How To Choose Your Influences? 3 John 1:1-14 Leadership within the church is critical. Church leaders are chosen to lead people to Jesus Christ. Therefore how leaders live and behave is of critical importance: their lives affect the lives of the whole church. Their behavior often determines the growth of believers and whether or not the church has a dynamic ministry for Christ. This is what the letter of 3 John is all about, leadership within the church. Three leaders are seen, two were godly men and one was a troublemaker. Gaius, A Prosperous Christian v. 1-8 . He is a picture of the spiritual and beloved leader, a man who took the lead within the church by reaching out and helping all those who needed help.Diotrephes : A Proud Christian v. 9-10.Diotrephes told lies about John. “Prating” in v. 10 means “to bring false charges”. Demetrius : A Pleasant Christian v. 11-12. How refreshing to turn from Diotrephes to Demetrius ! He was the kind of person others could follow “mimic”. He had a good report from the saints and from the Word itself. You could test his life by the Bible, and it passed the test.Who will you influence?Choose whom you will allow to speak into your life.
 Look for those who care about you.
 Look for those who walk the talk.
 Look for those who have earned a good name.
And when you meet people who fit these criteria, listen to their words and learn to follow their example.