“It is no secret that Christ’s Church is not at all in good health in many places of the world. She has been languishing because she has been fed, as the current line has it, “junk food”; all kinds of artificial preservatives and all sorts of unnatural substitutes have been served up to her. As a result…”
Read the rest here:Physically Healthy and Spiritually Bankrupt
“It is no secret that Christ’s Church is not at all in good health in many places of the world. She has been languishing because she has been fed, as the current line has it, “junk food”; all kinds of artificial preservatives and all sorts of unnatural substitutes have been served up to her. As a result, theological and biblical malnutrition has afflicted the very generation that has taken such giant steps to make sure its physical health is not damaged by using foods or products that are carcinogenic or otherwise harmful to their physical bodies. Simultaneously a worldwide spiritual famine resulting from the absence of any genuine publication of the Word of God (Amos 8:11) continues to run wild and almost unabated in most quarters of the Church.”
–Walter C. Kaiser, Jr., Toward an Exegetical Theology (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1981), 7-8.
Dr. Kaiser’s quote is a good reminder for those of us that are leaders in the church and will be stepping into pulpits and classrooms this coming Sunday. Serve a hearty meal of the Word to God’s people. Leave out the artificial fillers, by-products, dyes, and chemicals. Give them rich doctrine, deep theology, and filling and nutritious worship. Point them to God and leave them with a sense of awe. Make it your goal to have the best fed sheep in town who long to hear from God and love to sit at His feet.
It’s no accident that the New Testament uses the term “pastors” because of the similarities of the duties of Christian leaders and the herdsmen of the time. The pastor or sheep-herder/shepherd was to constantly be among his sheep, tending them, feeding them, watching over them, leading them, and caring for them personally.
Read the rest of the post here: Don’t Just Tell Them What to Do
“According to some estimates, 80 percent of what is learned comes through imitation and 20 percent by instruction. The 20 percent is crucial because it establishes what ought to be imitated and how to conserve it, but most of what we learn is acquired by imitation. Therefore, being a model with character integrity is a priority.”
Reeder III, Harry L.. The Leadership Dynamic: A Biblical Model for Raising Effective Leaders . Crossway. Kindle Edition.
It’s no accident that the New Testament uses the term “pastors” because of the similarities of the duties of Christian leaders and the herdsmen of the time. The pastor or sheep-herder/shepherd was to constantly be among his sheep, tending them, feeding them, watching over them, leading them, and caring for them personally.
I know there are some fundamentalists that like to call the leaders of the local church the “preacher” and those training for ministry “preacher-boys,” but the Bible doesn’t use these labels for those that lead the church. Preaching or proclaiming (Gk. kerusso) is only one responsibility (albeit a very important one) of those who lead the flock of God, but it is not the only one, and those that hold the opinion that they are simply to preach and God will do the rest will find that the sheep need more than simply a preacher-boy.
When writing to the churches he ministered to, the Apostle Paul often spoke of the personal influence he had through more than just teaching. Teaching was a part, but it necessitates that the disciple is able to follow an example. To the Corinthian church he wrote: “For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me.” (1 Corinthians 4:15–16, ESV)
For Paul, being a spiritual father meant more than simply preaching. The Great Commission demands that we train up these spiritual children in the way they should go, to borrow from Proverbs 22:6. And like every other child, they need to have a model to follow so that they can see what the instruction they receive is supposed to look like.
So, make sure that your teaching times are also supplemented with plenty of personal interaction with the sheep so that they can learn to become imitators of Christ by watching you and the other spiritually mature believers walk in obedience to Christ.
“When the rule of Rehoboam was established and he was strong, he abandoned the law of the Lord, and all Israel with him.” 2 Chronicles 12:1
What a warning biblical leaders have in the example of King Rehoboam! The above verse shows the downfall of many, and O how the mighty have fallen!
When a ruler or leader becomes established and strong, it is then that so many no longer depend upon the Lord, but instead abandon Him for their own strength. King Uriah did this, and so did Hezekiah. David as well as Saul before him.
What a profound warning for all rulers and leaders! We all need to take heed, lest we fall when we think that we are strong and self-sufficient. How can we know that this is happening?
These are a few of the symptoms of a servant who has become a king in their own mind. May we never forget that there is only one King whom we serve and Jesus is His name. The rest of us are but stewards and under shepherds by His grace.
