Matthew 23:11,12. Consider some Biblical leaders who placed other’s needs first.
Jesus gave up his position in heaven to become a servant and die on across in order to lead us into heaven (Philippians 2:5-11). He taught his disciples to be servants—to wash each other’s feet (John 13:14-17). Paul relinquished his position in society and endured incredible hardships to lead gentiles to Christ (2 Corinthians 11:22-33).
C. Spiritual Maturity. 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9; 2 Timothy 2:15. One who leads in mission work should not be anew believer. An immature missionary can lead anew congregation astray, can create animosity among people on a mission field, and can put people at risk in politically sensitive areas. Spiritual maturity does not equate to the physical age of a person. A prospective missionary maybe a young adult, yet he may have the spiritual maturity to lead in missions. Ora prospective missionary maybe an older person, who has never matured spiritually. Those recommending a missionary should consider whether or not the missionary would qualify as a leader in the church. If the missionary cannot lead within a local church, will the missionary be able to lead on the mission field For qualifications of leaders, seethe scriptural description of spiritual maturity outlined for Elders below (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9). Some mission work does not require such leadership skills. But a leader is needed for things such as planting churches in foreign lands. A person who feels called to missions may need to develop the necessary maturity prior to going to the mission field. How does one become spiritually mature Maturity comes through studying the Bible, praying, obeying God, and by experiencing the Christian walk.
