A Prayer for the Pastor’s Study

‪Lord, give me eyes to see You, ears to hear You, a mind that knows and understands You, and a ready tongue to proclaim all You have revealed to me.

I Corinthians 2:6-13‬

Biblical Guidelines for Church Leadership: Pleasing God

O, church, whom are you pleasing?  A good question, and a question that every church leader and every church member should ask themselves. Healthy and honest introspection is good. It is good to ask yourself hard questions about yourself. It is good to have a season of self-examination. This is true also for the church, and it should be done by its leaders and its members.

There is a catch phrase that I have heard and read over the last few years, and it is in context of "doing church." It is, "It is not about me." Now this is used to mean that the church service is not for church members, but for those whom the church is trying to reach...the seekers, the unconverted, the non-christian.. It is used as a reason or excuse for the church doing what it feels is necessary to reach the unchurched. It is the undergirding of the philosophy that drives how the church conducts itself, and in particular how it conducts its Sunday services.

Even though it is true that church is "not about me," the application of this truth has been misplaced. It has become "it is all about them," which refers to the unconverted and unchurched. What has been missed here? It is simply this:  it is not about me, nor about us, nor even about them....it is about God and His Son, Jesus Christ, and His Holy Spirit.

We have taken the focus in our churches off of God, and placed it onto those who are ungodly. We have ceased focusing on pleasing God, and are now striving in every way imaginable (and there is great imagination used) to please those who are enemies of God. When God gives the command in Hebrews to not forsake the assembling of yourselves together, He did not mean for the church to come together so as to focus on those outside of its self, to focus on anyone other than Him. The minute that the church starts trying to entice the unbeliever, it must start seeking to please the unbeliever in order to draw him or her in; and must conduct its service so as to please them in order to bring them back.

The hard question the church (its leaders and members) must ask its self is this, "In the way we conduct our services have we placed pleasing the ungodly over pleasing God; in our attempts to not offend the ungodly are we offending God; in our attempts to attract the ungodly have we made ourselves unattractive to God?" Has the church placed its affection and adoration on the ungodly and taken it off of the Lord? This is a question that I am afraid is not getting asked.

Here are a smattering of Scriptures that speak to this.  Notice how unimportant man is in these references.

Isaiah 2:22 Stop regarding man, whose breath of life in in his nostrils; for why should he be esteemed. (O church, why regard man if there is no area, no arena, in which he can be esteemed in God's eyes?)

Isaiah 40:17 All the nations are as nothing before Him, they are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless. (O church, even the nations are nothing compared against the great and mighty God who has given us life, breath, and all things!)

Psalm 144:3-4 O Lord, what is man, that you take knowledge of him?  Or the son of man, that You think of him?  Man is like a mere breath; his days are like a fleeting shadow. (O church, have you elevated man above where God has him?  Have you elevated man above God?)

I Corinthians 7:3 You were bought with a price; do not become the slaves of men.(O church, whom do you cater to?)

I Corinthians 8:6a yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things and we exist through Him.
( O church, for whom are you existing?)

II Corinthians 5:9 Therefore, we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. (O church, is your highest ambition to please Him?)

I Thessalonians 2:4 But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts. (Church leaders and members, if God examines your heart to see whom you are seeking to please, what would He find?)

Galatians 1:10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? or am I striving to please men?  If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ. (O church, have you become the bond-servant/slave of the ungodly by trying to please them?  And in trying to do so have you left your first love and fallen to a lesser spiritual state?)

Leviticus 10:1-3 Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on  it and offered strange fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them.  And fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. Then Moses said to Aaron, "It is what the Lord spoke, saying, 'By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, and before all the people I will be honored.'" (O church, by seeking to please the ungodly have you neglected to treat the Lord as holy before them?  In seeking to be attractive to men have you substituted honoring men over honoring the Lord?) 

“It is to be feared that thousands are selling Jesus for a less price than Judas received. A smile from the world has been a bribe sufficient to seduce many”

Charles Spurgeon

In the final analysis, there is only One to please. As His body the church is to be a God-pleaser not a man-pleaser (Galatians 1:10). Instead of trying to be pleasing to the ungodly the church should be teaching them what is required to please the Lord (Ephesians 5:10). O church, remember that it is the Lord Christ whom you serve, not man (Colossians 3:24). O church, examine yourself honestly and rigorously, and make sure you are living to please Him, for it is Him for whom you exist.

Biblical Guidelines for Church Leadership: Consistency

Consistency, sounds pretty boring doesn't it? And, actually, many times it is. However, when considering traits that should be present in pastors and spiritual leaders, this is usually one of the most overlooked.

There should be a consistency of character, a consistency of philosophy, a consistency of theology, a consistency of mission, a consistency in his walk, a consistency in his preparation, a consistency in his growth, a consistency in how he makes decisions, a consistency in how he deals with others, a consistency in how he communicates, and a consistency in how he expresses himself. In other words, there needs to be a thread of consistency that permeates who he is, and therefore what he does.

Why is this important? Because it gives stability to his church, and his ministry. It gives security to his people, his staff, and the leadership he works with, as it make him reliable, and even predictable. I once had an upper level manager tell me that his goal was to be so consistent that his people would know the answer before they asked him. Not a bad trait, in fact, it is a great trait to have. Unfortunately, there are many whose only consistency is their inconsistency.

Think about the comfort and security it gives to those who you work with, do ministry with, and live with when they know they can depend on what they know about you. Think about the frustration that is caused by having to deal with those whom you never know how they will react, or those who always seem to be changing their mind, ministry direction, or ministry philosophy. Think about the confusion that comes to the church when the leadership is always being blown in the direction of the latest cultural wind or chasing the next big thing.

Have you ever noticed how consistent the Lord is? We call it immutability or unchangeableness; but have you ever wondered what it would be like to serve a God that you were never sure how He was going to react, how He wanted to be worshiped, what His standards for holiness would be, or what His requirements for salvation would be? Would it be a little unnerving, kind of like an eternal insecurity instead of an eternal security?

I take great comfort that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, yes and forever (Hebrews 13:8); that He, the Lord, does not change His mind, and therefore I am not consumed (Malachi 3:6); that with Him there is no variation or change like the imperceptible shifting of a shadow (James 1:7); that even from eternity He is I am (Isaiah 43:13), that of old He founded the earth, and the heavens are the work of His hands. Even they will perish, but He will endure; and all of them will wear out like a garment; like clothing He will change them and they will be changed. But He is the same, and His years will not come to an end (Psalm 102:25-27); that His lovingkindness is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him (Psalm 103:17); that He has one eternal purpose that runs through the ages that is carried out in Christ (Ephesians 3:11), and that He has declared the end from the beginning, saying, "My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure" (Isaiah 46:10). This consistency in the character of God and the acts of God give me security in my relationship with him, it gives me confidence in my relationship with Him, and it strengthens and solidifies my trust in Him.

You see, I believe that pastors and spiritual leaders must be consistent; and it is being like the Lord that brings about that consistency. If He is consistent, then a worthy trait to be desired would be to be consistent as He is consistent. The same comfort, confidence, security, solidity, and trust that we draw from our relationship with the Lord because of His consistency is the same comfort, confidence, security, solidity, and trust that the church and its staff should have in their leadership. Consistency provides the stability that is needed in every leader, and is a key component of pastoral leadership.  As Christ models consistency, so should all those in spiritual leadership. Indeed, it is a worthy aspiration for us all.

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.