In the first session today, Steve Chong spoke passionately from 2 Timothy 2:1-14. Awesome! We've been dealing with some big things lately so it was a timely message that brought me great encouragement.

INTRO - Steve began by making it clear that Christian leadership is hard. The Apostle Paul and Jesus Christ himself each had a tough time and it shouldn't shock us if our ministry is a bit like theirs!

1) LEADERS NEED STRENGTH (2 Tim 2:1) - this strength comes not from ourselves but it's the strength that Jesus gives by his grace. We aren't just saved by grace but we depend on grace for our ministry.

2) LEADERS WORK HARD (2 Tim 2:3-7) - Soldier. Athlete. Farmer. They all work hard. They all lead from the front. Lately I've been tempted to give up and so I was particularly struck by the image of the Athlete who finishes the race. (Note to self: keep eyes fixed on the finish line. Continue in single-minded devotion).

3) LEADERS REMEMBER JESUS (2 Tim 2:8-14) - Wow. How good is verse 8: "Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel"! It's easy to get so busy that we forget the big picture. Remember Jesus. Having a tough time? Remember Jesus.

YMC07 Blog: #1 - Leadership.