Bible Study 1Peter Chapter 5 Elders & Members Discussion

Additional notes from our discussion on Bible Study 1Peter Chapter 5 Elders & Members.

1.  The model roles for Elders as Leaders not only in Church but also in Corporations and Government. 
1. Main Job: Shepherd the People which we expanded to include the following:
1. lead - don't get lost
2. feed - teaching truth
3. protect them from attacks
4. find the lost
5. care for the sick
6. disciplining
7. provide the right environment
2. The Execution of the Job is 
1. Not as a burden, a compulsion, to get rid off.
2. But as a meaningful mission as God would have us.
3. Developing the People and not for Shameful Gains.
   Leadership and power enables one to use it for selfish gains, especially for money. We discussed that of the major sins like pride, lusts, laziness etc the one on Greed is most deceptive. Most people don't see themselves as having problem with it. 
4. Not domineering but setting the examples. Teaching without words by living rightly in their presence that they may follow; as Paul said, be imitators of me as I am of Christ. 
3. Expect a Reward - the Crown of Glory at Christ 2nd Coming.
   
2.  The Model Staff
1. Submit to the Leaders/Elders
2. Be Humble - submitting to one another, learning from one another, trusting God for promotion rather than fight of it in ungodly way.
3. Cast our cares and worries to Christ. That means we don't think about it any more. We continue to do our best and leave the result to God. We do something else, even taking a break, watch TV as we trust God to handle for us.
4. Be alert and watchful for the work of evil - the temptations, the persecutions force us to take things into our own hands rather than standing firm in our faith. 
5. We must resist the evils with faith and trust in God.
6. Our mindset on Time - it is a little while only and God will vindicate you - He will restore to past status, confirm your status, strengthening and establishing you --- i.e. promotion comes quickly from the Lord after the testing.
7. Living harmoniously with one another is the final call of Peter.
3.  Setting and Maintaining the Standards
1. We discussed whether members should also evaluate their leaders/elders according to the standards set in the Bible.
2. We think a member should give feedback to the leaders, following the recommendations in the Bible, of correcting those in the wrong. We have the example of Paul correcting Peter in Gal 2:11-14 Galatians 2 Validation of Paul's Gospel.
3. Even the Chinese Classics of the Bible of Filial Piety provides for children to correct their parents and the officers to correct their King. See Understanding the Bible of Filial Piety (Xiao Jing).
4. A healthy organization should have a system of enabling and collecting such corrective feedback and protecting such 'whistle blowers'.
5. It is better that the organization corrects itself internally before the external and government organizations come in to take actions.
6. Not standing against evil will result in the propagation of evil throughout as we have witnessed such happening in all the major area like business, arts, family, education, government etc. There is a call at present to take back the seven mountains of Arts & entertainment, Business, Church & Religions, Distribution Media, Education, Family and Government.