LEADING YOURSELF

In his excellent book, “Gospel-Driven Ministry,” Jared Wilson stresses that pastors are leaders and effective leadership begins with leading ourselves. 

He writes:

You cannot effectively lead others if you do not conscientiously lead yourself. The pastor who is subject to his week, who routinely has ministry “happen” to him, is not evidencing the fruit of self-control or the spirit of discipline. 

Pastors should take inventory of their weekly schedules. Does it reveal that we say yes (or no) to too much? Does it show that we are disorganized people, always playing catch-up? 

Do you devote time not just to study God’s Word, but to read books—theology, spirituality, history, biography, even fiction and poetry? Do you stretch yourself in your reading, working different mental and emotional muscles? Do you go to conferences or access other resources for pastors that might challenge and inspire you? It’s a cliché, of course, but it’s a cliché because it’s true: leaders are learners. 

In your personal relationships, do you stew, grumble, and internally process to the exclusion of other’s needs to talk and listen? Would your wife or closest friends say you’re great with communication? Do you manage your household well? 

The answers to these questions help reveal the quality of your self-leadership. Even more telling is your commitment to the spiritual disciplines of Bible study, prayer, fasting, service, and generosity. For the same reason we should dismiss the gluttonous preacher who rails against others’ lack of self-control; the pastor who does not show personal discipline and commitment should not expect others to follow his leadership. “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ,” Paul says (1 Cor 11:1 ESV). To be a good leader, one must be a good follower. To be a gospel-driven leader, one must first be an attentive follower of the heart of Jesus. (pp. 147-148, Kindle edition)

 

 

 

SHEPHERDING THE LEAST OF THE LAMBS

Jesus always had time for those the world considered “the least”—the grieving mother, desperate father, small children, the demonized and ostracized. Are we too busy with church work, that we neglect the work of the church? Weigh these words of Jared Wilson seriously, for it is assured that God takes these matters seriously, and our ministry will be evaluated in eternity accordingly.

TALK AND TEMPER

Preachers are proclaimers. As teachers, we are tasked to talk. Yet, James warns about the trouble with talk and temper for “every man,” and that includes preachers! We are not exempt from these Biblical principles.

BE SWIFT TO LISTEN—“be swift to hear.”  Sometimes those who are called to use their mouths, are not so eager to employ their ears. It has been suggested that the reason God gave us only one mouth and two ears was that we should listen more than we talk. A preacher who has heard from the Master and the members will be more effective in speaking. In so doing, we will not speak over the people’s heads, but straight to their hearts.  He has heard their hopes and heeds their hurts. The good shepherd has spent time with the sheep and gives them a diet suited to their needs.

BE SLOW TO SPEAK—“slow to speak.”  One thing that hinders me in listening is when I am thinking about what I am going to say next instead of carefully hearing what the people are saying. Sometimes, I have foolishly answered prematurely and they were headed a different direction in the discussion—if I had waited before speaking. My words that go from my mouth are like squeezing the toothpaste tube—once they are out of my lips, there is not putting them back. James reminds us of the power of the tongue—to bring healing or hurt, (cf. 3:1-12. 

BE SLOW TO ANGER—“slow to wrath.”  We should all be thankful that the wrath of God is restrained!  If a perfect God chooses to be slow to anger, how much more do I as a sinful, self-centered human need to keep anger in check by the power of the Holy Spirit. Think about how the fruit of the Spirit enables us to be slow to anger: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law,” (Gal.‬ ‭5‬:‭22‬-‭23‬‬). To be full of the Spirit rather than full of myself should be my aim.

This text closes with the reminder, “for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”  I can recall a few times (thankfully not many) when I have “blown my top” in either a private conversation or public communication—and when the dust settled, it left destruction and debris to try to clean up.

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?