Still Not Professionals

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still not professionals


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2013 Desiring God

Published by Desiring God

Post Ofce Box 2901Minneapolis, MN 55402

www.desiringGod.org

Pm

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All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added by theauthor or editor.


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Table o ConTenTs

Peace

Cntibuts

01

Bthes, the MinistyIs SupenatualJhn Pipe

06 Bthes, Supenatual DesNt Mean StupiJhn Pipe

11 Bthes, We Ae Nt SistesDuglas Wilsn

15 Bthes, We Ae Nt PesssR. C. Spul, J.


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19 Bthes, We Ae Nt SupestasDaniel L. Akin

23 Bthes, We Shul StinkTabiti Anyabwile

27 Bthes, Live a Visible,Exemplay, Eveyay LieJe Vanestelt

33 Bthes, Paise SmebyOthe Tan GSam Cabtee

38 Bthes, Buil a Gspel Cultue

Raymn C. Otlun J.

42 Bthes, ain Up theNext GeneatinMike Bullme


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PreaCe

Febuay 46, 2013, we will gathe in Minneaplis, G will-ing, the annual Desiing G Cneence Pasts. Tetheme is Bthes, We Ae Still Nt Pessinals: Reclaim-ing the Centality the Supenatual in Ministy. Just ays

pi t the cneence is the scheule elease Jhn Pipesevise an expane bkBrothers, We Are Not Proessionals:

A Plea to Pastors or Radical Ministry.Tis sht ebk is a celebatin an extensin that

bkbn nt nly m an et t whet the appetite the cming cneence, but in a hpe t bless pasts an theChistian leaes beyn the bk an cneence.

In Octbe 2012, Desiing G issue invitatins t a han-ul ministy iensall them seasne pasts whm we

eeply espectt cntibute t this ebk. As the chaptescame in, we pste them at the Desiing G blg; nw thattheyve all aive, we ae publishing them tgethe in ne placeas a esuce we hpe might have a lng electnic shel lie.

We aske the cntibuts t expess in these chaptes theiheat heats ellw pastswhat cmes t thei mins

st, mst punly, when they think abut inuencing


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ellw ministes. Given thei unique invlvements an cn-texts, what ne thing wul they want the pasts t hea?

We eaily amit that the expeiences an pespectives u gup ae limitethe gup is mae up entiely pastsin 21st-centuy Nth Ameican cntexts. Hweve, we believethat the substance these chaptes taps int pun humanthemes, in bth the past an his ck, an will be use Chistian leaes a beyn u limite Nth Ameican cn-text. Tis is u paye.

One me thing t aess in this peace: why this ebkis aesse t bthes an nt t sistes. Hees hw JhnPipe aesses that questin in the peace hisBrothers bk:

thse wh want me t wite bthes ansistes, I say, let eveyne be ully cnvince in hiswn min. As me, the biblical teaching is clea:

G calls spiitual, humble, Chistlike men t leathe amily as husbans an t lea the chuch as eles(Ephesians 5:2033; 1 imthy 2:1213). I believe, anI have expeience thity yeas, that gly, gie,aticulate, intelligent, ministeing wmen uish insuch amilies an chuches.

We, t, in aessing this ebk t the bthes, believe that

it is nt at the expense u wneul sistes, but the sake thei uniminishe thiving. We believe that as Chistianmen step wa t ulll thei callings as Chistlike men inthe amily an the lcal chuch, Chistian wmen will uish.

Davi MathisExecutive EditorDesiring God


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ConTribuTors

D l. a is pesient Sutheasten Baptist Telgi-cal Seminay in Wake Fest, Nth Calina. Akin is maiet Chaltte, an they have u sns (Nathan, Jnathan, Paul,an imthy), thee aughtes-in-law, an eight ganchilen.

Tt aw is seni past Fist Baptist Chuch,

Gan Cayman. He is a native Lexingtn, Nth Calina.His wie is Kistie, an they have tw aughtes (Aya anEen) an a sn (itus).

M bm is seni past CssWay CmmunityChuch in Bistl, Wiscnsin, whee he has seve since 1998(when the chuch was launche). F 15 yeas, Bullme wasassciate pess hmiletics (peaching) an pastal the-

lgy, as well as chaiman the pactical thelgy epatmentat inity Evangelical Divinity Schl in Deeel, Illinis.

sm Ct is executive ministe at Bethlehem BaptistChuch (win Cities, Minnesta) an a ba membe Desiing G. Sam an his wie Vicki have tw maie


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aughtes an u ganchilen. Sam is the auth Practic-ing Armation (Cssway Bks, 2011).

rmd C. otd, J. is lea past Immanuel Chuchin Nashville, ennessee. Ray is maie t Jani, an they haveu chilen.

J Pp is une an teache Desiing G an chan-cell Bethlehem Cllege an Seminay. F 32 yeas, he wasseni past at Bethlehem Baptist Chuch. He is auth

me than y bks, incluingDesiring GodanDont WasteYour Lie. Jhn an his wie Nl have a teenage aughte, umaie sns, an twelve ganchilen.

r. C. sp, J. seves thugh Highlans Ministies, LignieMinisties, an Heitage Cvenant Chuch. He is the wiweathe eight chilen, ne whm has gne n t he ewa.

J Vdtt is a past Sma Cmmunities in acma,Washingtn. He leas a missinal cmmunity at the wntwnexpessin an seves all Sma in the aeas visin an teach-ing. He is a cach an taine chuch plantes an seves nthe ba the Acts 29 chuch-planting netwk. Je an his

wie Jayne have thee chilen (Haylee, Caleb, an Maggie).

Dg W is past Chist Chuch (Mscw, Iah),an auth, an aculty membe an Seni Fellw at New SaintAnews Cllege. He is als the une an eit Cre-denda Agenda magazine, an seves n the gvening bas New Saint Anews, Lgs Schl, an the Assciatin Classical an Chistian Schls. Dugs wie is Nancy, anthey have thee gwn chilen.


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broThers, The MinisTry is

suPernaTural

J Pp

Its been ten yeas since the publicatin the bkBrothers,We Are Not Proessionals. Nthing has happene in the last ten

yeas t make me think this bk is less neee. In act, instea ging away, the pessue t pessinalize the pastatehas mphe an stengthene.

Amng yunge pasts, the talk is less abut theapeutican manageial pessinalizatin, an me abut cmmu-nicatin cntextualizatin. Te language pessinaliza-tin is selm use in these egas, but thee is a quiet pessue

elt by many pasts: Be as good as the proessional media olks,especially the cool anti-heroes and the most subtle comedians.

T nw Pm

Tis is nt the vestate pessinalism the thee-piece suitan the pwe fces the uppe s, but the unestate

pessinalism tn blue jeans an the savvy inne ing.


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Tis pessinalism is nt leane in pusuing an MBA, butby being in the knw abut the eve-changing entetainment

an meia wl.Tis is the pessinalizatin ambience, an tne, aniim, an timing, an bante. It is me intuitive an lesstaught. Me style an less technique. Me eel an less ce.

I this can be calle proessionalism, what es it have incmmn with the le vesin? Eveything that mattes. Te

way I tie t get at the pblem ten yeas ag was t ask sme

questins. Let me expan that list. Only this time think, landnew pessinalism.

Is thee pessinal paying?Pessinal tusting in Gs pmises?Pessinal weeping ve suls?Pessinal musing n the epths evelatin?

Pessinal ejicing in the tuth?Pessinal paising Gs name?Pessinal teasuing the iches Chist?Pessinal walking by the Spiit?Pessinal execise spiitual gis?Pessinal ealing with emns?Pessinal pleaing with backslies?

Pessinal peseveance in a ha maiage?Pessinal playing with chilen?Pessinal cuage in the ace pesecutin?Pessinal patience with eveyne?

Tese ae nt maginal activities in the pastal lie. Tey ae vital.


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T ht Mt

Why we chke n the w proessional in these cnnec-

tins? Because pessinalizatin caies the cnntatin an eucatin, a set skills, an a set guil-ene stanas

which ae pssible withut aith in Jesus the pwe theinwelling Spiit G.

Pessinalism es nt usually cay the cnntatin being supenatual. But the heat ministy is supenatual.

P Ccf?

Tee is a pessinal way t cuciy. But thee is n pessin-al way t be cucie. Tee wee pessinals n Glgtha.Tey wee expets in ttue. But Jesus was nt ne them.

F Paul, the ministy was me like being cucie thancuciying. I bea n my by the maks Jesus (Galatians

6:17). I am cucie with Chist (Galatians 2:20). I ie eveyay! (1 Cinthians 15:31). F the sake Chist I am cntent

with weaknesses (2 Cinthians 12:10). He was cucie inweakness we als ae weak in him, but in ealing with yu wewill live with him by the pwe G (2 Cinthians 13:4).We ae the ama Chist a agance m eath t eatha agance m lie t lie. Wh is sufcient these things?

(2 Cinthians 2:1516).Pasts say, Wh is sufcient these things! An then

they lk t G. Pessinals say, Eucatin an tainingan savvy ae sufcient. An then they lk t expets.


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lg Gd ect

Pasts nt lk t thei elquence the supenatual

uit they lng . My speech an my message wee nt inplausible ws wism, but in emnstatin the Spiitan pwe, s that yu aith might nt est in the wism men but in the pwe G (1 Cinthians 2:45).

Whateve gis an elquence a past may have, whatevepepaatins he makes, he lks away m them all t G evey spiitual eect.

He knws what he is ae. An he knws that n humanet an n human excellence can bing it abut. He wants

peple t be aise m the ea (Ephesians 2:5). He wantspeple t be set ee m lielng bnage (2 imthy 2:2526). He wants camels t pass thugh the eyes neeles (Mak10:2527). Teee, at evey tun, he seeks t seve by the

stength that G suppliesin e that in eveything Gmay be glie thugh Jesus Chist, t whm belng glyan minin eve an eve (1 Pete 4:11).

spt G d M

Te gals ae supenatual, an the means ae supenatual.Cnvesins an cnmity t Chist ae the supenatual

uit seving in the supenatual stength Chist. OnlyChist can this.

Ministy is iscveing hw t live happily in the all-accm-plishing hans the isen Chist.

Tis is a plea pasts t put the pesence the HlySpiit, an the pwe Chist-exalting tuth, an the puity


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hly living, abve the pagmatic cnsieatins ganiza-tin, an abve u cncens with cmpelling style.

An i this suns like a pesciptin caeless, slppy,istacting ministy, tun nw t the next chapte, Bthes,Supenatual Des Nt Mean Stupi.

Bthes, the ministy is supenatual.


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broThers, suPernaTural DoesnoT Mean sTuPiD

J Pp

I smeby eas the last chapte an says, S, then, yuthink it esnt matte i we sing key, peach incmpetently,an nt pvie paking? my answe is, Tats just stupi.

It mattes whethe yu think the nly altenative t tackyis pessinal. I the nly way yu have uging excellencein yu chuch is t uge pessinalism, I suggest yu neea bigge vcabulay.

Te baggage attache t the w pessinalism is nthelpul, i yu ae tying t be a supenatual peple G.An that is what we want t be: by Chist, chsen ace,

yal piesth, hly natin, peple Gs wn pssessin,temple the Hly Spiit, husehl G, saints, calle,

Way, bie Chist, an me. It is nt helpul t aim at beinga pessinal bie.

W t Qt bg

S when I enunce the pusuit pessinalism, es that


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mean I nt aspie t excellence? N. But I stat my quest excellence with the quest excellent giveness. Excel-

lent mecy. Excellent patience. Excellent kinness. Excellenthumility. Excellent sel-cntl. Excellent gspel-walking(Galatians 2:14).

Tats what Paul ha in min when he tl us t imitate theinnitely excellent G. Be imitats G An walk inlve, as Chist lve us an gave himsel up us (Ephesians5:12). I nt knw i Jesus cul sing n key, i his tunic was

winkle-ee, but I knw his capacities etuning g evil wee beautiul beyn ws. Te aical quest thatexcellence is whee we begin.

T Qt bd

Ten Paul baens the quest: Whateve is hnable, what-

eve is just, whateve is pue, whateve is lvely, whateve iscmmenable, i thee is any excellence, i thee is anythingwthy paise, think abut these things (Philippians 4:8).S ae u heats uneg a gspel envatin, the next m eubishing is u min: Tink n these excellent things.Fill yu min with excellence. Beauty. Justice. Puity. Hn.

Ten the next thing ut Pauls muth is this: What yu

have leane an eceive an hea an seen in mepacticethese things (Philippians 4:9). S the gspel-envate heatan the excellence-eubishe min bth pactice thesethings. It mattes hw things ae ne. At hme. At chuch.Eveywhee. We pactice excellence.


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sd wt M

S we buil magnicent builings? Maybe. But nt many.

Te piity put n pulence in the Ol estament palace antemple was wing t an ea cme-see-eligin. Like theQueen Sheba wh came t Isael an was beathless at Sl-mns wealth (1 Kings 10:5).

But the New estament has nne that emphasis n pu-lence, because it is a g-tell-eligin. Te missin impulseminates the mestic impulse. We ae sjunes. We ae sent.

ake nthing yu juney, n sta, n bag, n bea, nmney; an nt have tw tunics (Luke 9:3). Tis saying isnt nmative all missin, but it es av eveything.

S the quest excellence is always seasne by a missin-iente mentality, with a bent twa simplicity. Its a bent,nt an abslute. Tee may be a place a catheal hee an

thee. But the peple G wnt lean twa living in pal-aces. An the vast wk the kingm will happen mainly inthe ugge utpsts.

udtctg ecc

But what abut the way we things? What abut music, example? We ecall the psalmist saying, Splen an maj-

esty ae bee him; stength an beauty ae in his sanctuay(Psalm 96:6). Sing t him a new sng; playskillully n thestings (Psalm 33:3). Beautiully. Skillully. Des that mean

pessinally? In all my yeas pastal ministy, I have nevepaye that wship be ne pessinally.

Te categy we have un mst helpul is unistact-

ing excellence. Te ajective unistacting means that the


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quality an act must help, athe than hine, the spiitualaims the ministy. Lea wshipes aim by the pwe

Gs Spiit (1 Pete 4:11) t awaken the mins attentin anthe heats aectins t the tuth an beauty G an thegspel. Te kin singing an playing that helps this happenis nt well escibe as pessinal.

sg Mc

But unistacting excellence helps us get at the issue. It

emins us that peple ae istacte nt nly by shy music,but als by the ae musical nesse. Cpate wship isnt a ecital. Te sanctuay is n chesta hall. Te shute

Bavissim! a vitus pemance (which may be ttal-ly apppiate at the cncet hall) has the ppsite cus m

what we ae seeking n Sunay mning. We ae seeking the

miacle cmmunin with G.Te same applies t peaching. On the ne han, eles aet be apt t teach (1 imthy 3:2). Gie. Able. Skille. Eec-tive. On the the han, thee is a kin smth, etlessaty, an a kin cl, cleve, hip, an even stuie casual-ness that can be just as istacting m the pesence G asthe sel-cnscius awkwaness the nevus beginne.

spt D nt M sdd

Unistacting excellence means that cntent, language,tne, gestue, an emean will all seve the spiitual aims the message: the quickening the ea an the buil-ing up aith in the saints by the pwe G. Tee is n


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pessinal aising the ea. An n pessinal builing the temple the sul.

Teee, bthes, we ae (still) nt pessinals. Ouaims ae supenatual. Teee, u means ae stie anshape by the Spiit G. Te excellence we seek seves a spi-itual cmmunin with G. It is unistacting. But spiituales nt mean shy. An supenatual es nt mean stupi.


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broThers, We are noT sisTers

Dg W

say that ne thing is nt anthe thing is nt t egiste acmplaint against eithe.

say that the sun is nt the mn is nt t citicize themn, an t say that the lan is nt the sea is nt t le a cm-

plaint against the sea. G establishes ieences in the wlwith the intentin them cmplementing ne anthe, annt s that his vaiegate wl wul ty t melt itsel wnint ne geat inistinguishable mass. A pine cne is nt acheesecake is nt a cvee bige. A man is nt a wman, butG bless them bth.

An s t exht my bthes in the ministy t emembe

that they ae nt sistes is in n way a m isain, eithepen isguise, twa the sistes. As bthes in ministy,thee ae many things we must lean m the sistes, an wemust take cae t lean these things caeully an apppiately.

F just ne example, the apstle Paul says he was gentleamng the Tessalnians, the way a nuse with small chilen

wul be (1 Tessalnians 2:7). Te Bible says that wmen


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shul nt set up t teach the men authitatively (1 imthy2:12), but this is a vey ieent thing than men leaning m

wmen (Acts 18:26). Hw n eath wul it be pssible aman t live with his wie with unestaning (1 Pete 3:7) with-ut leaning anything m he?

Mc Pc t Ppt

Tat sai, in these egalitaian times, we must insist n a mas-culine pesence in the pulpit because the chuch is the bie

Chist, an nees t bey he husban in eveything (Ephe-sians 5:24). Te L equies this us (1 imthy 2:12), ans that is what we must . Te iniviual man in the pulpitmust be masculine because the bie Chist must be emi-nine. Te apppiate eminine espnse the Chuch is t besubmissive, an yu cannt be submissive while isbeying.

But as we accept this espnsibility as the wism G,an embace it n that basis, we shul nt be supise i anumbe aitinal incentives an easns ccu t us as well.

t s yg M

We must be masculine in u ministy the sake manyyung men enteing the ministymen wh gew t manh

withut an apppiate le mel in thei athe. We ae theiathes in the wk nw, an s we must mel them whatthis kin masculinity lks likewhat cuage with anpen bk lks like.

Te Bible teaches that the best ms leaning ae imita-tive, an i we want the next geneatin peaches t gw up

int a tue masculinity, then thee must be a masculinity ut


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thee that they can see in e t imitate. But bee we canmel it, we must lean it uselves.

t s t Wm

We must be masculine in u ministy the sake thewmen in u cngegatins. Because men ae natually cm-petitive, they ae me pne t see the ieences between thesexes in tems that cmpetitin. Wmen ae me ealistic atthis pint, an nt make this mistake as en.

Te best thing in the chuch the women is the ment be men. F a man t teach the w G with auth-ity (an nt as the scibes) is nt withhling anything mthe wmen at allit is agit the wmen. Gly wmen aegieve by usuping wmen, an annye by eeminate men.Tey ae e by men wh teach the Bible with blness. Tey

nee that st pvisin an ptectin, an they knw thatthey . We shul knw that als.

eg od Pcpt

We must be masculine in u ministy in e t help easethe centuies-l peceptin clegymen as the thi sex.

We have a w m the L the natins aun us, an

they will nt be able t hea us i all that cmes m us is a i-ent bleating. Te L chse the sns Zebeee as his sns thune, an as we cnsie the state u natin aunus, we shul lng him t chse ut sme me.

Te humiity levels u spiitual stupiity ae ppessive,an u sins an iniquities have ceate a mugginess that eels

like the atmsphee n Jupite n a ht aenn. What we


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nee is ve six st-ate Miwesten thunestms t cleaall that away. Nthing is me appaent than that we nee

sme masculine peaches t cut lse.

T Ppt: Pc Pc Cg

Tis elates t the last pint, which is that we must be mas-culine in u ministy because the pulpit ught t be the st public place whee it takes cuage t stan. An it is thisst statement that eveals just hw sensitize t unbeliev-

ing ppagana we have becme. I we say that men shulstep int pulpits because it shul take cuage t s, theett will cme back immeiately that we must nt believethat wmen can be cuageus. Te eply is simplet say the

pulpit is a place that equies cuage a st peculia t menis nt t say that cuage is nn-existent unnecessay evey-

whee else. But this is just a small sampling what a ministe the gspel must be willing t he must be willing t bemisunest an misepesente in ways just like this.

Ou battles ve wmens inatin ae en misguie inemphasis. We ught t spen less time tying t keep the wm-en m becming men in the pulpit, an me time teachingmen t becme men in the pulpit.

Bthes, we ae nt sistes.


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broThers, We are noTProessors

r. C. sp, J.

It has been sai by ne geat Reme thelgian that we aeliving in the mst anti-intellectual age in the chuchs histy.

We ae the V geneatin, making way the Intenet gen-

eatin. Images tickle u eyes, an sun-bites massage ubains. We ae, cmpae t u Puitan athes, ignant shep-hes leaing sensate sheep in a y an usty lan. Suely what

we nee then is me thught, me schlaship, me eanesthus spent puing ve the ancients in u stuies. Right?

We ae wlly when we, like the wl aun us, give u-selves t an entetainment mentality, when we amuse uselves

t eath. We ae still wlly, hweve, when we ightly ejectthe eye cany an th pp cultue an then cnclue thatu pblems ae intellectual, an u slutins me leaning.It was the Enlightenment, nt the Light the Wl, that gaveus eucatin as its high an hly sacament. What Jesus calls ust is t epent an believe the gspel. It is me imptant t us


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an u sheep that we wul lean t believe me, than thatwe wul n me t believe.

T C t spd

Tat means st that when we pepae t seve in the minis-ty, we have t pepae t seve in the ministy. Ou seminaies,i we must have them, shul me eect a taining hspitalthan a univesity. Divinity is nt a by knwlege t bemastee like gelgy. Te Bible is nt a bk t be issecte

likeMoby Dick. We g thee, i we must g thee, nt t stuythe W, but t begin t lean t have the W stuy us. Weg t pusue nt avance egees but the uit the Spiit.

We g t lse u eputatins, nt t gain them. We g nt tbe thught wise, but t lean what ls we ae.

Tat means next that when we ae calle t the ministy,

that we ministe. Ou pulpits, saly, ae lle with men whstate as seminaians eage t shephe a ck. Tee theywee intuce t a ynamic, likely gly pess, an su-enly the stuent etemines he will pusue still me egees,that he might llw in the tsteps his he. As seminaycmes t a clse, gwing ebts, a gwing amily, an a gw-ing uge t g an teach eail the plan t becme a pess.

Instea the yung past etemines t take a chuch that hisck can becme his stuent by, an His By, a tiny littleseminay. He will lectue then uing Sunay Schl, anegale them thugh each semn.

Te Shephe, hweve, calls us t ee His Sheep. We aent t give u wism, u insights, the uits u schla-ship. Rathe, like Paul bee us, we seve up u weakness, u


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ailty, u nee. Tats hw the W beaks thugh, wheethe pwe cmes m.

J

Bthes, yu ck may nee sme me inmatin. Whatthey nee me, hweve, is smene t lea them, t shwthem the Way. Tey nee t see yu epenting. Tey nee t see

yu westling with yu sins. Tey nee t see yu peaching thegspel t yusel, nt because yu like the sun yu vice,

but because yu hate the sin that yet emains, an yu neegace. Tey nee t see yu ejicing in the ullness his pm-ises, an muning bth sin an its uit, the last enemy, eath.

N man nees avance egees, an acane lettes ae hisname in e t llw Jesus. Which means that n man neesthese things t lea thes in llwing Jesus. I yu llw him,

they will llw yu. I, hweve, yu meely tickle thei bains,they will sn g in pusuit smene wh seems smatethan yu. I they ae taught t hea yu vice, they wnt is-cen the vice the Maste.

When u ays ministy cme t an en, u labswill eithe be ust, they will be ust. N matte hw manywnlas u wism ganes, n matte hw many junals

publish u insights, these will all ne ay ecay. Ou schlashs an bes, pulpits an libaies will becme mee cha.

I, hweve, we spen u ays as shephes, pastuing theck, u labs will last eve. F we ministe t ust, tmen int whm the Spiit beathe twice. We ministe t ustthat is, thugh aithul, pastal peaching, being bunisheint the image the Peal Geat Pice. Bthes, we ae nt


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cts, but the sicknt schlas, but ls. Let us then bels Chist. Peach.


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broThers, We are noT suPersTars

D l. a

Jesus summaizes the pupse his incanatin in Mak 10:45when he says, Even the Sn Man came nt t be seve, butt seve, an t give his lie as a ansm many.

Tis pun an cucial statementwhich wes the Sn

Man Daniel 7:1314 t the Sueing Sevant Isaiah5253, an eenes what kin Messiah-Savi u Lwul becmes n the heels Jamess an Jhns equestthat Jesus wul give them seats n his ight an le in Gly(Mak 10:37). James an Jhn ae cystal clea in thei inten-tins an gal: Tey want status, nt sevice. Tey want the

psitin a king, nt the calling a slave. Tey want t be

lke up t, hne, an evee. Tey wante t be supe-stas, nt sevants.

Dt P t otc

agically, tay, when it cmes t the ministy, the stan-as an citeia success ae t en culle m the wl,

an nt m the W G. eny this is t play the


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stich, stick u hea in the san, an simply igne the mas-sive evience that swils aun us. Allw me t shae what I see.

Evangelicals have thei cult-hees an cult llwings.Tis is tue bth insie an utsie the lcal chuch. We haveu gupies wh pine ae thei Chistian ck stas. Suchstas ae given almst inallible status, at least by thei evteans, an i they ae nt caeul, they may begin t believe whatblgs, ans, an ellw supestas say.

Suenly, the geen mnste pie sneaks int thei lives

an an attitue entitlement begins t tansm a nce ga-cius an humble sevant int a hulk-like pima nna whless an less esembles the simple capente m Galilee. Sub-tly, ve time, I cnvince mysel that I eseve a six-gue sal-ay. I eseve t live in a big hme an ive an expensive ca. Ieseve t have peple wait n me han an t an espnimmeiately t my evey equest. Futheme, they can expect

t eceive a quick an painul tngue-lashing i they mve tslwly ail t meet my exalte expectatins. Why, I may evene them nt measuing up t my pesnal expectatins.

I becme t imptant an my time is t valuable t meetwith cmmn peple, peple wh cannt help me uthe myagena. I am t busy in my ministy t espn t lettes,answe emails, etun phne calls, scheule appintments.

An amazingly, I becme almst sel-ighteus in eeningmy liestyle, my peks, an my pieul behavi because whatI is valuable t the kingm an Ive eane the ight t beteate as ne its kings.


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bttg t G Mt

I wish what I have witten t this pint was theetical at

least hypeblic. Saly, it isnt.As smene wh has been in the Chistian ministy 35

yeas, an wh battles aily the geen mnste pie, I haveseen an cntinue t see this supesta mentality an liestylea t en amng a numbe cuent ay pasts. Yu see, Iam nw a seminay pesient wh, i nt caeul, can get caughtup in all this malakey. I am easily seuce by the siens

wh ee a supesta mentality that knws nthing the way Jesus.

S, what biblical cunsel an wism can help keep uheas ut the clus an u eet n the gun whee eal

peple live? Let me e ne avenue Sciptual exhtatinthat may help.

o Md ldp

Keep cntinually bee yu the biblical mel leaeship.We ae nt CEOs. We ae nt pessinals. Bthes, we aeshephesan une-shephes at that. We ae sevant-lea-es. Fist Pete 5:2 instucts us t shephe the ck Gthat is amng yu. Te w shephe is an impeative

eceiving the ce a cmman. Shephes wh llw inthe tsteps the G Shephe (Jhn 10:11), the ChieShephe (1 Pete 5:4), the Geat Shephe (Heb. 13:20),will lve an lea thei sheep. Tey will nt ive them an usethem an make ungly canal emans them. Tey willcntinually emin themselves that they ten ve the ck

G an nt thei wn.


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Tey als unestan it is the ck G among you.Tat means they live with thei sheep, they spen time with

thei sheep, they knw thei sheep, they cae thei sheep.

Wt J d C Ccc

I nce hea a amus an well-knwn past bag abut the acthe ha neve ha a single meal in the hme ne his mem-bes, n ha he eve invite any his membes int his hme ne. When I aske him why, he simply espne, I neve

wante t get that clse t any my peple. Ws canntexpess hw this bke my heat. It stil l gieves me t this ay.

Bthes, we neve have been an neve will be supestas.We ae lwly shephes, sevants the Geat Shephe thesheep. One ay we will give him an accunt the suls weae keeping watch ve (Hebews 13:17). May we by his gace

an his gly s with jy an a clea cnscience, sevinghim an his sheep hnably in all things (Hebews 13:18).


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broThers, We shoulD sTink

Tt aw

Tese ays, pastal ministy has becme me glamus,abulus, an ashinable than eve. We hea nwaays pas-ts iving expensive cas, being chaueue, wning pivate

jets, an living in pulent mansins. Once nly the pspeity

peaches an bna e huckstes tute such lives; nw yuneighbh thx supe-past es the same. Its alls petty, peume with the wls best eveything.

But, bthes, we ae nt pessinal mels entetaineshawking the wls aibushe vesin the g lie mthe ly heights an ashing lights public aulatin. Bthes,

we ae shephes wn in the els liean we shul stink.

D W lv amg Tm?

Ou mel ministy cmes m the aithul shephes anellw eles the hly Sciptues. Men like the apstle Paul

wh eene his ministy, in pat, by appealing t his lie withthe sheep. He wites in 1 Tessalnians 1:5, Yu knw hw we

live amng yu yu sake.


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Im challenge by the apstles cnence hee. Hees aman that cul escibe himsel as mely a blaspheme, pe-

secut, an vilent man (1 imthy 1:15). He was n peec-tinist. He elt himsel t be tappe in a wetche by sinthat wae with the Spiit (Rmans 7). Yet, I n it emak-able that withut inching, an withut caveat, he can callupn the Tessalnians wn memies him t testiy t theblamelessness his lie.

Many us wnt hesitate t swea by u wn lives but

wul temble in ea i u peple wee aske, Hw es helive amng yu? We can talk uselves in ways that excuseu ailings, justiy u sins, an shi the blame we eseve.But sme us wul panic i the eputatin the gspel camewn t the testimny u peple abut u lives.

P Ddt P it i

We all knw the message we peach is bette than the messen-ges wh peach it, but that esnt mean the messenge shulsettle beneath the message. Tee must be a stiving t be what

we ae in Chist, s that the message is ane an eeneby the messenges lie. I we n this is nt the case, we shuleithe epent leave the ministy.

Ntice caeully Pauls ws: hw we live amongyou. Its nt just hw we live, which cul be eptem aa, aibushe an beautie the pages Jerusalem

Home Journal. Paul sayswith cnenceyu knw hw welive among you. Hes n absentee apstle chuch plante.He esnt phne it in.


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smg l t sp

Te apstle unestans that shephes shul smell like sheep.

Te sheeps wl shul be lint n u clthes. Ou bts shulbe cake with thei mu an thei mess. Ou skin ught t beateeth maks an the weathe-beaten lk expsue t win,sun, an ain in the els. We belng amng the peple t such anextent that they can be calle n t hnestly testiy that u livesas messenges cmmen the message. We shul be s equentlyamng them that we smell like them, that we smell like thei eal

lives, smetimes agant but me en sweaty, musty, ensive,begime m battle with the wl, the esh, an the evil.

Ou peple shul be able t testiy that we live amngthemor their sake. Ou living with them is t benet them.

We shul be welcme amng the peple because u pes-ence means spiitual glaness an pt (Hebews 13:17). Te

gal all u living is the blessing all u peple. Tats whywe cme an well amng them.

a id id ad

Te me gie we think uselves t be, the me clsely weshul live amng them. Tees an insiius iea aba thatsuggests that the me gie the past, the less time he has t

be with the sheep. It implies that being with the peple is a hin-ance bette le t less gie men.

Te pwe the gspel es nt epen upn the gieness the messenge. Eveyne G has save in the cause u

peaching has been save despite the messengent because him. Even Paulaguably the mst gie Chistian eve

wul athe bast in his weakness. Hee yu have a messenge,


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keenly awae his bkenness, living ut bth his bkennessan his gieness amng the sheep thei benet.

stp Pmpg t sp

Let me amit that thee ae limitatins we pasts ace. Sme them may be ue t the size u chuches. Sme may beue t the vastness the egin ve which u peple ae scat-tee. Mst us nt live in Baxtes Kieminste. Sme ulimitatins may be base n g piitieslike spening me

time taining leaes than attening cetain scial unctins. Iwant t allw evey g caveat an qualicatin necessay.

But i u heats say eithe wee t gie t big t bewith u peple, we shul stp petening wee mtivateby thei benet. We shul stp petening wee nt pimpingthem eeing n them. I we hnestly eel wee t gie t

be with them, wee nt shephes. Wee wlves.

P t Gt sm

D yu knw hw t tell the ieence between sheep anwlves in sheeps clthing? Sheep eat gass; wlves eat sheepit esnt matte hw pettily they ae esse.

Paul was amng the Tessalnians thei pt. It was

s bvius that he cul cnently call them t testiy t it.Tats the kin messenge in whse hans the message ughtt be tuste.

A pweul message in the hans a humble messengeamng the peple is hw G nmally wks. Bthes, weshul smell like sheep. D we have a plan egulaly getting

smelly with the sheep?


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broThers, liVe a Visible,exeMPlary, eVeryDay lie

J Vdtt

As I ment an cach leaes in Nth Ameican chuches, In a cmmn theme amng many pasts: Tey live an leain such a way s as t isqualiy themselves as eles in thei

wn chuches.

lvg amg t c

Fist all, they ae nt living an leaing amng. Fist Pete5:24 exhts the eles t shephe the ck G that isamong you being an example to the ock.

When meeting with a leae, I will en ask, Ae yu liv-

ing in such a way that peple can see yu lie an llw yuexample? In the ws, is yu aily lie visible, accessible,an epucible? Nt visible an accessible t eveyne, cuseyu lie an hme ae just nt that big, an hpeully

yu ae nt the nly leae. But is yu lie visible an acces-sible t eveyay peple? Can peple see yu maiage, yu

paenting, yu inteactin with neighbs an thes? Fm


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watching yu lie, can they see what thei lie wul lk likei they lve Jesus an live him aily?

Jesus live amng his isciples, an they cul say that theysaw, tuche, an hea the W in esh. Paul emine thechuch in Ephesus that they knew hw he live because he liveamng them in the eveyay stu lie. Its a beautiul thing

when thse wh have pen access t yu lie an see wh yueally ae in eveyay lie, egulaly say t yu, We nt une-stan whats the big eal abut yu. Why wul anyne ask yu

t cme speak? Yue just a egula guy like eveyne else!

lvg V d acc

D they see yu stuggle as a paent, wk thugh tensinwith yu wie, epent m yu ilaty, an egulaly shaehw in nee gace yu ae?

Tis visibility an accessibility helps t keep us guneless pne t becme vely impesse with uselves. It alskeeps us in the knw what peple, incluing uselves, neem u teaching. We knw the stuggles. We see the challeng-es. We ail. S, when we teach, we ae able t speak m bth aeal awaeness what we all ae ging thugh an a ceibilitythat we ae stuggling in cmmunity with the same things.

Untunately, many pasts n that the majity theilie inclues wking in an fce, seeing peple at chuch gath-eings, meeting with thei sta, an pimaily just hanging utwith thei wn amily. Hw will peple knw what it lks liket live ut gspel cnvictins in eveyay lie i they neve seethe leaes the chuch live it ut in nt them?


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lvg t W W C o Pp t lv

Secn, a t many pasts ae nt living the lie they call

eveyne else in thei cngegatin t live. Tey have giventhemselves pemissin t be the exceptin t the nm. Whates yu chuch expect its membes? Ae yu setting anexample t the ck by ing what yu expect thes t ?

I have ha cuntless cnvesatins with pasts wh expectthe peple in thei cngegatin t be in a small gup a mis-sinal cmmunity, while they excuse themselves m the same

expectatin. O, they cnclue that the sta meeting tgethe the eles egulaly meeting tgethe is the equivalent asmall gup. Really? I yu ae ging t cme t that cnclu-sin, please give yu peple the eem t cunt thei egulabusiness meeting with thei sta at wk as thei small gup.O ee up yu membes t nly meet with the peple they

like ing lie with. Fget calling them t each the unlvable,the bken, the much-gace-necessay peple. Untunate-ly, that is much what takes place in the chuch because themembes ae llwing the example thei leaes.

Leaes, whateve yu ask the chuch t as nmative,set the example by ing it yusel.

lvg t bc rqmt

Ti, en I n that eles ail t live ut the biblicalequiements vesees that we n in 1 imthy 3:17 anitus 1:79. Nt all the equiements, cuse, but I see a patten aun sme them tay. An this patten, Ibelieve, is cnnecte t seeing the eles pimaily as the p-

essinal teaches.


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Mst leaes I meet with take seiusly the equiement being able t teach sun ctine an eute thse wh

ppse it. What they nt ten t take as seiusly ae theequiements being hspitable, nt being a lve mney,an having a g eputatin with utsies.

Living Hospitably

Hspitality means making space the stange in yu wl. en Chistians think hspitality is just a gup Chis-

tians meeting ve a meal. Tat is nt the biblical meaning the cncept.

A bette pictue is what G has ne in Chist Jesus us.He has mae a place his enemies t becme pat his ami-ly by Jesus being teate like an enemy n the css. He bughtus int his hme, teate us like amily, an gave us access t

all that he wns, making us c-heis with Chist. When lea-es pen thei hmes an lives t the stangethe utsiewe shw the wl an the chuch hw the gspel eshapes uview u hmes.

I have un t en that pasts have given themselvesa pass n this ne. Tey en say that thei hme is thei e-uge, an they ail t emembe that Jesus is u euge, nt u

hmes. Ou hmes ae ne the pimay places ministyaccing t the Sciptues. Ou chuches nee t see pastslea by example in this aea s thei example will lea t eveyChistian hme becming a place ministy thse utsie the amily G.


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Living for More Than a Paycheck

Nt being a lve mney cul be estate as not doing min-

istry primarily or a paycheck. Jesus eee t this kin shep-he as a hie han whm he wul nt entust with the cae his sheep.

I en ask pasts, Wul yu what yue ing, eveni yu weent pai it? Many wul nt. Tey see the pas-tate as a caee, nt a calling. Please nt get the gace G that has enable yu t seve Jesus an his sheep with the

best yu time. We ae ntpaidt ministy, we aefeedup nancially ministy.

I yu yu chuch believes yu ministy because yuae being pai, the example yu ae setting is that the nly nes

wh ministy ae pai wkes. Tis leas t uthe p-essinalizatin the ministywhee nly a ew ministy,

while the many just watch the pai pessinals.Tis can als lea t a past seeing his 4050 hus wkeach week as ministy an the est his time being pima-ily amily pesnal time. Te pblem with this is that mstchuch leaes ask thei membes t give exta time utsie thei 4050-hu wkweek t the wk the chuch. Teeis hypcisy hee. Leaes, yu ae asking yu chuch t

smething yu ae nt willing t .

Living Among Non-Christians

Lastly, having a g eputatin with utsies means yu havenn-Chistians in yu lie that wul call yu thei ien.Tey invite yu t thei paties an events, call yu when they

ae in nee, an egulaly bing yu int thei wl. Tey nt


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nly call yu ien, but they als espect yuyu have a geputatin with them. It esnt mean they always agee with

yu ae neve ene by the gspel, but egaless, theybelieve yu lve them an in tun entust themselves t yu.A ew yeas ag, uing a paty at my neighbs hme, I

ha a vey iect an heate cnvesatin with my neighban sme he iens abut the eality cming jugment.I pleae with he t put he hpe in Jesus as the nly means bywhich she wul stan in the ay jugment.

Te next ay I kncke n he an aske i eveythingwas kay. She sai, What yu mean? I then ecuntethe cnvesatin the pevius night an my cncen thatit might have hut u elatinship. which she eplie,

Yue my ien, Je. I knw yu lve me. I expect yu t tellme abut Jesus. Tats what yu believe. It esnt change uienship at all. I have a g eputatin with he. As a esult,

she sens peple wh ae asking spiitual questins t my wiean me. One the lines she says when intucing me is, Tisis Je. Te guy I tl yu abut yu knw, the past that isnt like mst pasts

Im always gla, an sa, t hea he say that. Gla, becauseshe sees me as he ien wh is a egula guy wh lves Jesus.Sa, because she esnt see mst pasts this way. I hpe this

will change.


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broThers, Praise soMeboDyoTher Than GoD

sm Ct

Bthes, paise smeby the than G.I can hea blasphemy siens ging in eaes mins. I

smeby the than G means smebyinstead G,

more

than G, the cncen is waante inee. But ismeby the than G means because G is hne byit, thats anthe thing entiely.

Cmmdg Wm Gd Cmmd

Is it pssible that G actually eceives more hn m uswhen we paise smeby the than G? Te answe can be

yes. In the same way that the heavens ae eclaing the gly G (Psalm 19:1), Gs cmmn kinness in eveyne aunus (bth saint an sinne) is eclaing his gly as well. But justas G es nt eceive as much gly when we ail t pause,bseve the heavens, an vebalize u paise, s he es nteceive as much gly when we ail t pause, bseve his g-

ness in thes lives, an vebalize u paise.


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S, we cul say, Bthes, paise smeby the thanG,or Gods sake. O even, Bthes, agee with G, an

cmmen smeby he cmmens.Meely paising smeby the than G isnt enugh.G isnt necessaily hne by that. Te questin is, Hwcan we paise smeby the than Gor God s glory?

Gd-Ctd P T W a nt Gd

We it by paising pesns wh ae nt G in a G-cen-

tee way, by paising them being gly, being Chist-like, by cmmening them Gs gly, by applauing them ing smething g in the stength G supplies (1 Pete4:11). Tis is hw we cmplete the lp when Jesus teaches us thatpeple shul let thei lights s shine that thes see thei gwks an what? Gliy thei Fathe in heaven (Matthew 5:16).

I we nt gliy G peples g wks, we miss the pint Jesuss teaching an the pint thei g wks, which aewks that ae what? G! We must ecgnize them as such,an say s. An they i thse g wks, because G was at

wk in them. S he gets the nal, ultimate ceit.F many us, u chuches an hmes an fces

an maketplaces ae ull peple ing g wks in the

stength G supplies. Ou jb is t get G the gly heeseves by calling ut the gness hes wke thugh th-es an cmmening it penly.

Gd P ot

G himselt whm all paise is nally uepaises th-

es. Is he vilating his wn mst basic evelatin? As a jealus


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G, he pemits n cmpetitin. Yu shall have n the gsbee me, he says in Exus 20:3. Wheve sacices t any

g, the than the Lord alne, shall be evte t estuc-tin, says Exus 22:20. Let n ne bast in men, enjins theapstles Paul (1 Cinthians 3:21).

G staightwaly wans the wise, the mighty, an theich t nt bast in anything but him.

Tus says the Lord: Let nt the wise man bast in hiswism, let nt the mighty man bast in his might, let

nt the ich man bast in his iches, but let him whbasts bast in this, that he unestans an knws me,that I am the Lord wh pactices steaast lve, justice,an ighteusness in the eath. F in these things Ielight, eclaes the Lord. (Jeemiah 9:2324)

J J t C

Jesus himsel says, N ne is g except G alne (Mak10:18). I G alne is g, hw can I exht us t paise any-ne else? Even me statling, hw can Godpaise anyne else?

Well, Jesus mels such paise thes, calling Nathaniel aman in whm is n guile, calling his isciples salt an light,

saying his llwes ae me valuable than many spaws,saying the wman ill epute i a beautiul thing, mavel-ing at the aith the centuin, cmmening the wman geat aith, an me.

G the Fathe escibes Nah as ighteus in his genea-tin, Jabez as me hnable than his bthes, an Slmnas vey geat an even majestic. An what es the Bible say


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we ae t with the nble wman Pvebs 31? She is to bepraised!(Pvebs 31:30).

W D, Gd d t svt

Tee is smething eective abut a pesn wh es nt wantt be paise by G. Evey pesn in existence shul want thea G say at the en his lie, Well ne, g an aith-ul sevant (Matthew 25:23). Humble yusel bee the L,an he will exalt yu (James 4:10). An when we ae s paise,

we will immeiately eect the paise t G saying, It wasGs gace at wk in me. We get the paise an the jy eecting it back t him.

We shul esie t be like Paul when he says, Ou bastis this: the testimny u cnscience, that we behave inthe wl with simplicity an gly sinceity, nt by eathly

wism but by the gace G (2 Cinthians 1:12). Paulis basting abut his wn behavibut nly by the gace G. S afmatin tavels hizntally twa peple anpasses vetically thugh them t G whee it lans.

Gd Gd d o

I anything is cmmenable, we shul take elight in cm-

mening it. We ae cmmane t esteem u leaes vey high-ly because thei wk in the L (1 Tessalnians 5:1213).

When we becme untains afmatin, G gets thehn he eseves, thes ae eeshe, we gain a heaing (pe-

ple ten t be inuence by thse wh cmmen them), gen-eal male is lie, u muths ae lle with paise instea


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cmplaint an gumbling, an g things ae inceasinglyvalue an ae me likely t be epeate.

S, bthes, Gs sake, paise smeby the than G.


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broThers, builD a GosPelCulTure

rmd C. otd, J.

Gspel ctine ceates a gspel cultue. Te ctines gace ceate a cultue gace, a scial envinment accep-tance an hpe an eem an jy. Jesus himsel tuches us

thugh his tuths t ceate a new kin cmmunity. With-ut the ctines, the cultue alne is agile. Withut the cul-tue, the ctines alne appea pintless.

Isnt the ctine-ceating-cultue ynamic what we n inthe New estament? F example, the ctine egeneatinceates a cultue humility (Ephesians 2:19). Te ctine justicatin ceates a cultue inclusin (Galatians 2:1116).

Te ctine ecnciliatin ceates a cultue peace (Ephe-sians 2:1416). Te ctine sancticatin ceates a cultue lie (Rmans 6:2023). Te ctine glicatin ceatesa cultue hpe (Rmans 5:2) an hn (Rmans 12:10). Tectine Gwhat cul be me basic than that? ce-ates a cultue hnesty an cnessin (1 Jhn 1:510).


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n Dct stct

I we want this cultue t thive, we cant take ctinal sht-

cuts. I we want this ctine t be ceible, we cant isegathe cultue. Chuches whee the ctines gace ceate a cul-tue gace bea living witness t the pwe Jesus. I think it vey simply like this:

Gspel ctine gspel cultue = hypcisyGspel cultue gspel ctine = agility

Gspel ctine + gspel cultue = pweI we want u chuches t cmpel the attentin u missinelan, cuse, we then, bthes, buil a gspelcultue! Dnt settle peaching the tuth nly. Buil a ela-tinal eths thateels like the gspel. Its pweul.

nt opt add-

Fancis Schaee, in his bkTe Church Beore the WatchingWorld(page 62), wte this:

One cannt explain the explsive ynamite, thedunamis, the ealy chuch apat m the act thatthey pactice tw things simultaneusly: thxy

ctine an thxy cmmunity in the mist the visible chuch, a cmmunity which the wl culsee. By the gace G, theee, the chuch must beknwn simultaneusly its puity ctine an theeality its cmmunity. Ou chuches have s enbeen nly peaching pints with vey little emphasis


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n cmmunity, but exhibitin the lve G inpactice is beautiul an must be thee.

A gspel cmmunity is authitative. Schaee use the phaseorthodoxy cmmunity t say that. Te beauty humanelatinships is nt an ptinal a-n an thewise cm-plete, biblical chuch. Gspel cultue is as essential t u wit-ness as gspel ctine.

D yu cnsie puity ctine essential? Pbably. Dyu cnsie beauty cmmunity essential? Hpeully.

Te ugency this epens pimaily, cuse, n whG is. I G has eveale himsel t us as tuth nly, thenbeauty cmmunity is meely a peeence cetain pesn-ality types. But i G has eveale himsel as tuth an lve,bth simultaneusly, then the beauty tue cmmunity isauthitative. An it is authitative: Let the peace Chistrule

in yu heats (Clssians 3:15).

Wd Gc

Telgically cnscientius chuches ae nt always gspel cul-tues. Te Reveen William Still, a patiach the Chuch Sctlan in the twentieth centuy, peaching n Rmans 5:5an the lve G being pue int u heats, sai this:

I wne what it is abut ping all ve a geat eal Puitan liteatue that makes s many peaches its hibly cl. I nt unestan it, because I thinkits a wneul liteatue. I nt knw i yu canexplain this t me. I be vey gla t knw, becauseit wies me. But I hea ve an ve an ve again


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this temenus tenency amngst peple whelve eeply int Puitan liteatue that a clness, a

haness, a hashness, a uthlessnessanything butsveeign gaceentes int thei lives an int theiministies. Nw, it neent be s. An it isnt always s,thank G. An yu see, the gace, the gace, a tueCalvinist an Puitanthat is t say, a biblical Puitanan Calvinistis wneul. But O G, elive usm this clness!

Te pblem is nt Reme thelgy. Inheent within thatthelgy is a humbling an melting pwe. Te pblem is

when that thelgy is nt allwe t exet its natual inuence.Instea, u wn native eligisity can ceate a cultue cntayt u thelgy. An u eligius cultue, whateve it is, eveals

what we really believe as ppse t what we think we believe.

I we ae ungacius in u elatinships an eths anemean an vibe, then we ae cntaicting the vey gacewe peach an isempweing u chuches in the eyes thewatching wl.

But when we pess u thelgy humbly an blly int thecultue u chuches, stating with uselves an u wnnee Gs gace, Behl, hw g an pleasant it is!

(Psalm 133:1).


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broThers, Train uP ThenexT GeneraTion

M bm

I n thee is a pesistent temptatin in my lie an ministy. Itis the temptatin t just nish my wn ace aithully.

Whats wng with that? yu ask. It actually suns aily

biblical, almst Pauline. I just want t nish the ace. I ntwant t be isqualie. I want t be un aithul t the en.Which is well an g, except i the unestaning aith-ulness t the gspel is limite t an cncene nly with myalltte thee sce yeas an ten, i by easn stength,u sce.

I nt knw abut yu, but with the challenges an weight

pastal ministy, smetimes I can be euce t L, justhelp me t be aithul t the en.

An n the ipsie that temptatin is the simple act thatit is vey ha t be passinate abut, an t maintain passin, the utue, especially i that utue is beyn u sight. Itis easy me t be passinate abut my chilens well-being.An it is easy t exten that passin t thei chilen. But


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hw many geneatins ut can yu maintain that passin? Fme its ha t g much beyn thee geneatins withut all-

ing int abstactin.I shae that simply t illustate that thee is a ifculty, evenin u unestaning smething as g as gspel aithul-ness, in hling the utue clealy an ightly in u mins.Tis can cntibute t a tenency t ene aithulness t thegspel t much in tems u wn tenue.

Let me state my pint psitively:Necessary to our aithul gos-

pel ministry is an investment in the gospel ministry that will comeaer ours. I see this lai ut in the st tw chaptes 2 imthy.

Dcp t M

Paul says in 2 imthy 1:14, Gua the g epsit entust-e t yu. Ten, a ew veses late, picking up sme that

same language, he tells imthy, as pat his guaing, tentust t aithul men what has been entuste t him, anpat that entusting is teaching them t pass the samething n t thes (2 imthy 2:2).

Paul is telling imthy that an essential pat aithul gs-pel ministy is this investment in the next geneatin. It is ntsme ptinal a-n. In the ws, when Paul tells im-

thy t gua the gspel, he is nt just calling imthy t p-tect the integity the gspel m the eects alse teaching.He is als calling imthy t ght t peseve the cntinua-tin the gspel against the eects esin ve time, evenbeyn imthys time.

S let me say it again.Essential to our aithulness in gospel min-istry is this investment in a succeeding generation o gospel ministers.


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bw hz sdm

I believe the geatest challenge t this is what we might call

the my lietime tenency, a tenency we see exemplie ina cetain Ol estament Isaelite king. Pehaps yu emembethe sty. Hezekiah is king Juah. Sennacheib, the king Assyia, cmes t attack. Hezekiah, with Isaiahs help, paysan pevails. Hezekiah gets sick an is instucte by Isaiah tget his huse in e. Hezekiah cies ut t G an is gant-e een me yeas. Upn heaing this, the king Babyln

sens envys, stensibly t cngatulate Hezekiah n his ecv-ey. Hezekiah in his im-witte pie shws the natinalteasues. Te envys etun t Babyln. Isaiah asks a ept thei visit. Hezekiah tells Isaiah what he i. In espnse,Isaiah peicts the cming Babylnian captivity. Ten this.

Ten sai Hezekiah t Isaiah, Te w the L that

yu have spken is g. F he thught, Tee will be peacean secuity in my lietime.What makes this accunt even me cmpelling an sbe-

ing as a waning t us is the act that Hezekiah was extemelyinuential in eming the spiitual lie Juah: cleansingthe temple, esting temple wship, einstating Passve, aneganizing the piesth. See the accunt in 2 Chnicles.

He mae an impessive cntibutin alng vey imptant lines.But then thee is this epise late in his lie which betays

bth his pie an his mypia. Despite all his zeal, thee was,appaently, an absence zeal what happene ae he

passe the scene.


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avd Tmp stgtd

Richa Baxte bings a wneul way aessing this in

his bkTe Reormed Pastor. He wites, I yu will gliyG in yu lives, yu must be chiey intent upn the publicg, an the speaing the gspel thugh the wl. Tealtenative, accing t Baxte, was a pivate, naw sulalways taken up abut itsel that sees nt hw things g in the

wl. Its esies an payes an eneavs g n uthe thanthey can see tavel.

Baxte is talking abut the pssibility a gegaphicalshtsighteness, but we might als be guilty a tempalshtsighteness. Tat was Hezekiahs case.

Baxte calle his eaes t just the ppsitea lageness sul that behls all the eath an esies t knw hw it ges

with the cause an with the sevants the L. Pauls ws

in 2 imthy call us t the vey same thing but lking ut intthe utue. Hw will it g with the cause? An what can I t uel this cause int the utue?

Let us nt be cntent t simply say, As lng as all is well inmy lietime.

Ctvt -sg V

In cntast t Hezekiahs mypia, we see Pauls a-seeingvisin, an it becmes especially pignant in view Paul simminent epatue. Remembe this is the same lette inwhich he says, Te time my epatue is at han.

Paul asks imthy t think a cetain way abut gspelministy. An he asks imthy t tain the next geneatin t

think this way abut gspel ministy. An G asks us t think


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this way abut gspel ministy.Necessary to aithul gospel min-istry is an investment in the next generation o gospel ministers.

Tis shul tanslate int vey cncete ealities in uweekly lives. Tis is a espnsibility the chuch shaes cp-ately, but it will equie yu a vey enite investment time, enegy an pupse.

ivt t nt Gp Gt

What will this lk like? Let me suggest u pssibilities. Fist,

evte yusel t aithul gspel ministy, especially the min-isty the w. Te best way t tain men t aithully peachthe gspel is t aithully peach the gspel. William Pekins

wte, S, let evey ministe bth in his teaching an in hiscnvesatin wkin such a way that he hns his calling, sothathe may attact thes t shae his lve it.

Secn, pay attentin t the yung men vaius ages inyu cngegatin. Ntice hw they eceive yu peaching.Ntice hw they pcess yu peaching. Ntice any eepeningaectins G an his w. Keep yu eyes pen.

Ti, ceate cntexts the yung men wh catch yueye t pactice an gw in thei hanling the w.

Futh, an this must nt g unsai, pay vey specical-

ly G t aise up the next geneatin gspel ministes.Pay yu eplacement, but pay als me than that.Pay with an eye, an a heat, twa the utue an the cn-tinuing success the gspel in the wl, until Chist cmes.


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