a direct connection with history, as if to show  that he was not an idealized religious figure, but a very real participant in the history of mankind who could be localized in time and space.  The genealogy is traced from Adam, and emphasizes human descent rather than the royal line.  The account of the temptation is closely akin to that of Matthew except in order.  Luke calls attention to the fact that the devil had "completed every temptation" (4:13), as if he wished to indicate that Jesus met all the representative temptations of humanity.

In opening the fourth section on the ministry of the Savior, Luke records the sermon in Nazareth in which Jesus announced his relation to prophetic Scripture.  He set the proclamation of "the acceptable year of the Lord" as the goal of his ministry.  The subsequent biographical material is quite similar to that which is found at this point in the other Synoptics, though Luke has added many individual touches.

The fifth section is peculiarly Lukan.  With the exception of occasional paragraphs, very little of the text between Luke 9:51 and 18:30 occurs in the other Gospels.  The parable of the good Samaritan (10:28-37), the rich fool (12:13-21), the fruitless fig tree (13:6-9), the seats at the marriage feast (14:7-14), the great supper (14:15-24), the lost coin (15:8-10), the prodigal son (15:11-32), the unjust steward (16:1-13), the rich man and Lazarus (16:19-31), and the Pharisee and the publican (18:9-14) are found only in Luke.  Although they seem at first reading to be a random collection of Jesus' parables, they are illustrative of the meaning of his mission.  Each parable or narrative is a specimen of Luke's use of fresh material from the life of Christ to explain his significance for Gentile readers.

Luke stressed the human sufferings and sympathies of Jesus as he showed how the Son of man endured the cross in obedience to the Father.  The concluding words of the Gospel connect the historical reality with doctrinal truth and show that the revelation through Christ is the basis for the preaching of repentance and forgiveness of sins.

Emphasis

The Third Gospel emphasizes doctrine.  Luke could scarcely have traveled with Paul and have ministered as a pastor and missionary without being aware of the importance of doctrinal teaching.  Although he does not discuss theology topically, his vocabulary reveals his knowledge of it and his interest in it.  Christ, the Son of God, who was acknowledged by the angels (1:35), by demons (4:41), and by the Father (9:35), is presented both as God and man.  Salvation is a prominent teaching in Luke: "...the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost" (19:10) is a key sentence in the book; and several of the parables, particularly those of the fifteenth chapter, illustrate the meaning of salvation.  The word "justify" that is used so frequently by Paul appears several times in Luke Acts, though not always in a theological sense.  In one instance, however, that of the Pharisee and the publican (18:14), it is used unmistakably of a foundation for theology rather than developing it as a subject, but the doctrine of the person of Christ and thee nature and meaning of repentance, salvation, sin, justification, redemption, and many others are patent to the reader.

The doctrine of the Holy Spirit is given special prominence; in fact, there are more references to the Holy Spirit in Luke than there are in Matthew and Mark combined.

Christian Model

Henry Ford

Business history provides a famous example of the hazards of interference by leaders.  Henry Ford gave his only son, Edsel, the responsibility for overseeing his automotive business.  The younger Ford  had some innovative and practical ideas that would have made the company more efficient in the face of growing competition.  Yet as Edsel moved to implement his ideas, the elder Ford constantly countermanded his  son's orders and proceeded to undermine Edsel's authority in every way possible.  The relationship between father and son was irreparably damaged.  Finally, Edsel's fragile health broke down, and the Ford Motor Company languished under the administrative quagmire.

Ford Sr. sacrificed the development of a promising leader to make sure things were always done the way he wanted them to be.  At times it is better to sacrifice perfection if doing so will develop leaders in the process.  Leaders must regularly resist the temptation to interfere in their people's work.

Student Prayer

O Lord, guide me as I try to live a good and righteous life.  Help me to both do good to those around me and guard me that I do no harm.  I want so much to do what I should.  With your help I will.  Amen.

Homework

Your vision should dovetail and support your organization's goals and/or mission statement.  You communicate vision by stating it simply, understandably and inspirationally.  Write it down.  Publish it for others to see. Tie it into job descriptions, assignments and performance plans, work, individual and departmental goals.