College Hour

When it comes to leadership in the church, I have found myself to be a servant leader. My style is to lead by example and to lead in a team. I like projects, and consider myself to be project driven. I am also a team player, and between both of these passions I like to lead on a team and run ahead of others serving them as they serve those we have been called to serve. I love to cast vision, teach leaders, serve leaders, empower leaders and enable them to grow and take over where ever God has led them to lead. In my own personal style of leadership I expect others to give like I give, and do as I do. I love hard, serve hard and give all that others have the opportunity to achieve success. I work hard as a leader to do a good job and to help others to do the best that they can in leading others. As a leader I want to reproduce myself in the hearts and minds of others so that there can be opportunities for men to grow and to lead others. As a part of my personal leadership development I am going to continue to submit myself to mentors and coaches that can help me navigate the waters of ministry and life. In my learning style I need my Pastor and board of leaders that have the right and privilege to speak into my life and to encourage me in the work of the ministry. They also rebuke and straiten me out in areas that are needed as well. I have come to learn that as a leader part of my development was being able to have mentors who could deliver constructive criticism.[1] This is good for me, and it helps me to stay on the straight and narrow as it relates to leading others. My Motto is that “Every Pastor ought to have a Pastor”. So in leading others in personal leadership development, I practice the submission to leaders who train and teach me. I have a mentor group that I am a part of here in the United States. We meet together every year for one week out of a month. There are ten of us, and we have agreed to walk through life together and to spend ten years of formation with one another. Every year when we gather we read a book, discuss its meaning for our lives and share it’s most precious encounters that have helped us over the past year. Personal prayer as a spiritual formation One of the greatest mysteries in the gospels is the mystery of having to prepare before doing ministry. It is said that Jesus (The Son of God, the Word of God, Visible image of the invisible God) Spent numerous hours in Prayer with his Father before going out to heal and to minister to others. In my goals of spiritual formation in the New Year I plan to intensify my prayer life with the Father. Throughout the gospels it is written 15 times that Jesus prayed. In these times He prayed in the early morning hours in various places of solitude, such as on the mountains or in the wilderness prior to doing ministry. It is the opinion of this writer that it is of extreme importance, that the servant of the lord, resemble the life of Christ if they want to be successful in the ministry of leading others. If Jesus Christ practiced the spiritual discipline of prayer in solitude, to be prepared for the work of leadership in the ministry, then surely I need to double the time that he had, if I am to be successful in my efforts. If Jesus labored in this world to gain victory over spiritual battles, I too must use prayer to form and to shape my life to do the Fathers will.[2] I believe that there are many dynamics to leadership and many tools that are needed to serve others well. However, there is none more important than the dynamic of spiritual formation and intercession for those I will be serving. In order to be a good leader, I have to first be led. It is in the closet of prayer and preparation that I know I can get my heart in line before I get my script in line. In Marks gospel I see what prayer and preparation did for Jesus before ministering to others who were in need. There are six observations I have discovered in this text.

1. Jesus before doing any ministry desired communion with his Father.
2. Jesus delighted himself in maintaining conversation with His Father who had all power of heaven and earth in his hands.
3. Jesus did nothing before consulting with His father prior to ministry responsibilities.
4. HE sought out fellowship with the triune council of Heaven.
5. Jesus through prayer would trust in the Spirit of God to illuminate His way while serving on earth.
6. Jesus dove into the great depths of prayer as a model of spiritual living that we may have an example to follow.

In Marks gospel I see a picture of the Father in Heaven waking the Son to spend time with Him. It is a consistent picture of the fellowship HE has always’ had with HIM throughout eternity. This type of spiritual formation is what I desire for the New Year in my leadership walk. As the triune God kept intimate fellowship with one another, so I desire the same thing as I journey on earth. God in this passage is looking for the opportunity to meet with Jesus so he can give him instruction concerning the cases he will have for the day. The Father wants to use Jesus in the earthly realm just as He wants to use me. I can’t help but notice that there is something very precious about an early morning meeting with the Father. I believe that Jesus knew the importance of prayer and wanted to give His undivided attention to the Father. Jesus knew that interrupted prayer, was not true devotion to God. He knew that prayer that was not in solitude could never be as rich of an encounter as that which was done in total seclusion. It is the observation of this writer that prayer in a solitary place is sweeter than a hurried encounter surrounded in noise. In the solitary place my devotion is sacred and intentional. It is there that I can fully devote myself to the Masters voice and wait patiently for him to speak. As a form of my spiritual formation I want to practice this discipline with diligence. I have discovered that praying while in solitude will enhance my thought processes. Praying while in solitude will reveal greater depths of intimacy with God. Why, because, my mind, body, and soul is not in competition with anyone or anything else. Praying in solitude will change me, before it changes anything else. This is why I must practice this discipline with great vigor in the New Year. I have learned that praying while in solitude exposes my real motives, and secret desires. When I pray in solitude it brings me bare before the throne, and makes me rely upon the work of the Holy Spirit to get my prayers right. Having the right place of solitude, makes the prayer experience sweet and refreshing. As I grow as a student in the ministry of leadership I am convicted with knowing I must have a consistent place of solicitude, if I am to draw near unto God. As I close this paper, I thank God today for giving me a model of preparation and spiritual formation, in the life of Jesus. It is in this model that I see the importance of the one who is a leader, to first be alone with God in order to meet the needs of those who are awaiting interaction with God. Every good student of the gospels takes serious the life of Christ as he is the model minister of the new covenant. In Jesus is the example of a leader. He took care of his own soul before attending to others.[3] [1] The Leadership secrets of Billy Graham, Zondervan Grand Rapids MI. 2005 Learning and leveraging weaknesses pg. 237-240 [2] Sermon lecture delivered at Samford University, Beeson Divinity School Pastors conference, by Rev. Angulus D. Wilson, Pastor of New beginnings family Baptist Church. Birmingham Al, 2005. Published by Beeson Divinity School [3] The life and times of Jesus Christ, By Fulton Sheen

[caption id="attachment_522" align="aligncenter" width="200"] Dr. Angulus Wilson[/caption] Grace and joy to you, I borrowed these wise tips from a fellow Pastor skilled in discipleship, and thought that I would introduce them to our University family, as we grow together in Christ. (I pray that you enjoy them as much as I have) How to Do Soul Care..... There are many topics and issues which are being taught concerning leaders and leadership; however, Soul Care is not one of them. How do we care for others as we lead them in a Christian University? This is a battle and a real struggle - many university leaders struggle most with knowing how to care for the people in their departments and divisions. The following is just a small sample of how to do soul care, as we lead those who find themselves following. 1. Put people before tasks. People should always come first; but in the age of professional ministry, people often come last. Think strategically about how to put people first in your ministry. 2. Accept others faults and failures. Forgive people when they hurt you. Wounds in the University seem to live on forever. As the leader, you must forgive other people’s faults and failures so that it does not impact your ministry and the Kingdom. Ask God to reveal to your heart people whom have wounded you but whom you have never forgiven. 3. Schedule time to renew. Leaders cannot give to others what they have not received. One of the most important things that you as a leader can do, is to get away and connect with God. I tell my church that if I don’t have a good relationship with God, then I am of no good to them or to the church. 4. Tell people about the real struggles that you face. Be open with people about your life. People want to follow someone who is real and authentic. Share stories of success but more importantly share your life failures as well. 5.Open your heart and listen to people’s stories. Everyone has a spiritual story. Some stories are an amazing transformation of moving from dark to light. Others stories are stories of long journeys with many a twist and turn. The key to soul care is to listen to people and their stories. 6. Remember significant events in people’s lives. People will realize that you care if you are still thinking about an important event that occurred in their life a year or two after it occurs. This can be remembered by simply putting it on your calendar a year in advance. This event was significant to them, and it should be significant to you as their pastor or leader. University Soul care is critical to the work of the ministry, I pray that as we make disciples, we too would be cared for in a loving community. For Christ and His kingdom AW

[caption id="attachment_522" align="aligncenter" width="200"] Dr. Angulus Wilson[/caption] As A University Pastor, my greatest joy is leading someone into a personal encounter with Christ. My favorite subject to talk about on campus is having a relationship with God. There are several things that I wish every student at Fresno Pacific knew about God. Here they are: I wish they knew that God made us for Himself and our souls are restless until they find rest in Him. I wish they knew that Only God can fill the void in your life. I wish they knew that the answer to their search is accepting Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of their life. I wish they knew that to become a Christian, you need to know these basic facts from the Bible. 1. God loves you. Because of God’s love for all persons, He desires that you have unbroken fellowship with Him. (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:4-5) 2. You are a sinner. All persons are sinners in that they disobey God. Sin is choosing to go your own way and do your own thing as opposed to being obedient to God. (Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:10) 3. Sin separates you from God. Sin forms a barrier that prevents you from entering into unbroken fellowship with God, who is Holy. As an unholy sinner, you can’t have fellowship with God. You are headed for a Christ-less eternity that the Bible calls hell. (Isaiah 59:2; Romans 3:23 4. You can’t save yourself. People often think that through their efforts they can overcome the sin barrier between themselves and God. This isn’t true. There’s nothing you can do to restore the broken relationship with God. You can’t earn God’s salvation. (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; Romans 4:4-5) 5. God sent His Son Jesus to remove the sin barrier. The death of Jesus Christ (God’s Son) on the Cross, removed the sin barrier between you and God. Jesus died for your sins - taking your punishment on Himself. God did for you (in Jesus Christ) what you couldn’t do for yourself. (1 Peter 2:24; Romans 5:8’ 2 Corinthians 5:21) 6. You can receive Jesus Christ through faith. Faith is trusting in what Jesus has done for you, rather than trusting your own efforts to restore fellowship with God. Faith is complete reliance on Christ to put you in a right relationship with God, allowing Him to live His life through you. Faith also involves repentance or genuine sorrow for sin and the willingness to turn away from sin. (John 14:6; Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9-10) Through prayer you can trust in Jesus Christ. 7. Admit to God that you are a sinner. Express sorrow or repentance for your sinfulness. Ask Him to forgive your sins. Invite Jesus into your life as Savior and Lord. Thank Him for entering your life. Commit yourself to live for Him. Accepting Christ is the beginning. After accepting Him, be obedient by following Christ in baptism and by uniting with a church. When you do this, you will find that life truly does have purpose and meaning. Talk with another Christian about your decision for Christ. These powerful six things are so important that I am committed to sharing them with every student that I come into contact with. Will you help me today, to spread the good news? For Christ and His Kingdom AW

John 1:6-9

⁶ There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. ⁸ He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. ⁹ The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.

Introduction: At the time of this text there was complete silence in heaven; God had not said a word to mankind. Between the Old and New testaments there was 400 years of silence, no prophets, no proclamation, no demonstration of HIS power and no miracles to point man to himself. God was silent. From the closing of the ministry of Malachi to the opening on the New Testament, Heaven didn’t say a word. According to biblical history, The office of the priesthood was in order; organized religion was the event of the day. People were going through the motions with God, the Pharisees and Sadducees had polluted the temple, and made a mockery out of the Old Covenant. God’s people were without a witness, and then came John! When John came he was a voice from heaven. When John came he was a voice of salvation. When John came he was a voice of help for the helpless. When John came he was a sight for sore eyes, and he came and fulfilled scripture by being a witness for the messiah. What the Prophet Isaiah said would come had finally come, “A voice of one crying in the wilderness”. John was a witness for Christ. John’s task was to be a witness in the New Testament by God. He was a prophet from the Old Covenant but a voice in the New Covenant. John would be a witness for all to see. John’s ministry is what ours is to be as a church. We are called to be modern day John’s calling out to a dying world, warning them of the Savior to come, calling for all to come to Jesus while they have a chance. We are to build spiritual highways for others to come to Jesus. This is our sole responsibility as a Church, preparing a way for others to come to Jesus. Who was John? The bible teaches that John was of the priestly tribe by both of his parents. His father, Zechariahs, was a priest of the division of Abijah, and his mother, Elizabeth, was one of the daughters of Aaron" His birth was a miraculous intervention of the almighty. (He was a miracle baby) John’s ministry was foretold by an angel sent from God, who at the same time assigned to him the name of John. He was born in the hill country of Judea, six months before the birth of our Lord Jesus. John was the cousin of Jesus by birth, and Johns name meant Jehovah’s Gift. What was Johns Mission? John’s mission was first to come into the world as a witness of God. His name tells us he was a gift from God. From the beginning of time He was created for this mission. The witness of John was given that men might believe. He was God’s gift to humanity, to prepare the way for Christ. John’s mission was to witness to the world not to the Christ. (He was a gift sent from God to the world) Jesus needs no one to witness of Him. He is God, He can witness of himself. John’s mission was to be God’s ambassador to a fallen world to make way for the coming king. John’s mission was to be a voice in the world for Christ.He was sent of God to tell the world that the long-looked-for Messiah was now come, which would be a light to the Gentiles and the glory of his people Israel; John came to testify that Jesus was truly the light of the world, so that all people might put their trust in Him. What was Johns Message? The message of John was unlike the message of the day. He didn’t preach what the Pharisee’s preached, He didn’t preach what the scribes preached, and He didn’t preach what the eastern religions preached. He preached about the coming Messiah of Israel, and the need to accept Him as their King and God. John Preached that heavens Light had come into the world to save men, and everyone should get ready to receive Him! John came to point the people to repentance, and prepare them, to receive the cleansing of their souls through Christ. John’s message was to show people how to confess their sins and turn from them. John’s message moved people to be baptized and confess their sins, and make the first step towards receiving Jesus Christ. According to the other gospel writers, (Matthew Mark and Luke) The results of John’s preaching caused his hearers hearer’s to do five things.

1. Prepare to Repent and turn from their sins
2. Prepare to receive the baptism to come from the messiah
3. Prepare their minds for the coming Kingdom of God
4. Prepare to depart from the religions of the world
5. Prepare the way for Jesus

Application: According to the word of God, once you and I have received Christ as our Lord and savior we too have a job like John! We are also sent witnesses of Christ and for Christ. We are also modern day messengers called to witness to men and women lost in darkness about the light. We are also to prepare a spiritual highway for non-believers to come to the lord. Where are we to tell it?

1. On the job, we are to tell the story
2. At home, we are to tell the story
3. In the community, we are to tell the story
4. At play, we are to tell the story
5. Where ever people are, we are to tell the story

We are called to witness for Jesus, and prepare the way of His return, by bringing in those who are lost and without a personal relationship with Him. So as we move about the Kingdom today, let’s be like John, and witness for the coming Messiah.

St Matthew 5:44 "But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you.” In today's world are many wars and tragedies that have been caused by sin. These acts of sin cause us to develop rivals or enemies. The bible teaches that God has enemies who are in rebellion against him, and who have refused to obey him. However, God loved his enemy and gave himself for them. The Bible say's in John 3: 16 That God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him will never perish but have everlasting life. One of the greatest struggles in the Christian life is that of praying for the enemy that abuses, mistreats, oppresses, lies on and attacks you. Praying to God for the enemy is something that you just don't want to do. This is no doubt one of the hardest things that we are commanded to do and must do. Jesus said in St Matthew 5:44

"But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you."

This command is entrusted to the faithful followers of Christ that we may show unto an unbelieving planet that our God is God, and that he loves the world and desires relationship with them. As the ecclesia of the New Testament, the called-out ones for heaven, we are called to suffer in this season for the Master. God has given us the privilege of entering into the fellowship of Christ and the sufferings of his cross. We are now able to be like Jesus and the saints of old, by enduring the enemies of today. For now is the opportunity to show them that we love Jesus Christ and we are the light in a dark world. God has given us the privilege to identify with him today by dying to ourselves, our agenda's and ideologies of an earthly kingdom. He is calling his bride to identify with him by producing fruits of righteousness through the life of our suffering king. Our charge is one that can only be done through the Holy Spirit of Christ. He is calling us to another level of living and today we have the ultimate example of our Savior and King on how to pray for our enemies in this life. Here are a few important words to live by…

• We are a royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2;5) Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ
• We are to be a living sacrifice (Rom 12: 1-2) I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
• We are to be intercessors (Rom 12: 12) rejoicing in hope: patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.

If we are going to be Christ-like we must pardon all enemies, and realize that they don't know what they are doing. Sin has blinded their eyes; they can't see spiritually what they are doing. We must always remember that our Hero and Savior teaches us how to endure the sufferings of the cross. He is a great example for us to follow. Praying for the enemy may be hard, but by the power of God living in us we can do all things through Christ. For Christ and His Kingdom AW