It is always a wonderful thing when we always read books because it is always a way of gaining knowledge and the more knowledge we gain, the more it makes us to become more better and better everyday. Like they always say, a great reader today will become a great leader tomorrow.
I strongly believe that leading is not limited to the political settings as many of us always think but every aspect of life. You will be distinguished and it is because you have great capacity of leading well. Today I will be bringing a book review on a recent book I am reading which is "in search of Timothy"
I will be sharing it chapter by chapter as it ought to be.
Introduction
The book titled "In Search of Timothy" was written by Tony Cooke which is a book that talks about equipping church staff and volunteers to work the work ministerially as it ought to be. The book is broken down to contains 5 chapters which can be tagged Parts also and each Chapter has a way of addressing deep issues that cut across every aspect of what church leaders and volunteers need to be aware of in the church and when it concerns ministry.
Why search of Timothy, it helps to improve the quality of workers in the body of Christ and why we can push the work forward much more than it is now. Timothy is a perfect example of someone who helps in assisting in the church and how it is been done. And that is why we actually need to find out our Timothy in the Church. This book is established to get supporting ministers as it is actually needed.
PART 1
Biblical Principles of Supportive Ministry
In this part, study was made about the necessary biblical principles in the Bible that aid supportive ministry. And this also includes the application in both the spiritual and the physical aspect also.
Chapter 1.
The Challenges of Leadership
This chapter started with the three scenarios given to show the challenges of leadership. It started as the introduction of a story of a leader who is leading a huge congregation but along the way, one of his key assistants split and started his own church which took 30% of the leader congregation away massively. Then the second one or the second scenario was of the one who went away to start another one due to the 30% falling away of his congregation. Then the last one is the one who does not get along with his staff.
Things learnt in this chapter
(1). Good leadership can't achieve optimum results without good followership. Which means good leaders need good followers.
Chapter 2
The Voices of Lonely Leaders
This chapter started by introducing the concept of lonely leaders " lonely at the top". And this is pointing out the challenges a lot of leaders are facing because they are lonely at the journey of leadership and this is not supposed to be so.
A case example of Paul was pointed out that at the end of his ministry, he was alone because a lot of people actually forsaken him which can be found on 2 Tim 1 Vs 15. It was recorded and learnt that along the ministry of Paul, it was only Timothy that he can trust with all heart to be his supporting minister.
Another case study of someone who was lonely at the top of the leadership journey in the Bible is Moses. When Moses was trying to do everything by himself but thanks be to Jethro who pointed this out to Moses and gave him advice to follow to have someone who will lessen the burden on him. Exodus 18 Vs 17-18.
One of the case studies was that one of Elijah also who was at a point was discouraged and frustrated due to being alone in the work. Elijah was so frustrated that he just needed to express the need to die instead of continuing the work. 1 kings 9 Vs 4-10.
The last case is the one of Jesus when he was also deserted by his disciples. Matthew 26 Vs 40.
What was learnt in this Chapter
(1). God does not want us all to be self centered or want to try to do everything by ourselves because we will wear out
(2). We need people like Timothy in the work
(3). We should reach out to help the pastors who need support also.
Chapter 3
Learning to be like Timothy
In this chapter, their vital words or should I say corrections were pointed out which can actually help us to become more like the supporting ministers standards needed.
The first one is we have been faithful in the little we are committed to. Who can be trusted with little can also be trusted with much. No matter what God committed into our hands and no matter how small it might look, we should still be faithful to that irrespective. I learnt also that God is more interested in the faithfulness of our task than the task itself. "if a man is called to be a streetsweeper, he should sweep the street like Shakespeare writing poetry.
The second one been talked about is the fact that we should be that person. If we are in that shoe, we should do it whole heartedly
The third one been talked about also in this chapter is that we should do the work into God and not unto man. Colossians 3 Vs 22-24.