Feb. 08, 2026

Discover how true biblical leadership turns everything you thought you knew about being "in charge" completely upside down in this eye-opening message that will transform how you serve others!

Pastor Dave's sermon begins at 21:16  min into the video. The music "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms", "Build My LIfe", "Gratitude", "Have Thine Own Way, Lord", "I Surrender All", and "The Blessing" are licensed under CCLI Copyright #2723035 and Streaming Media #22024223 licenses.

Shepherding the Flock: Leadership That Serves - Pastor Dave opened with 1 Peter 5:1-4, focusing on how church leadership should mirror Christ's heart for His people. The theme was clear: true leadership in God's family means serving with humility, not ruling with authority. He began by explaining Faith Community's structure—elders, deacons, and the Women of Faith council—showing how everyone works together under Christ, the Chief Shepherd.

The Chief Shepherd Sets the Standard - Starting with verse 4, Pastor Dave emphasized that "when the chief shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away." Jesus is the ultimate shepherd who knows each of us personally. "Never forget that Jesus, the Good Shepherd of your soul, He knows you. When He looks at us this morning... He's aware of every individual person." This wasn't just theology—it was comfort for anyone feeling overlooked or forgotten.

Leadership Principles for Everyone - Though Peter wrote to church elders, Pastor Dave made it clear these principles apply to all believers. Whether you're leading at church, home, or work, five characteristics matter:

Humility means thinking rightly about yourself and others. "Recognizing the significance of others as being equal to your significance, that's humility." Pastor Dave noted how Peter, despite being an apostle, called himself a "fellow elder"—leading by example, not position.

Serve Willingly was his second point. "If you're grumbling under your breath, then don't even bother. Because you're not getting a blessing and the people you're serving is not getting a blessing." He painted a humorous picture of Jesus grumbling while washing the disciples' feet—unthinkable!

Do It Eagerly came next. Pastor Dave's enthusiasm showed: "Most Sundays I get here, I can't hardly wait for everybody to get here so I can start preaching."

Have the Right Motive means serving for God's glory, not personal gain. "When the light shines on you, let it reflect back to Him."

Be an Example was his final point. Just as coins bear clear images, Christ's image should be stamped on our lives so others can follow.

Shepherds Among the Sheep - Pastor Dave stressed that elders must be "among you"—visible and engaged, not distant. "If you ever go to a place where you don't see the pastor or you don't see the leaders of the church... I would say that's a church that's probably not very healthy." He reminded everyone that God's people belong to God, not to human leaders: "Don't take lightly what Christ shed His blood for."

His message ended with the blessing song and an invitation for prayer, embodying the very shepherding heart he'd just described. The sermon left us thinking about how we can serve others with Christ's heart, whether in formal leadership or daily relationships.