A Word about Healthy Church Membership

Today I want to share a word about Healthy Church Membership as I comment on John 10:1-16. 

We are in the midst of a series on the Characteristics of a Healthy Church as taught on the mission field by the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. I really believe that this excellent Bible study material should be considered by the churches in North America also, as we try to rebuild our ministries after a year of COVID-19.

The last time we visited the subject of a Healthy Church we focused on Healthy Leadership. We know that leadership is a key to a successful church, but so is Healthy Church Membership. If there are no willing followers there can be no visionary leadership.

In John Chapter 10, Jesus explains the relationship between Himself and His followers as like the relationship between a shepherd and the sheep of his flock. Let’s look at this teaching today as we consider Healthy Church Membership.

We will begin with John 10:1-4,

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.  But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.”

Good Sheep are Members of the Flock:

One of the very common terms you hear in technology circles today is the idea of an ecosystem. Very commonly you'll see the idea referred to in news articles and blog postings that a particular company brand name has developed an ecosystem where all of its products work together because they are of the same family. 

When you purchase devices and software within an ecosystem everything in that ecosystem just works without hassle because it's a part of the same family. Pieces of hardware and software from other manufacturers can work with the items belonging to a particular ecosystem, but often they don't work as well and many times they just don't work at all. This causes problems and headaches for people who just want things to work. Those items are strangers and foreigners, and they are not part of the family.

The very first thing we must realize when we talk about Healthy Church Membership is that church members must be redeemed people. To be a true church member, to be a member of the flock, you must be born again, you must be regenerated by the Holy Spirit.

Is very common to see it said on a church sign or church brochure that everyone is welcome. It should be true that everyone, regardless of their life circumstances, regardless of what they believe, regardless of who they are, should be welcome to attend a local church. But attending a local church is different than being a member of a local church.  There are requirements for membership and one of the basic, non-negotiable, requirements is the idea that everyone in a local church must be a true believer in their Lord Jesus Christ and they must have received his salvation and thereby become a member of his flock.

Many Christian leaders over the years have speculated about the percentage of unregenerate church members amongst churches in North America. I don't think anyone can know that number who is not the Holy Spirit. The fact does remain, however, that much of our problem in our churches stems from people who are not really members of the flock. 

The first thing we need to see is that good sheep are members of the flock.

Next, let’s look at Verses 3 and 4,

“To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.”

Good Sheep Know Their Shepherd:

Many years ago, as an Army officer cadet, I took an instructor training course. I was taught that the most important criteria for instructor confidence was knowledge of the subject. The basic idea was that if instructors knew the subject matter, they could always talk about it, even if they lost their place in their notes or had trouble organizing their notes in the first place. If instructors know what they are talking about then half of battle is over and they can have confidence in themselves.

The sheep must have confidence in the shepherd. They must know the shepherd and the shepherd’s strengths and his intentions. They must know that the shepherd’s goal is to take care of them, even when he leads them over rocky ground in order to take them to greener pastures. If the sheep don’t know their shepherd, they will not trust him, and they will have no confidence in him.

As I mentioned above, sometimes the shepherd must direct the sheep over difficult ground in order to find better pastures. Sometimes the shepherd must give the sheep medicine which is unpleasant to take but which will heal the sheep's illness. And sometimes the shepherd must correct and even chastise the sheep to protect them and keep them from harm. The sheep must know the shepherd and have confidence in the shepherd so they will continue to trust him.

So how do the sheep come to know the shepherd? Primarily by spending time with him. Church members need to spend time in the word of God and in prayer and they need to spend time with their human shepherd also. God is open to us knowing him. Pastors are open to us knowing them. The sheep however, the church members however, must make an effort to come to know their shepherd and thereby build up their confidence in the one who leads them and guides them and protects them.

More than once in my ministry I had the opportunity to work with a new staff member or support person who did not know me yet. From time to time, I would bring up an idea or have a request of them that they did not understand, and they were unsure about whether it was a good idea or not. I had to ask them to trust me and try out my idea, and they did. They were not comfortable doing that initially, but they did, and once they came to know me and my ways, things went much more smoothly. We need to come to know the Good Shepherd and His under-shepherds so that we can work smoothly with them.

The second thing we need to see is that good sheep know their shepherd.

Next, let’s look at Verses 4 through 10,

“This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

Good Sheep Follow Their Shepherd:

My wife and I live in the country. Several years ago, when I got tired of cutting so much grass, we put up some fences and bought some goats. Goats are great at eating grass and clearing out underbrush, but they are terrible at following a person. They just want to go their own way and do their own thing. They are herd animals, but humans are not a part of their herd!

A deacon at a church where I was pastor once had some goats penned up in a barn.  When he opened a door to go in and feed them, one of then butted him and knocked him down. All the others followed the first goat, trampling him as they escaped the barn!

Sheep, on the other hand, are usually more docile and they usually follow their shepherd. And they need to follow their shepherd because they need his protection. Sheep have few natural defenses and no offensive capabilities at all. They need shepherds to protect them, for without them they would be easy prey. 

One way that a shepherd would protect the sheep in the time of Jesus would be to create a corral of thorns, and then usher the sheep inside for the night. Next, the shepherd himself would lie down across the door. Any wolf, be they four-legged or two-legged, would have to go through the shepherd to get to the sheep. This is what Jesus says He does for His flock, and it is also what a pastor does for the flock of a church.

Although sheep are more docile and they do follow better than goats, that is not always the case. Some sheep will stray and wander away from the flock. This is the essence of the Parable of the Lost Sheep. The sad fact is, when a sheep wanders from the flock, they become more vulnerable, and, since there is safety in numbers, the flock becomes more vulnerable also.

It is easy to criticize the people of Israel in the Bible because they are known as a proud and stiff-necked people, but we must remember that the United States was founded in rebellion, and a rebellious spirit has infused this land since that time. Also, we should not forget that Saul was warned that, “Rebellion is like the sin of witchcraft, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.”

Good sheep follow their shepherd because it is the right thing to do and is also the right thing for them.

Next, let’s consider Verses 11-16,

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd."

Good Sheep Respect Their Shepherd:

Although we are accustomed to thinking highly of shepherds, the reality is their job was a humble one, as was their position in society. The job of a shepherd was dirty, tiring, and, at times, dangerous.

When we were serving in Africa, we would see teenage boys or young men leaving their compounds early in the morning leading their flocks out to find good grass. They would traverse a large, winding, circular path that would bring them back home late in the day. They would look tired, hungry, sweaty, and dusty all at the same time. Theirs was an arduous life and an unenviable lot.

Don’t forget, in Luke’s account of the Christmas story the Gospel writer said that the shepherds who first heard about the birth of Christ were “abiding” in the field, but we need to understand that the word translated “abiding” had the connotation of people who always lived out in the open field, not unlike the animals that they were tending.

So, when Jesus compared Himself to a shepherd, He was making a bold, counter-cultural statement. Like when He told the disciples that “the last shall be first, and the first shall be last,” what Jesus was saying went against the grain and it was the opposite of what the dominate culture expected.

Yet, if society did not respect the shepherd, the sheep of the flock did. They knew what he did for them, and they appreciated it. The shepherd lived with the sheep and thus he identified with them; the shepherd risked his life for the sheep and thus he protected them; the shepherd gathered the sheep and thus he united them.

Good sheep understand the sacrifices made by the shepherd on their behalf and they love and respect him for it.

Finally, let’s consider Verse 16,

"And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd."

Good Sheep Share Their Shepherd:

When Jesus was talking to His disciples here, He was clearly thinking about the Gentiles. Jesus came first to the Children of Israel, but He also reached out to Samaritans and Gentiles during His ministry. He did not want the early church to focus on keeping Him for themselves, but instead He wanted them to give Him away to others.

The tendency in some churches is to keep their pastor to themselves. They don’t want to share their pastor with the community, or with unbelievers, or with their denomination, or with the mission field. Sometimes they don’t even want to share their pastor with his family or even with the pastor himself.

The fact is that pastors sometimes need to care for others besides their flock. Pastors need to care for their families, pastors need to care for the community, and like all believers, pastors need to care for the world full of people for whom Jesus died, Pastors can do none of those things if their sheep monopolize their time and attention.

One pastor I know will take a spiritual retreat each year. He goes by himself to a retreat center where he prays, reads the Bible, and attends worship. He returns home refreshed and renewed, and he has served the same church for 25 years! His flock have learned to share him, and they have been blessed in the process!

Don’t get me wrong, a good shepherd cares intently and competently for the flock. The flock needs to see, however, that they are not the entirety of the world. 

Good sheep share their shepherd with generosity and a loving heart.

Conclusion:

When I was an Army chaplain, I prayed the invocation for many change of command ceremonies. I always prayed for the incoming and outgoing commanders, but I also made sure to pray for the troops as well. 

What I would say is that without the troops there would be no unit for anyone to command. The same is true for the church. Without a flock there would be no need for a shepherd.

God’s people are the sheep of His pasture. We need to be good sheep!

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about a Father's Legacy from 1 Samuel 16 and 17

Today I want to share a word about a father’s legacy as I comment passages from 1st Samuel 16 and 17

Being a male and also a father, I am well aware of our flaws and our foibles, but I also know that there are many great examples of fathers in the world. We know that the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world, but we also need to remember that children need a father figure as well. Fathers also mold and make their children, maybe in different ways than mothers do, but they help prepare them for the future as much as their mothers do.

Children often follow in their father’s footsteps and this morning I am thinking particularly of a couple of famous families where the sons followed in their father’s footsteps but excelled beyond their fathers. There may be many examples of this, but the one of them is Archie Manning and his sons. 

Archie Manning was a great college quarterback, but since he played professional football in New Orleans when the Saints were not very good, he did not achieve as much at that level, but His sons did! Payton Manning and Eli Manning both won two Super Bowls each, and they certainly owe a lot of their football skills and success to their father.

In the public service arena, George Herbert Walker Bush, was president of the USA, but only for one term, while his son, George W Bush served for two terms. Other Bush children also served their nation in other ways, including his son Jeb who was governor of Florida.

For our model today, I want us to look at a man who was not father of football greats or even a president of the United States, but who was father of a king but that was probably not his greatest legacy.

Let’s begin by reading 1 Samuel 16:1-5:

The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ And invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. And you shall anoint for me him whom I declare to you.” Samuel did what the Lord commanded and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling and said, “Do you come peaceably?”And he said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

Jesse Walked With God:

Our God is an intentional God; He does not do things haphazardly. God does things decently and in order, and He is a God that plans. God has a plan for His creation, and He pursues it with vigor.

When we consider the creation story, we see how the world was without form, and void. God soon brought order to the world and the world began to work by the rules set for it by God. Our sin has affected how the world works, but the same basic rules still apply. Again, our God is an intentional God.

We often use the term “Plan of Salvation” to describe the Gospel and for good reason. God knew people could not save themselves, and so He made a way, He made a plan by which we could be saved. Our God is an intentional God who plans.

Our God intentionally chose Jesse. Since we know our God is an intentional God, we know that His choice of Jesse was not haphazard. Jesse was chosen for a special purpose, and so he could not have been a stranger to God. Jesse was someone God knew, and someone who knew God.

People often say, cynically, that in our society, it is not what you know, but who you know. In a healthier sense, this is also true spiritually. Jesse knew God, and God knew Jesse, and that made all the difference!

Our God chooses to walk with us. The words to the hymn Trust and Obey illustrate the relationship that Jesse had with God and which we also should pursue for ourselves and our families:

When we walk with the Lord In the light of His word, what a glory He sheds on our way; while we do His good will He abides with us still and with all who will trust and obey.

Jesse put himself and His family in a place to be chosen and blessed by God because he walked with Him. This is available to us today also as we walk with God!

Let’s continue by reading 1 Samuel 16:10-23:

And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah. Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the Lord tormented him. And Saul's servants said to him, “Behold now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you. Let our lord now command your servants who are before you to seek out a man who is skillful in playing the lyre, and when the harmful spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will be well.” So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me a man who can play well and bring him to me.” One of the young men answered, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him.” Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.” And Jesse took a donkey laden with bread and a skin of wine and a young goat and sent them by David his son to Saul. And David came to Saul and entered his service. And Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor-bearer. And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David remain in my service, for he has found favor in my sight.” And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him.

Jesse Taught His Sons To Walk With God:

A key role of leaders is to multiply themselves.

We all have known people who were very good at what they did. They were so good at their work, or their talent, or their sport that they did not have the time or the patience to teach others. They would rather do a job themselves, than to bother working alongside or training another person. This is one reason why the best athletes make the worst coaches.

A true leader, however, knows that they can’t do it all themselves. They know that to have the maximum impact they must get people involved in the work. This is what Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:1-2:

You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.

Jesse did not keep God to himself. It takes Godly fathers to raise Godly children and we know that God was with David, because even his peers saw the truth: what is inside of us with come out.

One of my favorite memories of my dad was the time he stopped at a roadside BBQ stand and bought is all greasy, sloppy pork BBQ sandwiches. By the time we got home every one of the brown paper bags holding a sandwich was stained from the inside with grease and BBQ sauce. What was inside of the bags came out, and what was inside David came out as well.

Another favorite memory of my father involved my first call to a full-time church in Crawford, Alabama. The chairman of deacons was also the chairman of the pulpit committee and he had worked with my dad in a different branch of the same company. He didn’t know me, but he knew my dad. When he saw my resume he said, “I don’t know Otis, but if he is anything like his dad, we will want to talk to him.” What a tremendous complement!”

Because of Jesse’s leadership as a father, both David’s peers and his superiors saw something different in him. Jesse was a diligent and God-fearing father, and he taught David and his other sons well. This is still true today as fathers teach their children about the things of God.

We need to be about Our Father’s business. When Mary and Joseph took the boy Jesus to the Temple, they thought that he had gotten lost. In fact, He was right where He was supposed to be. He was amazed that they did not realize that Jesus was “about His Father’s business.” 

As men lead their families, as men raise their children, as men serve in the church we need to do so as if it were Our Father’s Business, because it is!

Let’s see more by reading 1 Samuel 17:12-20:

Now David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons. In the days of Saul the man was already old and advanced in years. The three oldest sons of Jesse had followed Saul to the battle. And the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. David was the youngest. The three eldest followed Saul, but David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father's sheep at Bethlehem. For forty days the Philistine came forward and took his stand, morning and evening.  And Jesse said to David his son, “Take for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers.  Also take these ten cheeses to the commander of their thousand. See if your brothers are well, and bring some token from them.” Now Saul and they and all the men of Israel were in the Valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. And David rose early in the morning and left the sheep with a keeper and took the provisions and went, as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the encampment as the host was going out to the battle line, shouting the war cry

Jesse Loved His Sons with the Love of God:

Jesse’s love was even-handed.

This is an interesting passage of Scripture. David had been anointed King, and he had been playing the harp for King Saul. Jesse might have thought, “David is the key to our future! He has friends in high places! Even his peers love him! I must handle him with kid gloves for he is special!” But that’s not what Jesse did. Jesse sent David out to tend his flocks.

Don’t get me wrong, tending sheep was a big responsibility. Those flocks were a large portion of the family’s wealth, and David was given stewardship over them. Also, David could learn a great deal of leadership as a shepherd, so it was good for David, but David was not being treated better or worse than he was before he was anointed.

Jesse loved all his sons, and our God loves all His children as well. The ground is level at the foot of the cross. We all come to God as helpless beggars, but then we are created as heirs to the throne. Jesse loved his sons the same way God loves us. 

Jesse’s love was practical.

Jesse could not be with his sons who were at the battlefront, but he wanted to care for them. So, he sent David to them with food for them and also a gift for their commander. No doubt this was a welcome care package!

I know how much this type of practical love means because I have been the recipient myself. When I was in Iraq in 2010, my wife would collect all kinds of goodies that we could not get in-county and she would mail them to me in large boxes. In fact, the mail orderly once complained about how many big boxes I was receiving, but I shared most of the contents with my fellow soldiers. I will say that I never want to see another Girl Scout cookie again, but the practical love from home was greatly appreciated!

Like Jesse, fathers love their children in practical ways. Another favorite memory of my dad was how, just before I got married, he gave me a full set of tools. Of all the gifts I got for our wedding, that was certainly the most practical one. I have used it far more than the ten sets of salt and pepper shakers that we received off our wedding gift registry!

God loves us with a practical love also. He created this world for us and so many wonderful things that are in it are a blessing to us as well. Jesus said that He came to give us an abundant life, which is certainly a practical expression of love. 

Jesse’s love was tender.

A common saying is “out of sight, out of mind,” but that was not true for Jesse. He was concerned for his boys, and he wanted to share that concern with them. He wanted to hear back about how they were doing.  These young men had grown up and they had taken their place in the line of battle, but dad still loved them, and he wanted to know how they were doing.

Several years ago, when our children were still in middle school, one of the deacons of our church had children who were young adults. As I was preparing to perform the wedding for one of his sons, I asked him, “When do you stop worrying about your children.” He replied, “You never really stop being a dad.”

Our God has a tender love for us also. He wants the best for us, and He hurts when we hurt. He rejoices when we rejoice. Our God wants to be intimately involved in our lives. He wants us to pray to Him the way parents want to hear from a child away at school or, like Jesse’s boys, going in harm’s way. He cares for us even when we are preoccupied with the affairs of our lives, and like Jesse, He reaches out to us and touches us with His care and concern.

Conclusion:

One might think that Jesse’s greatest legacy was that he was father to a king.  This is, no doubt, a wonderful thing, but to be honest, we have to remember that he had seven other sons as well. They did not become kings so did Jesse have that much to do with David’s anointing? It is hard to tell.

What we do know is how Jesse lived his life and how he raised his boys:

Jesse walked with God. Jesse taught his sons to walk with God. Jesse loved his sons with the love of God.

Is there any greater legacy that a man could have? 

Is there any greater legacy that any mother could have?

Is there any greater legacy that any of us could have?

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about Healthy Leadership from 2 Corinthians 12 and 13

Today I want to share a word about Healthy Leadership as I comment on scriptures from 2 Corinthians 12 and 13. 

We are in the midst of a series on the Characteristics of a Healthy Church as taught on the mission field by the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. I think this is great material and that it should be considered by the churches in North America also, as we try to rebuild our ministries after a year of COVID 19. 

While there are many different leaders in our churches, the primary leader is the pastor, and we are going to focus on the role of pastors and how they shepherd the sheep of God’s pasture. 

Being a pastor is not easy and every pastor has stories they tell about events that occurred when, if they didn’t laugh, they’d cry.  Many of these seem to stem from baptisms:

In one case, pastor was baptizing a large man in a small baptistery.  He banged the man’s head against the side of the baptistery, and the man, who was a new covert from a rough background, came up out of the water cursing like a drunken sailor!

Another pastor was baptizing a young girl who decided to do a “cannon ball” dive into the baptistery.  The choir got baptized that day as well.

Finally, a pastor and a revival speaker did a joint baptism service together. After the baptism, the pastor rushed back to change clothes for the rest of the service.  After he got back into the sanctuary, the pastor noticed his feet were hurting.  He didn’t realize why until the revival speaker almost fell on the way to the pulpit to preach. The pastor had put on the evangelist’s shoes, which were one and half sizes smaller than his own.

As we consider the topic of Healthy Leadership, we must remind ourselves of the calling that God has given our pastors.  It is a huge task, and a daunting calling, and one that pastors can only do with the empowering of God’s Spirit, and with the cooperation of those who are the sheep of this fold.  2 Corinthians 12 and 13 give us great insight into Health Leadership for our pastors and churches: 

FIRST,  A PASTOR’S CALL IS APPARENT:

2 Corinthians 12:11-13 says,

I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was not at all inferior to these super-apostles, even though I am nothing. The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works. For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!

To understand the text for today, we must first know that Paul was embroiled in a controversy: Some people were saying that he was not a true Apostle. Some people preferred other preachers over him like Peter, or Apollos, as we would see if we turned to 1 Corinthians 3. Yet, Paul could not, would not, deny his call from God. He was like Jeremiah who exclaimed, “If I say, ‘I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name,’ there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot." Jeremiah 20: 7-9 

Paul believed that the truth was obvious and that his actions bore witness to his call. He apparently believed in what we call today “The Duck Test:” If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, we can be pretty sure it is a duck! He knew he was called by God and that his opponents should also know he was called.

Jesus also confronted this very issue in John 10:24-30 when he told His critics:  

Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, "How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly." Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father's name, they bear witness of Me. But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are one."

These passages have established some vital truths about the call of a pastor:

• God’s call is felt in the hearts of those whom he has called.

• When that happens, it is born out in the daily life of the one called.

• The church sees this and affirms God’s call.

• Each of these must be in pace for a call to ministry to be valid.

• Finally, once a call has been established, the people must cooperate!

Every preacher has a “honeymoon” with his church.  It is what happens that after time that that shows the reality of his leadership and also their willingness to follow.

NEXT, A PASTOR’S CALL IS TO EDIFY: 

2 Corinthians 12:14-19 says,

Here for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be a burden, for I seek not what is yours but you. For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more, am I to be loved less? But granting that I myself did not burden you, I was crafty, you say, and got the better of you by deceit. Did I take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you? I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not act in the same spirit? Did we not take the same steps? Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ, and all for your upbuilding, beloved.

Paul clearly reminds us that a pastor is not a burden to the flock! In fact, a flock needs a shepherd and Jesus taught that if you get rid of the shepherd, the flock will be scattered. Practically, and from experience, we know that churches without a pastor fall apart, so the flock needs to support their pastor. Jesus said that a laborer is worth his hire and Paul told Timothy that a teaching elder is worth double honor.

The bottom line is that a good pastor is a tremendous blessing to a church. However, Paul also clearly states, in turn, that a pastor is not to be a burden to the flock! A bad pastor is as much a curse as a good one is a blessing, and the Scriptures are full of warnings about bad leaders. For example, in Matthew 23:13-15, Jesus proclaimed,

But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.

Those who deceive and destroy churches have a fearful fate as Jesus taught in Matthew 18:6-7: 

But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!

This is why Paul says that we should not seek to be teachers, for the responsibility is heavy. 

A pastor’s call is to build-up the flock! Jesus came for us to have eternal life and abundant life. The way to have both is to be a disciple, so the mission of the church, then, is to make disciples and the pastor is the primary disciple-maker in the church. As Paul taught in Ephesians 4, the gifts of the pastor are for the edifying of the church until we are perfected in discipleship.

WE ALSO SEE THAT A PASTOR’S CALL IS TO LOVE THE CHURCH:

2 Corinthians 12:20-21 says,

For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced.

Working with people is not easy; people are proud and stiff-necked. They are often hard to get along with and hey can make those who work with them miserable. When we were on the mission field, we heard a joke, that went, “Missionary service would be great if not for the local believers and the other missionaries.” The world is not what it was intended to be, and sadly, this is best demonstrated by the daily walk of most people. Yet, even so, God still loves us.

God’s two major concerns are His Name and His creation.  He should have given up on us long ago, but He hasn’t. God has a faithful love that will do whatever it takes to save us, and He did it perfectly through Jesus, our Savior. As Romans 8:6-9 says: 

For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

Like God, a pastor loves the church; and like the Good Shepherd, a pastor lays down his life for the sheep. Pastors sacrifice time, own interests, their families, and  much else for the church. When people call, he goes; when they have needs, he prays. This is a tremendous responsibility. Consider what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 11:23-29:

Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one—I am talking like a madman—with far greater labors, far more imprisonments, with countless beatings, and often near death. Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?

Paul loved the church at Corinth so much that he wanted to do what was best for them. This is exactly what a pastor should do for his flock as well!

FINALLY, A PASTOR’S CALL IS TO BE A PROPHET:

2 Corinthians 13:1-5 says,

This is the third time I am coming to you. Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. I warned those who sinned before and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come again I will not spare them—since you seek proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you.  For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God. Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

A pastor plays many roles:

• Encourager and supporter

• Trusted confidant

• Visionary leader

• Teacher, trainer and equipper

 

But, one of the most important roles is that of prophet!

 A prophet forth-tells God’s Word and in doing so, he confronts sin and unbelief, and He stands up for truth and righteousness. He steps on people’s toes from time to time and this does not make him popular. The prophet Jeremiah faced great opposition and only kept preaching because of the fire in his bones and Elijah was called by King Ahab, “You troubler of Israel.”

Prophecy, however, is medicine for sick congregations and if a pastor loves his church, he will do what is right for it. When sin is in a church, the right thing to do is to confront it with God’s Word.

Pastors must recognize that prophecy is strong medicine and it is best used sparingly; when it is left on the shelf, the patient can die. When given in too great a dose, the side effects can seem worse than the illness, even if that isn’t tru. When used properly at the right time, however, it can give renewed life.

CONCLUSION:

On my desk is a plaque that says:

A Pastor Is One Who Speaks To Your Spirit,

Listens To Your Heart, And Understands What Words Can Never Say

This is the attitude of Healthy Leadership in a local church. May God continue to call out pastors to shepherd His flock as the fellow the example of the Good Shepherd!

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt

A Word about Healthy Missions from Romans 15

Today I want share a word about Healthy Missions as I comment on Romans 15:14-33.

When people in the USA are asked to support missions, they often wonder what missionaries do.  It reminds me of a “Peanuts” cartoon I once read.

In this cartoon, Lucy asks Charlie Brown, “Why are we here on earth?” Charlie replied, “To make other people happy.”  Lucy replied, “Then why are they here?”

Paul was the first Christian foreign missionary and he set the example for all of us to follow in ministry.  In fact, he was bold enough to say, at times, “Follow my example and do what I do as I follow Jesus.” We can see from Paul’s letter to the Romans what missionaries do and what healthy missions is all about.  Let’s look at Romans 15:14-33.

First, Healthy Missions is Taking the Gospel Where it has Never Gone Before:

In verses 20 and 21, Paul said,

. . . and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, 21 but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.”

In the First Century most people had never heard The Gospel. The Gospel was first preached to the Jews but God also wanted the Gentiles to hear it as well.  As we know, the Great Commission commands the church to make disciples of all nations (peoples). And Acts 1:8 tells us, the Church must go to all corners of the earth and all peoples and Paul's three Missionary Journeys show that he was obedient to the command of God to go.

Even today most people overseas have never heard the Gospel. There are 7 billion people in the world; there are probably less than 1 billion believers.  Almost 2 billion people around the world live in areas where access to the Gospel is denied by governments or societal institutions and Islam is spreading rapidly through Europe, and it is also making inroads in some parts of the US and Canada.

The sad fact is that many of our neighbors have never heard, either. At least a quarter of a billion people lost people live in North America. 

For example, a North American missionary, whose name is Norm,  serves in Charleston, WV.  He serves where the Appalachian Mountains meets the inner city and he works with people who are fourth generation welfare recipients.  Not only did their moms have children by two or three boyfriends, but so did their grandmothers and even their great-grandmothers!  This culture does not know that pornography, cohabitation before marriage, and gambling are wrong and self-destructive!

As hard as it may be to believe, Alabama, the buckle of the Bible belt, is also a mission field.  Over 40% of our population are not members of a local church and over 90% of the residents of multiple housing units (mobile home parks and apartment complexes) are unchurched. 

The key issue with missions is taking the Gospel to people who have never had access to it before. As an example of this, a colleague of mine rode his motorcycle from Montgomery, AL to Sturgis, SD to participate in an outreach to bikers at the Sturgis Bike Rally.  Over 1,300 people made professions of faith!

Second, Healthy Missions is Working Yourself out of A Job:

What do I mean by this? Let’s read verses 22-25:

This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints.

As we can see in the Book of Acts and also in this passage, Paul did not intend to homestead in any one place. His calling was not to pastor a single church, but to start many and his method was to begin a work, train up local leaders, and then pass the baton to them. 2 Timothy 2:2 is a perfect summary of his methodology: “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also”.

When his work was done in a place, he followed God’s leading to another field to start a new work all over again or to reinforce a work he had started on a previous ministry. A battery company who was vendor to my dad when he was a heavy truck maintenance supervisor has a slogan Paul would agree with. They are “Always Starting Something.”  Their logo is a feisty little boy with a black eye!

This is a key difference between missionaries and local church pastors. Missionaries don’t want to foster dependence upon them, because they are outsiders. Missionaries want new churches and ministries to mature and develop and they know that the best way to grow the Kingdom of God is through multiplying ministries, congregations, and churches with local leadership guiding the way after they have been trained up.

Missiologist Dr. Jim Slack has taught the 1 X 2 X 3 Rule:  In the same amount of time it takes to bring one new person into an existing church, you can bring two people into a new unit or class in an existing church.  In the same amount of time, you can bring three people into a new church. In fact, the Methodist Church spread widely in Colonial America because of the work of the Circuit Riders, who ranged wider and wider across the frontier, starting new classes and churches.  This came at a great cost; however, few lived past their 40th birthday

God’s Kingdom needs missionaries AND pastors. Someone must start new works: these are missionaries! Someone must stay and see that they become completely mature: these are pastors and church staff members! Fortunately, according to  Ephesians 4:11-16, God calls people out to do both!

Third, Healthy Missions Uses Multiple Techniques in Ministry:

Missionaries share the Gospel with the unreached in many different ways. Paul gave several examples in our focus passage for today. For example:

In verses 14-16, Paul said he ministered through writing:

I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.  

 

Paul was one of the most prolific Biblical writers. He wrote at least thirteen New Testament books, and many other letters. He tackled many difficult theological issues. He wrote both occasionally and intentionally. For example, the Epistles to the Corinthians are like the game show “Jeopardy;” we have his answers, but we have to figure out the questions.

The ministry of writing is vital because the written word can often be more expressive and definitive. Also, the written word remains, when spoken word leaves. After all, how many of us remember last week's sermon?

The written word can go places we cannot, like prison, other countries, soldiers in combat zones and other places people cannot go themselves. It has been said that John 3:16 inscribed on a pencil and sent into a country that is closed to the Gospel is better than all the eloquent sermons never heard. Indeed, I knew one Muslim in West Africa who was converted simply by reading the Bible. No one had witnessed or preached to him at the time of his decision for Christ.

How do missionaries imitate Paul in this? They translate the Bible into local languages. They produce and distribute literature. They produce videos and movies, like the Jesus Film. Increasingly, they use social media like Facebook, Twitter, and text messaging.

In verses 18-20, Paul said he ministered through speaking:

For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel . . . 

Speaking really is the primary mode of doing ministry. Missionaries speak to preach, teach, and witness. Missionaries speak to comfort and to encourage. The spoken word is almost always available and it requires no special equipment. That is why Paul told Timothy to be ready to preach the Gospel, in season and out  . . .

How did Paul use speech in his ministry? He preached to and he taught both Jews and Gentiles and he told the complete Gospel of Jesus as Savior and Lord. In fact, he once preached so long that a boy fell out of window . . . but that may be an extreme example!

 Missionaries also imitate Paul in using the spoken word. They tell their personal story, which has great power.  No one can argue with what Christ has done in your life. They also use special techniques to reach illiterate people, such as Chronological Bible Storying. In addition, they tell the story of missions to church members to challenge them to continue to support the Great Commission by giving, praying, sending, and going.

In verses 22-24, Paul said he ministered through his physical presence:

This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. 

Paul knew what missionaries today know, that there is power in physical presence that can’t be experienced in any other way. In this age of call centers, people still like doing business in person, and Jesus came to earth in person to seek us out and to be with us. Also, God sent the Holy Spirit to be present personally in our lives. There is power in presence!

Why is there is power in presence? It allows you to see a person's reality and empathize. It also allows demonstrates your interest in a physical way through the comfort of a touch. Sometimes being present is all that you can do!

Paul's example is instructive for us. He took three missionary journeys and he visited new fields and he visited old fields. He was willing to go where he was needed. He was like the TV Character Paladin whose motto was “Have gun, Will Travel.” Paul had the Gospel and he would travel!

How do missionaries imitate Paul in being present? They go where the people are like when they use four-wheel drive trucks to reach people in the African rainy season. They live the way local people do. They eat same food, and they wear the same clothing. They learn local language and customs; they may even take a local name. 

They also live out Christian lives before non-believers. For example, Muslim marriage relationships are often arranged and very businesslike.  It is a powerful witness to live out a Christian marriage in a Muslim culture, since a Christian marriage represents the relationship between Christ and the church.

In verses 26-28, Paul said that also he ministered by meeting human needs:

For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will leave for Spain by way of you. 

The situation in Jerusalem at this time was grim. The Christians were hated by the Jews and the Romans had just labeled the Church as an outlaw religion. Many believers were lower class and were often poor or slaves.

In response to this need, Paul mobilized the love of the brethren. He helped the believers in Europe to realize their debt to Jerusalem church. He instructed them on how to take a collection and then send it by way Paul and a delegation, and thereby, the church on the mission field ministered to human needs.

Today, missionaries realize that Jesus did not come the earth to merely heal the sick. He came to seek and save that which was lost.  While He was on Earth, however, He could not help being benevolent Himself and show His love to people through meeting their human needs.  Missionaries follow in His footsteps as Paul did. They help with housing needs. They help with hunger needs. They help with medical needs. As an an example, at one time, the International Mission Board ran a dental clinic in West Africa that served a population of 800,000.

Finally, Healthy Missions is Bathed in Prayer:

Without a doubt, Paul Believed In Prayer:

Paul prayed for all people (Titus 1:8).

Paul prayed for those in authority (1 Timothy 2:2).

Paul prayed for believers (Philippians1:9/Colossians 1:9).

In fact, Paul prayed without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Paul also wanted people to pray for him as we see here in Romans 15:30-33:

I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Missionaries today also believe in prayer. They pray before they engage in ministry, during ministry, and after ministry. Prayer efforts, like prayer walking play a major part in the strategies of missionaries in the USA as well as overseas. Missionaries often wait until their birthdays to make major decisions, because they know many people are praying for them on that day. 

As I have already mentioned, prayer walking is a tremendous ministry. Graham Kendrick calls this “Praying on site with insight!” It really does enlighten and inform our prayer when we see the sights, hear the sounds, taste the tastes, and yes, even smell the smells!

Commonly people say, “All I can do is pray.” In truth, sometimes the best thing you can do is pray as you bring people and situations to Throne of Grace and to the very presence of God Himself!

Conclusion:   

A pastor I knew called Paul a “Full Gospel” preacher, but he didn’t mean in a denominational sense. Paul was a full gospel preacher as he shared the Gospel with his words, his actions, his prayers, and his life. Our missionaries follow his pattern even today, because Paul was the very model of healthy missions!

Every blessing,

Dr. Otis Corbitt