WHAT WE CAN CONTROL

Some churches are on the incline. God’s work is obvious and the congregation is growing spiritually and numerically. They are alive and thrive. More churches are in recline. They are stuck and stagnant. As many come in the front door are going out the back door, and where amens were formerly heard, they have been replaced with yawns. In our day, most churches seem in decline. Their spiritual health is failing and the membership is fading. Before the year ends, a significant number will be in hospice care—or even deceased. 

Is it the preacher’s fault?  

Certainly, the pastor must look in the mirror of the Word and let the Spirit show him if he is not up to the task. A spiritual inventory is a necessity. It may be that the preacher has doctrinal departure, moral compromise, a lack of effort, or something else. I cannot see a church succeeding if their shepherd is failing. 

Yet, there are men of God who are true to the Word of God—men who pray fervently and preach faithfully—who still serve dying churches. Whatever strategies they employ, the results are the same. These pastors carry a heavy burden and shed many tears and wonder what they can do.

Hebrews 4:1-2 remind us to focus on what we can control. There were people who had made profession of faith, but without possession of faith, and they were departing from the fellowship. The inspired writer deals with this by presenting an Old Testament illustration of this New Testament reality in the children of Israel who did not attain the promise, but instead perished. Moses brought them out, but did not bring them in. The issue was not Moses’ leadership. He was not a sinless man, but he was a steadfast leader. It was not a failure of leadership, but a failure of the people. 

There was FAITHFUL PROCLAMATION, “For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them.”  Moses was a faithful and fearless proclaimer of truth. Yet, he did not bring them in. I have often said, “If the Word of God won’t do it, it won’t get done.” What is in control of the preacher is that he can prepare himself spiritually and studiously to preach the Word steadfastly—and see people reject the message and walk away. The Word doesn’t get it done, not through the fault of the preacher, but the failing of the people. 

The sad reality is there can be FAILED PROFITABILITY, “but the word they heard did not profit them.” Consider the parable of the sower in Matthew 13. Only one fourth of the fields were fruitful. The problem was not the seed—the seed was the Word of God. The problem was not the sower—he diligently spoke the truth. The problem was the soil as it fell on hard hearts with no receptivity, shallow hearts with only superficiality, and carnal hearts with worldly mentality. The preacher has control of being faithful in proclamation. If the Word of God won’t do it, it won’t get done, but sometimes it won’t get done because of the condition of the congregation’s hearts.

The issue here is a FAITHLESS PEOPLE, “the word…not being mixed with faith in those who heard it.”  No matter how solid the message, how powerful the manner of delivery, and how anointed the messenger may be—all that is in his control—if the people do not respond in faith, then the congregation will not flourish. The Word rejected in unbelief will instead have a deadening effect. The sermon always gets results if it is faithfully, fervently, and fearlessly proclaimed by a consecrated man. People will leave the sanctuary different—better if they receive the Word, but worse if they reject it. 

If we try to shoulder a responsibility that is beyond our control, we face a risk. Moses became so frustrated and infuriated that he disobeyed God in anger. He would see the Promised Land and yet not enter it. Don’t allow anger and bitterness to lead you to make a mess of your ministry. 

Just do what is in your control. Live godly, pray fervently, love fully, and preach faithfully, and leave the results to God.

FUNCTION WITH UNCTION!

If you are not excited about the One you are preaching about, then how can you expect the congregation to be?  If the Word does not stir you, then why anticipate it will stir the people?  Jared Wilson says this:

Every seasoned preacher knows the experience of unction. Every now and again, in the Spirit’s kindness, he allows us, even in the midst of going through our preplanned outline or manuscript, to find a sort of jet stream where he more or less takes over. We are speaking, but we sense his presence and feel his power. He is giving us the words to say, and every word is like an arrow to the hearts of our people—arrows that bring life and warmth! They are like the illuminating beams of the one who is the radiance of the glory of God. Never has this unction been dispensed to me when I am dryly reciting facts or covering some other perfunctory matter. 

Never has it come when I, myself, remain unmoved by what I am declaring. It comes as I worship, as if I am chipping gleefully away at the dam of the congregation’s affections and my own, and suddenly the Lord simply blows the stones away himself. We feel that living water rush.

So, pastor: study yourself hot. Pray yourself full. Preach Christ passionately and gratuitously.” (Gospel-Driven Ministry, p. 54, Kindle edition) 

PREACHER—PRAY!

You can preach after you pray, but you better not preach until you pray!  Paul tells his young colleague in ministry—“first of all…prayers…”. Consider these words from “Gospel Driven Ministry” by Jared Wilson:

In our devotional times and in our sermon preparation, as the Scriptures take us out of our depth, we pray for understanding, for insight, and for help in taking them to heart. Pray that God would empower you to follow his Word and give you pastoral insight to the needs of your people. Intercede for them even as you cook up the expository meal for them to eat. Make the sermon prep an act of love, both toward God and toward your congregation. 

The work of sermon preparation should also be an act of love for the lost! Pray that God would awaken souls through your ministry, that he would bring the dead to life. Pray that your words be used to amplify God’s Word, which ushers people trapped in the darkness into his marvelous light. 

Prepare yourself for ministry prayerfully. Embrace this posture of humility and beg for God’s help. Plead with him for strength, for unction, for revival. Petition him for healing and deliverance. Pray as though, if God weren’t to help you, you couldn’t get anything done that mattered. Don’t be like Uzziah, who was marvelously helped “until he became powerful” (2 Chr 26:15). Trust that God’s strength is perfected in weakness and own the expressed weakness of prayer. This is another important way we fan that flame. If the Word of God brings the fire, prayer is perhaps the stacking of the wood. We are opening ourselves to God’s power, exposing ourselves to God’s holiness, and bringing ourselves before his mercy. (P. 52, Kindle edition)

LOVING GOD AND LOVING PEOPLE

 

This picture could be drawn from John 21:15-17. 

So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.” (NKJV)

‭‭Loving the Lord and loving His lambs are bound together. To love God with all our being and our neighbor as ourselves summarizes all Biblical mandates. 

A preacher can love to be in the spotlight—to have the congregation’s focus on the pulpit on Sunday morning. It can feed the ego—and have no eternal significance. Paul put it this way: “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” (1 Cor.‬ ‭13‬:‭1‬-‭2‬).

You may preach with oratorical splendor and doctrinal soundness, but if our words do not flow from a heart devoted to the Father and His flock, it is worthless.

Church members smell like sheep.  They have a tendency to wander and when you seek them, you have to travel to places where you would not wish to go  It is a costly business.  Jesus said, “The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep,” (John 10:11).  He set the supreme example.  This is in contrast to the hireling—the man who does it as a job for his own benefit. “But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep.” (John‬ ‭10‬:‭12‬-‭13‬).

Sacrificial shepherd or self-centered hireling—which are we?

A COMPREHENSIVE MESSAGE FOR CONGREGATIONAL MATURITY

The second chapter of Titus commences with Paul telling Titus to “speak the things,” and concludes with, “speak these things.”  The method and manner of the preacher’s task is made clear. His method is to speak a comprehensive message that touches every member and his manner is to seek after congregational maturity.

The man of God must preach with APPLICABILITY, (v. 1-10). Doctrine is to lead to duty. Proper belief yields proper behavior.

There is a word for older men, (v. 2). Paul begins with them for they will be the mature leaders in the fellowship and in their family. There is to be seriousness, “sober,” sanctity, “reverent,” self-control, “temperate,” and soundness, “sound in faith, in love, in patience…”. 

There is a word for older women, (v. 3-4a). These godly women are to be trained to then disciple the younger women. They do so with reverence, “reverent in behavior,” restraint, “not slanderers, not given to much wine,” and with responsibility, “teachers of good things…[as they] admonish the young women,”. 

There is a word for younger women, (v. 4b-5). The education from what the older women speak and the emulation of what the older women show is to help the young women to mature. They will grow in devotion as those taught, “to love their husbands, to love their children,” grow in discretion by being “discreet, chaste,” and grow in discipline,”homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.”

There is a word for younger men, (v. 6-8). They are to model a sincere character, “sober-minded,” a sanctified conduct, “in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works,” a steadfast commitment, “in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility,” and a sound conversation, “sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.”

The man of God must not only speak with applicability but with AUTHORITY, (v.11-15). When we preach the Word of God it will mature the people of God. This assures that we speak with conviction as we “exhort,” with correction as we “rebuke with all authority,” and with courage as to “Let no man despise you.” Here is a comprehensive message that will bring congregational maturity. This text covers the three dimensions of salvation. 

There is the commencement of salvation, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men…[in Christ] who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us…”. The true Christian can confess, “I have been saved.” This is a past experience of redemption. Jesus died for us—His substitutionary sacrifice paying the penalty for our sins.

Then follows the continuation of salvation, “teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age… [redeemed] from every lawless deed and [to] purify for Himself His own special people zealous for good works.” The true Christian can confess, “I am being saved.”  This  is a present evidence of sanctification. We are to be a holy people in our lifestyle of self-denial and sincere devotion.

Ultimately there is the consummation of salvation, “looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ…”.  The true Christian can confess, “I will be saved.”  This is a promised expectation of glorification.  Paul said elsewhere, “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ,” (Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬‬).

Now—PREACH IT! 

STANDING FAST

 

A man was passing by a field one day and saw a young boy with his horse. The horse was worn down by time and toil—its legs bent and its back bowed, yet the lad was tenderly patting the old steed. The fellow yelled to the kid, “Can your horse run fast?” The boy smiled, “No mister, but he can sure stand fast!”

That is a good trait for every preacher to have!  We may as well accept that burdens to bear are inherent in Gospel work. Giving up and moving  on is ever tempting. 

When facing opposition—as we surely will—we may decide not to pack up our bags but put up our fists!  Don’t strike first, but stand fast!  In 2 Timothy 2:24, Paul tells us three traits of such a steadfast servant of the Lord.

The first trait is TENDERNESS. “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all…”. In ministry you need a tough hide and a tender touch. When assaults come, you let it roll off—instead of responding with a counterattack. Remember that our war is with the Devil and not those he dupes. They are captives to be freed, not combatants to fight. The Apostle goes on to say, “in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will,” (v. ‭25‬-‭26‬‬). The wise man said, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger,” (Prov. 15:1). Stand fast with tenderness. 

The second trait is TEACHING. “And a servant of the Lord must…be…able to teach…”. Opposition sometimes arises over a lack of understanding. Poor communication often ignites powerful conflict. The positive truth can overcome the negative tendency. The congregation must be taught. When we are faithful to the Scriptures, If members want to argue with the message, it is not resistance to the messenger, but the Master!  The persistent preaching of the Word cultivates a spirit of cooperation instead of opposition. Stand fast with tenderness and teaching.

The third trait is TENACITY. “And a servant of the Lord must…be…patient… .”  We do not give up but dig in! Outlast your opposition. Be resolute in faith, hope, and love. A tenacious faith trusts God with the problem people. A tenacious hope rests in the potential of change in the problem people. A tenacious love wears down the resistance of problem people. It is always too soon to give up!  I wrote this in my Bible nearly a century ago as I began Gospel ministry:

    DON’T QUIT

    When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
    when the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
    when the funds are low and the debts are high,
    and you want to smile but you have to sigh,
    when care is pressing you down a bit—rest if you must, but don't you quit.

    Life is queer with its twists and turns.
    As everyone of us sometimes learns.
    And many a fellow turns about when he might have won had he stuck it out.
    Don't give up though the pace seems slow—you may succeed with another blow.

    Often the goal is nearer than it seems to a faint and faltering man;
    Often the struggler has given up when he might have captured the victor's cup;

    and he learned too late when the night came down,

    how close he was to the golden crown.

    Success is failure turned inside out—the silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
    and when you never can tell how close you are,
    it may be near when it seems afar;

    so stick to the fight when you're hardest hit—it's when things seem worst, 

    you must not quit.  (Edgar A. Guest)

Brothers, stand fast with tenderness, teaching, and tenacity.

THE PASTOR’S APPOINTED AUDIENCE

 

A pastor is a man appointed by God. It is not a vocational choice, but a Divine call. He does not seek the position, but is selected for it. This call is affirmed by the church and confirmed by his works.  He is appointed to a threefold audience, as Paul described himself in 2 Timothy 1:11.

There is PUBLIC EXHORTATION as “a preacher.”  The Greek word is used of a herald. The herald went before the king and summoned those in the city to prepare to meet their sovereign. The pastor lifts his voice and passionately proclaims the coming of the King of kings!  He summons them to readiness to receive Him. The message is not the herald’s, but one appointed for him. The audienc is not of his choosing, but of the King’s sending. Thus, we have the anointed Word of God, and are sent to the appointed people of God to preach in light of eternity. We will give account for our faithfulness to the assignment and our congregation to their faithfulness in responding to the truth.

We are also called to PERVASIVE EVANGELIZATION as “an apostle.”  In the strictest sense of the word, there are no apostles like those of the first century. The Twelve were the pillars of the church erected on the foundation of Christ, the Rock of Ages. Beware any man that claims apostolic authority today. Demand that he meets the criteria of having been with Jesus, heard Him teach, and seen Jesus alive from the dead, (Acts 1:21-26).  Paul was an apostle in a special sense having been personally called, instructed by Christ, having heard Him and seen Him as the glorified, risen and ascended Savior. When these men died, there is no indication that others replaced them. They were unique in church history.

Yet, it is also apparent that that there were others whom I would call, “apostolic men.”  I think of Barnabas, Silas, Luke, Mark, Timothy, and Titus for example. The term literally means, “sent on a mission.” In that way, the pastor is an apostle for he has been sent on a mission. It is a global mission—the Great Commission of Matt. 28:16-20. Our appointed audience is those who are lost—wherever we find them. Paul told Timothy and all who are called to be pastors to “do the work of an evangelist,” (2 Tim. 4:5). 

Further, the pastor is called to do PERSONAL EDUCATION as “a teacher.”  Recall that while Jesus preached to the masses publicly, he was a teacher of the twelve personally—especially concentrating on the core of Peter, James, and John. Once we win people to Christ and they are born again, they need to grow up in Christ. This is often done in small groups—a more personal educational process.  One of the vital ways is mentoring men in leadership. By this our voice and ministry extends beyond our lifetime. As we reproduce biologically, so we ought to do spiritually—pastors producing more pastors.  

Thus, we preach to the congregation as we root them in the fertile soil of truth, are sent to the crowds as we scatter the Gospel seed far and wide, and teach the core in order to cultivate them to fruitfulness, whereby they may reproduce future harvests.