How do you make decisions when you do it individually and when you are in a group?

Good Bible study on how the Jerusalem council had to make the most crucial decision in its young history. The decision cast the mold of grace and faith for all succeeding generations.

A) Acts 15:1-21 (Paul and Barnabas) (John Maxwell INJOY study)

1) Verses 1-2 - What are the first steps to dealing with a problem?

a) Evaluate the size of the problem:

(1) What is the issue?

(2) Who is involved?

(3) What are the motives?

(4) Is it the right time?

b) Need to get the principal people together and confront the problem.

c) Bring the Body of Christ in on it, using Matthew 18:15-17 principles.

2) Verses 3-4 - What did they focus on? Exciting things

Positive things were happening. ATTITUDE. Problems become problems when we… lose perspective. We give up important values, lose our sense of humor, feel sorry for ourselves and blame others for our situation.

3) Verse 5 – Who was causing the conflict?

Former Pharisees who were now believers. Need to figure out the source of the conflict.

4) Verses 6-12 – What were the facts that were presented?

God had sent the gospel to the Gentiles, and circumcision was not a part of salvation.

Need to list your known facts.

5) Verses13-18 – What was their standard?

They had to determine what was Biblical Christianity and what was cultural Christianity. You need to determine scriptural precedence. Seek God’s wisdom and the Holy Spirit’s leading. Develop convictions!

Holy Spirit’s Guidance – Four ways

· Prayer – Jeremiah 33:3; James 5:20 –

Seek God earnestly and He will guide us.

“Prayerless leaders are like ship captains without compasses—they can make their best guess at which direction to go, but they have no assurance they are heading the right way” (page 180, Spiritual Leadership). You affect many people. The cost is great.

· The Word – Joshua 1:8; Psalms 119 –

Meditate on the Word. lEt the Word of God speak to us.

· Other believers – Proverbs 11:2, 15:22 –

Seek the advice of wise, godly believers.

· Circumstances.

Do you have a decision that needs to be made? How will you use these four ways to help make the decision?

6) Verse 19 – What was the group challenged with?

a) Why do people in leadership avoid taking risks?

Image, fear of failure, stick their heads in the sand, don’t assume responsibility

b) James 1:19 –

Be teachable, listen to others. They can expand your thinking. Don’t be so

defensive. Seek constructive feedback.

c) God builds on what He has done before. Don’t come in with guns blazing. Rather learn the history first, see how God has worked in the past and then move on. “Spiritual leaders should recognize with an even greater sense of accountability that their lives have a purpose for the particular time that God has led them to their organization; and that purpose is a part of His greater plan.” (page 187, Spiritual Leadership)

d) You can move on, knowing you are accountable to God.

1. 2 Corinthian 5:9-11 –

We will give an account to God of what we have done.

2. Proverbs 16:6 –

The fear of the Lord deters doing evil.

3. Romans 14:12 -

We will give an account to God.

B) Lot – Genesis 13:8-13

1) How did Lot select his land?

Looked at what seemed to be most prosperous.

2) Was his view short-term or long term?

Short.

3) What were the ramifications of moving to where he did?

Got involved in a city desperately full of sin.

4) What are your guidelines when making decisions?

C) Problems don’t paralyze great leaders - like: Joseph, Moses, Nehemiah, Jesus, Paul

A TOP LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLE OF JESUS

Choose Your Key People

a. Mark 3:13-15 - Jesus chose who would be His apostles (with the guidance of God, the Father).

b. One of the biggest mistakes boards and other hiring entities make is to select a leader and then saddle him with a staff not of his choosing.It doesn’t matter how good that staff is. If the leader didn’t choose them and if they didn’t choose him, the odds for failure are enormous. One of the biggest mistakes our company has made is not going all out to get a key employee for a crucial spot. If we had looked to Jesus and followed his example, we wouldn’t have made that mistake. Even with the 12 great men Jesus had in place (Matthias replaced Judas), He saw the need to add one more top-level person to His organization. To say He went all out to get his man would be an understatement. As Saul of Tarsus was traveling along the road to Damascus, Jesus literally knocked him to the ground and blinded him with a light from heaven. He identified Himself and told Saul, who would become the great apostle Paul, what he must do. Now that is aggressive recruiting. - Bob Briner