LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

SEPTEMBER 18 – 20, 2025

GENERAL THEME: THE MAN, THE MESSAGE, THE MINISTRY

DAY ONE: THE MAN, THE MESSAGE, THE MINISTRY

Opening Scripture:

"Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ."

— Ephesians 4:11-13 (NLT)

COURSE 1: THE MAKING OF A MINISTER

TOPIC: The Making of a Minister

Introduction:

God is not just an architect but a builder.
You cannot become an effective minister unless God makes you.
The first point of call is to allow God to make you in His way and by His timing—it's a process.

"For every house has a builder, but the one who built everything is God."
— Hebrews 3:4 (NLT)

"For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."
— Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

"So God sent back the same man his people had previously rejected when they demanded, ‘Who made you a ruler and judge over us?’ Through the angel who appeared to him in the burning bush, God sent Moses to be their ruler and savior."
— Acts 7:35 (NLT)

WHO IS A MINISTER OF GOD?

Someone sent from God with a sense of mission.
Prepared and ordained by God for good works.
Carries out divine commands for the glory of the One who sent him, not for self-promotion.

"God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light."
— John 1:6-8 (NLT)

THE MAKING OF AN EFFECTIVE MINISTER OF GOD

It is a continuous process involving three key principals:

The Divine Process
Yourself (Self-Input)
The Mission (The Church or Organization)

THE DIVINE PROCESS

It is a process, not a program.
It is not a stroll in the park.
It is not done in the palace—the comfort zone.
It is often in the furnace of suffering.
It is often in the wilderness.

"And yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand."
— Isaiah 64:8 (NLT)

"I have refined you, but not as silver is refined. Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering."
— Isaiah 48:10 (NLT)

"I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure. I will refine them like silver and purify them like gold. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘These are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’"
— Zechariah 13:9 (NLT)

THE DIVINE PROCESS (cont.)

It is in serving in lowly tasks.
It is in being a mentee.
Divine timing.
It is always in line with His plan for your life.

"Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters who came as usual to draw water and fill the water troughs for their father's flocks."
— Exodus 2:16 (NLT)

"Elisha son of Shaphat is here. He used to be Elijah’s personal assistant."
— 2 Kings 3:11 (NLT)

"That’s why I have sent Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of how I follow Christ Jesus, just as I teach in all the churches wherever I go."
— 1 Corinthians 4:17 (NLT)

"This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed."
— Habakkuk 2:1-3 (NLT)

"The LORD gave me this message: 'I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.'"
— Jeremiah 1:4 (NLT)

"For God's gifts and his call can never be withdrawn."
— Romans 11:29 (NLT)

THE MEANS EMPLOYED IN THE MAKING

God makes His ministers through:

Tests, trials, problems, crisis.
Tough/challenging responsibilities.
Serving in secret and unrecognized roles.
Suffering and wants.
Disappointment and failures.

"He did this to humble you and test you for your own good..."
— Deuteronomy 8:16 (NLT)

"He knows where I am going. And when he tests me, I will come out as pure as gold."
— Job 23:10 (NLT)

"So Moses and his assistant Joshua set out, and Moses climbed up the mountain of God."
— Exodus 24:13 (NLT)

"After the death of Moses the LORD's servant, the LORD spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' assistant."
— Joshua 1:1 (NLT)

"With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News."
— 2 Timothy 1:8 (NLT)

"But David found strength in the LORD his God."
— 1 Samuel 30:6 (NLT)

THE DIVINE PROCESS INVOLVES...

The Fetching: God brings us to Himself in salvation.
The Trimming or Shaping: The process of sanctification.

"One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law... There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush."
— Exodus 3:1-2 (NLT)

"You didn't choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit..."
— John 15:16 (NLT)

"But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over."
— Jeremiah 18:4 (NLT)

"He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more."
— John 15:2 (NLT)

THE DIVINE PROCESS INVOLVES... (cont.)

The Engracing: Divine empowering with gifts.
The Trying: Character development necessary to do His will.
The Trusting: Putting our trust in Him.

"However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ."
— Ephesians 4:7-8 (NLT)

"It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have."
— 1 Corinthians 12:11 (NLT)

"Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna... He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD."
— Deuteronomy 8:3 (NLT)

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
— Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

SELF-INPUT: YOUR ROLE IN THE PROCESS

Cultivate the right motive and mindset.
Availability.
Absolute surrender and humility.
Prompt obedience.
Consecration - Separation.
Mentoring.

"The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him."
— 2 Chronicles 16:9 (NLT)

"The LORD judges people by their intentions."
— Proverbs 16:2 (NLT)

"Then he went up on the mountain and called out to those he wanted to go with him. And they came to him. Then he appointed twelve of them and called them his apostles..."
— Mark 3:13-15 (NLT)

"So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor."
— 1 Peter 5:6 (NLT)

SELF-INPUT: CONTINUING DISCIPLINES

Discipline.
Prayers.
Stir up the gift on the inside.
Determine to be sober-minded and to make full-proof of your ministry.

"John’s clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey."
— Matthew 3:4 (NLT)

"This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you."
— 2 Timothy 1:6 (NLT)

THE MISSION'S ROLE & CAUSES OF FAILURE

The Role of the Mission: To provide adequate training and equipping.
The Causes of Failure: Loss of focus, sinful lifestyle, prayerlessness, materialism, resistance.

"When Abram heard that his nephew Lot had been captured, he mobilized the 318 trained men who had been born into his household."
— Genesis 14:14 (NLT)

"Demas has deserted me because he loves the things of this life..."
— 2 Timothy 4:10 (NLT)

"I will honor those who honor me, and I will despise those who think lightly of me."
— 1 Samuel 2:30 (NLT)

"But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away."
— Matthew 13:25 (NLT)

RESULT OF THE MAKING

Heavenly acceptance and approval.
Earthly acceptance.
Divine protection.
Ministry success.
Profit to the mission and the Kingdom.
Eternal reward.

"So God sent back the same man his people had previously rejected... God sent Moses to be their ruler and savior."
— Acts 7:35-36 (NLT)

"Do not touch my chosen people, and do not hurt my prophets."
— 1 Chronicles 16:22 (NLT)

"But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results."
— 1 Corinthians 15:10 (NLT)

"For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him..."
— Hebrews 6:10 (NLT)

CONCLUSION

God makes His ministers in a slow cooker, not a microwave oven.
You must be like clay in the Potter's hand.
The man is more important than the ministry, position, and performance.
Yield completely to Him, or risk being broken without remedy.

"He will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross."
— Malachi 3:3 (NLT)