SOLDIERS OF THE CROSS

 

“The great truths of revelation are neither able to preach nor defend themselves. They must have soldier preachers who proclaim and defend them. They have never conquered as silent force; they have never won as a reserve corps.”  (E.M. Bounds)

Onward, Christian preacher!  As you march into the pulpit, you go to war. Make sure you have on your armor—each piece put on with prayer. In your hand is a mighty weapon—the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. It is not a clever tongue, or a passionate argument that will prevail, but the unadulterated truth, delivered from earnest lips anointed by the Spirit of the Lord.  Put the enemy to flight!  Angels hover around you, to roll back the dark forces that would hinder you. Spend and be spent for the souls of those in your charge.

Paul tells us to endure. Warfare is wearisome; it will drain your energy. Press on!  You want to be a good soldier, not a poor one.

Paul tells us to engage. The time for strategy is over. It is time to take the field. 

Paul tells us to not be entangled. The things of this world will trip you up and bring you down to defeat. Do not let your concentration be diverted. Focus on the fight!

Paul tells us we are enlisted. You were drafted by your Commander—the Lord Jesus Christ. He has placed you in this position of responsibility. You may not please all the troops in the congregation, but seek to please Him who called you!

PLEASING THE ONE THAT MATTERS

Some preachers are pugilistic by nature—always ready to duke it out over some deviance in a doctrine they detect. They are always right and come hell or high water, they will let you know it!  They automatically look at other ministries with a magnifying glass, persistently scouring for what they perceive is a bit of dirt while seldom examining their own.  

But, most of us are not that way. We enjoy tranquility in the church. It is easier to go along and get along. When someone in the congregation is upset, so are we. It is a short distance to slip into being a man-pleaser, where the opinions of others gradually arise to become preeminent. That is deadly in ministry. It leads to compromise. 

Paul gives us the proper balance between these two errors: strive to please the One that matters. Now, that is not your wife, though we should be concerned about her opinions. In fact, I have found that listening to her at times is the way God directs. Neither is it the deacon chairman or some other prominent member in the congregation that we must heed at all costs. Certainly, there are times we may find such a good sounding board and their backing may be profitable in some significant direction to which we are leading. 

The reality is, though, that if you seek to please God, you will inevitably displease some people, perhaps many people.  The bottom line is this—pleasing the Master and not pleasing man is our goal. We have the ultimate accountability to Him. There is coming that dreadful day that we stand before a Holy God who knows all our thoughts, words, and deeds, even able to discern the very intent of why we did what we have done. 

We do not work for the church, but for Christ who is Lord of the church. If we are obedient to Him, the congregation may follow us or fire us, but that is secondary to the primary duty of pleasing Him!  Men, let us seek to serve each day with eternity in view. 

Blessed Lord, deliver us from being men-pleasers and motivate us to seek to be well pleasing to You!

EFFECTIVE CHURCH LEADERSHIP

Acts 20 presents a case study of effective church leadership in the manner, ministry, and model of the Apostle Paul. 

His manner was one of ENCOURAGING THE SERVANTS (v.1-6). The key words are “encouraging,” and “encouragement.”  This was a vital partnership, as we see the plurality of leadership, “disciples,’ and the list of names in Paul’s entourage that had become quite extensive. When there is effective leadership, others will be mentored and multiplied  in such an atmosphere of spiritual vitality.  God did not mean for us to minister in isolation, but reproduction. 

His ministry was one of EXPOUNDING THE SCRIPTURES (v.7-16). Paul, “talked with them,” “prolonged his speech,” and “he conversed with them a long while.”  This was a verbal proclamation. There are many duties a church leader must attend to, but at the core of all he does is communication. Early on, the church leadership refused to be diverted from this, “we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word,” (Acts 6:4). God blessed that and the church grew (6:7).

His model was one of EXEMPLIFYING THE STANDARDS (v.17-38). The fundamental phrase is, “You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time.”  This was a visual pattern. Effective leaders consistently model ministry—practicing what they preach. There were tears, mentioned twice, in displaying a passion for ministry—his weeping. Paul did not just go through the motions, but displayed his emotions—a broken heart for hell-bound sinners.  There were trials, “the plots of the Jews,” “imprisonment and afflictions,” “fierce wolves.”  That is demonstrating  the problems in ministry—his warfare. Ministry launches an invasion of enemy territory and Satan will fight fiercely. There was testimony, referenced three times in these verses. That is declaring the proof of ministry—his witness. A witness has one task in court: to provide evidence in testifying the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth by the help of God, “for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God,” (v.27).

This is effective church leadership! 

DISHEARTENED IN MINISTRY?

“Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart.” (‭‭2 Cor.‬ ‭4:1‬‬)

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.”  (‭‭2 Cor. 4:16‬‬)

Paul warns us of the danger of being disheartened in ministry.  We answer the call with vision and passion for seeing God do a great work—thinking we have a contribution to make in Kingdom advance. 

Then, there is the confrontation from an angry church member that blindsides us. The event we planned falls flat. The sermon was a dud. We gaze upon a congregation week by week that seems asleep. A leader drops out. A solid family moves away. A former strong supporter moves their membership because they “were not being fed.”  There is the daily grind of the minutia of ministry, just like drops of water slowly eroding our zeal. We counsel with a young couple whose marriage is disintegrating. We weep with a family whose son has overdosed or whose teen daughter is pregnant. I hope you are not married to Mrs. Job who suggests, “Why don’t you curse God and die?” Dare I go on?  I think I have said enough. You could add to the list.

Disheartenment is a slow cancer that leads to pastoral death—not necessarily physically, though that can happen with sin, stress or suicide. I am speaking of it ministerially. The pastor walks out of the pulpit for the final time, convinced he has failed—dreams dashed—and on to other things with his life.  If you are struggling, please listen to Paul, “Do not lose heart!”

Our response may be, “Easy for you to say Mr. Super Apostle!  Look at your success!”  Paul did make an immeasurable impact, no doubt. But, he would not have had he lost heart. He struggled with it, but by God’s grace overcame it. The pressure that brought him to his knees drove him to God rather than away.  That is our choice. It is foremost an act of the will that affects the emotions, instead of waiting for the emotions to direct the decision. It is a command, “Do not lose heart.”

Should you protest, “if only Paul knew what I am facing,” … as soon as you speak the words, you know that you and I have never faced what that man did.

“Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of Damascus in order to seize me, but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped his hands.” (2 Cor.11:23-33‬‬)

Paul was a basket case!

He was sustained in seeing his ministry, with all its misery, as a mercy from God (4:1). The sinner that he was merited hell, yet what he received was mercy. That is true of us all. It is tempting to evaluate our difficulties and say, “I don’t deserve this!”  True—what we deserve is hell. Yet, we have been spared. We should, as Christian comedian Mark Lowery points out, look at our circumstances, no matter how painful and say, “That sure beats hell!”

Paul pressed on because he looked beyond the immediate to the finish line (4:16).  Looking in the mirror of the present situation would lead him to conclude, “I am wasting away.”  Looking into the mirror of God’s Word at the future filled his lungs with the oxygen of hope, “renewed day by day.”  That, after all, is how Jesus told us to live—one day at a time.  Today’s load is quite sufficient without borrowing from tomorrow’s troubles, that may or may not materialize.

I think of old Jeremiah—whose ministry resume’ listed decline, opposition, pain—a complete disaster in the denominational records.  He battled disheartenment repeatedly. How did he make it through?  He lifted his eyes above:

“Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall! My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me. But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.’ The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.”  (Lam.‬ ‭3:19-26‬‬)

If I can serve you, pray with you, support you—be a sounding board—whatever, please do not lose heart!  Contact me and we will cry together, but through glistening tears look up to our faithful God who has called us!  

DO NOT LOSE HEART!

CONFIDENT, COURAGEOUS COMMUNICATION

There is a wondrous work being accomplished when the Word of God is declared and digested. The Spirit of God has brought the one in the pulpit and in the pew into communion with Christ through the inspired Word. This is the glory of preaching—a courageous communication that leading to ingestion and application is of eternal significance. 

We are being changed, bit by bit, into the glorious image of the Lord. Truth unveiled brings us face to face with  Jesus. A sermon is meant to be more than informational, although principles are stated; it is more than inspirational, although passion is generated; it is meant to be transformational, with Christ being encountered.

The faithful preacher who immerses himself in the truth, living and breathing Christ,—Whom he grows to adore—can stand with a Bible in his hand  and confidently, courageously communicate Christ in His glory. This brings the congregation face to face with the One who is our blessed hope!  

Ultimately, the hope will be fulfilled when we see Him—not just spiritually—but literally and this is what John describes, “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” (1 John‬ ‭3:2-3‬‬).

This is our hope and the glory of preaching! 

GOALS IN GODLINESS

If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time. The Lord has set before us his standard—goals written in His Word by the pen of His apostle,.  As Paul concludes 1 Corinthians, these are significant among his final words to that church immersed in a culture of corruption. As such, they speak to us today—particularly to God’s men, seeking to lead the church as holy men of God in an unholy age.

1) BE VIGILANT, “Be watchful.”  Keep your eyes open, lest the enemy sneaks in unawares. Sometimes, he is a roaring lion, but at other times, a subtle snake. Every quarterback knows how devastating a blind-side hit can be. When a pastor is blind-sided, it can crush his spirit and break his resolve. 

2) BE CONSISTENT,  “stand firm in the faith.”  Know what you believe. Know why you believe it. Be able to defend it.  Jude wrote, “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints,” (v.3). Do not have the backbone of a jellyfish, but that of an elephant that will not bend under pressure nor bow to compromise, but stands firm on sound doctrine.

3) BE MASCULINE, “act like men.”  The culture has become increasingly feminized and sadly this has infected the church, as we see effeminate leaders who prance around the pulpit. Thank God for women that He has designed to support and nurture the ministry. They can only do what women can and should do. But, where are the men?  God has designed them to be strong and lead. Pastors are to be manly, not sissies!

4) BE STRONG, “be strong.”  This flows out of the first three traits. When a church leader is vigilant, consistent, and masculine, then he will be a strong servant of the Lord. There will be a spiritual vitality and tenacity about him. This is strength from the Lord.  He does not rest in his own power, but is braced by grace. There is courage and conviction in battle, as he leads God’s army dressed in the whole armor of God.

5) BE LOVING, “Let all that you do be done in love.”  The pastor can be vigilant without being vicious. He can be consistent without being contentious. He can be masculine without being mean. He can be strong without being stubborn. Love should permeate all our ways. Love of the flock will help us watch over them. Love for truth will help us use Scripture for a rod against the foe, but a staff for the flock. Love for God’s design will enable us to be the men God created us to be. Love for our calling will equip us to exert strength when tempted to quit.

Man of God, arise, set your eyes and heart on these goals!