Leadership Teams Led by the Spirit

Mark Virkler's picture

If we as individuals are to walk by the Spirit, then surely the eldership of a local assembly is to be led by the Spirit! So how would this look? What would they do when they came together to ensure the decisions they make are Spirit-led?

Spirit-led five-fold teams experience more complete revelation and move forward when in unity.


The best of human decision-making is inadequate. 

  1. We must forsake the traditions of men (Mk. 7:8,9).
  2. We must forsake man’s knowledge (Isa. 55:8-11; Jas. 3:14-18).
  3. We agree the Spirit gives life and the flesh profits nothing (Jn. 6:63).

We choose to expect that God will speak and lead us continually as we listen.

  1. My sheep hear My voice (Jn. 10:27).
  2. We will walk and live by the Spirit (Gal. 5:25).
  3. We acknowledge a four-step pattern for hearing God’s voice which involves quieting ourselves down, coming into His presence by fixing our eyes upon Jesus, tuning to His voice which is sensed as spontaneous flowing thoughts, and recording what we are receiving.

Foundational skills required of those in the eldership team:

  1. Able to hear God’s voice, having experienced healing so they can focus on others’ needs.
  2. Trained to honor one another, including differences in giftings (1 Pet. 2:17).
  3. Releasing the five heart motivations underlying the 5 fold ministry team (Eph. 4:7,11-16):
  • Apostle – heart for servant leadership which ensures that all the voices are heard, honored and integrated into the final decision
  • Prophet – heart for divine creativity
  • Evangelist – heart for sharing the good news
  • Pastor – heart for loving people
  • Teacher – heart that passionately seeks out truth

The decision-making process involves:

  1. Taking time to wait on God, not demanding an answer immediately but prayerfully reflecting.
  2. Sharing only what God has revealed, and not man's ideas.
  3. Honoring others enough to listen attentively to what each one is saying, while asking God to show you the truth in what is being said, and how that fills in, completes or adjusts the final picture/decision. Affirming and sharing the integration you see.
  4. Coming into unity, at which time you know you have received the full counsel of God and using the Leaders’ Paradigm (i.e. congruence of six ways God speaks to us) for all major decisions.

Resources

  • Many of the above ideas are further developed in the doctoral dissertation “Corporate Discernment: Together Hearing God’s Voice” by Ray D. Hock. Please contact Ray Hock directly for a copy of his excellent dissertation.
  • How to Build a Winning Team - Five-fold teams that are led by the Spirit
  • Gifted to Succeed - Discover your heart motivation(s), and the heart motivation(s) of others.
  • Your Winning Team CARD - keep it on your desk! This 5.5 X 8.5 inch card is a simple reminder to know and look to several people God has provided you who together comprise the five heart motivations which underlie the five-fold team God speaks about in Ephesians 4:7-11. 
  • 4 Keys to Hearing God's Voice - The easiest approach available for learning to hear God's voice
  • Blog: You Can Begin a Spirit-Led Home Group!

 

Related Blogs: 

Business and Creativity   Healthy Relationships   
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Complete Library of Virkler DVDs (Not All Items Pictured)

Complete Library of Virkler DVDs

20 Titles - SAVE $271!

Benefit from 40+ years of teachings by Drs. Mark and Patti Virkler. They are passionate to lead you into Spirit-anointed living by providing biblically-based, real life, "how to" training on Christian spirituality. Their down-to-earth teachings are perfect for personal and small group training experiences. Special Bonus: Includes two teaching series by their daughter, Charity Virkler Kayembe. This is an ideal library of materials for a home, church or Christian school to have on hand.

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Hear God Through Your Dreams DVD Package

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Hearing God Through Your Dreams DVD Package

Hearing God Through Your Dreams DVD Package

by Mark Virkler and Charity Kayembe | 10 Sessions on 3 DVDs | 1 Book

Learn How to Hear God’s Voice, Even When You Are Sleeping

Receive divine counsel nightly. Increase emotional health, wisdom and creativity.

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How Could I Have Been So Wrong? Video Download Package

Mark Virkler | 80 Page PDF eBook | 16 Digital Videos

This is my story of how my cardiac event was resolved by combining the best in medical care, Christian spirituality, and nutrition. 

I was NOT supposed to have a cardiac event. I ate a healthy diet, exercised several times a week, consumed lots of great nutrition and sought to live destressed by abiding in Christ. This story contains the lessons I learned in the months of healing after having emergency surgery which involved five heart bypasses.

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How Do YOU Know? DVD Package

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How do you know? What is the process you use to discover truth? I did not ask that question during the first 25 years of my life. I used eleven different methods for discovering truth including: if my parents said so, then it was so. If my teacher said it was so, then it was so. If my pastor said it was so, then it was so. If my theology said it was so, then it was so. I have discarded them all and adopted a twelfth method, which is in harmony with what the Bible teaches. We teach you this method in this series. 

This package includes a 180-page book, a 12-session video series, and a 40-page workbook ($79.85 value).

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How to Walk by the Spirit DVD Package

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by Mark and Patti Virkler | 1 Workbook | 6 DVDs

Are you like many western Christians who have been taught little about how to sense their spirits? Do you have trouble even defining what spirit sensations feel like within you, much less recognizing them? This training was birthed from Mark’s passion to live out of his spirit, and thus release the anointing of God. The problem he faced was lack of clear biblical definition as to what his spirit felt like. So Mark looked up every verse in the Bible on heart and spirit.

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Naturally Supernatural DVD Package

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Now with Revised & Expanded 30th Anniversary Edition DVDs!

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The Overcomer's Complete Video Package

Overcomer's Complete Discounted Video Package

By Mark and Patti Virkler | 5 books | 2 DVD sets | 1 CD/DVD | Save $18!

So you just encountered the Holy Spirit in a whole new way, and now you want to deepen your spiritual sensitivity and release of His power? How do you go about doing that? First of all, you want to clearly and biblically define living by the Spirit. Secondly, you want to press into intimacy with the Holy Spirit with understanding and persistence.

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Overflow of the Spirit DVD Package

Overflow of the Spirit DVD Package

12 sessions | Book 284 pgs | Workbook 50 pgs | by Mark Virkler and Charity Kayembe

Mark and Charity have teamed up again to create a training series on how to easily manifest the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit. It took us several years to break through all the confusion and present a clear, simple understanding of how to release the ninefold manifestation of the Holy Spirit everywhere you go and with everyone you touch. It is not hard! It can’t be since these are gifts of the Holy Spirit, not things you have to work for.

Price: $72.89

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