Overview
Mystery-minded leadership is an environment rather than a title: it rests on the fact that every born-again believer has been dealt the same measure of faith, the faith of Jesus Christ, and that shared measure engenders a mutual respect in which people rise up and spiritually function in the body. Opening the Mystery-Minded Leadership Conference, Rev. Rico Magnelli sets the vision from Romans 12:3 and 12:4, Ephesians 4:16 and Ephesians 5:18-21: the same measure of faith in everyone, many members with different offices or functions, a whole body fitly joined together, and submitting one to another because of Christ in you. He asks attendees to take that vision home and live it in their local area, with or without titles.
Transcript
A Vision of Mystery-Minded Leadership to Take Home
Romans [12] begins the practical section, from what we understand, of the Book of Romans. And you have those first admonitions to the Christian Church in a practical manner. And it’s going to help us set the vision for what we’re talking about here in Mystery-Minded Leadership. We want to set a vision so we get something clear in our minds. And a vision that carries with it the developing and the supporting and promoting of that environment regarding Mystery-Minded Leadership. And we want to broaden that concept of leadership. That it just remains biblically based.
And this vision we want you to take home with you. That’s what we really want you to take home. And just promote that vision in the local area. You know, emerge organically in response to need. When people’s need is met, they just want to serve. They want to give. And then they develop themselves as leaders. And that means with or without titles. There’s nothing wrong with a title. There’s nothing wrong with not having a title. It’s what we do with our heart and believing.
We want to demonstrate the care and effort it takes to make other people successful. We want to demonstrate that. And that’s part of Mystery-Minded Leadership. We want to be examples in word and deed that really turn people to God through our Lord. Because our Lord isn’t here. And so we are here as his ambassadors.
And in Mystery-Minded Leadership, it’s an environment that we’re after. That allows people to rise up and spiritually function in the body. Where they’re not hesitant to come to us. And us to them. There’s a mutual believing that’s engendered. That’s genuine. That’s real. It’s not phony. It’s real.
The Same Measure of Faith in Romans 12:3
Julie’s wonderful song, Adjusted. We don’t want to be conformed to this world. Verse 2. See? And so much at times is getting rid of the old and putting on the new.
But here in verse 3 of Romans 12, it says, For I say through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. That measure of faith is the faith of Jesus Christ. The faith of Jesus Christ is what every born-again Christian believer has in their life. It doesn’t matter how young they are. And it doesn’t matter how old they are. They have the same measure of faith.
Why the Same Measure of Faith Engenders Mutual Respect
That’s the foundation upon which we build our development as we function in the body. And this same measure of faith engenders respect. Just think about if Christian believers would really believe that that person next to you has the faith of Jesus Christ. Same as I got. That 11-year-old that walked in here previously that I saw. He’s born again. I know him. He’s got the same measure of faith that I have.
But see, at times we put other things. We add something to it. When God says, we have the same measure of faith. That’s what it says.
The Household of Faith and Many Members in One Body
See, and what it does is it engenders a respect. One for another. A mutual respect that you see in the book of Acts and how it all began back in Acts chapter 2. Then God decides, okay, I like this measure of faith thing. I’m going to put them in a household. My household. They’re going to be the household of faith.
And there’s great strength in there and understanding in this. Because from that basis, that mutual respect, then we can move into verse 4. For as we have many members in one body and not all members have the same office. And we know that word means function.
See, those two juxtaposed truths set the basis for mystery-minded leadership. Because we have the same measure of faith. And we want to encourage that.
The Measure of Faith Is Salvation and Potential in Christ
And that measure of faith is not only for salvation. It’s also your potential in Christ. It’s everything Christ accomplished all just wrapped up, put inside us. It’s salvation and it’s potential. And when we stand upon the same measure of faith of Jesus Christ, then we can move into the functioning. And allow others to blossom in an environment where they’re encouraged. Where they’re strengthened. Where they’re given avenues. Absolutely fantastic.
What the Conference Weekend Holds: 35 Presenters, Testimonials and Six Workshops
Look at Ephesians chapter 4, please. See, that’s why we’re going to have 35 different presenters here. It’s to help paint that picture. We’re going to have testimonials where an individual is going to share briefly on one leadership principle. Just one. And how they’re illustrating it in their life. And they’re going to be so varied, you will see. The presentations, I mean. They’re very varied. But that’s good. We want that. It’s healthy.
We have workshops that you’re going to enjoy. Six workshops that you’re going to enjoy. And they’re in your booklet. And they’re handling specific aspects of leadership. Speaking the word. Love without an agenda. Counseling. Giving to hospitality. Building your next teaching, easy as 1, 2, 3. Biblical communication. And bearing others’ burdens. Knowing the boundaries.
This is tremendous. It’s a feast. And you choose what you want to digest. Can’t digest it all. But you choose what you want to digest. How about that?
Fitly Joined Together: Ephesians 4:16 and the Whole Body
In Ephesians chapter 4 is this truth. Very difficult to get around this truth. But it says in Ephesians chapter 4, verse 16, From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth. Verse 16. According to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. We are so tied together. Inextricably tied together. We cannot be removed one from another. Because it was God’s work.
As the Body of Christ Goes, So Does the World
And see, where we go in our believing hearts as leadership, so does the benefit to the body of Christ. And so, as the body of Christ goes, so does the world. The body of Christ is that powerful. And we can impact it. Each one of us. As we decide to function. But that functioning is based on that respect and building the understanding of what’s been accomplished in Christ Jesus.
Be Filled With the Spirit: Ephesians 5:18
Look at chapter 5, please. Chapter 5. In chapter 5, verse 18, it says, And be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit. We need that gift of Holy Spirit in evidence. Take ownership of it. Utilize it. Every day.
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns, verse 19 in Ephesians 5, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear.
Submitting One to Another Because of Christ in You
This word can be either translated respect or fear. Here it’s respect. In respect of God. And the Greek text is Christ. It’s Christ. Where is Christ? Christ in you. That’s right.
See, we have respect one for another. We submit ourselves in the proper arrangements of life because it’s Christ in that other individual. This is part of mystery-minded leadership. Where we understand the nuances of working together. And bring out the best. You bring out the best in me. I bring out the best in you. Absolutely fantastic. Totally revolutionary. It’s easy to say. It’s a lot different to do on a daily basis.
This is the vision we want to build. This is the strength that we want to build because it comes from the Lord our God. We didn’t make this stuff up. This is God’s word. This is mystery-minded leadership.
Willing Hearts to Teach and to Be Taught
But see, to accomplish this, this is going to take willing hearts to teach and to be taught. Does anyone know everything in here? Right? Oh, okay. We don’t. There’s no way. Look at 2 Timothy 2. We need to be taught and we need to teach. And I mean both. It’s not just you’re on one end of this thing.
Leaders Are Not Defined by What the World Says
Leaders are not defined by what the world says. And they’ve written so many books about it, you can start libraries. But we just read the word. And then if the world wants to augment it, great. No problem. And there’s no greater example than Jesus Christ. And then the Apostle Paul took it to our day and time.
Commit It to Faithful Men: 2 Timothy 2:1 and 2 on the Booklet Cover
In 2 Timothy chapter 2, verse 1 and 2 it says, [the reading of the two verses is not on the recording here; 2 Timothy 2:1-2 reads: Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.] That’s why it’s on the cover of your booklet. Because what’s been invested in you up to this point, you’re in a chair. But what has been invested in you by God up to this point? Well, that’s what he wants back, given. He wants that heart, that word, that love, that grace that’s been invested in you to be given to somebody else. That’s right.
Take the Vision Home Because God’s Heart Is at Stake
And we will find those avenues to do so and be inspired for sure throughout this weekend. So we’re after building this vision. And we want you to join us with your mutual believing to pull it out of these 35 presenters. And everything else that you see. And then take that vision home. And live it in your local area.
Because God’s heart is at stake. And God’s heart is his great love and his great grace. And that’s why we’re going to go through the second chapter of 2 Timothy on the West stage here in the next couple of days. In addition to our workshops and our testimonials. So there’s going to be something in there for everybody.
And as we put the entire package together, take a snapshot of where you are right now. And perhaps you won’t even know yourself by the end of tomorrow. Because God is at work. This isn’t about people. This is about him. And we believe you’re here because God has worked in your heart. So we’re very, very excited. And we’re very excited to go through this second chapter of the book of Timothy.
Key Takeaways
- Mystery-minded leadership is an environment that allows people to rise up and spiritually function in the body, where they are not hesitant to come to us and us to them, and it works with or without titles.
- Romans 12:3 is the foundation: God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith, and that measure of faith is the faith of Jesus Christ, the same in an 11-year-old who is born again as in anyone else.
- The same measure of faith engenders a mutual respect, and on that basis Romans 12:4 can be received, that we have many members in one body and the word office means function.
- That measure of faith is not only for salvation, it is also your potential in Christ, everything Christ accomplished wrapped up and put inside us.
- Ephesians 4:16 says the whole body is fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, so we are inextricably tied together and cannot be removed one from another.
- Ephesians 5:21 says to submit yourselves one to another in the fear, which here reads respect, and the Greek text says Christ, because it is Christ in that other individual.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is mystery-minded leadership?
It is an environment rather than a position. Rev. Rico Magnelli describes it as an environment that allows people to rise up and spiritually function in the body, where they are not hesitant to come to us and us to them, and where a genuine mutual believing is engendered. It works with or without titles, it demonstrates the care and effort it takes to make other people successful, and it aims at examples in word and deed that turn people to God through our Lord.
What does it mean that every believer has the same measure of faith?
Romans 12:3 says God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith, and Rico Magnelli identifies that measure as the faith of Jesus Christ, which every born-again Christian believer has in their life regardless of how young or how old they are. It is not only for salvation, it is also your potential in Christ, everything Christ accomplished wrapped up and put inside us, and it engenders a mutual respect between believers.
Do you need a title to be a leader in the body of Christ?
No. Leaders emerge organically in response to need, and when people’s need is met they want to serve and give, and then they develop themselves as leaders, with or without titles. There is nothing wrong with a title and nothing wrong with not having a title, because it is what we do with our heart and believing that matters. Leaders are not defined by what the world says, so we just read the word.
Scripture References
Romans 12; Romans 12:2; Romans 12:3; Acts 2; Romans 12:4; Ephesians 4:16; Ephesians 5:18; Ephesians 5:19; Ephesians 5:20; Ephesians 5:21; 2 Timothy 2:1-2
This text was prepared from the teaching audio. Please verify scripture references against your own Bible.
