@FirstChurchofJerusalem
Today's Early Church Wisdom
“I shall not hesitate also to put into ordered form for you, along with the interpretations, everything I learned carefully in the past from the elders and noted down carefully, for the truth of which I vouch. For unlike most people, I took no pleasure in those who told many different stories, but only in those who taught the truth. Nor did I take pleasure in those who reported their memory of someone else’s commandments, but only in those who reported their memory of the commandments given by the Lord to the faith and proceeding from the Truth itself. And if by chance anyone who had been in attendance on the elders arrived, I made enquiries about the words of the elders—what Andrew or Peter had said, or Philip or Thomas or James or John or Matthew or any other of the Lord’s disciples, and whatever Aristion and John the Elder, the Lord’s disciples, were saying. For I did not think that information from the books would profit me as much as information from a living and surviving voice.
~ Papias of Hierapolis (c. 60–130 AD) From the Preface to his lost ‘Expositions of the Sayings of the Lord’
This week's Psalm is Psalm 31 'My Rock, My Shield, My Song'

Leading is A Verb

It's what leaders do

It’s one thing to identify as a Christian, but it’s another thing entirely to actively follow Christ. Leadership is a verb – it’s what leaders do. But leaders must be allowed to lead. The faithful, loving leadership of Christ is an ever-present reality, but the attendance of humans to His loving direction varies greatly from one person to another. Sadly, the
commitment of some is patchy at best, and there are many who don't listen at all. The inevitable outcome is an incalculable deficit of the good that would otherwise have been done. A Christian community can only be said to be led by Christ if it daily looks to Christ, listens to Him, and follows His directions in this world. Whatever the attitude of those around us may be in relation to the practice of the presence of God, let us make Jesus our leader and go to Him daily for understanding and direction. Jesus is waiting to build His church!