My son awoke us at 2am and said Shelby Lee was dead and his best friend, Cory, was in the car too. This is a great and tragic loss. While we all tried to comfort one another, all we could think to do was to pray. In the early morning hours, devastating news came. Some have lost a child, others have lost a sister, a dear friend, a classmate. Today, as we try to grapple with the reality of how much is lost, some are losing their innocence, some are losing normal, others are losing hope – all of us are losing sleep.
Why? Because there is no comfort or rest in death. There is no human understanding in tragedy – only the numb weight of wondering if anything could have been done or said to stop it all from happening. But it’s too late for that and we all know it and that’s what hurts. At some point, some day, we can more easily evaluate (for all of us) what there is to gain. As believers, we strangely must receive life through the process of death. God never guarantees a certain amount of years on this earth; life is not a right, but a privilege and a blessing. What is there to gain by this tragedy? Only God knows. But safe to say, that out of death, life is always produced when sifted through God’s hands, and all things that Satan intended for evil, God can make good (2 Cor. 12:3). I’m praying not only for the affected families, but for all of us.
Let us all be changed from this day forward. The best thing we can do for Shelby is to live differently; live by thanking God for every moment; live with intention and purpose; live without apathy or waste; live to serve Him with everything we have to to save as many as we can. Let Shelby’s life be a seed that is planted in all of us that forces our faith to grow. Let Shelby’s premature death be an extension of life for us, for there is only life through a life lived with and for Jesus Christ. Honor Shelby by allowing God to rock your world, and shake you from the clutches of anything that is associated with this world. This world offers nothing of lasting value – it is life sucking, toxic and offers no hope. Our hope is in a life lived for Christ – where this world is simply a passing stop on the way to righteous glory, where there is no pain, no tears, and no death. I don’t know if Shelby Lee ever lost a wrestling match; I’m sure she did, but certainly they were few and far between. But we all know that she was a fighter, and if she could have possibly won this match, she would have. This one slipped away.
My prayers are with Cory and any other kids involved as well. I pray peace and comfort for all the families involved. Cling to each other, find the stories, lock in the memories, be on your knees, and allow the healing to wash over you hour by hour.
Jerry Blanchard
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
What is the purpose of the church?
A local pastor uses the following statement as one of his primary promoting messages to underscore the purpose of church, "The church is not a museum for saints, but a hospital for sinners." Quaint and catchy term, but is it accurate?
Both sides of the statement, in the most obvious way, are true, but misleading at the same time. Biblically and doctrinally, the word "saint" certainly does not mean "without sin". We read about many saints in the Bible, but all of them were depraved and sinful in and of themselves, apart from Christ. The other way we hear "saints" are those who have done great works and self-sacrifice on behalf of the Lord, but they typically are not the ones sitting in churches as spiritual consumers.
On the other side of the statement, stating that the church is a place for sinners is true, because we are ALL sinners, including pastors and leaders of the church. However, if one is promoting the church to be a "hospital", we have to be careful not to imply that the church is the "place" or the "method" or the "panacea" for personal or spiritual happiness, as if the church, and not God in the church, is the surgical healer of what stinks in us. The problem with the church being defined as a "hospital" implies that it's the church that somehow is the cure for what ails us, and that if we just find one in our neighborhood that is "cool" and "hip" enough, we can lie in our spiritual sick bed (the pew) until one day we are remediated enough to be acceptable to the world and live out a happy and content life. This is a losing proposition and that is why the church is in decay and decline, no matter what the attendance numbes indicate. Promoting a dilluted and distorted gospel that is sefl-focused is the quickest way to a post-Christian society.
Which begs the question: "What is the purpose of the church?"
Acts 2:42 could be considered a purpose statement for the church: “They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” According to this verse, the purposes/activities of the church should be 1) teaching biblical doctrine, 2) providing a place of fellowship for believers, 3) observing the Lord’s supper, and 4) praying.
The church is to teach biblical doctrine so we can be grounded in our faith. Ephesians 4:14 tells us, “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.” The church is to be a place of fellowship, where Christians can be devoted to one another and honor one another (Romans 12:10), instruct one another (Romans 15:14), be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32), encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11), and most importantly, love one another (1 John 3:11).
The church is to be a place where believers can observe the Lord’s Supper, remembering Christ’s death and shed blood on our behalf (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). The concept of “breaking bread” (Acts 2:42) also carries the idea of having meals together. This is another example of the church promoting fellowship. The final purpose of the church according to Acts 2:42 is prayer. The church is to be a place that promotes prayer, teaches prayer, and practices prayer. Philippians 4:6-7 encourages us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Another commission given to the church is proclaiming the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). The church is called to be faithful in sharing the gospel through word and deed. The church is to be a “lighthouse” in the community (not just to popular causes), pointing people toward our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The church is to both promote the gospel and prepare its members to proclaim the gospel (1 Peter 3:15).
In contrast, today's liberal churches, the gospel in its pure form is not enough. They have let secularism dominate inside their doors, seeking the world's wisdom, believing and promoting the world's theology, following the world's agenda, and adopting the world's methods. Their prevailing belief is that the Bible and the straight purity of the gospel message is unable and insufficient to meet the demands of life in these postmodern times. By itself, God's Word is insufficient to win people to Christ, promote spiritual growth, provide practical guidance, or transform society. Their goal is to be "cool" in Christ, rather than be a "fool" for Christ. As James Boice states in his book , Doctrines of Grace, "So churches supplement the plain teaching of Scripture with entertainment, group therapy, political activism, social justice, signs and wonders - anything that promises to appeal to religious consumers." The world's agenda is personal happiness, so the gospel is presented as a plan for individual fulfillment rather than as a pathway of costly discipleship....givng them what they really want, instead of what they really need.
The church is to equip believers in Christ with the tools they need to overcome sin and remain above the pollution of the world; not that we will never sin, but that when we sin...our sins will be clearly and swiftly shown to us and brought to bear through conviction (hopefully before we act on them), that we will humbly repent and turn from our wicked ways...each minute, each hour, every day until things are made right again in the new world. This can only be done through expository Biblical teaching, careful explanation of doctrine and Christian fellowship to encourage each other along the way. The church does not exist to make people feel better, or comfortable, but to educate, equip and encourage people to trust in the Lord, obey His commands, and cast their cares upon Him in ALL circumstances of life; good, bad, happy or sad.
Both sides of the statement, in the most obvious way, are true, but misleading at the same time. Biblically and doctrinally, the word "saint" certainly does not mean "without sin". We read about many saints in the Bible, but all of them were depraved and sinful in and of themselves, apart from Christ. The other way we hear "saints" are those who have done great works and self-sacrifice on behalf of the Lord, but they typically are not the ones sitting in churches as spiritual consumers.
On the other side of the statement, stating that the church is a place for sinners is true, because we are ALL sinners, including pastors and leaders of the church. However, if one is promoting the church to be a "hospital", we have to be careful not to imply that the church is the "place" or the "method" or the "panacea" for personal or spiritual happiness, as if the church, and not God in the church, is the surgical healer of what stinks in us. The problem with the church being defined as a "hospital" implies that it's the church that somehow is the cure for what ails us, and that if we just find one in our neighborhood that is "cool" and "hip" enough, we can lie in our spiritual sick bed (the pew) until one day we are remediated enough to be acceptable to the world and live out a happy and content life. This is a losing proposition and that is why the church is in decay and decline, no matter what the attendance numbes indicate. Promoting a dilluted and distorted gospel that is sefl-focused is the quickest way to a post-Christian society.
Which begs the question: "What is the purpose of the church?"
Acts 2:42 could be considered a purpose statement for the church: “They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” According to this verse, the purposes/activities of the church should be 1) teaching biblical doctrine, 2) providing a place of fellowship for believers, 3) observing the Lord’s supper, and 4) praying.
The church is to teach biblical doctrine so we can be grounded in our faith. Ephesians 4:14 tells us, “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.” The church is to be a place of fellowship, where Christians can be devoted to one another and honor one another (Romans 12:10), instruct one another (Romans 15:14), be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32), encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11), and most importantly, love one another (1 John 3:11).
The church is to be a place where believers can observe the Lord’s Supper, remembering Christ’s death and shed blood on our behalf (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). The concept of “breaking bread” (Acts 2:42) also carries the idea of having meals together. This is another example of the church promoting fellowship. The final purpose of the church according to Acts 2:42 is prayer. The church is to be a place that promotes prayer, teaches prayer, and practices prayer. Philippians 4:6-7 encourages us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Another commission given to the church is proclaiming the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). The church is called to be faithful in sharing the gospel through word and deed. The church is to be a “lighthouse” in the community (not just to popular causes), pointing people toward our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The church is to both promote the gospel and prepare its members to proclaim the gospel (1 Peter 3:15).
In contrast, today's liberal churches, the gospel in its pure form is not enough. They have let secularism dominate inside their doors, seeking the world's wisdom, believing and promoting the world's theology, following the world's agenda, and adopting the world's methods. Their prevailing belief is that the Bible and the straight purity of the gospel message is unable and insufficient to meet the demands of life in these postmodern times. By itself, God's Word is insufficient to win people to Christ, promote spiritual growth, provide practical guidance, or transform society. Their goal is to be "cool" in Christ, rather than be a "fool" for Christ. As James Boice states in his book , Doctrines of Grace, "So churches supplement the plain teaching of Scripture with entertainment, group therapy, political activism, social justice, signs and wonders - anything that promises to appeal to religious consumers." The world's agenda is personal happiness, so the gospel is presented as a plan for individual fulfillment rather than as a pathway of costly discipleship....givng them what they really want, instead of what they really need.
The church is to equip believers in Christ with the tools they need to overcome sin and remain above the pollution of the world; not that we will never sin, but that when we sin...our sins will be clearly and swiftly shown to us and brought to bear through conviction (hopefully before we act on them), that we will humbly repent and turn from our wicked ways...each minute, each hour, every day until things are made right again in the new world. This can only be done through expository Biblical teaching, careful explanation of doctrine and Christian fellowship to encourage each other along the way. The church does not exist to make people feel better, or comfortable, but to educate, equip and encourage people to trust in the Lord, obey His commands, and cast their cares upon Him in ALL circumstances of life; good, bad, happy or sad.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Earrings_N_Things
Dear Ana,
Love hurts… but only a little. (referening the ear piercing)
Your mom and I thought long and hard about whether you were mature enough to make good decisions in wearing earrings. I guess you could say that this is a step towards us trusting that you understand what an important responsibility this is.
1 Timothy 2:9 says, “And I want women to get in there with the men in humility before God, not primping before a mirror or chasing the latest fashions but doing something beautiful for God and becoming beautiful doing it.”
Getting your ears pierced is an opportunity to express yourself in ways that just simply draw attention to yourself, or in ways that honor God. I pray that you will decide to honor God in your earring choices in the future, but for now, we have some rules you’ll need to follow:
1. Starter studs stay in for the first six weeks.
2. After that, studs for a year (until you are 13). No dangly ones.
3. Don’t try to grow up too fast…enjoy being 12!
Love,
Dad
Love hurts… but only a little. (referening the ear piercing)
Your mom and I thought long and hard about whether you were mature enough to make good decisions in wearing earrings. I guess you could say that this is a step towards us trusting that you understand what an important responsibility this is.
1 Timothy 2:9 says, “And I want women to get in there with the men in humility before God, not primping before a mirror or chasing the latest fashions but doing something beautiful for God and becoming beautiful doing it.”
Getting your ears pierced is an opportunity to express yourself in ways that just simply draw attention to yourself, or in ways that honor God. I pray that you will decide to honor God in your earring choices in the future, but for now, we have some rules you’ll need to follow:
1. Starter studs stay in for the first six weeks.
2. After that, studs for a year (until you are 13). No dangly ones.
3. Don’t try to grow up too fast…enjoy being 12!
Love,
Dad
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Why I Teach Kids
A friend of mine recently flew down to Sacramento to run a marathon in the rain. I have to admit that my first thought was to ask him what planet he was from. My second thought, however, was a bit more introspective: “What propels this man to fly to California to run 26 miles for 3 hours and 30 minutes in a downpour, beating his body to the point of sheer exhaustion?” So I asked him.
He said that he needed to run in the race and finish under a certain time, to qualify for the Boston Marathon, a lifelong dream of his. Ah, then I understood! He was striving, enduring, and punishing his body because there was a bigger prize at stake. It’s always the bigger prize, or the higher purpose, that drives us to accomplish the smaller things along the way.
I’ve never thought of applying a running analogy to teaching kids the Word of God, but I guess it fits pretty well. Like running a marathon, teaching kids isn’t for everyone; in fact, it might seem just as crazy to some as running 26 miles in the rain. Distractions, noise, short attention spans, separation anxiety, unique learning styles and even tears are just a regular part of any Sunday morning in the life of a children’s worker.
Everyone knows that the marathon is a culmination of months of training out on lonely back roads; no one else around, wondering to yourself if all the hard work will pay off one day. Such it is with teaching kids, as we spend Sunday after Sunday in the back rooms of the church, never fully knowing how much of the Bible lesson stuck, or whether that craft effectively reinforced the Biblical truth.
But God knows….and He uses the Apostle Paul to remind us of the importance of our work, spurring us on to “run in such a way as to get the prize” (1 Cor. 9:24), and encouraging us to “not become weary in doing good” (Gal. 6:9). Most importantly, God wants us to “stand firm in one spirit with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Phil. 1:27). I like that phrase “striving together”, because it reminds me that we are not alone, and that God is equally interested in the work He’s doing inside each of us, as He is in what we teach or how we care for the little ones.
The process of teaching kids is a not a sprint, but a marathon, one worth striving for when we think of these children as the next world changers and history makers of our time. They will one day sit in the same church rows that we sit in, hold places of office in the cities we reside, and work in the businesses that we now patronize. And even more than this, they will advance the road of the gospel to the ends of the earth, and that alone drives me to continue to press on, striving forward and together for the faith of the gospel.
He said that he needed to run in the race and finish under a certain time, to qualify for the Boston Marathon, a lifelong dream of his. Ah, then I understood! He was striving, enduring, and punishing his body because there was a bigger prize at stake. It’s always the bigger prize, or the higher purpose, that drives us to accomplish the smaller things along the way.
I’ve never thought of applying a running analogy to teaching kids the Word of God, but I guess it fits pretty well. Like running a marathon, teaching kids isn’t for everyone; in fact, it might seem just as crazy to some as running 26 miles in the rain. Distractions, noise, short attention spans, separation anxiety, unique learning styles and even tears are just a regular part of any Sunday morning in the life of a children’s worker.
Everyone knows that the marathon is a culmination of months of training out on lonely back roads; no one else around, wondering to yourself if all the hard work will pay off one day. Such it is with teaching kids, as we spend Sunday after Sunday in the back rooms of the church, never fully knowing how much of the Bible lesson stuck, or whether that craft effectively reinforced the Biblical truth.
But God knows….and He uses the Apostle Paul to remind us of the importance of our work, spurring us on to “run in such a way as to get the prize” (1 Cor. 9:24), and encouraging us to “not become weary in doing good” (Gal. 6:9). Most importantly, God wants us to “stand firm in one spirit with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Phil. 1:27). I like that phrase “striving together”, because it reminds me that we are not alone, and that God is equally interested in the work He’s doing inside each of us, as He is in what we teach or how we care for the little ones.
The process of teaching kids is a not a sprint, but a marathon, one worth striving for when we think of these children as the next world changers and history makers of our time. They will one day sit in the same church rows that we sit in, hold places of office in the cities we reside, and work in the businesses that we now patronize. And even more than this, they will advance the road of the gospel to the ends of the earth, and that alone drives me to continue to press on, striving forward and together for the faith of the gospel.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
To Love is to Obey
"This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world." 1 John 5:3
How many ways has love been redefined and watered down by the world to accommodate or justify our sinful or self-serving actions? The majority of divorces that occur in this country are not a result of some irreconcilable act or broken trust in a marriage. They result from one or both spouses simply declaring that they are no longer “in love” with each other, as if “love” were ever meant to be based on our ever shifting emotions. If we are diluting and distorting the definition of love when it comes to human relationships, how much more are we capable of using the same twisted logic when it comes to choosing to love Christ?
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 clearly maps out a clear definition of love based upon action, not feelings. Eliza puts Freddy in his place in the musical, My Fair Lady, when she exhorts, “Don't talk of stars burning above; if you're in love, show me!”. We must show love to Christ. Love is a verb and requires us to “do” something, not just once, but consistently and often. Jesus doesn’t beat around the bush when defining love for Him. In Matthew 7:26, Jesus clearly states, “But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.” In John 14:23, Jesus through simple and clear instruction declares, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”
How many ways has love been redefined and watered down by the world to accommodate or justify our sinful or self-serving actions? The majority of divorces that occur in this country are not a result of some irreconcilable act or broken trust in a marriage. They result from one or both spouses simply declaring that they are no longer “in love” with each other, as if “love” were ever meant to be based on our ever shifting emotions. If we are diluting and distorting the definition of love when it comes to human relationships, how much more are we capable of using the same twisted logic when it comes to choosing to love Christ?
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 clearly maps out a clear definition of love based upon action, not feelings. Eliza puts Freddy in his place in the musical, My Fair Lady, when she exhorts, “Don't talk of stars burning above; if you're in love, show me!”. We must show love to Christ. Love is a verb and requires us to “do” something, not just once, but consistently and often. Jesus doesn’t beat around the bush when defining love for Him. In Matthew 7:26, Jesus clearly states, “But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.” In John 14:23, Jesus through simple and clear instruction declares, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”
If we can return to the pure and true definition of love for Christ, not just hear the Word, but take the time to understand it, retain it, and put it into practice, we will discover that “his commands are not burdensome”, and we will truly experience that ever eluding "joy" that the world fails to deliver on time and time again.
1 John 5:4 states that, “everyone born of God overcomes the world". The real and honest question that we must ask ourselves is, “Do we want to?” Do we really want to allow God to pry the white knuckles of our will from the worlds grip, die to self, take on the identity of Christ and truly love God and others with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength? What's the alternative....a self-focused, miss guided, train wreck of a life? No thanks.
1 John 5:4 states that, “everyone born of God overcomes the world". The real and honest question that we must ask ourselves is, “Do we want to?” Do we really want to allow God to pry the white knuckles of our will from the worlds grip, die to self, take on the identity of Christ and truly love God and others with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength? What's the alternative....a self-focused, miss guided, train wreck of a life? No thanks.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Ministry Alignment or Entanglement?
American churches often suffer from over programming, or what I call ‘Ministry Entanglement’. It is typical to walk into a church on a Sunday morning and have three to four things to choose from, all simultaneously happening at once. We are required or encouraged to attend a corporate worship service, serve somewhere, attend a class, check out this orientation and that grief share group. How do people get it all done? Unless cloning becomes a reality and viable moral option, the answer is “they don’t”. Sub conscientiously, the average attendee is asking themselves, ‘What do they want really me to do?”….they’re looking for a clear road map….. and all we give them as leaders is a bunch of twisted arrows.
Ministry entanglement doesn’t happen overnight, but over a period of time, much like a messy garage filled with unorganized essentials, deferred decisions and stuff you no longer need. Church leaders are not proud of their over filled garage of programs, nor do they strategically set out to create a web of programs that dilute communications, sabotage budgets, over burden facilities, and take up parking spaces that otherwise should be reserved for new guests and the lost.
The question is ….. “Can’t we approach ministry programs with both the heart as well as head?”. There ARE ways to untangle the web and achieve ministry alignment without causing a church split. And there ARE new leadership rules that can be implemented so the garage doesn’t just fill up again. And there IS purpose and power of a ‘simple church’ model. The real question is….Do we want to fight for it?
Like a messy garage, we don’t necessarily like ministry entanglement, but we certainly do learn to live with it. I would challenge us as leaders to do better with the bride of Christ….better at being good stewards of our money; better at deciding what programs are really important on Sunday morning; better at managing our facilities; better at honoring people with a clear and simple offering when they come: corporately worship, hear the pastor preach, teach the children and youth, and serve the body to support those primary areas. Everything else that is good and right and noble and needed and important will naturally take care of itself through the passions and leadership of the body….not through church supported programs.
Ministry entanglement doesn’t happen overnight, but over a period of time, much like a messy garage filled with unorganized essentials, deferred decisions and stuff you no longer need. Church leaders are not proud of their over filled garage of programs, nor do they strategically set out to create a web of programs that dilute communications, sabotage budgets, over burden facilities, and take up parking spaces that otherwise should be reserved for new guests and the lost.
The question is ….. “Can’t we approach ministry programs with both the heart as well as head?”. There ARE ways to untangle the web and achieve ministry alignment without causing a church split. And there ARE new leadership rules that can be implemented so the garage doesn’t just fill up again. And there IS purpose and power of a ‘simple church’ model. The real question is….Do we want to fight for it?
Like a messy garage, we don’t necessarily like ministry entanglement, but we certainly do learn to live with it. I would challenge us as leaders to do better with the bride of Christ….better at being good stewards of our money; better at deciding what programs are really important on Sunday morning; better at managing our facilities; better at honoring people with a clear and simple offering when they come: corporately worship, hear the pastor preach, teach the children and youth, and serve the body to support those primary areas. Everything else that is good and right and noble and needed and important will naturally take care of itself through the passions and leadership of the body….not through church supported programs.
The Striving Pastor
When I think about the qualities that an ideal pastor must possess, it’s easy to get lost in the idea that only the cool, trendy and ultra creative that possess a Superman like blend of pastor, CEO, apologist, author and orator are the models of effectiveness who are equipped to handle the complexities of today’s church. They pastor thousands, while simultaneously run a radio broadcast, travel the country, Twitter and Blog. Their subtle, non-verbal message says to us “follow me”, the same words spoken by a man named Jesus on the shores of Lake Gennesaret when he called out to Peter or when He searched the eyes of a tax collector named Matthew. So who do we follow; the pastor or the One who called him to pastor?
A pastor has to resist the temptation to elevate his own personal holiness above the primary and most basic of missions: to proclaim the gospel of Christ. Oswald Chamber states in his book, Utmost for His Highest: [1]
"Our calling is not primarily to be holy men and women, but to be proclaimers of the gospel of God. The one all-important thing is that the gospel of God should be recognized as the abiding reality. Reality is not human goodness, or holiness, or heaven, or hell – it is redemption."
Paul did not say that he separated himself, but “when it pleased God, who separated me…” (Galatians 1:15). Certainly, Paul was an exemplary leader, apologist, encourager, mentor ....but he did not set out to be a celebrity, or anything except to be a slave for Christ. In rebuking the church for believing in a perverted gospel, he says in Galatians 1:10, “Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Paul was not overly interested in his own character. And as long as our eyes our focused on our own personal holiness, we will never even get close to the full reality of redemption.
A pastor can be a leader, a manager, a business owner, a landlord, a husband, a father, a mentor, and a counselor. He can be all these things and he must exemplify integrity, compassion, wisdom and expository intellect of Scripture. But first and foremost, having been set free from sin by the redemption that is in Christ, he must be a slave of righteousness (Romans 6:18) and set apart for the gospel of God (Romans 1:1). His proclamation of the gospel must be the main thrust; not personal holiness to please man or earn influence to be heard.
1 Chambers, Oswald. Utmost for His Highest. Michigan: Discovery House Publishers, 1995. Print
A pastor has to resist the temptation to elevate his own personal holiness above the primary and most basic of missions: to proclaim the gospel of Christ. Oswald Chamber states in his book, Utmost for His Highest: [1]
"Our calling is not primarily to be holy men and women, but to be proclaimers of the gospel of God. The one all-important thing is that the gospel of God should be recognized as the abiding reality. Reality is not human goodness, or holiness, or heaven, or hell – it is redemption."
Paul did not say that he separated himself, but “when it pleased God, who separated me…” (Galatians 1:15). Certainly, Paul was an exemplary leader, apologist, encourager, mentor ....but he did not set out to be a celebrity, or anything except to be a slave for Christ. In rebuking the church for believing in a perverted gospel, he says in Galatians 1:10, “Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Paul was not overly interested in his own character. And as long as our eyes our focused on our own personal holiness, we will never even get close to the full reality of redemption.
A pastor can be a leader, a manager, a business owner, a landlord, a husband, a father, a mentor, and a counselor. He can be all these things and he must exemplify integrity, compassion, wisdom and expository intellect of Scripture. But first and foremost, having been set free from sin by the redemption that is in Christ, he must be a slave of righteousness (Romans 6:18) and set apart for the gospel of God (Romans 1:1). His proclamation of the gospel must be the main thrust; not personal holiness to please man or earn influence to be heard.
1 Chambers, Oswald. Utmost for His Highest. Michigan: Discovery House Publishers, 1995. Print
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