What Every Pastor Needs

In my roughly two years of full time pastoral ministry I have found myself learning many lessons, some are hard and painful others are easy and more simple. I want to draw from the latter to encourage men who want to be or perhaps already are pastors.

There are a lot of things that men can do to learn and watch faithful pastoring. This may be through discipleship in seminary, the local church or in the great biographies of faithful men of old. While not detracting from any of these means, I want to introduce another avenue that I think is an extremely helpful tool in learning to have a pastor’s heart: getting a big dog that is serious about protecting the family.

For us it is our 90 pound female Boxer, Brandy. She does not play around. She is thoroughly yoked and is always on guard, yet at the same time she kisses our kids and follows me around from room to room. Men in general and pastors in particular need to spend some time around a tough dog.

Each morning when I get up, often times before the rest of the family, I walk down the hallway and there is Brandy laying at the top of the stairs as if waiting for someone to come to the front door. And if by chance someone does come, she lets loose a more than intimidating display of barking, growling and dueling, all the while with her hair standing straight up on her back.

Recently the utility guy came to the house to read our meter, which is in the backyard. My son Bryce relayed the story to me of how while he was reading the meter he saw the dog’s chain begin moving near his feet. He immediately bolted back from where he came with Brandy hot on his trail. When he felt safe he exhaled and strolled across our front yard, only to be shocked that from around the other corner Brandy came relentlessly upon him, she ran right out of her collar and leash (first time this happened by the way) and was charging at him. He again took up sprinting and found himself behind our rubbish barrels on the curb. Brandy put the brakes on as she hit the sidewalk and just stood there growling and barking until he slowly walked away.

Now while I have nothing against meter guys and I’m sure this guy is a nice guy and undeserving of such treatment, he nonetheless becomes a fitting illustration. Too many pastors act like fat house cats who just purr and lick everyone without a sense of stewardship and danger. Faithful pastors on the other hand are supposed to be aware of danger as they protect the flock and refute those who contradict (Titus 1.9). They are to walk close with their Master with fearful reverence, even anticipating commands and approval.

So if you are a pastor or desire to be a pastor get rid of your cat, bird, or hamster and go and get a dog with some teeth, muscle, tenderness and steadfastness and then watch them. You might just learn something.

Shedding the Green :: Our Adequacy

2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God,

It was a cold winter morning here in Omaha and I found myself clenching my glass of water trying to cool down my rising body temperature. I began to get dizzy and just stared out the window across from me. I was feeling tremendously overwhelmed to say the least.

I was now about six or so months into full-time pastoral ministry and I was in the pastoral equivalent of having to do a college tackling drill between two rather intimidating ‘teammates’. Only, in this case, it was not a drill, it was real life.

I was counseling with folks who were significantly older than me and things were not going well. I found myself staring out that window wondering if God would be so kind as to go ahead and rapture the church or at least give me one of those Elijah experiences. Fortunately, God was kind and did not remove me from the situation but instead forced me to stop depending on myself and to look to him.

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Study Music

I spend a lot of time by myself with the headphones on. Whether I am writing, reading, crafting a sermon, or doing administrative work I more often than not have myself plugged into iTunes listening to something. I think some of this comes from the fact that we did not have ceilings in the offices at our old building (wharehouse) so music was imperative in order to retain concentration.

I am curious if others (not just pastors) listen to music when studying and if so what are some of the favorites? Are you one of those who need silence?

My music style is admittedly eclectic. I find myself bouncing between the genres of Beck, Coldplay, Donovan Frankenreiter, DJ mixes, all the way to classical music. It is strange but I can only study to music that I can drain out the words, so oftentimes Christian music becomes more of a distraction for me. I am all about sound.

Here is a video of something that I have been enjoying for a couple of months now, ever since they appeared on NPR’s All Songs Considered podcast. The group is called The Battles and the whole album is an electronic soundscape that is fun to study to.

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Emotion in the pulpit

My friend Colin, a pastor in Scotland, has written a helpful article with respect to showing emotion in the pulpit, with particular reference to being overcome with tears while preaching.

Colin used the phrased being “ambushed” by emotion when he preaches. This is a phrase I can totally relate to. There are so many times when I am ‘ambushed’. And frankly, what do you expect when you take someone indwelt by the Spirit of God, expose them to the Word of God for an intense period of study, have that truth forged into our souls by divine grace through the Holy Spirit? Should we not expect men to preach as if they both know and have met with God?

I find Colin’s list timely as I have recently been considering my own reactions to such emotion (and since I am preaching this Sunday am). I am always trying to examine my motives and the undue suppression of Holy Spirit sourced emotion and passion seems just as prideful as the manufacturing of false emotion (emotionalism). So it is a point of regular consideration for me knowing that the preacher of God’s Word must communicate with clarity and integrity.

Here is Colin’s list and I commend his site to you as well.

1) Remember that preaching with strong emotion has biblical precedent. Think about Jeremiah in the Old Testament. Just read through his prophecy, taking note of the emotion he displayed. As you read of his frequent tears and heart-rending pathos, you will discover that he is aptly named the “weeping” prophet (cf. Jer 31:16). Or consider the apostle Paul in the New Testament who preached the Word with “trembling” (1 Cor 2:3)? And was it not this great apostle who commanded the Ephesians elders to “Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day even with tears“? (Acts 20:31)

2) Realise that people appreciate emotion today. One upside of the long discussed postmodern shift has been a growing recognition of emotion’s significance. Though heart should never bypass the head – nor take the ‘lead’ in the marriage – historically there has sometimes been a tendency to diminish the place of “religious affections.” But now cultural changes have rightly re-emphasised the importance of a head and heart Christianity. The corrolary is that today we must have “Head-and-Heart-Preachers.” After one service last year when a preacher had expressed emotion in his sermon, a non-Christian student sitting beside me was evidently challenged. “I didn’t realise before that the pastor really believes what he’s talking about”, they remarked. “Of course he does!”, I replied. Nevertheless, the preacher’s emotion had conveyed that reality.

3) Beware of emotionalism. “Turning on the waterworks” or “feigning joy” is always bad form. Sadly there remains a danger that we preachers tug the heart strings of our congregation by intentionally using our emotions as the instrument. Of course, it is a legitimate aim to touch the congregations emotions through “the word of truth.” And the fact is, people will be moved whenever we show emotion. But we must be careful that we don’t seek to do the Holy Spirit’s work for Him. Its a fine line, for sure. But I think we know the difference between emotion that is pre-meditated and that which is not.

4) Understand that fear of expressing emotion is often rooted in our pride. Sometimes when coming back from church in the car, a conversation with my wife has gone something like this: “I nearly lost it today; I could feel myself getting emotional, but I held it back.” Invariably my wife responds, “Why? Why are you so afraid of showing emotion?” Having thought about it at length, my conclusion is simply ‘pride.’ Especially for men, we hate to express emotion in public for the fear of looking weak, foolish, or just a little too passionate. However this ungrounded fear (rooted in unhelpful influences in our culture about masculinity) needs to be tackled head on, and our pride needs to be reduced. Was the Paul who endured beatings and shipwrecks and riots any less of a “man” because he “came in fear and trembling” and “tears”?

5) Realise that excessive emotion can be unhelpful. Now I need to tread carefully here: it is almost impossible to be excessive with our joy! And I don’t want to negate the last point that some of us need to be less prideful and be willing to show some emotion, some of the time. Nevertheless there can at times be such a flood of emotion that the audience begins to shift their focus off the message to the messenger, no longer concentrating on the essentials of the message but the emotion of the preacher. To be honest, some preachers are manic. It is one thing to preach with solemn earnest and warning, its another for people to leave the church only remembering how you kept banging the table! Similarly I recall an ocassion in my previous congregation when I was so overwhelmed by emotion that I could hardly speak a complete sentance for a couple of minutes. Though the tears probably conveyed how much I meant what I was saying, it was probably not helpful for the message or congregation that I got so carried away.

Our Great Salvation :: a series in First Peter

This past Sunday I preached the final sermon in the 5-part April series entitled “Our Great Salvation” from First Peter chapter one (hence the lack of blogging activity).

I have been more challenged than I ever have been in my entire life. I feel as though God has been preaching a revival to me through his Scripture. Our Salvation is so great because our Savior is so great, and it is magnified through this great grace and mercy to cover our great sin.

I include the sermon series below for your reference, as some have asked about it. It is also available on the Omaha Bible Church website, or via the OBC podcast in iTunes.

>Our Great Salvation part 1 :: Identity (1 Peter 1.1-2)

Listen :: Download

>Our Great Salvation part 2 :: Certainty (1 Peter 1.3-5)

Listen :: Download

>Our Great Salvation part 3 :: Rejoicing (1 Peter 1.6-9)

Listen :: Download

>Our Great Salvation part 4 :: Marvelous (1 Peter 1.10-12)

Listen :: Download

>Our Great Salvation part 5 :: Reaction (1 Peter 1.13-16)

Listen :: Download

The Shepherds’ Conference

Next Tuesday morning at 0-dark-30, over twenty men from Omaha Bible Church will be headed out to LA to attend the annual Shepherds’ Conference at Grace Church in Sun Valley, CA. This year our total number is twenty-six, as we will bringing men from neighboring states and churches with us.

This will be my third Shepherds’ Conference and I just want to share a few reasons as to why I think it is the best conference out there.

.1. This is a conference geared specifically for pastors. To see well over 3,000 men crowded into Grace Church to be charged to be faithful stewards of Scripture is an emotional sight at the least.

.2. Grace Church gets it. They understand that this is not about them but the attenders. They do everything they can to make sure that those who come are well served.

.3. The preaching in the General Sessions is outstanding. The scene of watching/hearing John MacArthur preach on the joy of God in redemption through the prodigal son passage last year was heavenly. As I sat with watered eyes among my friends, who likewise were moved with affection for the Savior, I sat and saw C.J. Maheney (who was seated in front of us) likewise moved, it was just awesome. This type of preaching has come to characterize this conference.

.4. The breakout sessions are geared to encouraging and warning leaders. Men like Phil Johnson, Nathan Busenitz, Bill Shannon, Rick Holland, and others serve other leaders well through their teaching.

.5. The time with our church leaders is priceless. So much ministry planning gets done. Whether talking in a Peete’s Coffee or walking in Santa Monica or riding to the conference, ministry is discussed. This is so refreshing.

.6. You get a ton of books. I think I have averaged 23 new books (free) each year. What a service.

.7. The food in CA is great. In and Out, Killer Shrimp, Todai Sushi, The Fisherman’s Wharf, it is all good. I can almost become an ammillennialist with such good eating and drinking, somehow thinking the kingdom is now. But we understand the kingdom is more than eating and drinking (Rom. 14.7) :/

.8. I am healthily brought to the end of what I can bear in evangelicalism. My good friend and pastor feels it is healthy to our souls to make us trek down to Saddleback Church and witness Rick Warren’s molestation of the Bible. Each year we have visited Robert Shuler’s Crystal Cathedral on the way. This is like having a stomach ache and being nauseous, it is not comfortable. I am brought to disgust and tears as I hear Tricky Ricky deflate the cross of all of its power while his people nod with acceptance of such things. This trip is dreaded but necessary. I just keep remembering that the Phinehas account is a narrative and not to be normative for life today (Num. 25).

.9. The encouragement that we as a church receive from the Shepherds’ Conference is immeasurable. I am so thankful for the grace of God in John MacArthur’s life, the life of Grace Church, The Master’s Seminary, and so many others who contribute. This conference is flat out good.

.10. The conference is committed to bringing out the best preachers available today. This year we will be encouraged by men such as John MacArthur, John Piper, Mark Dever, Al Mohler, and Steve Lawson. I can’t wait.

 

If you are going I’d love to meet you, so drop a comment and let me know.

Homiletical Humility

I was reminded yesterday of the need for homilitcal humility and the need for the pastor to be ever cognizant and even fearful of rightly dividing the word of truth. Our Senior Pastor is preaching through Matthew and we have now arrived at Matthew 24.

Regardless of your eschatological views this passage is wrought with issues. Our pastor admitted yesterday that he was not ready to preach the passage and instead of serving God and others with less than what is necessary, he would take some additional time to study. This act of humility in the pulpit was so refreshing to me and served to exhort me strongly again of the unflinching seriousness of God in commanding the shepherds of Jesus’ church to handle the word rightly.

Instead we were treated with the first of a two part series on the anchors of justification. This was a most encouraging time for us as we gathered round the cross to behold the certainties that were purchased by the Savior.

One particular point that I wanted to highlight is the reality of imputation (being credited with Christ’s righteousness…Rom. 4.4-5; 2 Cor.5.21). It has been popular for folks to define justification with the convenient phrase, “I am just-as-if-I’d…never sinned”. As Pat mentioned yesterday this is a good place to start but regrettably it short sells the power of the cross.

In justification we are not restored to a position of moral neutrality, similar to our forefather Adam. Though this would have been an improvement it would not be salvation!

Instead in Jesus we are imputed (charged) with Christ’s eternally perfect righteousness, even the righteousness of God (Rom. 3.21ff). This position is far better! Christ having been tested has loved and obeyed the Father perfectly in the place of sinners and has also satisfied the penalty of sin (death) through his glorious crosswork. So believers are given his glorious righteousness, a righteousness that launches us into an eternally secure position of acceptance as the Judge views sinners like you and me as robed in the perfection of Jesus. Indeed this is far better! For Jesus is far better!

Q & A Friday: Have I been called to pastoral ministry?

How do I know that I have been called to pastoral ministry? This is as important as it is a difficult question. The first step I suppose is to go to the Scriptures. First Timothy is the place to go first, and right away we see some helpful things:

1 Timothy 3:1 It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.

So first of all there is a subjective desire. Paul speaks of one aspiring or desiring the office of overseer (episcope –elder, overseer, pastor). This is a consuming feeling of personal obligation to lead, feed, and protect the church of Jesus Christ.

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Encouragement for pastors from Senior Pastor Jesus

Following the Lord’s resurrection he speaks with the Apostle Peter. In the familiar dialogue the Savior questions Peter three times concerning his love for him. From a pastoral perspective these verses distill much of ministry for me. The commands of Jesus to “tend” in verses 15 & 17 and to “shepherd” in verse 16 flow out of a heart that is filled with a constant and enduring love for the great Shepherd, who is the Head of the church.

This is good for the pastor who is feeling overwhelmed, understaffed, overburdened and under affirmed, potentially even questioning his duties, to come to a text like this and see that Jesus does not call you to be a successful executive pastor, a cultural architect, a spiritual adviser, but rather a humble, thoughtful, consistent, loving shepherd, who feeds the sheep of Christ.

In verse 15 after Peter’s first affirmative answer to whether or not he loves him, Jesus commands him to “tend my lambs”. The ESV translates this “Feed”. In the Greek New Testament the verb here is a present imperative, carrying with it the emphasis of a continual feeding and tending of the sheep. It is not to be an occasional activity but rather the pastor’s chief responsibility. Implicit in this command is the fact that the pastor actually is eating himself, for no pastor is worthy of the title pastor if he is not himself coming regularly to the storehouse of heaven to glean food for himself and his sheep.

In verse 16, Peter is then told to ‘shepherd’ the sheep of Jesus. The pastor is to not only feed them but to guide and protect them. The staff of the shepherd is to not only encourage the flock to proceed in accordance with the prescribed path, but also to fend off the wolves that might come in and feast on vulnerable sheep.

So for the pastor this is good is it not? And for the congregant, this is good. Demand that your pastor feed, tend, and shepherd you! It is a vital and distinguishing feature in his job description.

The pastor is to actively and continually love Jesus so that he can be continually loving, feeding and shepherding the sheep. When the pastor begins to love the great Shepherd he will begin to love the sheep, until this happens he will just be a professional and they will just be co-workers. So look into the eyes of Jesus through his word and affirm your love for him and increase your resolve to pastor like a pastor in the flock of Jesus, who bought the church with his own blood.

Encouragement for pastors

Rick Phillips of Reformation 21 wrote this to encourage pastors. I was encouraged and figured I’d share it, as I know that some of you are pastors of small churches.

God bless you. I believe that future history (whether in heaven or on earth) will look back on these present years and realize that the most valuable servants in Christ’s kingdom were those humble, faithful, Spirit-filled men of God who labored in obscurity, usually serving small churches. You are more important to Christ’s kingdom than the media celebrities. And you are more important than hardly-celebrity types like those of use who write on websites like this one and have the privilege of publishing books and speaking at conferences. (In fact, the main value in our broader ministries is the help and encouragement we might give to you.) When the loads of chaff from so many superstar “ministries” has been carted away, the good fruit you have borne will endure forever.

So don’t be discouraged because you don’t pastor a megachurch (neither do I). Don’t be distracted by the winds and waves of trendy spirituality. And don’t forget that the reward of your service to Christ is the joy of serving Christ, giving glory to His name, and shepherding His beloved sheep.

Show me your veins not your legwarmers!!

This past Sunday evening our Pastor was exhorting us unto gospel faithfulness from the book of 2 Timothy. Amidst a very encouraging and convicting message there were some awesome quotes. These were a couple of my favorites (pretty close to a quote anyway)…in the context of kindling a holy boldness to gospel fidelity:

..We need pastors that are more like Arnold Schwarzenegger and less like Richard Simmons!..

vs.

and another:

..Why is it that there are so many male pastors who act like women and female pastors (who should not be pastors) who act like men?! It is a shame that some female pastors are more manly than some male pastors…

You may listen to or download the sermon from our website.

The message was more than a couple quotes, but rather a very encouraging look at the value of the gospel and our subsequent responsibility to remain faithful to its proclamation.

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