| November 22, 1998 |
Vol. I, No. 30
|
During the five years I preached in Springhill, Louisiana, the nine years I preached in La Porte, Texas, and the seven years I preached in Exton, Pennsylvania, I had my study in the church building. It was not unusual for someone to call me on the phone, -- a salesman, or promoter of some kind, or occasionally someone seeking counsel or advice -- and almost inevitably, they would begin by asking, "Are you the pastor?" I try to be nice about it, and don't want to knit-pick, but really, I'm not a pastor.
The King James Version of the Scripture uses the word "pastor" only once in the New Testament, Eph. 4:11. It comes from a Greek word usually translated "shepherd." When God's people are viewed as a flock, their overseers who feed and protect them are called shepherds or pastors. According to the pattern set by New Testament congregations, each local church had a plurality of such overseers, usually referred to as bishops or elders. A careful study will show that the terms bishop, overseer, elder, and pastor, are four different terms used to describe the same individuals, Acts 14:23; 20:17, 28; Titus 1:5-7; 1 Pet. 5:1-4.
The qualifications a man must meet before he can be appointed as a pastor, bishop or elder in the Lord's church are listed in 1 Tim. 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. An unmarried man may be a gospel preacher, but he cannot be a pastor in a church which follows the New Testament pattern. A man may move into a new community where no one knows him and do an excellent job as local preacher, but a newcomer cannot adequately serve as an overseer where he knows neither the flock nor the community.
We'll grant that it is most likely that there were men already doing some of the work a shepherd must do, even before being appointed to that work, but they were not really overseers until they were appointed as such, Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5. I used to change the oil in my car, have installed a few windshield wipers, have even changed the spark plugs occasionally, but I am not a mechanic. I tried planting a garden once, but I am no farmer. I do some of the work that falls into the category of the pastor's domain, but I am not a pastor. Until the time comes that the flock of God wherever I may be concludes that I have all the qualifications, and sees fit to appoint me along with other qualified men to serve as one of the overseers, I will never be a pastor. But I hope to always be a gospel preacher.
In the New Testament, a pastor is not a clergyman as opposed to a layman. Such distinctions are unknown. Every Christian is a priest, and should minister to the extent of his or her ability and opportunity in harmony with the revealed will of God, 1 Pet. 2:5; 4:11. A pastor does not set himself apart from others by a special collar or robe. He is simply a faithful Christian, recognized by his brethren as having spiritual maturity and leadership qualities, and appointed to lead them spiritually for the good of their souls. Some preachers qualify for this work and some have been appointed to it, but most preachers are not pastors in the New Testament sense, and most pastors are not preachers in the normal sense of the word.
--CRJ
In Matt. 7:15-20, Jesus said, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits..." As one sage has said, "We may not be judges, but the Lord requires us to be fruit inspectors."
This is one of many passages that warn us about false prophets and false teachers. There have even been false apostles and false Christs, Matt. 24:24; 2 Cor. 11:13. John warns in 1 John 4:1, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world."
At the time John wrote, the early Christians faced false teachers know by historians as Gnostics. The Gnostics believed human flesh was automatically evil, thus they either denied that Jesus had come in the flesh, or they denied that He was the Divine Son of God. Their theory could not allow them to believe in both His Deity and His humanity. John cautioned his readers to test the prophets as to whether they acknowledge that Jesus had come in the flesh, 1 John 4:2-3, and whether He was indeed the Christ, the Son of God, 1John 1:22-23. Denying either the humanity or Deity of Jesus, the Gnostics were anti-Christs.
Of course, down through the streams of time, there have been many other false teachers besides Gnostics and the Bible gives at least three other tests that a prophet must pass before we allow ourselves to be greatly influenced by his teaching.
1. "When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken" (Deut. 18:22). Such false prophets in recent years have set several dates for the coming of Christ and the end of the world, predicted numerous earthquakes and disasters, etc., which have not come to pass. All such teachers were false prophets.
2. "To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them" (Isa. 8:20). Any prophet or teacher who teaches what is plainly contrary to what God has already revealed in the Scriptures is of necessity a false teacher.
3. "Prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Pet. 1:20). God's message is not dependent on those who refuse to be guided by its moral and spiritual principles. All teachers and preachers will sometimes make mistakes in their personal lives, and fall short of sinless perfection -- but one who has abandoned the principles of right behavior for himself is not qualified to lead others in the way of God.
--CRJ
Our walk must square with our talk.
In the midst of turmoil, there is a silver lining. The story goes like this...
The weather is beautiful; a perfect day for baseball. Players are dressed in their uniforms. Hot dogs are cooking. The pop-corn has been popped. Fans have arrived. "Play ball!" cries the umpire. Players run on to the field. The first pitch is thrown. The Wednesday night game has begun.
The game progresses as usual. All is well at the Pony League ball park in Baytown [Texas]. Suddenly, at 7:10 P.M. the right fielder has to leave the game -- not for an injury, or for being disrespectful to the officials, but for another appointment. His brethren are meeting at Pruett and Lobit on this night, just as they always do.
Everyone asks, "Hey, where are you going?" The player simply answers, "church." It is a simple, direct answer. It is given without a hint of embarrassment or resentment in his voice. It was a natural thing for this 14-year old to do. Playing baseball during church services was not an option to him.
At practice the next day, the manager, who himself had missed the previous night's game to attend a concert, pulled the 14-year old boy aside and questioned him about his early departure from the game. "What if the game is tied and there are no reserves left and your mother pulls you out for church? What are you going to do?" "Go to church," the young man replied. "Even if we have to forfeit a game, you would let everyone down to go to church?" the manager asked. "Yes, sir," was the young man's respectful reply.
Obviously, the manager was not getting across to the player the importance of playing baseball, so he called for an appointment with the boy's mother. She met with the manager to discuss the situation. "He's right," the boy's mother explained, "church comes first."
"But if we have to forfeit a game, his teammates are not going to be happy," said the manager. "They'll get over it," mom replied. "But he'll let his team down if that happens," the manager exclaimed. "But if he misses church for a ball game, he'll also be letting God down," mom said.
As the conversation continued, the manager saw he was not going to change the boy or his mother's mind. Finally, he said, "We'll try to work out a time for the next Wednesday game that will allow your son to be there, but I can't make any promises." "I understand and appreciate you for trying," the mother said kindly.
Afterward, she walked away with a little more pride in her son. But where would a 14-year old get this inner, spiritual strength to stand up to those in authority and do what is right?
He got this strength from [his] brethren at Pruett and Lobit. Taylor, the right fielder, has grown up [there] and has been very involved in learning the truth at a young age. He could easily have said, "I have to be at the game, Mom, or we'll have to forfeit." He could have pressured Sam and me, but he didn't. Taylor knew what was right, even without his parents being there! Now you see why this is a "silver lining in the cloud of turbulence."
--Joy Powers