Morning Moments

After having pastored for over 43 years I have come to the conclusion that those who judge your ministry do not judge it by the fruit, but by preference. I hope this will be an encouragement to all you pastors who work hard, pray hard, and face criticism from time to time.

It is not without reason that the Apostle Paul wrote these words to young Timothy who was probably about 30 years of age: "Endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." The word for "hardness" is kakopatheo which means to suffer evil, suffering, or affliction. In other words, keep a tender heart but get a tough hide.

I don't think most people mean to be cruel, but they certainly can be. Remember that you are not only pastor sheep, but goats and sometimes wolves. We MUST deal with all according to the Word of God and NOT our emotions. TRUTH transforms what emotions ignite.

The saddest of all is that once in awhile you will have a staff member (music, education, administration, youth, or whatever has been created) that will seek to undermine your ministry. Almost all of these wish to be "ordained" for Income Tax purposes. THANK GOD NOT ALL! Then there are those who think they work harder than you do and expect to be paid as well. THIS IS NOT BIBLICAL I don't care who tells you otherwise.

Paul said, "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine." Please do not misunderstand what I am saying. THE key man in the local church does not lead music, youth, sr. adults, etc., but preaches and teaches the Word of God. There are those who serve in those capacities who preach and teach - they are the only exceptions.

The gifts God gave to the Church are Apostles (missionaries), Prophets (those who not pastors, apostles, or evangelists, but forthtell, not foretell), evangelists (whose primary ministry is evangelism), and pastors (who are required to be able to teach). The local church Biblically has two official leaders - Elders (pastors, overseers, bishops, shepherds) and deacons, whose only responsibility BIBLICALLY is to care for the widows and orphans.

We arrogant Americans have taken the same pattern to the Mission Field and instead of establishing New Testament churches, have established the Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, etc., too often just as we have here. NOW HEAR THIS! The body of Christ does not consists of baptists, methodists, presbyterians, catholic, etc. BUT of true believers in Jesus Christ who CONFESS with THEIR mouth Jesus as LORD!

We often pride ourselves of being "Bible Christians" but ALL of us tend to follow preference and percident. WARNING! Don't throw the baby out with the bath water, and I am not saying that any of the above are not getting the job done of evangelizing or discipling, but I am saying that we have made some mistakes in American Christianity and having visited almost 30 countries, we tend to take what we have here over there. I think that is a mistake.

Instead of teaching them "our" hymns, we should teach them to write their own. Instead of teaching them our denominational biases, we should teach them THE BIBLE.

Let us also be reminded that God has used any denomination or trans-denomination group to spur the Body of Christ to REVIVAL - protestant and catholic alike. READ Church History.

WE MUST be careful, for the Laodicean Church was rich and increase with goods in their own eyes, but in the eyes of Jesus He was on the outside looking in and saw them as poor, naked and blind. God who at one time filled the cathedrals of Europe, allowed them to become empty show places.

Oh well, many may discard all I have said, but I will promise you one thing - It will be by the Word of God that we are judged and not by any standard of man - including mine.

We must endeavor to keep the unity of the SPIRT in the bond of peace, edifying one another in love, and rebuke, reprove, and exhort with longsuffering(the fruit of the Spirit) and doctrine (THE WORD OF GOD).

PRAYER: Father, help us to understand that we never be one based upon our opinions, but upon Your Word. Teach us that even to say, "we are of Christ" while others say "we are of Paul, Cephas, or Apolos" can be done with haughtiness rather than humility. PLEASE, Dear Father, help us all to seek to be BIBLE CHRISTIANS rather than merely American Christians.