By Steve Cordle
How much does it matter how your group leaders are living?
in Joshua 7, the Israelite army gets soundly beaten at a small town named Ai. The reason was that one of their number, Achan, sinned by keping spoils of war he was told not to keep. After he was killed for his isn, the Israeiltes were again victorious in their battle to tale the Promised Land.
In Acts 5 Ananias and Sapphira are struck dead for lying to the Holy Spirit (also about material possessions, it is worth noting).
To some 21st century minds these deaths might seem like an extreme reaction to moral lapses. (It might be interesting to do a Bible study on the times God struck someone dead!)
However, it is no accident that these events occurred when they did: during the birth of God’s people – Israel and the Early Church. God was seeing to it that his people were born into an atmosphere of holiness. He was showing that purity was vital to the life of His people.
If we want the favor and power of God released consistently in our ministries, holiness is vital. Group leaders who lead others to spiritaul maturity over the long haul have hearts yielded to the Lord.
Do you know how your group leaders are doing spiritually? What expectations do you communicate? How do you stay in touch with your group leaders without getting perfectionistic, judgmental, or rigid?