Wow! Powerful Message to Pastors

 I originally published this post in 2019, and it even rings more true today. 

            Proverbs 23: 1 -4: (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

23 “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” x This is the Lord’s declaration. 2 “Therefore, this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who shepherd My people: You have scattered My flock, y banished them, and have not attended to them. z I will attend to you because of your evil acts”—this is the Lord’s declaration. 3 “I will gather the remnant of My flock from all the lands where I have banished them, a and I will return them to their grazing land. They will become fruitful and numerous. b 4 I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them. c They will no longer be afraid or dismayed, nor will any be missing.” d This is the Lord’s declaration”

I was recently reading this passage and it jumped off the page at me, there have been to many shepherds (pastors) that have hurt, destroyed, betrayed, and scattered the flock (the church) because of their own greed, lust, agenda, lack of compassion, or yes even being too stupid to rightly teach the word of God. 

            I’m convinced that God is going to raise up Men and Women who are going to shepherd the church onto the next Great Revival, they are going to be men/women of integrity, and they going to have the skills to read, study, and proclaim the whole word of God not simply what tickles the ears of the listener. However, before this happens, I see God doing some serious surgery on the Body of Christ.

1)       I see him REMOVING from the pulpit men/women who are willing to compromise his message for the sake of looking compassionate or loving in the world. I’m so tired of hearing men/women preach everybody can get to heaven in simple faith, or that is not really what God met when he said that about sin.

2)      I see him REBUKING men/women that personally are in it for the money, or the fame, and holding them accountable before the church. 

3)       I see him REPLACING so-called men/women who have stepped into the anointing of ministry by the hands of men/women and not the calling of God.

 

Before God does the next Great Revival, I’m fearful that there is going to be a mass exit of men/women from the ministry, not because of their own choice. However, it will be because God has started to clean the house.  It is time for the REVIVAL to start not in the church, but in the Ministers study.   

Pastor/Minister is God going to use you or remove in the next great revival?

Pastoral Theology: How We Do Ministry

             Over the past forty-five years I have loved to study, teach and attempt to understand the How and Why we do ministry, Pastoral Theology is study of that topic.

Charles Finney was founder and President of Oberlin College of Ohio and a great theologian, preacher, and writer in his own right, in one of his greatest works “Finney's Unpublished Lectures on Pastoral Theology, Lecturer on Revivals while teaching at Oberlin College from his manuscript notes of 1872, 1874, and 1875, he shares with the students the following: 

“A good shepherd’s care of the sheep is fourfold: (1) Feeding; (2) Guiding; (3) Guarding; (4) Healing” 

Jeremiah 3:15 states in the King James: “And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.” Should be noted that several translation uses the word “Shepard” in place of the word “Pastor” clearly God meant for the Pastor/Shepard to care for his sheep (the church members).

As Pastors we are given the amazing task (let me help folks understand when I’m talking about pastors, I’m also referring to the Associate, Assistant, Children’s Pastor, Youth Pastor, or any other member of the church that is in a role of leadership. I personally have spent 40 years in ministry, over 36 years has been in the role of Associate Pastor, other area of responsibility.  I consider myself a Pastor that God has given some unique responsibilities to serve HIM (God) however and wherever he leads. As I reflect on Charles Finney statement and Jeremiah 3:15 let me help us understand our responsibility “AS I SEE IT”.

            As I write this blog post I understand that Pastoral Theology has several sub-topics including: Homiletic (preaching/teaching), the Sacraments, Ethic’s, Pastor Counseling, Church Leadership. All of these are relevant to the how the church functions. However, if we are doing the following all the other are not relevant.

1)      Feed the Sheep (members) … We are to preach/teach the word of God, not as we think it should be, but as God wrote it. We are to preach the reality of Heaven, as well as the reality of Hell. Clearly teaching the Biblical view of Sin and the awesomeness of His GRACE.  As my pastor Dr. Don Lougheed used to tell us “Preach the Book, the Blood, and the Blessed Redeemer” …. he would also say “Preach the Bible from Genesis to Revelations, and remember always run for the Cross”

2)      Guide the sheep … Wow how many preachers failed in this one today, so many pastors are failing to Guide their sheep into a deeper study of the word of God, or in some cases setting a bad example of what is acceptable behavior based on God’s word, not an individual opinion.

3)      Guarding … I will be honest over couple the past decade I have become very concerned with pastors allowing false teaching, and destructive doctrine within their church.  It is our job to challenge the members of our church in what they are listening to, and move them toward appropriate preachers, in other words, it our responsibility to guard their hearts.

4)      Healing … I know the first place all my Pentecostal and Charismatic friends are going is Divine (physical) healing and yes that is important, and we need to continue to see God move. However, if you read the writing of Charles Finney his first and foremost thought was the Healing of the Soul. It was all about “Does that person know Christ” … it is stated that Finney would walk in a room and people would fall to the floor in conviction of Sin and cry out and repent in other words his life was about Healing (changing) the Sinful ways.

Pastoral Theology is about how we minister to the church in our care! I have been watching Pastors both old and young I see three things that must happen, or the church is doomed!

1)      We need men and women of God to get back to PREACHING THE BIBLE, not opinion or what is popular or acceptable but preaching what God states as truth.

2)      We need to see men and women of God FALLING AT THE ALTAR of the church and CRYING OUT FOR THE MEMBERS that God has given them to shepherd.

3)      We need to see men and women of GOD STANDING IN THE GAP against any and all false teaching coming in their church's door.

Let me make myself clear, I have been a pastor of churches ranging in size from 20 to 120, and have been an Associate, Youth Pastor, Men’s Ministry Director, or Children’s pastor of churches ranging from 80 to 3,000. I personally don’t care the size of the church, small, medium, large or mega it is your responsibility to “FEED, GUIDE, GUARD, AND HEAL” … I know pastors today that are doing this with all their heart and I rejoice in their success and commitment. However, others need to REPENT AND RETURN TO THE CALLING THAT GOD GAVE YOU.

 

 

How do I determine a successful Men’s Ministry event…

The following blog post was written back in 2013. However, I feel the content is relevant for men ministries today!

How do I determine a successful Men’s Ministry event?

I have been involved in pastoral ministry for over 45 years and have been Ministering to Men for the past 20 years.  Over those years I have seen several things work, and I have seen several others fall flat. However, what is interesting is that some ideas I implemented were successful in one place, and a failure elsewhere.  This difference in success from place to place can be found in the attitudes of the attendees and the opinions of the leaders.  As a leader, I would sometimes view an event or activity as a failure or unproductive, but this may have been the farthest thing from the truth. 

I have spent a great deal of time looking at the activities and events I have encouraged men to partake in, trying to determine the success and flop of each. The only formula that I have come up with is what the Lord has laid on my heart.

• Was the activity/event Christ-centered?  Personally, this is the most important aspect.  If Christ is not the center of the activity, then there is no reason to have it. 
• Did the attendees see Christ lifted up through my actions, and speech, and those that participated in the event?
• Did the men engage and participate in the activity/event?
• Do you see a number of the men making changes as a result of their participation? 

Planning an activity or event that provides the following principles will help you to answer yes to the questions above.

• Use a variety of methods that will reach, engage, and challenge men of various ages and cultural groups. 
• Avoid the trap of only ministering to one age group, because that is where we feel most comfortable, and it is the path of least resistance. 
• Ask your men questions, such as what are your men interested in doing? How can you make their interest a successful event?
• Be willing to think outside the box.
• Remember … an outcome is simply a matter of someone’s opinion!
• Continue to try, and improve on those that work.
• Understand your personal limits and search for help from others who have a special skill that will help you.

For Example … I love to write, but my grammar is really bad (most editors say I “write like I talk”) So over the years, I have surrounded myself with some awesome editors, who take time to proofread and clean up everything I write (Including this post).

The key to success is simple …

Keep trying and give God the glory!