Life Group = War

It may come as a surprise to us, but Christian leaders are called to be fighters. That is what we may conclude from Paul’s words in 1 Timothy 1:18, “This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare.” In a world of timid and tepid Christianity, this is a word that is sorely needed.

But what is Paul exactly saying? Are we to be violent and cruel, merciless as a soldier on the battlefield? Are we to seek the destruction of those that oppose us, exercising no compassion as we pursue our objective? Obviously not! Rather, the metaphor of waging war teaches us something of the dedication and discipline we are to have as followers of Christ and as leaders in the church.

Ours is no simple task: we have been charged to spread the Gospel to the four corners of the globe and to make disciples of every nation. This mission is so vast and so significant that nothing less than total dedication to it will suffice, no matter what level of the task we engage on. As Paul tells Timothy elsewhere, “No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.” As Christian leaders, the Lord Jesus Christ himself has enlisted us to fight for his cause- nothing ought to distract us from this appointment.

However, If you are like me, plenty of things distract you. The ceaseless pursuit of entertainment and recreation in our generation wars against us even as we seek to wage the good warfare. So, too, the allure of materialism hinders us from being fully engaged in the battle that is the Christian mission. Even the best of things can harass us: work, friendships, and family can take an idolatrous position in our souls as we serve them before and instead of the Lord.

So how do we combat these distractions and hindrances? Paul tells Timothy one strategy: “This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare.” What is Paul saying here? In sum, he is telling Timothy to reflect upon the way in which he was officially called to his role as a leader by the church (this is what he means by “the prophecies”), and to see that call as motivation to excel in ministry. In other words, Paul is saying, “Timothy! This is what you’ve been appointed to! This is what you're gifted for! The whole church has publicly recognized your calling to ministry! Now- pursue it with all you’ve got- let nothing stand in your way!”

This truth is significant, not just to Timothy, but to us as well. When we, like Timothy, understand that God has appointed us to something (for example, to Life Group leadership), and this appointment has been recognized, confirmed, and supported by the church-at-large, it gives us great incentive to be zealously faithful to our task.

So, let me encourage you: spend some time soon reflecting on your call to Life Group leadership. Reflect on the fact that you’ve been enlisted to fight in the army of the Lord of Hosts and have been chosen by the church to lead. And then, pursue your ministry with all you’ve got!

Fighting with you,

aaron