Archive for the 'preaching' Category

I don’t cry at weddings-guys just don’t do that sort of thing.  But as I sat with Carole in the Evergreen Community Church, a church served by Village Missions in beautiful Redland, Oregon, tears began to flow down my cheeks as I learned more of this remarkable couple who stood before the congregation to exchange vows. 

Consider, Travis, the groom.  Travis grew up in a godly Christian home, a farm family in eastern Washington.  In High School Travis became convinced that God was leading him to some type of vocational Christian ministry.  Acting upon that conviction, he applied and was accepted at Moody Bible Institute.  God soon directed him into pastoral ministry and then, more specifically, into rural ministry.

I met Travis when he was in his junior year and John James and I were representing Village Missions at the annual Missions Conference.  Travis was interested in learning more about Village Missions.  The chair of the Pastoral Department, Dr. John Koessler, highly recommended him.  We had just changed our policy about accepting single young men.  Believing that God was leading him to Village Missions, Travis applied and we accepted him.  We assigned him to serve an internship of one year with Village Missionaries Tony and Kathy Pinkham, serving in Kettle Falls, WA.

Consider now Jennifer, the bride.  She is the daughter of Village Missionaries Steve and Lisa Rief.  She felt from an early age that God wanted her to be the wife of a Village Missionary.  But where was he?  In High school she patiently waited upon God.  Each year at staff conference at Cannon Beach, as I addressed the teens and challenged them to become Village Missionaries, she would be one of the teen girls that would say, “But we have to have a husband that wants to be a Village Missionary!”

Jennifer attended Ecola Bible School and still she waited.  Even at Ecola, none of the guys wanted to be a pastor.  Feeling that being a pastor’s wife was what God called her to be, she waited.  There was even a rock on the beach and Jennifer would go there, sitting on the rock, reading her Bible and praying.  Jennifer’s rock was not the rock she sat upon but the Rock of her salvation.  She cast herself upon that Rock, believing that if He had called her to that role then He would provide for her.  Would He?

Tony and Kathy Pinkham arrived at Cannon Beach in June 2008 for what would be our last staff conference for at least some time.  Travis stayed behind in Kettle Falls.  But as Kathy renewed ties with the Rief family at staff conference, and specifically Jennifer, she thought of Travis.  She mentioned Travis to Jennifer and he soon began to e-mail her.  They continued e-mailing and then met in person last September.

Now this young couple was standing in front of the congregation entering into the marriage covenant, led in the ceremony by Jennifer’s dad, Steve.  Their kiss, after Steve pronounced them husband and wife, was their first kiss.  They had waited until that time.

It was a holy moment and tears ran down my cheeks.  Holy, because it was before the body of Christ, faithfully ministered to by Village Missionaries over the years, and specifically by Jennifer’s parents, Steve and Lisa, since 1995.  Holy, because godly parents had raised them both in homes where Christ was preeminent.  Holy, because both were obeying God’s call to serve as Village Missionaries.  Holy, because both had waited upon God with trust and perseverance.  Holy, because we in the congregation powerfully glimpsed how much God cares about our individual lives, how much He cares about His church, how much He cares about marriage as the picture of His church, and yes, how much He cares about calling young couples to the great task of keeping country churches alive.

Every morning our staff at our Village Missions’ office has devotions and prayer.  Today, February 27, we read in Oswald Chamber’s devotion: “The thing that approaches the very limits of His power is the very thing we as disciples of Jesus ought to believe He will do.”  Village Missions has entered a time of believing Jesus for something that stretches our faith.

Stonecroft Ministries notified us recently that financial support for Village Missions will end effective March 31, 2009h 31, 2009
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Izbrano poglavje ne obstaja!

.  This will result in a loss of income to Village Missions of $40,000 per month.  The giving from Stonecroft Canada to Village Missions Canada remains unchanged at this point.

Our mission has enjoyed a “family” relationship with Stonecroft since our founding in 1948.  Helen Duff Baugh, founder of Stonecroft Ministries and Rev. Walter Duff Jr., founder of Village Missions, brother and sister, both had a deep burden for country churches and reaching country people with the Gospel.  For many years Village Missions was the project of Stonecroft Ministries, providing extensive prayer and financial support to Village Missions and to Village Missionaries.  Village Missions could never have affected so many communities and lives for Jesus Christ without the support of Stonecroft.  You can read more about the history of Village Missions at this link.

Stonecroft has decided to focus its efforts and resources on “encouraging and equipping women to impact their communities with the Gospel so that women and their families not only know Christ, but share Him with others.”  We will be praying that the Lord will bless those efforts and provide the needed resources for them to fulfill that vision.

Village Missions, as the Lord provides, will continue its calling to keep country churches alive.  The need is great.  North America, and especially rural North America, is an increasingly needy mission field.  Churches in rural areas are closing throughout our land.  Broken lives bear grim testimony to the despair of trying to live life without Jesus Christ.

The opportunities are great.  I have seen the hope of Jesus Christ brought to community after community through the ministry of Village Missions.  We send a dedicated couple to a church that asks for our help.  We provide salary and other forms of support so that our Village Missionary can devote his full energy to “Preaching the Word and loving the people.”  People come to Christ, their lives are changed, and even the community is transformed.  The people of Helix, OR learned this when Village Missions sent a dedicated couple to live in their town.

Years ago Hudson Taylor said, “God’s work done in God’s way will never lack God’s supply.”  I truly believe that God will supply the needs for the important ministry of Village Missions.

Does God have more for Village Missions to do?  Is serving with Village Missions or giving to Village Missions worthwhile in light of the many opportunities for service and giving that exist in today’s world?  What possible reasons are there to continue the incredibly and increasingly difficult struggle of keeping country churches alive?

Here are two more reasons why Village Missions should continue despite its current adversity.

Reason Six: It is important for Village Missions to continue because our approach to ministry is Biblical.

Sixty years ago, our founder, Rev. Walter Duff, Jr., described what he wanted missionaries to do in a succinct phrase: “Preach the Word and love the people.”  This phrase still captures our ministry today and is resoundingly Biblical.

Paul reflects on his ministry with the Thessalonians in 1 Thessalonians 2:1-131 Thessalonians 2:1-13
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2 ¹ For yourselves, brethren, know our entering in unto you, that it hath not been found vain: ² but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as ye know, at Philippi, we waxed bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God in much conflict. ³ For our exhortation [is] not of error, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile: ⁴ but even as we have been approved of God to be intrusted with the gospel, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God who proveth our hearts. ⁵ For neither at any time were we found using words of flattery, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness, God is witness; ⁶ nor seeking glory of men, neither from you nor from others, when we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ. ⁷ But we were gentle in the midst of you, as when a nurse cherisheth her own children: ⁸ even so, being affectionately desirous of you, we were well pleased to impart unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were become very dear to us. ⁹ For ye remember, brethren, our labor and travail: working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God. ¹⁰ Ye are witnesses, and God [also], how holily and righteously and unblameably we behaved ourselves toward you that believe: ¹¹ as ye know how we [dealt with] each one of you, as a father with his own children, exhorting you, and encouraging [you], and testifying, ¹² to the end that ye should walk worthily of God, who calleth you into his own kingdom and glory. ¹³ And for this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when ye received from us the word of the message, [even the word] of God, ye accepted [it] not [as] the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also worketh in you that believe.  

.  Called by God, they “had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition” (1 Thessalonians 2:21 Thessalonians 2:2
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2 but having suffered before and been shamefully treated, as ye know, at Philippi, we waxed bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God in much conflict.  

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).  Several verses in this passage speak to the importance of the proclamation of the Gospel message (vss. 2-5, 9, 11, 13).  Paul “preached the Word” because he knew it to be (in contrast to the relativistic emergents of today) “. . . what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe (1 Thessalonians 2:131 Thessalonians 2:13
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13 And for this cause we also thank God without ceasing, that, when ye received from us the word of the message, [even the word] of God, ye accepted [it] not [as] the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which also worketh in you that believe.  

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).  We believe that God transforms people as His Holy Spirit applies the preaching and teaching of the Word of God.

Yet Paul knew that his life had to be united with his message and that his love for the Thessalonians would and did give credibility to his message.  Paul’s love extended much beyond mere sentimentality but showed itself in a life devoted to ministering to them.  Rugged, doctrinally correct, intellectually astute Paul loved them “as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children (1 Thessalonians 2:71 Thessalonians 2:7
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7 But we were gentle in the midst of you, as when a nurse cherisheth her own children:  

).  Paul says that he was willing to “to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us” (1 Thessalonians 2:81 Thessalonians 2:8
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8 even so, being affectionately desirous of you, we were well pleased to impart unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were become very dear to us.  

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).

Paul’s “loving the people” showed itself in other ways as well.  He worked incredibly hard, “working night and day” (1 Thessalonians 2:91 Thessalonians 2:9
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9 For ye remember, brethren, our labor and travail: working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.  

) to bring them the Gospel.  He lived a life of complete integrity before them, not wishing to harm anyone by providing a poor example of following Christ (1 Thessalonians 2:101 Thessalonians 2:10
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10 Ye are witnesses, and God [also], how holily and righteously and unblameably we behaved ourselves toward you that believe:  

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).  He loved them enough to not wish to build his own following, or to enrich himself but rather to exhort them constantly to “. . . walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory” (1 Thessalonians 2:121 Thessalonians 2:12
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12 to the end that ye should walk worthily of God, who calleth you into his own kingdom and glory.  

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, see also 1 Thessalonians 2:4-61 Thessalonians 2:4-6
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4 but even as we have been approved of God to be intrusted with the gospel, so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God who proveth our hearts. ⁵ For neither at any time were we found using words of flattery, as ye know, nor a cloak of covetousness, God is witness; ⁶ nor seeking glory of men, neither from you nor from others, when we might have claimed authority as apostles of Christ.  

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).

So, for sixty years we have looked for missionary pastors, godly shepherds who would truly love people.  We have looked for men and women who wish to be involved in the lives of the people and the communities they serve.  Finding the balance in the time required to both effectively preach and love people will always be a challenge but our approach to ministry comes right out of the Bible.

Reason Seven: It is important for Village Missions to continue because of the quality of people who serve with us.

As a Village Missionary, I only knew the missionaries serving in my district.  Since becoming director, I have had the privilege of meeting all our Village Missionaries that serve in the United States and Canada, our office staff, and several retired Village Missionaries.  The quality of the men and women who serve or have served with Village Missions continually impresses me and I thank God for the privilege of serving such a quality group of people.  They are choice servants of God.

Other people notice this as well.  At one of our annual staff conferences in Estes Park, CO, we share the conference facilities with several groups.  One such group was a gathering of internists.  Our Navajo consultant, Nelson Betoney, befriended one of the couples, an internist from Illinois.  They attended one of our evening sessions and we met.  Later Susan e-mailed me, “We were blessed to share the dining hall with your group and to hear the praises of God so naturally shared around a dinner table.  Hopefully other physicians’ families were attentive to your witness for Christ!”

I realize that Village Missions is not the only organization that has quality people.  Countless missionaries, Christian workers, and pastors serve the Lord faithfully and well.  We tend to forget this when we are exposed to the Christian celebrity who seems to be more interested in building his own empire than in building the Kingdom of God.  I am just always personally struck by the quality of the missionaries who serve with us.

This stands to reason.  God has called our Village Missionaries to serve in out-of-the way places where little opportunity for reward or recognition exists.  They are willing to go to often isolated and tough places.  Dr. John Koessler, head of the pastoral department at Moody Bible Institute and co-author with Ron Klassen of No Little Places, once referred to Village Missionaries as the “Green Berets” of rural ministry.  Not all our missionaries serve in isolated or small places but most once did and all were willing to do so.

Remarkable results have occurred over the sixty years that Village Missions has served the Lord.  I can’t help but believe that God has gathered this small band of faithful men and women to continue to do remarkable and unexpected exploits in the spiritually darkening countries of the United States and Canada.

Lord willing, in the next blog or so, I’ll finish up with the final three reasons.

 

In Ephesians 6:18-20Ephesians 6:18-20
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18 with all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the Spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints, ¹⁹ And on my behalf, that utterance may be given unto me in opening my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.  

Paul closes his commands to stand firm and to put on the armor of God with a call to prayer.  Much of what Paul includes in this call to prayer is surprising.  It is causing me to rethink some of my ideas about prayer, especially as it relates to ministry.

We, first, would not expect Paul to call on us to pray as the way to advance in the spiritual battle.  Prayer is important, of course.  We would expect, however, for Paul to write something more about using the shield of faith or the sword of the Spirit.  Instead, clothed with the full armor of God, we engage the battle by prayer.  We often engage in activities other than prayer but for Paul, prayer is the activity.

We also do not expect Paul to have such a concern about praying for others.  We must “be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.”  We might expect Paul to command us to pray for ourselves, especially given that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood” (v. 12).  Although he does not rule out prayer for ourselves in the spiritual battle, the main thrust of our praying must be for our fellow soldiers who are also engaged in the battle.  As much as the spiritual armor is individually applied, we never fight the battle alone.  We stand in the evil day only as our brothers and sisters in the faith stand and they stand through our prayers.

Paul is not finished challenging our expectations.  If I were in jail as Paul was, I would pray that God might secure my release.  I would want my freedom most of all.  Also on the top of my prayer list would be safety and comfort while I was in jail.  I would want the guard I was chained to be extremely generous and kind.  “Please, Lord, if you would, provide adequate meals and a warm bed.  Oh-and help me to be strong spiritually in this ordeal!”

Instead, Paul asks that when he proclaims the mystery of the Gospel (not if), that he would have the words to speak (utterance) and that he would do so boldly (used in verses 19 and 20).  His priority, even in chains, is to proclaim the Gospel and to do so without intimidation.  He had prayed for the Ephesians that they would understand and appropriate the Gospel.  See Ephesians 1:15-23Ephesians 1:15-23
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15 For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you, and the love which [ye show] toward all the saints, ¹⁶ cease not to give thanks for you, making mention [of you] in my prayers; ¹⁷ that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; ¹⁸ having the eyes of your heart enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹ and what the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might ²⁰ which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly [places], ²¹ far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: ²² and he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, ²³ which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.  

and Ephesians 3:14-19Ephesians 3:14-19
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14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶ that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man; ¹⁷ that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God.  

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.  As one who has understood and appropriated the Gospel, he asks them to pray that he might make its wonders known without fear.

Why would Paul make such a request for speech rather than for release?  I think it is because he knows that he is an ambassador of the King of Kings.  An ambassador must represent his king in the way the king sees fit.  Paul’s king, Jesus, told him to proclaim the Gospel (Mat 28:18-20Mat 28:18-20
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18 And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: ²⁰ teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.  

; Acts 9:1-19Acts 9:1-19
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9 ¹ But Saul, yet breathing threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, ² and asked of him letters to Damascus unto the synagogues, that if he found any that were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. ³ And as he journeyed, it came to pass that he drew nigh unto Damascus: and suddenly there shone round about him a light out of heaven: ⁴ and he fell upon the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? ⁵ And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And he [said], I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: ⁶ but rise, and enter into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. ⁷ And the men that journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing the voice, but beholding no man. ⁸ And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw nothing; and they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. ⁹ And he was three days without sight, and did neither eat nor drink. ¹⁰ Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and the Lord said unto him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I [am here], Lord. ¹¹ And the Lord [said] unto him, Arise, and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus: for behold, he prayeth; ¹² and he hath seen a man named Ananias coming in, and laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight. ¹³ But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many of this man, how much evil he did to thy saints at Jerusalem: ¹⁴ and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call upon thy name. ¹⁵ But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel: ¹⁶ for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake. ¹⁷ And Ananias departed, and entered into the house; and laying his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, [even] Jesus, who appeared unto thee in the way which thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ And straightway there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight; and he arose and was baptized; ¹⁹ and he took food and was strengthened. And he was certain days with the disciples that were at Damascus.  

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).  Commitment to his job description as ambassador requires him to proclaim the Gospel.  Prayer from others on his behalf will enable him to do so with clarity and conviction.

Are we ambassadors?  2 Corinthians 5:17-212 Corinthians 5:17-21
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17 Wherefore if any man is in Christ, [he is] a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new. ¹⁸ But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave unto us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹ to wit, that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not reckoning unto them their trespasses, and having committed unto us the word of reconciliation. ²⁰ We are ambassadors therefore on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beseech [you] on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God. ²¹ Him who knew no sin he made [to be] sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.  

indicates we are.  Will we be so convinced of our ambassadorship that our main prayer request will be courage and clarity in proclaiming the Gospel?

Aaron Knapp, a student at Moody Bible Institute and a summer intern on our fields in Watersmeet and Bruce Crossing, MI first made me aware of D.A. Carson’s book about his father, titled “Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor.”  He provided a link to “Thoughts, Unleashed!“  Here are some of the quotes from the book on that web page that caused me to buy it and start reading it:

Some pastors, mightily endowed by God, are a remarkable gift to the church.  They love their people, they handle Scripture well, they see many conversions, their ministries span generations, they understand their culture yet refuse to be domesticated by it, they are theologically robust and personally disciplined.  … Most of us, however, serve in more modest patches.  Most pastors will not regularly preach to thousands, let alone tens of thousands.  They will not write influential books, they will not supervise large staffs, and they will never see more than modest growth.  They will plug away at their care for the aged, at their visitation, at their counseling, at their Bible studies and preaching.  Some will work with so little support that they will prepare their own bulletins.  They cannot possibly discern whether the constraints of their own sphere of service owe more to the specific challenges of the local situation or to their own shortcomings.  Once in a while they will cast a wistful eye on “successful” ministries.  Many of them will attend the conferences sponsored by the revered masters, and come away with a slightly discordant combination of, on the one hand, gratitude and encouragement, and, on the other, jealousy, feelings of inadequacy, and guilt.

Most of us-let us be frank-are ordinary pastors.

Dad was one of them.  This little book is a modest attempt to let the voice and ministry of one ordinary pastor be heard, for such servants have much to teach us.

Here is another one:

Tom Carson never rose very far in denominational structures, but hundreds of people … testify how much he loved them.  He never wrote a book, but he loved the Book.  He was never wealthy or powerful, but he kept growing as a Christian: yesterday’s grace was never enough.  He was not a far-sighted visionary, but he looked forward to eternity.  He was not a gifted administrator, but there is no text that says, “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you are good administrators.” 

Are there such ordinary pastors today?  Faithful men and their wives who love the Book and love the flock?  Who serve without desire for recognition or reward other than from the Savior they serve?  Who “plug away at their care for the aged, at their visitation, at their counseling, at their Bible studies and preaching?”

Many such faithful “ordinary” pastors exist in this country.  I am thoroughly blessed to serve just such a company of men and women.  Dr. John Koessler, head of the pastoral department at Moody Bible Institute, called them the “Green Berets” of home missions, going to the most challenging of settings.  They are Village Missionaries, serving in the country communities of the United States and Canada.

One such couple, a young couple, is Phil and Valorie Rownd, who have served in Pickstown, SD for seven years.  Read what Phil and Valorie wrote on their seventh anniversary in Pickstown:

Why God Kept Us in Pickstown for Seven Years

On February 18, we completed our seventh year shepherding this little South Dakota town.  I humbly admit that we don’t have a whole lot to show for our work.  Most of the people we have led to Christ have gone to be with Him in Heaven, or else they’ve moved to another community.  Seven years ago, there were 22 of us.  Today there are 42.  We haven’t even doubled.  After seven years, I expected more, and I have asked God about that.  But the Lord has been more faithful than we realize.  He has been faithful to the small number of folks who have lived here since the dam was built fifty plus years ago.  There aren’t many of them, but their heavenly Father loves them and He has given them a church and a pastor.  Then there are all those other 150 people who occupy the houses around here.  Pickstown really isn’t a tight-knit community like some small towns.  Most people come here for a while and then they die or their work takes them down the road.  Either way, most folks don’t stay here for more than 5 years or so.  Pickstown is just a brief stop on the greater course of their life.  But in God’s great wisdom and love for sinners, He makes sure this is a stop that counts.  He gives them an opportunity to believe the gospel and be built up in the faith before they leave Pickstown, either for Heaven, or for some other community where lost people need to hear about the Savior.  I am humbled by the phone calls and letters from former Pickstowners who have moved to other South Dakota villages, across our nation, and even to the other side of the world-and God is using them to lead lost people to Jesus!  WHO BUT GOD can measure the impact of your prayers for this town?

Listen also to what they have to say on this video.

Please pray for Phil and Valorie that they might continue to persevere faithfully.  Halfway through Carson’s book, I am learning that his dad battled with discouragement and despair.  Pray that our couples would know just how much God appreciates their faithfulness and they would be encouraged.  After all, Jesus went to a little place!  Pray that God would call many more couples like the Rownds to go to places no one else will go.

Dr. Al Mohler has written an excellent blog titled “Has God Called You?  Discerning the Call to Preach.”  I commend it to anyone who might be wondering whether God is calling you to be a pastor.  I would place more emphasis on the shepherding aspect of pastoral ministry (see my previous blog post), but overall Dr. Mohler is on target.

His article caused me to reflect on how I responded to the call to ministry.  I fought it!  Although I had presented myself to God as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2Romans 12:1-2
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12 ¹ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, [which is] your spiritual service. ² And be not fashioned according to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, and ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.  

) and should have responded willingly, I did not want to leave our comfortable surroundings.

Carole and I moved from Maine to a remote location in northern Idaho shortly after we were married.  We began attending a little country church in Fernwood, a church served by Village Missionaries Ray and Martha Bell.  I had been a believer for about a year when we began attending and didn’t even know the difference between the Old and New Testament.

No better place for discipleship and mentoring exists than a small country church with a dedicated pastor and his wife.  The Bells and others in the church mentored me.  As I grew, Pastor Ray provided various opportunities to minister.  I taught several Bible studies in our home and taught the adult Sunday School class.  I helped Pastor Ray with various evangelistic campaigns in which we saw many come to Christ.  Probably most challenging and helpful, Pastor Ray gave me several opportunities to preach.

Gradually, a growing discontent with my work (Idaho Highway Department and horseshoeing) combined with a growing passion to preach and to minister to people.  People in the church began to recognize that God was calling me into the ministry.  Pastor Ray encouraged this direction without in any way pushing me.

But it was so hard to leave!  By that time, we owned ten acres of land and enjoyed our life.  Although I was bored working for the Highway Department, it was one of the few year-round and full-time jobs in the area and it worked well with my horseshoeing.  God had to get my attention.

To make a long story short, a draft horse trampled me!  Just pulling his shoes for winter, he spooked when some snow slid off the roof and I fell underneath him.  This near death experience in which I was laid up for about a month was enough to cause me to decide to apply to some Bible colleges.  I wanted my life to count for something.

However, it was only a decision and as spring came nearer and thoughts of planting the garden grew, I postponed implementing the decision.  I am sure many others respond more quickly and easier to God, but not me-at least then.  After only one month back to work after my injury, I slipped and fell in a “freak” accident.  I broke my leg so badly that it required an operation to repair the damage.  This led me to finally apply to Moody Bible Institute.  I was accepted, we sold our home, and in July 1980, seven years after we arrived in Idaho, off we went to Chicago to begin preparation for the ministry.  I have only a very few times (in times of great weakness and struggle) regretted the answering of God’s call to be a pastor.

I have observed two things now in my role as Executive Director and I would like to solicit your comments and observations:

First, I have observed that fewer churches seem to be teaching the call of God into pastoral ministry.  Perhaps in an effort to teach that we are all called to ministry, the idea of a call to pastoral ministry or to full-time ministry appears to have been neglected.  Do you think this is true?  If you are a pastor, do you teach a call to pastoral ministry?

Second, I have observed that some young people appear almost frightened to enter pastoral ministry.  Although a healthy caution is wise, this seems more than that-more of a fear.  Such ones are willing to be youth pastors or on staff in a large church but they seem overwhelmed by the idea of being the pastor of a small church.  We have seen several young guys do quite well in Village Missions (I trust that our support structure helps) but several others seem reluctant to serve although they sense God’s call.  Is this observation correct and, if so, why?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

 In some ways, the transliteration of the word “pastor” from the Latin has been unfortunate.  It gives freedom to some to define the role of “pastor” as something other than a “shepherd”-the meaning of the Greek term translated in English as “pastor.”

For some, then, the modern role of the pastor must be “C.E.O.”  He is the “mover and shaker” leading his congregation in vision casting and mission and pity the poor parishioner who gets in his way!  For others, the role of the pastor must be “Professional.”  His ministry is all about professional development, professional conduct, and professional distance from those whom he leads.  For still others, the role of the pastor must be “Preacher.”  His virtually only duty is to deeply study and proclaim the Word of God, appearing from the confines of his study Sunday morning and a scant few other times to announce the gems from God’s Word he has gleaned.

Based on his strong commitment to the Word of God and to preaching, you might expect Dr. John MacArthur to be in the camp of the “Preacher.”  Thankfully, he is not!  He is in the camp of the pastor as shepherd, as he writes recently in his blog dated January 25, titled “More Than Just a Preacher.”  Just think about his title– “More Than Just a Preacher!”  I commend this article to all pastors who wish to fulfill their God-given role.

MacArthur delineates the five central functions of a true pastor or shepherd.  A shepherd is a rescuer, a feeder, a leader, a protector, and a comforter.  According to MacArthur,

Church leaders are undershepherds who guard the flock under the Chief Shepherd’s watchful eye (Acts 20:28Acts 20:28
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
28 Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood.  

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).  Theirs is a full-time responsibility because they minister to people who, like sheep, often are vulnerable, defenseless, undiscerning, and prone to stray.

Those who are faithful to this enormous task will receive a rich reward from the Chief Shepherd Himself.

In my experience as a pastor, we must keep all five functions in balance.  For example, we can easily give all our attention to feeding.  Quickly, however, we then lose passion and zeal as we lose personal sight of the desperate needs of God’s sheep.  If the shepherd gives attention to all, all functions work together to deepen wonderfully the ministry of the shepherd.  A shepherd giving attention to all functions will soon realize his absolute dependence upon the Chief Shepherd.

Village Missions is looking for men who know their calling is to be a shepherd of the flock.  We are actively working on ways to encourage them and support them in their role.

 The Christian blogosphere is abuzz with reaction to Willow Creek’s revelation that spiritual growth in their church has been less than satisfactory.  Village Missionary Steve Hall originally directed my attention to a blog at “Out of Ur.”  Attendance at programs in the church did not translate into changed lives.

Much of the reaction falls in the category of “Gotcha!”  These writers knew all along that Willow Creek was like the Platte River-a mile wide and an inch deep.  For example, Bob Burney writes:

Just as Spock’s “mistake” was no minor error, so the error of the seeker sensitive movement is monumental in its scope. The foundation of thousands of American churches is now discovered to be mere sand. The one individual who has had perhaps the greatest influence on the American church in our generation has now admitted his philosophy of ministry, in large part, was a “mistake.” The extent of this error defies measurement.

Much gentler, H.B. London writes in the Pastor’s Weekly Briefing, Nov. 9:

As I read various reports, I could not help but think of the thousands of pastors who did not buy into the “seeker sensitive” strategy who lost members and even their own ministry because they were out of touch. Teaching the fundamentals of faith was not enough.

You can find just about every blog article you wish about the controversy and then some at BILLYCHIA.COM.

Personally, I commend Willow Creek for their courage in asking hard questions about their spiritual effectiveness.  They could have easily coasted along surviving and thriving on their numbers.  They surveyed their attendees because they were interested in much more than numbers.

Not that I didn’t have problems with the Willow Creek approach, at least as I perceived it.  I never felt that the worship of the body of Christ was to be directed toward “unchurched Harry.”  I have this old-fashioned idea that we should worship God.  The idea of selective preaching to gain a crowd rather than preaching the whole counsel of God is abhorrent to me if that is indeed what was done.

I also had problems with the performance mentality in which everything done had to have the quality of a Broadway production.  Bill Hybels once spoke to a class I attended.  I asked him about Virginia.  Virginia definitely stood out in a crowd.  She was a large, over weight woman who was mentally handicapped.  She cut her own hair or, I should say, she chopped her own hair.  She had black, high-topped sneakers and always wore a ragged dress.  She sang in our choir, always wanting to stand in front.  Virginia didn’t know any better.  So, I asked Bill what he would do with Virginia.  He told the class that he would try to find a place for Virginia out of the limelight.

Of course, I was being smug and setting Bill up for an unspiritual answer.  I too was playing “Gotcha!”  He was exposed as not valuing the “least of these” and not being Christ-like.  In actuality, however, Virginia often embarrassed me.  I often wished she would quit the choir, especially when we had a visitor who did not know the story behind her.  I didn’t want her up front either!

I think a country church has the wonderful potential to produce growing Christians.  A pastor in a country church can model what it means to follow Christ and he knows the spiritual level of his people.  He has a unique opportunity to mentor them.  I experienced this myself as Village Missionary Ray Bell mentored me.

But we shouldn’t be too smug as we learn of Willow Creek.  Would our people be any better off spiritually if we surveyed them?  Would we have the courage to ask them about the effectiveness of our preaching or our programs?

Big or small, rural, suburban, or urban any of us can fall into the trap of ministering to succeed.  I did at times.  If we minister out of faithfulness to God and His Word perhaps He will be pleased to produce true spiritual fruit.  Perhaps then, according to Hebrews, we will be able to give adequate account for the souls under our charge.  Even such souls as Virginia!

 As word of my cancer has spread, many people have come up to me and expressed their loving concern.  Several have told me that they are praying for me and asked me how I was doing and how I was feeling.  This has been especially true at Stonecroft Ministries where the staff takes very seriously the ministry of prayer.  I am extremely thankful for your concern and the tremendous missionary family I have the privilege of serving.

                                      

Physically, I am feeling better than I have felt in a long time because I have lost some weight.  My prostate cancer was not diagnosed because of the presence of symptoms.  Instead, my annual blood work indicated an increasing P.S.A. level that led to a biopsy.  Actually, it is very serious if you have symptoms with prostate cancer, as symptoms are an indication that it hasn’t been detected early enough.  Men, please have your annual blood work done!

As I write this, it is exactly one month until my surgery on Dec. 3.  I am doing well emotionally and spiritually now but it is conceivable that as surgery draws near I won’t be doing as well.  I can imagine that the closer the day is, the higher my anxiety will be.  Could it be that the day of the surgery, as I pull into a parking space at the hospital, my hands will freeze fast to the steering wheel?  Will they drag me kicking and screaming into surgery with me only becoming calm when they give me the “La-La” juice?

The possibility of my becoming a basket case brings me to another way that God is strengthening me.  God has strengthened me through the knowledge that no matter how weak I become God will not forsake me.  His staying with me through any trial has nothing to do with my strength but everything to do with His strength and the completeness of what He has done for me in Christ.  Are not the fantastic (virtually unbelievable, but completely believable because they are from God) promises of Romans 8:31-39Romans 8:31-39
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God [is] for us, who [is] against us? ³² He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things? ³³ Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth; ³⁴ who is he that condemneth? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ³⁶ Even as it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; We were accounted as sheep for the slaughter. ³⁷ Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. ³⁸ For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  

perfectly appropriate for minor trials such as mine as well as the severest trial?

I can be weak, fearful, full of anxiety about the surgery or its outcome without ever worrying that my weakness will separate me from God.  He has promised me it will not!

Of course, it would not be good public relations for the Executive Director of Village Missions to be screaming as he enters the hospital!  Neither is it good for a Village Missionary to scream in panic when encountering a trial!  Unfortunately, many of us maintain the appearance of strength on the outside while inwardly we are screaming.  After all, we have to maintain the image of the pastor or the director who is in control!  That is nothing but hypocrisy and such false spirituality does no one any good.  Yet total weakness in the face of adversity would undercut everything we have ever preached about the sufficiency of Christ!  It would certainly undercut everything I have written in this blog thus far about my cancer.

What is the answer?  In my weakness, knowing that God has not forsaken me, I must cling to God’s strength.  It is good to come to the end of our resources and it is even necessary to come to the end of our resources so that we turn to the strength of God.  We must turn to God in the midst of our anxiety and panic.

Paul identifies and illustrates what we must do in 2 Corinthians 12:7-102 Corinthians 12:7-10
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
7 And by reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted overmuch, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, that I should not be exalted overmuch. ⁸ Concerning this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. ⁹ And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for [my] power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰ Wherefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.  

.  He came to God in his weakness caused by the “thorn in the flesh.”  God kept reminding Paul of the sufficiency of His grace.  He informed Paul of a spiritual growth process in which power was “perfected in weakness.”  I think the process was a weaning away in Paul his reliance on his own strength in favor of a developing reliance on God’s strength.  He came to the place where he even relished weakness because of the opportunity for the display of God’s power in him.

I have entered the school of weakness.  It has a curriculum that can be learned in no other way.  I am strengthened in this trial by knowing of an unending love that does its greatest work of grace in the times I am the weakest.  How am I doing?  I am actually doing better by having this opportunity for the display of God’s power than I was doing before I had cancer.

May we embrace every trial we encounter as part of the rich and thoughtful design of God to display His power in our life!

I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 2 Tim 4:1-32 Tim 4:1-3
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
4 ¹ I charge [thee] in the sight of God, and of Christ Jesus, who shall judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: ² preach the word; be urgent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. ³ For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts;  

NASU
 

Preaching is our most important responsibility as shepherds of the flock of God.  God has tasked the pastor with the faithful, accurate proclamation of His Word and I believe He will hold us accountable for the unfaithful discharge of our chief responsibility.  We are not responsible for what our flock does with the Word of God—the Spirit of God and they are responsible for that—but we are responsible to announce its truth plainly and boldly.
 

I intend this article as a bridge from the series I was doing on creating opposition in the church through our own fault and the opposition that comes when we take a Biblical stand.  On the positive side, if we focus on “Preaching the Word and loving the people” we can avoid much opposition.  In this article I want to explore “Preaching the Word.”
 

Let me add that I in no way want to add further burdens or false expectations to anyone.  I know that many in ministry feel as if one more straw would break their camel’s back.  I firmly believe, however, that proper attention to our preaching ministry will lighten our load and not add to it.  A pastor who is deepening his preaching ministry will often be deepening the spiritual depth of his flock and will certainly be deepening his own walk with the Lord.  We do much to help ourselves when we pay attention to our preaching.
 

By emphasizing preaching I do not deemphasize “loving the people.”  Lack of sacrificial, Christ-like love will undermine everything you say.  You will model for your people a person who says one thing and does something quite different.  They will be quite complacent in remaining in their spiritual hypocrisy as they observe yours.  Ideally, “loving the people” should be the outflow of a deepening personal application of Scripture in which we are becoming more Christ-like.  Paul wrote the Galatians, “My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you” (Gal 4:19-20Gal 4:19-20
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
19 My little children, of whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you-- ²⁰ but I could wish to be present with you now, and to change my tone; for I am perplexed about you.  

NASU).  Certainly Christ must be formed in us as we expect His formation in God’s flock through our preaching.
 

Our preaching ministry will in most cases make or break our ministry.  Generally speaking, well fed sheep are happy sheep.  They are much less likely to be breaking down fences in search of food, pushing and biting each other, and going off in wild directions when they have plenty of good, green grass.
 

What are some common pitfalls we face in our preaching ministry?
 

Lack of adequate preparation is certainly one.  It is hard work to prepare a sermon!  For one thing, how can we grapple with our personal application of the text if we are throwing together a sermon at the last minute?  Village Missionaries perhaps struggle with this more so than other pastors.  We stress a relational ministry in which we are with our people.  That takes time—sometimes a lot of time.  Yet with discipline we can carve out adequate preparation time as well.
 

Some of us may need to get up early.  We might have to schedule our study time, allowing the possibility for major interruptions.  Often, we waste the time we have looking at e-mails, doing this and that—everything but the deep digging into the text that we need.  Certainly, the most critical and important thing we do deserves the priority of our attention.
 

Another pitfall involves inattention to communication.  I recently learned of a Village Missionary who is preaching 45 minutes or longer to his congregation.  He is sharing all the deep truth he learns in his study of the Word but his congregation is dismayed because they don’t understand much of what he says!  If he continues on his present path, he won’t last long, no matter what we try to do to help him.
 

We need to understand that it is our responsibility as a communicator of God’s truth to communicate.  Communication, especially in today’s world, involves sensitivity to the needs of the listener.  You remember the basics of your preaching class.  We have to begin by giving people a reason to listen.  Our message should center on one idea, the homiletical idea that gives unity and clarity to the message.  We have to help people transition through our message, making sure that main points are highlighted as main points and each is logically related to the other and certainly tied to the text.  Extraneous material needs to be avoided as it only confuses the listener.  We conclude our message with something that cements the truth and gives a call to action.
 

It is hard work to study a text of Scripture.  It is even harder work to communicate it clearly.  I don’t recall ever preaching a message where I was fully satisfied that it was the best it could be.  Someone who feels that he should preach at least 45 minute messages on a Sunday morning should start by preaching 20 or at the most 30 minute messages.  Only the very best preachers can hold a congregation’s attention beyond that.  When your congregation starts begging you to go longer and expresses disappointment at the shortness of the message, then you will have the freedom to lengthen your messages.
 

Another pitfall is preaching hobby horses or minor points of doctrine.  Old timers in Village Missions may remember that Rev. Duff discouraged missionaries from using the word “predestination.”  I imagine as a former Presbyterian minister Rev. Duff believed in predestination (maybe he did not) but he knew that this doctrine was beyond the scope of our statement of faith and tended to divide believers.
 

Rev. Duff launched this mission with a non-denominational approach that majors on the majors and works quite well, especially in rural communities.  He recognized that a strong stand for major gospel truth will bring people to faith and growth in Christ, while inevitably alienating some.  He also recognized that a strong stand for every detailed minor position will inevitably alienate many, including other believers.  In such a case, the work of the Gospel is not furthered but hindered.
 

We have not changed our approach!  For one thing, imagine how difficult it will be for the Village Missionary following you if he has a different doctrinal perspective!  The one who takes a strong stand on all the five points of Calvinism will make it extremely difficult on a following missionary with a less reformed perspective.  The one who believes in the free will of the sinner will make it difficult on the one with a reformed perspective if “free will” is taught and promoted.  The one who teaches a post-trib rapture will make it difficult for the pre-trib guy.  Major on the majors and use sensitivity and wisdom in dealing with the minors!  If you must discuss doctrines other than the statement of faith do so by surveying the various perspectives.  Much better yet, preach through books of the Bible and faithfully teach your passage.  Be able to defend what you say from that passage and the context of the book. 
 

I realize I will be ruffling some feathers by writing this.  Some feel they must campaign for their particular flavor of theology and feel it would be compromising to not lead their congregation to a “liberating” knowledge of the truth.  Yet, how wonderful if our flock would simply grasp and live the truths reflected in our statement of faith!  Given our world’s ignorance of Scripture, it will take many years of ministry before they will understand the simple but major doctrine reflected in our statement of faith.
 

Another pitfall is to not work at improving your preaching.  There are many resources out there to help us, whether they are books, tapes, or preaching seminars.  Especially if we are getting complaints about our messages, we should be striving to improve.  Your D.R. can be a great resource.  Why not record your message, send it to your D.R., and ask him to suggest ways to improve your preaching?  It is much better that this happen then a church member sending a tape to establish his complaint about your preaching ministry.
 

Finally, perhaps the most serious pitfall of all is to not apply personally what you preach.  Your congregation will constantly be watching you to see if you believe the truths of the gospel enough to apply them.  How can we preach on the Great Commission, for example, if we don’t try to lead someone to Christ ourselves?  How can we preach on humility if we react with anger to criticism from a member of our church?  I know how hard it is under the pressure of ministry to do the hard work of personal application and I’m not saying I did a very good job.  Yet I do remember wonderful, devotional times of study as the great truths of Scripture penetrated my soul.  It is one of the areas I miss most about the pastorate.
 

Applying your own sermons will sustain and even bless you in ministry.  If they don’t, do you think your messages will sustain and bless your flock?  My challenges in applying messages reminded me of how challenging it was for the congregation to do so.  Perhaps avoiding this pitfall of not applying your messages will do the most to avoid the others.  As a vibrant, real experience of Jesus Christ shines through your message and your life, perhaps they will not even mind if you go a little longer.  But please, not an hour!