As part of our Annual Meeting last Wednesday, a number of people were appointed to various roles of leadership within the life of the church.  It is an appointment in two senses, the church has recognised their spiritual maturity and giftedness for particular areas of service, and so have set them aside for specific tasks; at the saw time, the church has recognised the call of God upon these people to lead His church.  In this sense, christian leadership is DIVINE APPOINTMENT.

This morning we will pray for those appointed as leaders.  We do so recognising the importance of the task to which they have been called, a task for which no-one (pastor or lay leader) is qualified by his/her own merits. It is for this that we ask God to equip the church's leaders, and pray for His on-going grace to know HIS leading, and for courage to walk (and lead us) in His ways. We also ask that they be enabled to equip His church (us) for mission.  This will require all of the grace, wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit, thus making Christian leadership a DIVINE ANOINTING.

The task of Christian leadership stands over the model of leadership demonstrated in the world.  It is leadership based on service.  The task of the church's leadership will have been done if at the next annual meeting we will be able to look back over the twelve months and say (as I believe we can say of the last twelve months) that we have known God in our midst, and we have followed His leading.  The task of the Christian leader is to make God wd His ways known and is therefore a DIVINE SURRENDER, giving up personal preferences for God.

We are indeed blessed as a fellowship with many godly people with the gifts and graces for leadership.  Let us together pray that over the coming year we will see the fruits of godly leadership.