How Do I Help My Leader? (Part 1)

I must provide strength.

• My presence will display and produce an attitude of faith and peace.
• If I'm successful, my leader will sense joy and victory by being around me.
• It is a relief to my leader when I add instead of subtract from them physically and emotionally.
• I will remain strong and active so that my leader will not be stressed in their mind and body worrying about my needs.

I must respect, accept and understand my leader.

• I will not argue or challenge my leader's decisions but rather work with them in achieving their objective.

I must understand my leader's thoughts.

• I will become like minded and receive my leader's spirit early rather than later.

I must walk in agreement and submission to my leader.

• I will hold to Romans 13:1-2 and settle my heart that all authority is ordained of God.
• I will make up my mind to submit to my leader in the same way that I would submit to Jesus.
• I realize that anything less than full submission is rebellion.
• I understand that God will never establish me as an authority until I have first learned to submit to authority.

I must make the advancement of my leader my most important goal.

• I will do what Jesus did.
• I will sacrifice my own desires in order to fulfill the Father's will.
• I believe if I do this, God will exalt me, no matter what circumstances I face.

I must follow orders immediately and correctly.

• I will follow orders to the letter.
• I will ask my leader to explain to me what I do not understand.
• I will treat their orders as my highest priority.

I must support my leader.

• I will become an: upholder, sustainer, comforter, maintainer and a defender of my leader.
• I will understand that my leader is human.
• I will remember that my leader hurts like everyone else and faces discouragement as well.

I must be an excellent communicator.

• I will learn how to communicate and present information in a way that my leader will understand.

I must have a disposition that will eagerly gain victories for my leader.

• I will always strive to represent my leader well before everyone.
• I will remain reachable and teachable.
• I will help others understand my leader's words because I know my leader's heart.
• I will represent my leader well because I know them well.

I must have the ability to minister strength and courage to my leader.

• I will maintain courage and faith in God.
• I will remain built up in the Word of God so that I can minister with the same assurance my leader does.

The Most Important Body Part

Serving someone else's vision is a natural part of sonship.  This not only requires faithfulness but also fruitfulness.  Fruitfulness is a visible indication of the maturing process in a son's life.  When a son embraces the vision of their father, they will seek to see that vision fulfilled into future generations.


We see this modeled in how God is working to make known His Son in the earth today.  Look at what Paul says in Romans 8:18-19 "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God."


When the sons of God begin to manifest on earth, there will be signs of labor pains.  Creation itself will visibly respond to the "age of the sons of God."  What we're seeing in the world today in natural disasters, wars and rumors of wars, increased violence, crime and rebellion against authority are nothing less than visible birth pangs that the sons of God are ready to appear to the world.


We have heard more preaching on the subject of "father/son" relationship and order in the past ten years than ever before!  There is an increased pressure on the Church to birth sons!  This birthing of sons is causing pressure in the form of suffering.  This suffering is meant to get the Church ready (mature) to truly reveal Christ to the world.  The suffering that the Church is experiencing is God's way of purifying His bride. 

The Church must rid itself of its manmade traditions and Bible Belt rules, that have hidden God's glory by casting a dark veil on true relationship, so that the truth of God's Word will be revealed in clarity.


We are witnessing a true move of God as He is purifying His Church from flesh (carnality) and mind traps.  Truly, God is desiring sonship (intimate relationship) from His followers so that His personhood is revealed to the world.  In essence, we now reflect His personality through our lifestyle and actions.

I was raised in a very strict religious environment.  Some circles would refer to this as "old time holiness."  To me, that system focused more on rules, regulations, hair length, make up, clothing choice and outward expressions than it did on living in health and inner healing. 

By the way...I'm extremely thankful for where I came from but I'm also glad I kept coming.

I've personally met people who "look, according to their own prejudiced standards, the part of a perceived Christian" and yet they have a nasty attitude towards others.  They are condescending, arrogant, rude and hateful. 

Who are those people winning to Christ?  No one.  Their focus is more on appearance and trying to impress other Christians than relational representation to a lost world. 

Granted, there is something to be said about the inward work of Christ in ones heart.  His inward work will produce an outward manifestation.  However, it will not only be in your appearance, it will also be in your attitude.

Isn't this what Paul was referring to in Ephesians 4:13 ... "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:"


I speak life to the body of Christ today!  I speak life to those who are "dead" in their spiritual hearing, and have like Eli of old received no spiritual word in their ears, to HEAR AGAIN!  I speak UNITY again to the body of Christ...such unity that will reveal Christ in strength to this world through the perfection (maturation) of sons.


We do not need another superstar leader in the Church to take us to the next level or for that matter create a way of escape from this present darkness.  What we need cannot be contained on the flesh rack of a man's ingenuity and marred perfection.  The Church needs to take its rightful position AS THE BODY OF CHRIST!  We are a "many membered" body yet we have one head...JESUS.

We are a diverse body.  Yet, the world hasn't really taken notice of our "head" (Jesus) because we've focused more on other body parts instead of the head.  That's why the spirit of religion has seemingly suffocated a true intimate relationship with Christ out. 

The spirit of religion has us focusing on the wrong body part.  We've become mentally consumed with rules, regulations, procedures, denominations and superstar personalities!  The world can no longer see Christ in the Church because the Church has had the world looking in the wrong place.  We've got people focusing on looking for Him in the clouds rather than where the Bible says He resides...in the manifested lifestyles of His sons.

More on this to follow...

Merry Christmas from Pastors Russell & Beverly Hylton

Beverly and I want to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas. We love you and are thankful that we can experience LIFE with you!

We are blessed to be part of your family and the family of God. Spending time with you each week in service, or even via the Internet, is special to us.

We want to be more than your pastors but also your friends. In 2011, we are believing for more than a “normal” year but an “incredible” year!

Apostle Paul said it best “…exceedingly and abundantly above all we can ask or think…”

Maybe this past year wasn’t what you had hoped, perhaps there are some things you need to release and let go of. Every day with Jesus is a NEW BEGINNING! Allow your heart to be filled with expectancy today and believe for newness this season.

We appreciate you very much! We appreciate your support, your prayers and your faithfulness to us personally and to the ministry of BFWC.

2011 marks “50” years of ministry of BFWC in Indianapolis! We are excited about the good things that will take place this year!

We want to encourage you to keep Christ FIRST in all you do and say while you are going through your Christmas activities. It is important to remember that great ministry opportunities exist at this time of year as many people are struggling with depression and loneliness as memories of what “used to be”, are filling their minds.

By keeping Christ first, we can be sure to reach out to those around us, with the true message of Christmas, and that is Jesus Christ came to earth to seek and to save that which was lost. He came to serve, not be served!

Take time as well to be faithful to Church, as well as remember to pray and read the Word, and you will be ready in ways you never dreamed possible.

Be sure to stay in tune with all that is happening at BFWC by visiting our website at www.bfwc.net and or reading the bulletin at church. (A downloadable version is available on the website.)

We love you,

Pastors Russell & Beverly Hylton

When God Hides You

Every relationship has a development process.  Growth and change are part of that process.  The relationship I have with my wife has developed over time.  Our relationship has grown and changed as we've walked in mutual exchange.

I wouldn't say that we have a perfect marriage - for there is no perfect marriage - but I would say we have a growing marriage.  Growth has brought change.  Change has revealed a deeper understanding of relational dynamics.

After twenty years of marriage, I guess we could probably offer some humble advice to others.  However, twenty years ago I don't believe our advice would have been received with much merit.  It took time (growth and change) for us to develop an understanding of how a marriage relationship works.  (At least ours anyway.)

We all go through times in our life where our advice is either received or rejected based upon the receptivity of those watching our life.  It seems that we're more apt to receive instruction or advice from someone who has a proven track record than someone who has a reputation of being unstable.

When I'm looking for advice or coaching I tend to be drawn to people who model stability and longevity.  As a pastor, I want to draw wisdom from other pastors whose track record is fruitful.  I realize that they didn't get where they are overnight.  It was a process of development that came through growth and change.  As a husband, I want to draw wisdom from other men whose track record in their marriage is fruitful.  The same can be said for people in business, leadership, etc.

Let's talk about that process for a minute.  The prophet Isaiah spoke about being hidden in the Lord's quiver during his "prep" time.  (Isaiah 49:2 And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft, in his quiver hath he hid me.)

Each of us will have a "prep" time with God where we'll be hidden for a season of time so that when the time comes for us to be "introduced," as a model (minister, husband, wife, leader, parent, disciple, armorbearer, father/son, etc), our level of receptivity will be appealing to others.

When you first begin in ministry, one hurdle you'll have to jump over is public opinion.  Public opinion can make you or break you.  If you are perceived as immature, unpolished, opinionated or unstable it will be difficult to earn respect from your family, friends, co-workers or members of the body of Christ.

Apostle Paul instructed young Pastor Timothy "Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity."  (1 Timothy 4:12) The fact that Timothy was "young" would require him to set a good example lest anyone should despise him as being too immature to discharge his duties.

If Timothy's congregation couldn't respect him, they wouldn't respect his message. Each of us have the ability to offset this perception by allowing the development process come to fruition in our lives during the "prep" time.

There is great power in setting a good example.  Look at the thousands that have been led away because of the bad influence of a wicked preacher.  How we conduct ourselves does matter.  Are we setting examples of pure behavior, clean lives and moral conduct?  The way we conduct ourselves will either lead souls to Christ or drive them away from Him.

As leaders and sons there is a long period in which we must remain hidden.  It is a period of testing and maturation to prove us ready for our revelation to the world as sons.  We must be hidden "in Christ" before we will ever be able to bring Christ to the world in any measure that reflects His person.

I think of Joshua when he was chosen by his tribe to represent them as a spy in the Canaan expedition.  Evidently he was perceived as a leader or he wouldn't have been selected by his peers for this particular assignment. 

However, what was the level of his influence?  He had influence...just not enough at that time in his life to turn the negative report around.  The ten prevailed with their negativity.  They had more influence than he did.  Perhaps his age was a factor.  Perhaps the other men were more outspoken or skilled in persuasive speaking.  Regardless, they had more influence than he.  

Fast forward...Joshua serves his spiritual father, Moses, and is hidden as a leader in training.  Years pass by.  Battles are won and ground covered.  Through it all, Joshua earns his stripes as a General in Moses' army and gains respect amongst his peers.  Then and only then God pulls him out of his sheath...as a polished sword ready for display and ready to become a visible leader.

Look at Jesus.  When He was twelve years old He was ready to be "about His Father's business."  Yet, from age twelve to age thirty He is seemingly hidden.  It's not until He turns thirty that we see Him walk into His Father's full purpose.  Eighteen years, He remains hidden.  Eighteen years of growing in wisdom and stature to gain favor with God and man.

Being a son does not give us the maturity or sanction to go forth in our father's name.  We may be heirs to everything our father possesses but if we remain as children rather than enduring a process that leads to our growing up as sons, we will remain in bondage to the systems of religion rather than ordered relationship.

Do not bypass this important step!  Until you allow the Lord to hide you in His quiver you'll not reach the next bench mark of development needed to become His displayed sword.

I have much more to share on this....

What Are You Known For?

CHRISTIAN...is that what you're known for?  What's your disposition?  Are you known as brash, funny or easy going?  The way you present yourself to the world is important to God
The reputation you gain with the people who you associate with, and the consistency in which you demonstrate it is addressed in Philippians 4:5

"Let your moderation be known unto all men.  The Lord is at hand."

What does Paul mean by "Moderation?"  The Greek interpretation of this word literally means "fair, mild and gentle."  So what is Paul saying?  He's reminding us that we should exemplify through our lives the fruit of the Spirit, specifically in this case, gentleness, goodness, meekness and temperance. (Galatians 5:22-23)

What does Paul mean by "known unto all men?"  This may seem self-explanatory as we come to understand Paul to be saying "to see someone as something and to have knowledge of, or to understand." 

As we live our Christian life, there will be some people who will know us better than others.  Some people we see every day and they get to know us as being one kind of person or another.  This speaks to the reputation that you earn through your lifestyle and your actions.

Paul is saying that we are to have a reputation of being a gentle and mild person.  We ought not to have the reputation of someone who is brash or uncontrolled or someone who cannot control their tongue.

We are to be known as a true Christian, exhibiting the characteristics of Jesus.

There are other people who may see our life, but we don't personally know them.  We may be known to them by what they see, in the one time they see us.  We ought to make a good impression on everyone, regardless of whether they know us well, or don't know us at all.

• Are you exhibiting the characteristics of Jesus?
• What comments are you leaving on facebook? 
• Is Jesus pleased with your conversation?
• Are you calling people names?
• Are you taking verbal jabs at people?
• Are you speaking everything that comes to your mind without regard to the consequences?
• Are you claiming to be a Christian but your actions speak of un-Christlike behavior?
• Are you claiming to be a Christian but you don't attend church?
• Are you claiming to be a Christian and yet you are defiling your body with habits, addictions and questionable practices?

I guess we should take a deeper look at not only how others view us...but also, how our Lord views us.  We have His unending love, grace and mercy...but in truth, what is God's opinion of us?

Sure...He loves us unconditionally...however, is what we're "known for" causing Him pain?  Are we the "Achin that's breakin' His heart?"

Although we are not perfect people,

we must continually reach forward to a moderate spirit. 

We may even take the disposition that "we don't care what people think about us."  However, if we are to represent Jesus to a lost and dying world, we must "care" how we're viewed...not only by those in the body of Christ but more so by those who are not.

What are you known for?