Pastors: You Need To Grow Too!

Being a pastor can be one of the most enjoyable and fruitful roles to play in the scheme of God’s redemptive story. Not only do you get to see lives transformed by Christ (Col 1:28), but you also get to be an active part of seeing that process and relationship move forward. It is this growth toward being more like Christ that drives what we do. We’re driven to see the church grow, people grow, and gospel opportunities grow.  However, if we’re not careful, the most important area of growth can become neglected, our own spiritual growth. 

Howard Hendricks used to tell us that in seminary we would learn more than most people will ever know about God and the scriptures.  And yet, that knowledge doesn’t always lead to passionate growth. Far too often our passion to grow everything else is stronger than it is to grow our own souls. 

Paul understood this tendency and the dangers it presented to the lives of spiritual leaders and pastors.  He tells Timothy his young protégé in 1 Timothy 4:16, “Pay close attention to your life and your teaching; persevere in these things, for by doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers” (HCSB). There is an alluring temptation to allow the external execution of ministry to far exceed that of our spiritual and physical health.  It seems that Paul is stating that when you’re vigilant with your spiritual health and consistently submitting to God’s Word and leading, the external growth will follow. The ability to do this well reflects a deep sense of trust.

As we achieve success, it becomes easy to misplace the source of that success. The better we do, the better we think we are. When we focus on our spiritual growth, we are reminded and connected to the One who is powering the growth. Christ’s work on our behalf and then His working through us personally is the fuel for our whole life.  In John 15:5, Jesus states, “you can do nothing without ME.” From a biblical and theological standpoint we all amen this statement. But in reality at some point in our journey, as the Lord blesses our ministry, we begin to equate God’s using us as Him needing us. Then it is only a short step until we begin believing the hype about ourselves.   Continue at Eric Mason

Thoughts on The Purpose-Driven Church (18 years later)

Rick Warren's The Purpose Driven® Church is now 18 years old. It is the best-selling book on church ministry philosophy ever.

Warren is sensitive about complaints that his overtly pragmatic strategy for church growth leads to doctrinal compromise, so he subtitled his book, "Growth Without Compromising your Message & Mission." He insists throughout the book that you can follow his "seeker-sensitive" model of ministry without compromising or watering down your message. On page 244, he writes, "A worship service does not have to be shallow to be seeker sensitive. The message doesn't have to be compromised, just understandable."

But then, just a few sentences later, he writes, "The unchurched . . . do want to hear how the Bible relates to their lives in terms they understand and in a tone that shows you respect and care about them. They are looking for solutions, not a scolding."

Notice how quickly Warren undermines his own commitment not to compromise the message. People don't want to be scolded, he tells us. And yet Paul told Timothy that Scripture is "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). How do you preach reproof and correction—not to mention instruction in righteousness—without someone feeling scolded?

I frankly don't think it's the business of the preacher to trouble himself with whether people feel scolded. The preacher's task is to unfold the meaning of Scripture in a clear, authoritative, and persuasive manner—and if people feel scolded when Scripture rebukes them (as they inevitably will), then that is between them and the Lord. As a matter of fact, as preachers, we are instructed to reprove and rebuke, as well as exhort—with all longsuffering and doctrine (2 Timothy 4:2).

Doctrine?

Doctrinal preaching also takes a hit from Rick Warren. Notice in that quote that I cited above, he says, "The unchurched . . . want to hear how the Bible relates to their lives." He makes clear throughout the remainder of the book what he means by this. He is arguing for an emphasis in our preaching that is practical rather than doctrinal—more "emotional, experiential, and relational" than didactic. He is dismissively critical of what he calls "classroom churches." In Warren's words: "Classroom churches tend to be left-brain oriented and cognitive focused. They stress the teaching of Bible content and doctrine, but give little, if any, emphasis to believers' emotional, experiential, and relational development" (p. 340).

Now I happen to believe that all doctrine is inherently practical—or at least I would say that there is inherent practical value in understanding and defending sound doctrine. Furthermore, all legitimate religious emotions, experiences, and relationships are a believing heart's response to biblical truth soundly taught: doctrine.  Continue at Phil Johnson

5 Questions to Evaluate Ministry “Programs”

Programs are useful things, but they are not ministry in and of themselves. I appreciate the illustration given in the title of Colin Marshall and Tony Payne’s book, The Trellis and the Vine. In it, programs are likened to a trellis that provides a structure for the growing vines (i.e. people). This helpful illustration properly places church programs as a means not an end.

As a pastor at a church that is potentially going from a high school to a permanent building soon, there have been many discussions on how to utilize the new building. For the first time we can have ministries throughout the week at a central location anytime we want. The possibilities seem endless. But we have to evaluate these potential new programs and the old ones to see if they are the best ways to accomplish ministry in our local context. Here are some criteria I am personally using:

1)   Do they promote ministry?

With this question, I want to evaluate whether the program is an end unto itself or actually promotes gospel ministry and discipleship?  Christmas programs are a great way to invite the community to your church, but if the gospel isn’t preached and the glory of Christ is not proclaimed, it is waste of time and money. Likewise, men’s breakfasts are great as long as they have a greater purpose and don’t evolve into simply breakfast with the guys. As Jesse wrote about evangelism, “Its about people not programs.”  Continue at The Cripplegate

Why Conservative Churches Are Growing: David Brooks and the Limits of Sociology

With amazing insight and candor, Kelley spoke for mainline Protestantism when he noted that it had been generally assumed that churches, “if they want to succeed, will be reasonable, rational, courteous, responsible, restrained, and receptive to outside criticism.” These churches would be highly concerned with preserving “a good image in the world” — and that meant especially within the world of the cultural elites. These churches, intending to grow, would be “democratic and gentle in their internal affairs” as the larger world defines those qualities. These churches will intend to be cooperative with other religious groups inb order to meet common goals, and thus “will not let dogmatism, judgmental moralism, or obsessions with cultic purity stand in the way of such cooperation and service.”

Then Kelley dropped his bomb: “These expectations are a recipe for the failure of the religious enterprise, and arise from a mistaken view of what success in religion is and how it should be fostered and measured.” Read it all HERE

The Transforming Power of the Gospel