This past fall we went through the stories and letters of Paul in chronological order with some our network leaders at Gateway. We were trying to determine the characteristics that made him so catalytic so that we might grow in this as well.
Here is the order we are reading through and discussing:
- Week One – Acts 7-16
- Week Two – Galatians
- Week Three – Acts 17, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians
- Week Four – Acts 18, 1 Corinthians
- Week Five – 2 Corinthians
- Week Six – Romans
- Week Seven – Acts 19-20, Ephesians
- Week Eight – Acts 21-28 & Colossians, Philemon
- Week Nine – Philippians, 1 Timothy, Titus, 2 Timothy
Here are some other highlights of Paul’s message:
- Paul emphasized Jesus as a servant leader and our ultimate example for how we should live (Phil. 2:1-11).
- Paul seemed to have a healthy understanding of “being” with God (Phil. 3:10) and “doing” things for God (Phil. 2:12-13).
- Paul emphasized contentment and even rejoicing in our suffering. He wrote to the Philippians from jail (Phil. 4:4-9).
- Paul reminded us that ministry can be lonely (only one church heled him at one point and Demas left (Phil. 4:15).
- Paul invested in young leaders by allowing them to help him plant churches before he sent them out to plant churches. This “on the go mentoring” continued as he pointed out to his young leaders how to raise up other elders and deacons (1 Timothy 3).
- Paul told Titus his ministry was to turn Cretans who were considered “liars, evil brutes, and lazy gluttons” (Titus 1:12) into elders (Titus 1:5).
- Paul encouraged Timothy to serve with courage and by maximizing his spiritual gifts (2 Timothy 1:7).
- Paul gave his followers a pattern for living (2 Tim. 1:13, see also Universal Discipleship Pattern).
Here are some questions to apply to our lives as leaders:
- Who can we pass along the story of Paul and the principles of catalytic leadership this week?
- How can we apply what we see in Paul’s life to our own life and leadership?
