Biblical Guidelines for Church Leadership: The Importance of Faithfulness

The Pastor and Faithfulness

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, 

who has strengthened me, 

because He considered me

faithful, putting me into service.

I Timothy 1:12

NASB

Boy, there is so much in this verse, but let's look at one particular aspect of it, and that is Paul's faithfulness. Reading through Acts and Paul’s letters, the one thing that really stands out about Paul is his faithfulness. If you think about this in relation to what the Lord told Ananias in Acts 9:16 that He would show Paul how much he must suffer for His name's sake, you come away with a deep-breathed wow; because here was a man who was shown up front how much the cost would be, and he counted it (Luke 14:27-35), lived it (II Corinthians 1:2-7; 2:4; 4:7-12; 6:3-10, 7:5-6), and remained faithful to the end (II Timothy 4:5-7).  

The question might be asked, "Faithful to who, faithful to what?" Obviously, Paul was faithful to his calling, faithful to his ministry, faithful to his friends, faithful to keep his vows, faithful with the treasure with which he had been entrusted, and faithful to the churches. But his being faithful in all of these areas was the outflow of his faithfulness to the Lord, his Lord; and he never wavered in his faithfulness to the One who had called him to suffer for His name. Even with his great learning, the great revelations he had been given, and his great gifting, his greatest attribute was his faithfulness. Without his faithfulness, his calling and all the learning, revelations, and gifting would have been for naught. Paul understood this and you can see this in I Corinthians 4:2 "In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy/faithful (pistis)."  

Faithfulness is manifested in many ways in our lives, and manifested it will be. In thinking about what are the really necessary qualities in a pastor this has to be at the top. It is nice if he is a good communicator, a gifted expositor, good with people, dynamic, personable, a good leader, educated, caring, and charismatic. But, again, without faithfulness all these qualities and gifts will be of no use. Faithfulness grounds the pastor, keeps him steady when tempted, keeps him loyal to his calling, strengthens him when tried, keeps him going when discouraged, keeps him looking to the Lord and not his circumstances, guards him from compromise, gives him a higher perspective on his life and ministry, pushes and pulls and prods him on when weary, keeps his focus on the Lord and not himself, sees him through the storms of life and ministry, empowers him to endure, and keeps him from looking for greener pastoral pastures. Faithfulness keeps him locked in on following the Lord and His will for his life. In thinking about it...wouldn't you want to see this in your pastor if you were a church member, wouldn't you want to see this in your servant if you were the Lord?

The Lord regarded Paul as faithful, and therefore placed him into service; not any service, mind you, but maybe the most important role of any of the apostles, certainly the most demanding role, and obviously a strategic role. And in that strange and mysterious dynamic of God working in and through men, the Lord strengthened Paul to remain faithful as Paul was being faithful.  

If we are honest, we would all admit that the struggle we have with faithfulness is whether we are going to be faithful to the Lord and His will, or be faithful to ourselves and our own selfish and egotistical pursuits. Which one will we be faithful to?  

Pastors, partakers of the pastoral calling, I want to encourage you to be faithful. Be faithful to the Lord in the living out of your calling, and call on Him to keep you faithful; and in your faithfulness you will find Him faithful to you.

Repentance by all Racists, the Foundation of Racial Reconciliation

Then Moses said, "I pray You, show me Your glory!"

And He said, "I Myself will make all My goodness

pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the

Lord before you; and I will be gracious to whom I

will be gracious, and will show compassion on 

whom I show compassion."....

The Lord descended in the cloud and stood there

with him as he called upon the name of the Lord.

Then the Lord passed by in front of him and 

proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate

and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in 

lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness

for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression,

and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty

unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the

children and on the grandchildren to the third and

fourth generations." Moses made haste to bow low

toward the earth and worship.

Exodus 33:18-19; 34:5-8

Italics mine

It is with trepidation that I write this post, knowing that some people will misread it, or read into it what they want.  What I would ask all to do is to read through it a couple of times before you come to any conclusion as to where I am coming from and what I am actually saying.

When we as Christians talk about slavery, we need to be sure to understand that the slavery mentioned in the Scriptures, slavery that was the norm in the middle eastern culture during the Old and New Testament times, was not the same as the race based slavery that was perpetrated in England and America during the Colonial and post Colonial times.  It is not the point of this post to explain that, but to simply say that it was not race based slavery.

With that out of the way, let me refer to the Exodus passages above. The race based slavery that was practiced by both England and the U S in the Colonial and post Colonial times was a sin, a national sin.  A sin that was protected, explained away, ignored, and tolerated for decades even by those who were Christians. Is the Lord holding the current generation responsible for that sin? NO! Ezekiel 18:20 tells us this, "The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself." But, as a nation, we are still suffering the consequences for that sin in the third generation since it ended, which is exactly what the italicized portion in the Exodus passage above tells us.

This brings us to the current situation going on in evangelical circles regarding the Siamese twin issues of racial reconciliation and social justice. It would be preposterous for anyone to claim that racism, in any of its manifestations, does not exist, inside or outside of the church. However, it is just as preposterous to claim that all white people are guilty of racism just because they are white. That is making an assumption about a person(s) just because of their skin color, which is just another facet of racism.  Also, if the passage in Ezekiel is true, and it is; and clear, which it is; then any claim of guilt by proxy, any attempt by any color of Christian to hold the current generation of white people guilty for the sin of race based slavery that has not existed since April 9, 1865 is unbiblical and unjustified and is a sin.  If all this is the case, then there cannot be white guilt as the term is currently used.

It is incendiary, counter productive, and biblically unwarranted for people such as David Platt and Matt Chandler to use the guilt whip to lay the guilt trip on those who are white. Should anyone regardless of skin color repent of racism if they are guilty of that sin?  Yes, absolutely! But to say that all white Christians are guilty of racism and need to repent, especially with an air of spiritual superiority, is intellectually naive or dishonest, and I don't think either of them is naive and know for certain they are not omniscient. Therefore, when they chastise white Christians for their racism, it has the appearance of moral posing and playing to the PC and SJW crowds; and this serves to invalidate and undermine the very social justice cause they claim to support. 

Again, are there white Christians who are guilty of racism?  Yes, regrettably so.  But here is part of the rub, the gorilla in the room of racial reconciliation discussions is the racism of black Christians.  Racism is a knife that cuts in every direction, and each color of skin has those within it that are racists. If true reconciliation is to occur, then those Christians of each skin color, who are actually guilty of racism need to confess that sin, first to God, then to their fellow Christians, and then repent and ask for forgiveness. Those who hold to the guilt by proxy fallacy need to repent. Those who are using the issues of racial reconciliation and social justice to promote themselves, to feather their own nest, to promote their own agenda, or to make themselves feel better about themselves need to confess and repent.  Those who falsely accuse other Christians of racism need to confess and repent. Those who have been wronged by the sin of racism need to forgive, and pray for those who have sinned against them. Is righteous anger against the sin of racism justifiable? Yes. But we are told to be angry, but do not sin, and let not the sun set on our anger.

Almost all of the tweets, accompanying comments, and blog posts I have seen since David Platt's message have been negative toward what Platt said and his manner in saying it.  Is this because they are racist?  No, it is because people do not like to be falsely and unjustly accused. We live in a country where people are presumed innocent until proven guilty, unless it is in the court of PC opinion.

My friend, who attended T4G with me, and I were having lunch the day after Platt's speech and were joined by three black brothers from Ohio. They were two deacons and the pastor from a black church. We had a good time of fellowship and talked much about their church, and they did not apologize for their church being so black, nor should they. 

Reconciliation is a spiritual issue, and for true reconciliation to take place and true social justice to reign in our country, they must have their foundation in the church of the true and living God, who for His own glory created the different races, and for His own glory is saving those of each and every race. If the unbelieving culture that surrounds us does not see love exhibited in us, then our witness has no validity, and our attempts to spread the gospel will suffer. Making false accusations in an attempt to drum up false guilt will never accomplish cultural change. It is only when all Christians of all colors stand united together in the love of Christ, speak the truth in love, and in love give themselves up for each other, that the impetus for true racial reconciliation will begin. 

When Revenge is On Your Mind

Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; or the Lord will see it and be displeased, and turn His anger away from him.
Proverbs 24:17-18

You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons
Of your Father who is in heaven for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and unrighteousness. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do even tax gatherers do the same?
Matthew 5:43-46
Also see Romans 12:17-21, Psalm 35:12-16, Ezekiel 18:11

How we treat and respond to those who treat us ill is a true mark of the reality of our faith.

Feeling After God

In The Glory of Christ by John Owen he makes a statement about "feeling after God," and thinking about it crystallized for me some things I have been observing in the church. As we in the West have moved from the modern era to the post-modern era we have moved from a time of rationalism to a time of experientialism and emotionalism. This has been reflected in the church as we have seen an emphasis on experience as the primary means of "connecting" with God.

The prevailing thought seems to be that the way to find God is by experience, that the only way to truly know God is experientially and to know God more deeply requires more frequent or more intense experiences This is manifested in the "worship experience" in many churches. Pastors dress up as different bible characters or secular characters so the audience will feel more connected to the sermon or can more readily identify with the character. We see more stage production in the music portion of the service with brighter lights, louder music, more graphics, cutting edge technology, drama and dance, all designed to create and enhance the "worship experience." So for many churches the experience of the worship service has become primary and the message of the worship service has become secondary, or less. Even in the way the message is presented experience or feeling is emphasized over content.

Church members and attenders have become addicted to the experience much like the cocaine addict who keeps seeking the next high. Even those who sense or know something is wrong, or are abhorred by the theatrics and disgusted by the lack of content in the sermon can't leave, but keep coming back for the high of the experience, just like the cocaine addict who knows it isn't good for him but keeps chasing the next high.

This is also reflected in religious literature. In the book The Barbarian Way Erwin McManus touts experience and mysticism as the keys to a deeper spiritual life as if you can't have a deeper walk or deeper communion with God without them. It is one of the themes that flow through the books Wild at Heart and Blue Like Jazz. It is also seen in Dallas Willard's writings.

This emphasis on experience is becoming even more egregious in the Word of Faith arm of the Charismatic movement. Joyce Meyer has made the statement that we are not to teach or speak to the mind, but to the heart.  Graham Cooke takes it even further in this video:
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mi6nZA2wUqo

Feeling and experience are touted as the way to know God instead of their rightful place as the result of knowing God. The deeper spiritual life, the deeper communion and fellowship with Christ is not  the result of checking our mind at the door of experience, but the result of our seeking after Him, of knowing Him more fully. The Christian life is not one that is dry and devoid of feeling or experience, but the experience is the result of knowing Him not vice versa. Paul talks about this in Philippians 3:8-12 and it is spoken to in Hosea 6:3,6. In fact, we should not try and manufacture the experience because that becomes a work of the flesh and is profitable only for the flesh.

So, my friends, are you truly seeking God or are you seeking an experience, or are you seeking God through an experience? Take a step back and look at yourself and your family. Are you addicted to the experience so much that you can't let go even though you know that what you are getting is not good for your soul and the souls of your family? The true experience comes from God by and through His Spirit and His Word, at His discretion; and is profitable for our spirit, and is rich, satisfying, and lasting. Those who truly encounter God must come to Him in Spirit and truth, and for such He is always seeking. 

Proverbs 16:25 tells us that there is a way which seems right to man, but it only leads to death. There is only one narrow well worn way to God and to intimacy with God, His word, which is truth; as it gives us the knowledge of the Son of God, who is the truth, and knowing Him is truly the greatest experience any of us can have.

God's Common Grace

 For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, 

and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

Matthew 5:45

For He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.

Luke 6:35  

Yes, God is good and does good, but He does good to all and for all, and all of us, believer and unbeliever, are the beneficiaries of His immeasurable goodness.  This is common grace, unmerited favor, bestowed upon believer and unbeliever alike. Psalm 145:9 says, "The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works."  God's common grace flows out of and is an extension of His goodness.  Oh, that those who are not His, would see and rejoice, and come to faith.  Then they would experience special grace, saving grace, which is the ultimate expression of His goodness.

Thank you, O Lord, for the common grace through which You have blessed all men; and thank you for Your saving grace, which is the greatest blessing of all. May those who do not know You consider Your common grace and in response turn to You for Your special and saving grace. 

Children, Youth Ministry, and Spiritual Leadership

It is not the youth ministry, nor fun,

nor their relationship with the church,

or their relationship with their friends

that will keep your children faithful,

it is their relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

 


After living in our town for 35 years it is not uncommon for me to run across someone whom I have not seen in a number of years.  In our conversations we usually talk about our children and where we are going to church.  Almost invariably the reason given for where they are attending church is that is where their children had friends, and the friends were the reason the children wanted to go to that particular church, or that particular church's youth ministry had more activities for their kids.

Now before you start howling and throwing rocks, let me say that I believe youth ministry is important, very important. However, think through this with me, and lets look at what is really going on here. If you asked every one of the parents I talked with, they would tell you that they are the spiritual leaders in their home. But are they, really? When you make the decision, to go to a certain church because that's where your children's friends are, or because that's where they can make friends, or because if you don't go there your children will be upset, have you really made the decision. No, your children have made the decision for you, and you have acquiesced. In doing this you have abdicated your position as spiritual leader of the home, and your children have become the de facto spiritual leaders. What is disturbing is that this mindset is not the exception, it is the rule, and has been the prevailing mindset over the last 20-30 years.

One of the alarming statistics that has come out concerning the church is that over 70% of children raised in church don't set foot in the door of the church after they leave home. You might be tempted to say that this proves the importance of having your children attend church where they enjoy it, and where their friends are so that they will continue to come. The problem with that line of thought is that this statistic has come after the 20-30 years when one of the prevailing reasons why people attend certain churches are the reasons I mentioned above. So, obviously, letting your children go to church where they want to so that they won't have a bad taste in their mouths about church has not worked.

In choosing a church based on friendships or fun, what have you communicated to your children about the real importance of church...worship of God, learning the Scriptures, learning sound doctrine, becoming more Christlike, ministering to others in the body, and service to God? You haven't.

Parents, we are called to be the spiritual leaders in our homes, for our families. Spiritual leadership is not choosing a church because your children want to go there because it's fun or because their friends go there; in fact, in exercising your leadership, your children might be disappointed, even upset, because you aren't going where they want to go, but are going where they need to go. It is much like feeding your children. Do you let them eat just what they want to eat, or do you require them to eat what is good for them until they develop a taste for it (even though they throw a fit or pout), and that becomes what they desire and what they will continue to eat after they leave your home. The same principle applies to spiritual things.  Making or keeping your children happy or being worried about having to endure their displeasure is not spiritual leadership.  

It is not the youth ministry, nor fun, nor their relationship with the church, or their relationship with their friends that will keep your children faithful, it is their relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Exercise your spiritual leadership in choosing a church that is sound in the faith, teaches the Scriptures to all ages, presents the gospel, and is concerned about your children's spiritual growth and faith in Christ. Make sure that these are emphasized in their program, not fun and friends.

Hey, it's lonely at the top, and a little rough at times, too. But that is why God made parents, that is the position and role God has assigned to us. Don't let your children down, for now and for eternity; but be the spiritual leaders, be strong, be spiritually courageous, and your children will one day rise up and call you blessed.

Thank You R C Sproul

Election, how I hated that word.  I first heard it when a friend's brother (whose name I cannot remember as this was the only time I met with him) came over one night about a year after I began to teach Sunday School at our church in Dallas. He tried in vain to convince me that God elects those who will be saved, and not only that but that they were elect before the foundation of the world. What a horrible picture to paint of God!  How could the Lord be so unfair!

That began an almost weekly discussion each Wednesday after teacher's meeting with my teaching mentor and the teacher of teachers at my church.  I couldn't believe he took the side of my friend's brother.  He always used more Scripture than I did, but I always chalked that up to the fact that he knew the Bible way better than I did and was graduating from Seminary. He and I never settled our friendly disagreement as the following year we moved to Midland, Texas.

Fast forward to 1990, and I had been leading the teachers in a Sunday School Department and also leading a Precept Bible Study for the five years we had been in Midland, and I was still struggling with election. As I was studying one night I came across Psalm 103:19 The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all. The power of the verse overwhelmed me and the thought came to me quickly and forcefully, "If His sovereignty rules over all then it rules over salvation as well." This verse was the rock that when grasped unleashed an avalanche of Scripture, Scripture that I had been wrestling with, Scripture from beginning to end in the Bible that showed God's sovereignty in calling men and women to Himself, Scripture that showed His sovereign Divine providence in guiding and orchestrating the path and affairs of their life, and how His sovereign purposes were carried out in spite of their sin and weakness. This went on for a couple of hours as Scripture after Scripture came to me and I bowed my knee to their overwhelming weight. Verses that had been troublesome for me suddenly took on a clarity and forcefulness and I saw the grace of our Lord like I had never seen it.  The Bible became more alive and had a depth that I had never seen before.  At that moment I knew election was true and right and real.

This is where R C Sproul comes in.  As providence would have it, about this time I ran across a Tabletalk magazine and after reading it I subscribed to it.  R C's articles were always lucid and meaty and usually caused me to think more deeply about the topic he was addressing.  Along with my own study, it was a rich time for me spiritually and I came to an understanding of the doctrines of grace, although I did not know that is what they were called.  In the spring of 1992 Tabletalk had an ad for a Ligonier conference in San Diego, and in addition to R C being there, another pastor whom I admired would be speaking as well, so I was off to the conference.  It was at this conference that I found my spiritual home, as I listened to the speakers...James Boice, Ed Clowney, John Gerstner, Sinclair Ferguson, John MacArthur, and R C I realized that I was among people who thought and believed like I did, although with much more depth and wisdom.  It was here that I realized that I was reformed, not in the classic or Presbyterian sense (as a Southern Baptist I hold to believer's baptism, local church autonomy, along with some other doctrinal differences), but as regards the doctrines of grace, the inerrancy of Scripture, and the Five Solas. 

In the intervening years I have attended several Ligonier conferences, read books by R C, listened to his teaching and the teaching of others whom he has introduced me too.  All of this has aided my understanding and appreciation of the wonderful Word of God.  He has been one of the greater influences on my spiritual life and its growth, and there is so much that I have appreciated about him.  In each age God has raised up pillars in the church, and R C was truly one for our age.

Now he has gone on to be present with the Lord, and will take his place with others who are waiting to receive their glorified bodies at the resurrection to become complete in the completeness of Christ. There has been such an outpouring of tributes and approbations for R C from so many of the well known and those who knew him well, dealing with so much that I have not mentioned here.  I just want to say, as an unknown and unknown to R C, thank you R C Sproul, thank you for all you have meant to me in my spiritual life and journey in growing in the grace and knowledge of my beloved Savior.

God Made Visible and Knowable

In Psalm 77, Asaph the Psalmist says, "The sound of Your thunder was in the whirlwind; lightning lit up the world. The earth quakes and shook. Your way went through the sea, and Your path through the great waters, yet Your footprints were unseen."

The power of the invisible God is displayed all around us, and cannot escape our notice; but God has not remained unseen as He has become flesh and has lived and walked among us in the person of Jesus Christ. This is why when Philip said to Christ, "Show us the Father."  Jesus replied "If you have seen Me You have seen the Father." 

In Christ we have the fullness of God in bodily form. To see Christ was to see God, and to know Christ is to know God.

This is what is behind Christ's statement in John 17:3, "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." We come to the invisible God through the visible Son, and we come to know God, through that same Son.

May we all come to know Jesus Christ and know Him well, so that we can experience the fullness and abundance of eternal life.