Category Archives: Pastoral Ministry

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8 [More] Wishes About the Ministry

Faithful Ministry

Yesterday I gave you the first eight wishes of George Swinnock, a forgotten Puritan, regarding a faithful ministry.

If you are a pastor, I encourage you to pray that God would make these things true in your ministry. If you are a church member, I encourage you to pray that God would make these things true in your pastor’s ministry.

8 [MORE] WISHES ABOUT THE PASTOR’S CALLING

  1. A Prudent Preacher. “I wish that I may prepare for preaching the gospel diligently, ever handle this weapon warily, deliver the message of my God soberly, as may be most for his glory and my people’s good, not with the enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in the demonstration of the Spirit and power.” “I wish also that I may preach over every sermon to my own heart before I preach them to my hearers; that I, preaching feelingly, may preach more effectively.” “I wish that I may preach a crucified Savior in a crucified style.”
  2. A Ceaseless Intercessor. “I wish that all my congregants, without exception, may have so deep a share in my affection, upon a religious account, that without ceasing I may make mention of them always in my prayers; that my heart’s desire and prayer to God, both in private and public, for poor and rich, may be, that they may be saved.”
  3. A Patient Instructor. “I wish, that should my labors prove unfruitful when I am faithful in the discharge of my trust, that I may not be discouraged, knowing that I shall be a ‘sweet savor to my God.'”
  4. A Discerning Judge. “I wish, that in the administration of the sacraments, I may have an impartial regard to the fitness and meetness of the subjects, lest I set those precious seals of the covenant of grace to blanks, where by they should signify nothing, especially about the Lord’s Supper.”
  5. A Faithful Shepherd. “I wish that, like a faithful shepherd, I may often visit my flock, and warn every one night and day with tears.”
  6. A Powerful Example. “I wish that I may be as John the Baptist, both a burning light in my sermons, and a shining light in my conversation, lest my works give the lie to my words.” “Oh that I might preach as powerfully by my life as by my lips.”
  7. A Humble Instrument. “I with that . . . when God has enabled me by his Spirit to cast down imaginations and high things that exalted themselves against the knowledge of him, and to bring into captivity many sinners to the obedience of Christ, that I may set the crown of glory upon the head of God alone, and not suffer the least part of his honor to stick to my fingers.”
  8. A Watchful Overseer. “I wish that I may take heed to myself, my doctrine, to my life, be watchful in all things, endure affliction, make full proof of my ministry, do the work of a faithful pastor.”
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8 Wishes About the Ministry

Faithful Ministry

One of my Endeavors for 2014 is to read through the collected works of a Puritan named George Swinnock. One of the more unique aspects of Swinnock’s work The Christian Man’s Calling – which makes up 2.5 of 5 volumes – is its personal nature.

The work is punctuated by small sections of “wishes,” which are something akin to personal prayer requests. For example, after his section on how a Christian may exercise godliness in the practice of prayer, Swinnock offers, “A good wish about prayer, wherein all the forementioned particulars are epitomized.”

Yesterday I read his section on how a Christian may exercise godliness in his particular called and was treated to another collection of wishes, those “about the calling of a minister; wherein several properties and duties of a conscientious pastor are epitomized.”

Just last year Stephen Yuille and Reformation Heritage published this section in a slim volume entitled A Labor of Love: Puritan Pastoral Priorities. So if you don’t want to fork over pretty pennies for the Banner of Truth volumes, make sure to grab Yuille’s book. It would be a great devotional for the pastor and an excellent resource for elder teams. In case you don’t buy either of those choices, here are the first eight wishes from good Dr. Swinnock along with some choice quotes.

8 WISHES ABOUT THE PASTOR’S CALLING

  1. A Royal Ambassador. “I wish . . . that I may take heed to myself, and too all the flock over which the Holy Ghost has made me overseer.”
  2. A True Vessel. “I wish that I may know experimentally what regeneration means, before I travail with others, till Christ be formed in them.”
  3. A Sincere Suitor. “I wish that the spring of my motions, and principle of all my work, may be love to my Master, and not expectation of any temporal reward.” “I desire that my ends in the ministry may be purely to exalt the glorious name of God, in the conversion and edification of his precious and chosen ones.”
  4. A Wise Builder. “I wish . . . that, as a wise builder, I may lay the foundation of sound doctrine, raise up strong pillars of convincing reasons, and cover it with useful and powerful application.”
  5. A Skilled Physician. “I wish, that since I am a steward of the mysteries of Christ . . . that knowing the fear of the Lord, I may persuade men, and give to every on their particular and proper portion in due season.”
  6. A Diligent Student. “I wish that I  . . . may mind the work of the ministry, and make it appear that both in my preparation for, and execution of my office, I labor in the word and doctrine.”
  7. A Tender Mother. “I wish that I may be tenderly affected to all the souls in my charge, as knowing their worth, and believe of what concernment their unchangeable estates are in the other world.” “Lord, when I behold wounded, bleeding, dying souls, let mine eyes affect my heart with sorrow, that both mine eyes and heart by be up to thee, with the greatest importunity for a blessing upon my diligent endeavors for their recovery.”
  8. A Courageous Soldier. “I wish that, being a sworn soldier of the Lord of hosts, whatsoever trials and tribulations I meet in my holy warfare, whatsoever dangers and death shall look me in the face, I may never fly from my colors, or forsake my captain, but ‘endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.'” “My only safety consists in keeping close to my Savior.”
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A Retreating Pastor

Take a Break

A church member recently asked me, “When do you Sabbath?” My response was, “Why did you have to ask me that?” Because I know the answer and it isn’t a good one.

I said, “You can pray for me in this area, I really don’t rest well. I have too much I need to do and too much I want to do to rest. Or at least I think that’s the case.”

As I drove home two things came into my mind. First, how wonderful it is to have church members that care enough to ask a question! Appropriate and consistent rest undoubtedly fuels longevity in ministry. A healthy church will encourage one another in this truth and hold each other accountable to this truth. I am thankful that my congregation cares enough to lovingly correct my power-trippin’, pride-fuelin’ assault on rest.

The second thing I thought about was how I might better incorporate times of rest and retreat into my ministry. I do think there are times for prolonged sabbatical or vacation, but how realistic they are will vary. What’s more realistic are bite-sized sabbaticals and retreats. One helpful resource on this topic is an old lecture from Mike Bullmore entitled, “Watch Your Planning: The Strategic Role of Personal Retreats.” Here’s what Sovereign Grace Ministries says about the talk,

Any pastor benefits from periodic opportunities to contemplate, plan for, and pray about his ministry. These times away from the office allow unhurried reflection, refresh the pastor spiritually, encourage creativity, and practically express dependence on God.

Despite the benefits, difficulties remain. Leaving behind a mountain of work requires faith, and preparing for a fruitful retreat requires foresight and concrete objectives. With these challenges in mind, Mike Bullmore gives this seminar to help pastors plan for regular retreats. He addresses a retreat’s purpose and effects, gives practical pointers, and suggests ways to establish an effective cycle of preparation and review.

So if you, like me, are tempted to think the health of your church requires your incessant labor, let the wise Mr. Bullmore encourage you to retreat from such silliness.

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The Patience Paradigm

Patient Pastors

I fully intended to write a post at the beginning of this year on “Lessons Learned After 1 Year of Church Planting.” I may still do it. I can tell you right now that one prominent lesson has featured over these last thirteen months: the preeminence of patience in pastoral ministry.

As he lay in a prison cell thinking about his immanent departure from this world, the Apostle wrote to the Protege and there is an interesting emphasis he places on patience in ministry. In 2 Timothy 2:24-25 Paul writes, “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness.” Then he writes in 4:2, “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.”

Increasing patience in ministry is thus a mark ministerial health. From whence does such patience come? The Spirit’s work in the pastors heart (Gal. 5:22); it is a fruit of the Spirit after all.

Let’s turn this jewel of patience in the sun of Scripture and Christian prudence a bit to see its uncommon goodness. First, some presuppositions for patience, then some practices of patience.

PRESUPPOSITIONS FOR PATIENCE

If pastors are to every be known for their patience they must be familiar with God’s patience in Christ. In his first letter to Timothy Paul says he “received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.” The meditation is so rich for Paul that he composes one of his spontaneous doxologies in 1:17, singing, “To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” Pastors who pursue the fruit of patience would do well to meditate much on God’s patience to bring his own heart to faith in Christ.

A second presupposition for patience deals with the pastor’s aim in his ministry. Namely, a desire to stay in one place for a long period of time. If a pastor is eager to always move on to the bigger and better, what value will patience be in his ministry? Little. Patience in ministry presupposes a desire run the race of ministry with one people for a long period of time. In The Deliberate Church Dever and Alexander write,

Most of us think only about five or ten years down the road (if that). But patience in the pastorate requires thinking in terms of twenty, thirty, forty, and even fifty years in ministry. . . . Are you building a congregation or a career? Stay with them. Keep teaching. Keep modeling. Keep leading. Keep loving.

The patience revealed in the gospel and your purpose to stay with your people are fertile soils in which this fruit can grow.

PRACTICES OF PATIENCE

How then might pastoral patience display itself in shepherding and leadership? Three practices come to mind:

Patience and preaching. Patience is a great friend to our preaching ministry. We will exhaust ourselves if we measure our preaching primarily by immediate and tangible fruit. Preaching is the ordinary means to grow people in Christ, but God’s timetable for growth is usually quite different from our own. Preach to fatten up your people’s soul over time; patience will help you here.

Patience and praying. Just like preaching, patience is a kind companion for our prayer life. In Luke 18 our King gave a parable “to the effect that [we] ought always to pray and not lose heart.” An apparent lack of quick answers from God might frustrate our prayer life, but God might just intend the delay to create harder callouses on your knees. We are to wrestle with God in prayer, not letting Him go, and this striving won’t happen apart from persistent patience.

Patience and pastoring. By pastoring I mean everything else a minister does outside or preaching and praying. Health and joy in leadership, discipleship, evangelism, discipline, and exhortation are, in many ways, dependent on patience. We don’t want to be like the gardener who gets all excited about planting flowers, but then gives up if the seeds takes too long to sprout. Rather, we want to diligently water, fertilize, and cultivate the souls in our congregation knowing that growth takes time. Pastoring is dependent on patience.

So, preaching, praying, and pastoring are integrally linked with patience. It indeed makes sense then why the apostle would place such an emphasis on this elusive fruit. Patient pastors are works of God and gifts to His church. I hope to be one some day.

Eventually I will get around to putting up a “Lesson Learned in . . . of Ministry” list, but the more I think about it the more I realize how patience surrounds almost every lessons that pops into my mind. I raise my glass of the heavenly nectar and make a toast to patience-driven pastors.

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I Want to Live Like That

boston

To read the memoirs of Thomas Boston is to be struck by the earnestness with which one pastor pursued communion with God.

A typical entry in his Memoir reads like this: “Having allotted the morning entirely for prayer and meditation, some worldly thoughts crept in. . . . In the afternoon I somewhat recovered my forenoon’s loss.”  Vigorous in self-examination was he. One might say, “Don’t you think that kind of puritanical introspection is unhelpful?” Maybe. But I for one would love to see pastors today fall into the “Vigorous” category in their pursuit of God.

Beeke and Pederson say that, for Boston, personal organization was essential to the ministry, so he rose early each Monday morning and devoted hours to prayer and meditation. He was a man of regular prayer and fasting as he sought habitual communion with God. Evidently it didn’t take long for the public to notice his dedication to commune with God, for one biographer said,

When his congregation saw him enter the pulpit on the morning of the Lord’s day, they knew that they were looking into the face of one who had just come forth from intimate communion with God, and who at once was God’s ambassador and their friend.

I want to live like that.

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We Need Progressive Pastors

Progress in Ministry

“Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.” – 1 Timothy 4:15

My favorite show in television history is Band of Brothers. One of the episodes depicts a counter attack that one member of Easy Company called, “The highlight of all E Company actions for the entire war.”

On the night of October 4-5, 1944 a solider in Easy Company was wounded in patrol, so a small counter attack mission was organized. By the next morning, Lieutenant Winters realized that his platoon of thirty-five men was virtually surrounded by two German companies of 300 men.  Lt. Winters goes out into the field to be alone and think things through; he decided he had no choice but to attack.  So he calls his officers and says, “Talbert, take the third squad to the right. Peacock, take the first squad to the left. I’ll take the second squad right up the middle.” Everyone got set, Winters told his men to fix bayonets. As the sun begins to rise a base of fire is laid down at his signal and off Winters goes.  Storming down in front of his men, he leads them on to an incredible rout of the surrounding Germans.

In 1 Timothy 4:15 Paul tells Timothy to minister in such a way that all will see his progress. This word “progress” (προκοπὴ) is a military term that speaks of an advancing force. Just like Lieutenant Winters bold advance led his men into battle, the pastor’s growth is to be out in front of the people and of the kind that beckons other to follow.

The church needs progressive pastors. Permit me some rather random musings on the issue.

A PASSION FOR PROGRESS

Paul doesn’t require perfection, but he does require progression. The areas in which a pastor must grow are legion and beyond the scope of what I want to emphasize in this post. If you want a potent and pithy detailing of areas in which a pastor ought to show progress see Spurgeon’s lecture “The Necessity of Ministerial Progress.” His motto is “Go Forward”: go forward in personal attainments, forward in gifts and graces, forward in fitness for the work, and forward in conformity to the image of Jesus.

If you need some apostolic inspiration and direction for Spirit-wrought progress I’d encourage meditation on these two verses:

  • Progress in Life: “Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.” – 1 Timothy 6:11
  • Progress in Ministry: “Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.” – 1 Timothy 4:13

But I want to meditate on a couple clear presuppositions Paul has in his progressive exhortation.

THE PATIENCE OF PROGRESS

Clearly, Paul assumes that Timothy will minister in such a way that the Ephesians can actually see and attest to progress. Churches that only see their pastor behind the pulpit at the weekly worship gathering can affirm some aspects of progress, but not many. How would they affirm progress in managing the home? What about those intangible, yet hard to discern areas of spiritual fruit? If the pastor’s people are to notice his progress in life and ministry, his ministry must be in the life of his people. Increasingly so.

A second presupposition on pastoral progress is built on the reality of fruit being time-tested. Spiritual fruit is quite indiscriminate and organic. One notices it most clearly in hindsight and that hindsight normally has a fair distance attached to it. The longest I have stayed in one church was five years and I felt it was only in year three that discernible fruit was visible. Progress in life and ministry takes time and if the church is to “see” our progress we must be with them for quite some time. Just how long can be debated, but it’s safe to say the length is longer than the average pastor’s tenure. What’s best is staying in one place for life; what progress one church ought to observe in decades of ministry!

This even raises a similar point about church membership: if a pastor’s visible progress is dependent on long ministry in the same place, the church’s ability to affirm that progress is dependent on members staying in the same place for a long period.

Pastors must be progressive in the semper reformanda sense of the term. This kind of progress will be patient, plodding, and public. “Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Tim. 4:16).

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“That Guy”

That Guy

Yesterday I reflected a bit on some soul-searching wisdom from DA Carson. He said, “If I have learned anything in 35 or 40 years of teaching, it is that students don’t learn everything I teach them. What they learn is what I am excited about, the kinds of things I emphasize again and again and again and again. That had better be the gospel.”

One question that always pops into my mind when reading those words is, “What am I known for?” I, like every pastor, probably fit some bill as “that guy,” but what “guy” am I? What guy do I hope to be?

I remember reading an interview with Matt Chandler and he was asked, “To what level do you reveal to your people the suffering and hardship you deal with as a pastor? Is there a point you can exploit suffering?” The first part of his answer was challenging:

One of the things I wanted to be careful about with my ministry was becoming “the cancer guy.” I wanted to be the “gospel guy.”

That answer made me ask, for the first time, “What “guy” am I?

THE “2 TIMOTHY 2:24-25 GUY”

For better or worse, I think about that question a lot. If my wife or my church was asked to identify a few markers of my ministry I have a good hunch how they would answer. And if my hunches were in fact prophetic, I would be ok with the characterization.

But the more and more I preach, pray, and pastor the more I am hopeful that two verses in Scripture would become abundantly true in my ministry: 2 Timothy 2:24-25.

“And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness.”

Exactly how these two verses could be codified into a “that guy” phrase, I don’t know. But I know this, I want to be that guy.

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Your Greatest Excitement

Entrusted with the Gospel

In 1 Timothy 1:8-11 Paul says the the Law of Moses condemns and confronts sinners in their way of life that is contrary to sound doctrine, “in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God.”

This mention of the gospel now causes Paul to move from a digression on the Law’s condemnation to the Gospel’s salvation. And what a glorious digression it is! The apostolic rabbit trail unveils the cause, nature, and effect of the gospel, which are all summarized in the trustworthy saying of 1 Timothy 1:15: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.”

The rabbit trail that has the ultimate, and glorious, aim to lead us to faith in Christ.  Yet, I also think Paul’s power packed statement on the gospel and subsequent doxology in 1 Timothy 1:17 should lead us to an important corporate reality:

It would lead us to excitement in the gospel.

What we see in the life and ministry of Paul is that nothing was more exciting to him than God’s glory in Christ as revealed in the gospel.  His remembrance of sin inevitable leads him to cling to the glorious mercy of God in Christ and that good news excites him more than anything else. The importance of this should not be missed and D.A. Carson, one of the greatest biblical scholars of our time, I think captures it best. He said once, “If I have learned anything in 35 or 40 years of teaching, it is that students don’t learn everything I teach them. What they learn is what I am excited about, the kinds of things I emphasize again and again and again and again. That had better be the gospel.”1 What they learn is what I am excited about. So, what excites you?

I pray I would not be known preeminently by secondary things that excite me in this life (and maybe you too): books, diet, exercise, sports, or music.  I pray that our church would be most excited by the love of God in Jesus Christ and such excitement is what we would be known for.

Just a mention of the gospel causes Paul to launch into this most incredible reflection of God’s glory and love in Jesus. A gospel message stuffed into nine words (Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners), yet if we wanted to we could stretch it into all eternity and never exhaust its unsearchable riches.

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What’s Your Vision?

Church Vision

“What’s your vision for the church?” That was a question I received, not for the first time, in a recent membership class at our church. I responded, “It’s really quite simple: preach the word and be faithful to make disciples according to the word.”

But then I said, “If you want a more detailed version of that vision, just look at our church covenant.”

I am increasingly convinced that a church covenant is not only an essential document for the health of a local church, but that it also best represents the church’s collective vision. It’s the document that details how a church commits to live together. By signing the document every church member agrees to help the church to faithfulness and fruitfulness.

Here’s our church covenant.1 Read through it and see if it doesn’t represent a clear and concise vision for the church.

CHURCH COVENANT = CHURCH VISION

Having, as we trust, been brought by divine grace to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and to give up ourselves to him, and having been baptized upon our profession of faith, in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, we do now, relying on His gracious aid, solemnly and joyfully renew our covenant with each other.

We will work and pray for the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

We will walk together in brotherly love, as becomes the members of a Christian Church, exercise an affectionate care and watchfulness over each other and faithfully admonish and entreat one another as occasion may require.

We will not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, nor neglect to pray for ourselves and others.

We will endeavor to bring up such as may at any time be under our care, in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and by a pure and loving example to seek the salvation of our family and friends.

We will rejoice at each others’ happiness and endeavor with tenderness and sympathy to bear each other’s burdens and sorrows.

We will seek, by Divine aid, to live carefully in the world, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, and remembering that, as we have been voluntarily buried by baptism and raised again from the symbolic grave, so there is on us a special obligation now to lead a new and holy life.

We will work together for the continuance of a faithful evangelical ministry in this church, as we sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines. We will contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the Gospel through all nations.

We will, when we move from this place, as soon as possible, unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen.

  1. Originally written in 1878 at Capitol Hill Baptist Church. ↩
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On Covetousness in Ministry

9780851510873Part III of Charles Bridges’ timeless work The Christian Ministry covers “causes of ministerial inefficiency connected with our personal character.” One such cause is covetousness.

He writes, “Covetousness in ministers has almost grown to a proverb.” “The frequent Scriptural connections of this selfish principle with the sacred office, were doubtless intended to warn the servant of God of a most prevalent temptation.”

I don’t know of a pastor who would disagree that covetousness (which Col. 3:5 calls idolatry) is not always lurking in the shadows. So what is a pastor to do? How can we war against this vaunted, but vanquished, foe? One way is to meditate on Bridges’ answer to the question,

The most effectual preventions of this corroding passion are — to have but few wants — to learn from our poor Christian day-labourers to cultivate faith for the future – to live not for men or for time, but for eternity – to have the glory of God, and the good of our fellow-creatures constantly in view – to study our Master’s life and example – to obtain by habitual eyeing of the cross a gradual conformity to its spirit – and to remember, as Ministers, that an earnest desire to gain continually more souls to God is the sole avarice permitted to a pastor.

Wise. Challenging. Biblical.