Devotion 5.6.26

If I was asked by a body of believers today to help design a curriculum for students (children through adults) on Christian Leadership (I did design a few leadership curricula for various groups throughout my career), I'd start with the Book of Acts as my source. The study would have a working model for leadership, and it would have theoretical (substantive) support for the model and a practical application side to it as well (real world model as some like to call it). Ground zero for that model would be today's passage.

Let's read from Acts 17 together:

Acts 17

"18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean.” 21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new."

Paul Addresses the Areopagus

"22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything."

What would this model include that I would design for children/adults?

1. Open your heart and mind to God's Spirit. Go to the beginning of Acts and note how many times the disciples wait for and discern direction from God's Spirit before acting on their own thoughts. At the beginning of this section, Luke clearly states that Paul's "spirit was provoked" (v 16 -17). Paul was listening to and allowing God to stir him into action.

2."There is nothing new under the sun." The problems we experience in this world can be summed up in Solomon's observation spoken in Ecclesiastes. Problems we experience today have been seen before. Solutions are available and some new ideas may exist, but don't reinvent the wheel if it already exists.

Paul runs into a group of men who are not concerned about deep dives. Their only qualification for engaging is "hearing or telling something new" (as opposed to learning).

3. Listen and learn about the context of your surroundings before engaging a solution. Paul knows Greek culture and the language, but he's also studied his surroundings called "the Areopagus." He uses the art that's located in it to honor their request to provide his "new ideas" to his advantage.

4. Speak to your group and not at your group. Paul exercises wisdom and discretion to the men to whom he addresses.

What do we learn as potential leaders in our culture today? Much of what Paul did can be taught and captured as solutions in our modern culture. Address people respectfully and in a language they can understand. Have courage to present the Truth, but don't alienate the audience who has asked you to engage them or allowed you to. Gain an idea of your situation by assessing it before engaging them.

This can be the heart of what we teach and learn and is only a thumbnail sketch as leaders in our world today. We can also use this in our daily lives as well.

Pray with me: Gracious Father, Lead and guide me. Teach me discernment and give me the necessary tools to engage people in the Truth daily. Send your Spirit to change the hearts of men and women I engage. In Christ's name, Amen.

Hope Men's Ministry is a ministry in service to Hope Lutheran Church and School. Our purpose is to grow, unite, and share God's Word to all men through meaningful activities. These activities center on fellowship, service, conversation, prayer, study and devotion as we seek to become men of God as He created us to be.