the things which ought most to be thought of by the preacher, are piety and knowledge, and the blessing of God.

Broadus, Preparation And Delivery Of Sermons

Faithful Christian ministry is all about the Word. The pastor delivers it. Announces it. Explains it. Indoctrinates with it. Warns with it. Defends with it. Reminds of it. Applies it. He isn’t an executive, a manager, or a marketing specialist. He’s a teacher. Yes, he provides an example and builds strong relationships, but the Word is the hallmark of his ministry and the source of his influence. His heartbeat is the Gospel.

via Toward a Word-Centered Ministry « My Two Cents.

This post is a worthy read. I highly recommend it.

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“Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwrack, a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by my own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Besides those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. ” (2 Corinthians 11:23–28 KJV)

Paul speaks to the Corinthian church of the fact that he is indeed an apostle to whom they should listen. He reminds them that those who come to them have not had the experience in the ministry that he has had. In fact, they are self-serving people who are seeking to exalt themselves, while he is one who has suffered for Christ and His church. This is why they should listen to Paul.

After Paul mentions all of his sufferings he speaks of the care that he has for the churches. The ESV translates it in this manner:

“And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. ” (2 Corinthians 11:28)

Yes, Paul has great care for the churches. He is anxious for their well-being. He is pressured with care for them in their tribulations, troubles, strife, and wanderings from Jesus.

Caring for the church is the job of those whom God has placed over them. Whether they are called elders, bishops, pastors, or shepherds, their job is to care for the church. This is why Paul would say, “ if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God? ” (1 Timothy 3:5 KJV)  It is my aim in this post to examine a few things that the average person in the pew does not consider.  This is not a complaint: it is simply the way life is for many of us.  We are thankful for the opportunity to preach God’s Word and minister to His flock, yet we wish for those to whom we minister to understand how great our burden truly is.

Too often members of the body of Christ forget what a job it is for a caring pastor to minister to them. Being a shepherd to God’s flock is not an eight-to-five job. As John Piper would say, “Brothers, We Are Not Professionals!” No, we are more than professionals. Our profession is usually our life. The work of a pastor is with him when he goes to bed and when he arises. A true pastor cares for the churches, agonizes over their sins, and rejoices in her triumphs.

Few people know the amount of time that it takes to prepare a sermon. Few people know how much time is put into studying in general. Even fewer realize the amount of money a pastor often spends out of his own pocket to pay for books that he might learn more of God’s Word and how better he might serve Christ’s church.

There are few who know the loneliness that a pastor experiences. He is lonely because few understand his job, and few take the time to empathize. He is lonely because he must carry the knowledge of people’s personal lives in his mind and heart while saying nothing to betray their trust in him.

Even fewer know the personal struggles that a pastor may have. Whether is is monetary in nature, family problems, or depression. Though his heart is breaking, the pastor is expected to come in with a smile and lift everyone else up. Through the tears, agony, and heartaches of life, the preacher is expected to be strong for himself and everyone else. He is to bear the burdens and the criticisms of others while dealing with his own agonies.

Sadly, too few understand the responsibility that is inherent in being a shepherd who is faithful to God and His Word. Too many people wish to hear their pet doctrines. Too many people are conniessuers of preaching instead of consumers of God’s Word. They do not understand that preaching is not to entertain them, but to change them. They do not understand that the man of God often agonizes over the messages that he preaches because he knows that they will contradict some belief or practice that is greatly treasured by some to whom he speaks. He must do so, however, because faithfulness to God is his calling.

Too many times the pastor is subjected to harsh criticisms because of the stand that he takes. Gossip and slander are not uncommon realities for the shepherd of God’s flock. He must hear it, endure it, and continue to love the people who falsely accuse him. This pastor at various times has experienced loss, heartache, depression, and monetary struggles while remaining quiet about those things. It seems that there are often the times that the unrighteous criticisms are the most intense. While struggling with loss and grief, I’ve been accused of plagiarism and mocked for my preaching style. All the while, I am commanded to love those who do these things and seek to minister to their good. This is often very difficult.

I’m grateful for all those who actually support their pastor. A little love and concern go very far. A simple “I’m praying for you” means far more than anyone could ever know. A word of encouragement and appreciation can be such a great blessing. Please do not forget to share those things with your pastor.

Finally, don’t forget to listen to what he says, and obey God’s Word as it is carefully expounded. That is why God has given you a pastor. “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. ” (Hebrews 13:17) Your pastor will give an account to God, not only for his work as a pastor, but for you. How did you respond? Did you accept or reject God’s Word? He will testify to God of you. Will he do it joyfully, because you loved him and you loved God’s Word; or will he do it with grief because you criticized, condemned, and refused to love Jesus? This is a great care that your pastor has. It is a heavy burden. It is made lighter for him now, and for you later, when you love God’s Word enough to walk in faithful obedience to Christ.

As you assemble to hear God’s Word this next Lord’s Day,  consider how you might encourage the one who speaks to you and cares for you.

Related articles

• Don’t Make Your Pastor a Statistic – Pure Church by Thabiti Anyabwile (pastoralmusings.com)
• John MacArthur: Servant of the Word & Flock (challies.com)
• Three Pastoral Musts That Don’t Often Get Mentioned (via Jared Wilson) (mgpcpastor.wordpress.com)
• What is Sweet often Turns Bitter

I had a recent conversation with a stereotypical, blue-collar guy who drives his truck with his tools, lunchbox, and hard hat to his job site every day. He said he wasn’t a Christian, but he was open and wanted to learn what the Bible said. In that conversation, he told me he’d visited a church but that the guy doing the music made him feel uncomfortable because he was effeminate (he used another more colorful word, but that one will suffice in its place). He asked some questions about the Bible, and whether the Bible said anything about the kind of guy who should do the music. I explained the main guy doing the music in the Bible was David, who was a warrior king who started killing people as a boy and who was also a songwriter and musician.

I then put a flippant comment on Facebook, and a raging debate on gender and related issues ensued. As a man under authority, my executive elders sat me down and said I need to do better by hitting real issues with real content in a real context. And, they’re right. Praise God I have elders who keep me accountable and that I am under authority…

n the past, I’ve not had a regular place to work out personal commentary on social issues, and so I’ve erred in sometimes doing so in places like Facebook, Twitter, and the media, where you can have a good fight but don’t have the room to make a good case…

…and a sincere thanks to all my critics who sometimes have good wisdom that helps me out.

via The Issue Under a Lot of Issues | The Resurgence.

It is clear that far from a scandalous cover up, our brothers at Sovereign Grace are taking these matters with utter seriousness and are endeavoring to walk in Gospel repentance and humility and fidelity. C.J. knows of my complete love and respect for him. And my brethren at Sovereign Grace know of my support and prayers for them. Al Mohler has spoken about this here. And, of course, C.J. has reached out to Mark Dever for counsel and accountability, but I want to emphasize that we fully respect the process that SGM is taking to review the entire situation and that we have no intention whatsoever of joining in the adjudicating of this case in the realm of the internet – a practice as ugly as it is unbiblical.

via A Word about C.J. Mahaney and Sovereign Grace Ministries – Reformation21 Blog.

What a wise response.

Sadly, it’s one we fail to follow through with.

I for one have failed in this respect regarding Mark Driscoll.

There, I said it.  I should not have posted this.  Yes, it was funny.  It was also rude and wrong.

In the interest of fairness, I’m sure we all should have written Mark a letter, or an email.

He and C.J. Mahaney certainly need our prayers; though for different reasons.

Well, this week promises to be a busy one.
It was already on tap to be a busy one with a week’s revival at one of the churches I serve. Now the evangelist is sick, so I’ll be doing the preaching each night.
That means I need to get on the ball with sermon prep.

According to one survey, only 23% of pastors report being happy and content in their identity in Christ, in their church, and in their home.

I suspect, however, that men in these situations might be crippled all the more were they to faithfully preach a text like 1 Tim. 5:17-20. They would be seen as self-serving and courting with more hostility and dissatisfaction from a people already running afoul of God’s call to churches to honor faithful servants.

So, I’m hopeful at least some of God’s people would consider these statistics, reflect upon their church’s treatment of their pastors, and perhaps lead a conspiracy to make sure faithful elders receive “double honor” from those they teach and lead.

via Don’t Make Your Pastor a Statistic – Pure Church by Thabiti Anyabwile.

There are men in the ministry who are after money.  There is no doubt about that.  Sadly, they have tainted the image of the ministry to such a degree that many never think seriously about the burdens that a pastor carries.  They do not think about the fact that he needs health insurance, and other things that are often provided by other employers.  Some never receive a paid vacation.  Some pay for their own housing.

The burdens of the ministry are great.  The rewards are eternal.  Do not forget, however, that there should be remuneration of various kinds in the present.

Related articles

• I Am So Very Glad to Be A Pastor (pastoralmusings.com)
• Pastor Or Statistic? (mgpcpastor.wordpress.com)
• The Loneliness of Pastoral Ministry (pastorayres.wordpress.com)

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In my mind Historic Fundamentalism as a movement was a good thing.  Sure, there were probably excesses.  Human are normally people who go to extremes in almost everything they do.  The goal and the purpose seems to have been honorable, however.

What went wrong?

Why is fundamentalism now distrusted and maligned?

Why is “fundamentalist” synonymous with “extremist”?

One of the issues is the fact that separation became an issue.  Some decided that they would rather not separate from error, but dialogue with those in error in an attempt to win them over.   Personally, I don’t think this has as much to do with the demise of fundamentalism as a movement as the following issues do.

Fundamentalists began to retreat from culture.  Instead of engaging and transforming culture, fundamentalists began to isolate themselves.  They did so to such an extreme that Carl F. H. Henry wrote a book entitled “The Uneasy Conscience of Modern Fundamentalism”.  His contention was that the fundamentalists’ understanding of the Scriptures should have led them to social activism in a redemptive context.  They failed in that respect.

In their retreat from culture and their separation from those in error fundamentalists began to separate from one another over various non-fundamental issues (dress, hair, Bible translations, music, etc.).  They committed a sort of intellectual and spiritual incest by creating their own institutions of learning and actively resisted learning from evangelicals or anyone else, choosing to recycle their students by bringing them into their faculty.  (This is a generalization, but it is an observation from this writer’s experience.)  This led to further isolationism, a clannish spirit within fundamentalism, as well as a growing anti-intellectualism.

Here we are today with fundamentalists struggling to find their identity.  They wonder what a fundamentalist is.  What does he believe?  And, should we even care?

It is this preacher’s contention that it does matter, and that we should care.

It is for this reason that we have this blog.  We long to call people back to the fundamentals of the faith.  We long to help those who have been hurt by extremism.  We long to point out error for the sake of helping those who are in error.

We have been down the extremist route, but we are Fundamentally Changed, though we are Fundamentally The Same.  We are fundamentalists with a capital “F”.  We have not abandoned that.  We have abandoned legalism.  May we encourage you, dear reader, if you are in legalism, to do the same?

Related articles

• If You Wish to Speak Against Fundamentalists, Read Fundamentalists (pastoralmusings.com)
• Fundamentalist Hermeneutics (pastoralmusings.com)
• Fundamentalism and Hate (pastoralmusings.com)
• Historic Fundamentalism and Young Earth Creationism (pastoralmusings.com)
• Fundamentalism, Funeral Protests, and Koran Burnings (pastoralmusings.com)

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Joel said,

What collected, affirmed, confirmed, and tells you how to interpret Scripture?

What, indeed?

Joel will probably say that the “what” is tradition, but is it?

Is it merely tradition to recognize, accept, treasure, and preserve Scripture?

Perhaps it is moreso a reverence for God that leads to a reverence for Scripture.

Just musing….

Let me hear from ya’.

Related articles

• Tradition and Scripture (pastoralmusings.com)

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There is tradition that is biblical, is supported by Scripture, and supportive of Scripture:

“So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter. ” (2 Thessalonians 2:15)
“Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. ” (2 Thessalonians 3:6)

The context of the above verses shows that Paul is concerned that the people understand that what he has taught them is authoritative.  He writes to them in Scripture to affirm the truthfulness of what he taught.  In other words, Paul’s reference to tradition is reference to tradition that was supported by, and supportive of Scripture.

There is tradition that is none of those things:

“Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,”he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: “ ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ” ” (Matthew 15:1–9)

Here it is obvious that the tradition of the Pharisees was set in opposition to Scripture.

In the end, then, Scripture is the final authority.