BIBLICAL LEADERSHIP...

 

Choose Wisely...

"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." - Galatians 1:10

The Sunday that I was being considered for the role as pastor at my first church, a young believer asked this question: "Do you serve God, or man?" The very next year Bob Dylan wrote the song "Gotta Serve Somebody". The issue was thought provoking and life directing. As Jesus said in Matthew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters"

Paul faced quite a dilemma with the churches in Galatia. The believers had initially trusted in the finished work of Christ for their salvation, but now there were false teachers that sought their allegiance. These teachers were winsome and convincing, teaching a works salvation. They were seeking the approval of their own circle of peers and were determined to increase their followers. Paul sought the approval of the Lord alone and was simply saying, "No one can serve two masters"

At every level my pastor friend, there is no safer path than the one that follows the Lord alone. Are you seeking the Lord's approval first and foremost in every ministry decision? Is His will not more important than the opinions of church power brokers? At every crossroad, choose to serve the Lord and you will never go astray. Remember, "No one can serve two masters". 

Think about this: "We put one foot on God's side and one on the side of human reasoning; then God widens the space until we either drop down in between or jump on to one side or the other." - Oswald Chambers

One Thing...

"But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her." - Luke 10:41-42

Every season has the potential to overwhelm a Pastor with stress. Particularly during the Easter season, when friends and families seem to come out of the woodwork to attend special programs planned at your church. As the calendar will begin to fill up this year, there might not seem to be enough hours and days to get it all done. If you're not very careful, you may become "anxious and troubled about many things."

When the above words of counsel were given, do you think that Jesus was suggesting that food was not necessary? Or was He just encouraging Martha to slow down and follow the example of Mary? Scheduling quality time to sit at the feet of Jesus makes every day and every ministry go so much easier. When we make communion with the Lord a priority, everything else falls in place in just the right way.

"One thing is necessary"! In simple words my pastor friend, let's keep the main thing, the main thing. Martin Luther put it this way, "If I fail to spend two hours in prayer each morning, the devil gets the victory through the day." Life must go on... Ministry presses us to the limit... but it always goes best when we start with Jesus.

~ PJVS

The Fellowship of Suffering...

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings." - 1 Peter 5:8-9

Elijah complained in 1 Kings 19:14, "I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” To this the Lord responded in verse 18 with, "Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him." In the face of spiritual warfare even pastors may feel alone in the battle, but we will find new courage when we remember that there are others who are fighting with us. We're strengthened by the Lord and inspired by the fellowship of suffering.

As Peter wrote to the early church under severe persecution, he charged them to resist the devil and stand firm, because there were others in the fight as well. To be encouraged to remain steadfast, Peter reminded them that they were not alone in the battle. Just as with Elijah of old, there were others who were suffering persecution but were remaining true to their faith and calling. There was strength in Lord and inspiration in the fellowship of suffering.

Shepherds of the flock will always face lions, and tigers, and bears... Oh, My!! The spiritual warfare will be difficult and the pressure will be great, but we are never alone in the battle. Be steadfast my pastor friend, resist the devil and stand firm in your faith and care for your flock. Take time to remember, there is strength in Lord and inspiration in the fellowship of suffering.

~ PJVS

 

Relational Harmony...

"Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity." -  1 Timothy 5:1-2

Of all those who have darkened my office door for counseling, the problem of broken relationships has been most common. People just can't seem to get along with each other. Whether they be family members, fellow believers or staff members at your church, healthy relationships can be hard to maintain. Relational harmony begins with the way we treat one another.

The elder statesman gave wise counsel to the younger pastor when he emphasized proper treatment of age and gender. Paul knew that true community depends on mutual respect, honor and purity. It's not always "what" we say as much as it is "how" we say it. Words can heal or hurt, and as Solomon wrote in Proverbs 16:24, "Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."  Relational harmony begins with the way we treat one another.

How do you speak to those who are older than you? For that matter how do you speak to your peers and those who are younger? The choice of words, tone of voice and body language can be a "make or break" in your relationships. Be wise and think before you speak because... Relational harmony begins with the way we treat one another.

~ PJVS

High Expectations...

I was recently reading Acts 9:15-16 and stopped to reflect on the implications of these verses... 

"But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”

I remember the day that I responded to the invitation at end of the Sunday morning message. I stepped out of the aisle, a little anxious but very sure that the Lord was calling me into the ministry. 

Questions flooded my mind as I left church that day. What would all of this mean going forward? What kind of training would I need? Where and how would God have me serve? Yet, in all of this, I was very excited about this leading and call from God.

It's rather interesting that in the midst of excitement and great expectations, I never gave thought of the possibility of God's calling me to seasons of suffering for the sake of His name. As pastors and church leaders we have all been visited by dreams of success and high hopes for ministry growth. We expected this to require hard work... but not suffering. Where did we read this in the job description?

Paul's ministry was historic and life altering in more ways than one, but God never sold him a bill of goods. Making a difference for Jesus was going to cost him, and it did. A little over twenty years later Paul wrote the following in his second letter to the Corinthians... 

"For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again."~ 2 Cor. 1:8–10

Fifty-nine years have past since I walked down that church aisle. Many expectations blossomed in ways far greater than I had hoped. Yet, they didn't come without hard hits, rough roads, and yes... some suffering for His Name. Would I do it again? IN A HEARTBEAT! 

It's an incredible privilege to serve the Chief Shepherd my brother. I stand by the statement that there is no higher call in life than the call of God to the ministry. So, as you face aother year with high expectations and potential suffering... Stay the Course! Because, "On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again." and again, and again... Until the doors of glory open wide and the words are spoken so tenderly... "Well done". 

~ PJVS

Protection ...

 "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one." -- John 17:15

The causes that lead to military engagement are many. As a result, many young men and women serve in parts of the world that place them in harm's way. They are given ballistic vests, Type III and above, having added steel, titanium, ceramic or polyethylene plates which can withstand high-powered rounds such as those from rifles. While we may desperately desire that they be safely at home, we provide them with gear that will protect.

As leaders in the Lord's army, we are placed on the battlefield of life in the face of great evil. Knowing that we are here for a great purpose, the Lord doesn't seek for our removal. We have been sent into the battle to lead the charge in spreading the good news of Jesus and showing the world his love. Although we may be in harm's way as we serve, we have the Lord's intercession for protection.

Occasionally you will be discouraged in the face of spiritual warfare but be strengthened my pastor friend. As the evil presses in upon you with unending attacks, be assured of victory. Remember that you have the greatest "ballistic vest" in the Lord's intercession for your protection.

“But since the adversary does not cease to resist many, and uses many and diverse arts to ensnare them, that he may seduce the faithful from their faith, and that he may prevent the faithless from believing, it seems to me necessary that we also, being armed with the invulnerable doctrines of the faith, do battle against him in behalf of the weak.”

~ Justin Martyr, Fragments of the Lost Work of Justin on the Resurrection