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An Introduction
We are witnessing an
increasing emphasis being placed on church growth. Far too many congregations
are either experiencing a leveling in weekly attendance, or they are actually
seeing a decline in the number of people attending worship services. Even
congregations where growth has become somewhat stagnant realize that unless
something is done soon, their numbers will also begin to decline as a result of
people moving out of the community, or through members falling away.
It is not uncommon to find churches today that are one-third
to one-half the size they were ten to twenty years ago. And with the decline,
come a host of other problems. For example, some congregations are finding it
increasingly difficult to attract families with children, since many parents are
naturally drawn to larger churches where their children will have others with
whom they can associate.
Some churches are also finding it difficult to financially
support their own local preacher with an adequate salary and benefit package,
and this creates a whole new set of problems. These congregations are generally
forced to select from a narrower field of preachers who are either capable of
raising “outside” support, or who are willing to work part time to help support
themselves. This, in turn, means that the local preacher must now be concerned
with how long the “outside” support will continue, and what will happen to his
family if the support suddenly stops. Or, he must concern himself with how
effective he will be in his work if he has to divide his time between the Lord’s
work and supporting his family through a part time job.
There is also one other very negative aspect to this whole
scenario. The growing number of churches that cannot adequately support a
gospel preacher has caused some good men to become discouraged and reluctantly
leave full time preaching for work in the secular world. Unfortunately, this
shortage of quality preachers opens the doors of opportunity to others who have
not taken their work seriously, and have done far more harm as gospel preachers
than good.
In an effort to stem the tide of declining membership, many
churches have frantically tried a number of solutions, none of which seem to
provide the desired results. For example, some congregations change preachers
on a fairly regular basis in hopes of finding someone who has the personal charm
and charisma to attract a larger audience. Others have launched campaigns to do
mass mailings of bulletins, initiated Bible correspondence courses that are
advertised in local newspapers, or publish weekly newspaper articles. Some have
even purchased telephone systems that automatically place calls to area
residents with recorded messages inviting them to services. Still others have
attempted to organize personal work programs of one type or another within the
local congregation, or have invited special guest speakers to hold classes on
personal evangelism. And yet, after all these efforts, attendance seems to
remain about the same, or continues to slowly decline.
What’s the solution? Churches in the denominational world
are experiencing growth. Statistics show that more and more people are
attending worship services today than even ten years ago, and there is a growing
spiritual awareness among people in every part of the country.
So, why isn’t the Lord’s church growing? We can attempt to
satisfy our own consciences by saying many of these people are drawn more by the
entertainment value of religion than they are by the simple truth of the gospel,
or that they are more interested in having some kind of religious experience
than they are in faithfully follow the precepts of God’s Word. While that may
be true for some, it’s certainly not true of all, and perhaps not even for the
majority. People everywhere are beginning to sense a real emptiness in their
lives and are genuinely seeking meaningful relationships with others whom they
can truly call “friend.” They are also seeking stability in their lives. They
are looking for real, concrete values upon which they can take a firm stand, and
they are searching for answers to the most important question of all: “what
happens to me after I die?” We can offer them stability. We have real,
concrete values. And we know the answer to the question of what happens after
death. So, why aren’t people coming to us? The answer is a very simple one,
but one that is also most disturbing. In all honesty, we have failed in two of
the most important areas affecting church growth — personal evangelism and
ministering to the saints.
Sadly, we have done little to
personally speak to the lost about Jesus Christ and His church. Instead, we
evangelize each other. We preach to ourselves. We hold gospel meetings to
encourage one another. But we aren’t consistently reaching out to those around
us who are dying in their sins. All the personal evangelism classes, and all
the special meetings to train people in personal work will accomplish nothing if
those classes and training programs are not being followed through with action. Instead of imitating the pattern for church growth recorded in the Scriptures,
we often busy ourselves with every other method for reaching the lost. We too
easily forget that the real power of God unto salvation is still contained in
the simplicity of the gospel of Christ, and that we are the one and only vessel
through which that message is carried to a lost world.
Try to image how successful the first century church would
have been if the apostles and early Christians simply mailed out bulletins to
the lost, or published articles in the local newspaper, or mailed out Bible
correspondence courses to those interested, or simply relied on gospel meetings
to accomplish the desired results. If growth had occurred at all, it would have
been slow. And yet, three thousand were converted to Christ on one day (Acts
2:41). Then the number grew to five thousand a short time later (Acts 4:4). That number grew to become “multitudes” (Acts 5:14), and even the “multitudes”
were multiplied (Acts 6:1). Then instead of the church growing arithmetically,
it actually began growing geometrically. Numbers kept multiplying, and soon the
gospel of Christ had spread throughout the entire known world (Colossians 1:6,
23). And amazingly enough, the church grew without a single bulletin mail-out
campaign, without a host of Bible correspondence courses, and probably without a
single article being published in a local newspaper. While people in the first
century certainly came to hear the gospel preached in what we might call a
gospel meeting, even that method of public teaching wasn’t the reason most
turned to Christ.
The New Testament pattern of teaching the lost is as pure and
simple as it gets, and by far the most effective, because it’s a method designed
by God, employed by the Lord, and used most effectively by His disciples. What
is it? It’s simply being totally committed to the truth of the gospel and
living it in our own lives first, then sharing it with others on a one-to-one
basis.
There is no magical formula for success, nor are there any
secret strategies to winning the lost to Christ. It’s simply letting “your
light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your
Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16), and “speaking the truth in love”
(Ephesians 4:15). First century Christians sought to arouse in others a
realization of their lost condition, then guided them into an understanding of
God’s wonderful plan of salvation.
Like Jesus, these early Christians had an overwhelming
compassion for lost souls, and went forth proclaiming the Word with a clearly
defined sense of purpose: “to seek and save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). They simply sowed the seed and left it to God to give the increase (1
Corinthians 3:6). How well the seed of the Word was received depended entirely
on the heart of the recipient, not upon the talents and abilities of the sower
(Matthew 13:18-23). As long as the Word of God was being preached, the seed was
being sown. And first century Christians clearly understood the basic principle
of sowing and reaping — those who sow sparingly will also reap sparingly, and
those who sow bountifully will also reap bountifully. Bountiful reaping comes
from bountiful sowing. Is it any wonder that as these saints “went everywhere
preaching the Word” (Acts 8:4), churches began springing up all throughout the
Roman Empire? Their bountiful sowing resulted in the bountiful reaping of lost
souls for Christ.
But church
growth doesn’t begin and end with personal evangelism. From the day of
Pentecost on there was a common thread running through the growth scenario of
the New Testament church. It was perhaps the single most important element that
cemented the rapidly growing church together, and served as the impetus for
future growth. This critical ingredient is best summarized in the words of the
apostle Paul as he described the saints in Macedonia. They “first gave
themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God” (2 Corinthians 8:5).
The element that prompted such staggering growth during the
first century is simply described as “ministering to the saints,” and was
faithfully demonstrated by first century Christians who sacrificially responded
to the needs of their brothers and sisters in Christ. No one thought of the
things they possessed as belonging exclusively to them, because they were
motivated by a heart of compassion and caring to serve one another. This sense
of oneness was not only seen in their common faith, but in their common care and
concern for each other. It had been the subject of the Savior’s prayer (John
17:20-21), and was constantly stressed in the writings of Paul, Peter, James and
John (1 Corinthians 12:14-27; 1 Peter 4:8-10; James 1:27; and 1 John 3:17-18).
First century saints were not only committed to the Lord,
they were committed to one another. They responded to the material, emotional
and spiritual needs of each other by giving to one another, loving one another,
and by bearing one another’s burdens and exhorting one another. They knew the
secret of developing a servant’s heart, and practiced one of the most frequently
stated commandments, to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 5:43; 19:19;
22:39; Mark 12:31-33; Luke 10:27; Romans 13:9; Galatians 5:14; James 2:8). They
understood that if Jesus “loved the church and gave Himself for it” (Ephesians
5:25), they should likewise love their brothers and sisters in Christ to the
extent that they would be willing to do the same – “By this we know love,
because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives
for the brethren” (1 John 3:16). A sacrificial spirit and a servant’s heart,
that’s what characterized the saints of the first century, and that’s what
prompted the unprecedented growth of the Lord’s church.
There lies the pattern for
us. Church growth today can be achieved in the same manner as it was in the
first century. Like them, we must be totally committed to the truth of the
gospel, then live it out in our own lives by sacrificially serving one another
and by taking the message of Christ to a lost and dying world. When we’ve
achieved that level of maturity, then we will be successful in promoting growth
within the body of Christ.
But unless an overriding commitment to Jesus Christ is lying
at the center of our hearts, motivating everything we think, do or say, we will
never be completely successful in convincing others to have that same kind of
commitment. Therefore, it begins with personal commitment, not personal
evangelism. Anyone who is personally committed to being a true disciple of
Jesus Christ will have no problem with the personal evangelism part of the
equation. Personal evangelism comes naturally to personally committed,
self-sacrificing and loving people. Committed Christians will say, like the
apostle Paul, “for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach
the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:16). They will be driven by a compelling
realization that without the gospel, precious souls will be lost.
So, church growth begins with personal growth: growing in the
“grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18) –
growing in our love for the Lord; and growing in our love for our neighbor and
for one another. When the child of God grows spiritually, the church grows
spiritually. And when the church grows spiritually, it can’t help but grow
numerically.
First Things First
Personal Growth
INTRODUCTION: The Scriptures are filled with statements regarding the wisdom and the reward of saving souls. “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise” (Proverbs 11:30). “When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul” (Ezekiel 3:18-19). “Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever” (Daniel 12:3). “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins” (James 5:19-20).
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The growth of the New
Testament church is completely dependent upon our efforts as members to teach
the lost, to restore those who have fallen away, and to edify one another. However, none of this will take place until we first develop a genuine love for
the lost and for each other. Growth within the church of the first century was
achieved through an intense evangelistic spirit, and by Christians showing
genuine, heart-felt care and concern for one another. These two elements worked
hand-in-hand to bring the lost to Christ, and to keep them there during the
difficult times that would follow. Sadly, far too little is being done in
either area today. As a result, the church is not growing in many places, and
even declining in others.
A church that puts forth an evangelistic effort to reach the
lost, but lacks a genuine loving concern for its members is doomed to failure
from the start. While some may be converted through the valiant efforts of a
few, those new Christians probably won’t remain part of the local body for
long. The reason is simple – they won’t be receiving the constant nurturing
every newborn child of God needs. At best, this kind of church will only remain
stagnant in their numerical growth, simply replacing those members who drift
away or die. Likewise, a church that emphasizes a loving care and concern for
its members, but makes no efforts to take the saving message of the gospel to
others is also doomed to die. As the members grow older, they may be drawn
closer to one another, but they aren’t drawing others to Christ through the
preaching and teaching of the gospel. Sooner or later the average age of the
members begin to increase, while the numbers of members begin to decline. Sadly, they essentially become a congregation that is literally loving itself to
death.
Remove either essential ingredient – an evangelistic zeal
toward the lost, or loving care and concern for the redeemed – and church growth
will simply grind to a halt.
So, why do we have problems with these two essential areas
that directly impact church growth?
As far as evangelistic zeal is concerned, there are two
fundamental reasons why more members of the body of Christ are not involved in
teaching the lost.
· Many simply do not know enough about the Scriptures to effectively teach the lost. Fortunately, this problem can be easily overcome. Every Christian who is serious about personal growth can learn how to effectively teach the lost.
· Many have lost sight of the fact that men and women all around us are hopelessly dying in their sins, and we hold the cure within our hands. This problem can also be overcome by simply learning to develop a genuine love for the lost, and by doing what Jesus told His disciples to do: “Lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest” (John 4:35).
Regarding our lack of mutual care and concern for one another, there is perhaps one main reason why more are not involved in this effort.
· We’ve become too preoccupied with meeting our own needs, and give little thought to serving the needs of others. We’ve become self-serving rather than other-serving, and we’ve allowed the cares and worries of this world to choke out those portions of the Word that speak of our loving our neighbor as ourselves. As a result, the body of Christ has become fragmented rather than a cohesive whole – the hand cares little about the needs of the eye, and the ear is too preoccupied to worry much about the foot (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:14-27). Fortunately, this problem can also be overcome by simply taking the first step of putting the needs of others before our own, and by lovingly giving of our time and energy in caring for one another – meeting the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Therefore, before the church can grow, we must grow. But where do we start? The apostle Peter suggests two critically important areas where every Christian needs to grow – grace and knowledge. He wrote, “Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).
Growth is not an option for Christians, it’s a command. Earlier in his second letter, Peter said, “Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love” (2 Peter 1:5-7). After listing these areas of personal growth, Peter concluded, “For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:8). Before we can “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” the virtues listed in 2 Peter 1:5-7 must be in us and abound!
Therefore, to be effective in reaching the lost and edifying one another in love, we need to focus our personal growth as Christians in two specific areas: “grace and knowledge.” Grace without knowledge cannot effectively convict the sinner, and may even lead some to wrongly conclude there is really no need for a change in their life. Likewise, knowledge without grace can make us appear “holier than thou,” and turns many away from the message of forgiveness. We must strive to always maintain a balance between grace and knowledge.
But how do we develop grace? A gracious and loving attitude toward others can only come when we truly see ourselves as the Lord really sees us. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way...” (Isaiah 53:6). In Luke 18:9-14, Jesus spoke a parable to “some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others.” He contrasted a Pharisee, who confessed sins of which he was not guilty and boasted of his devotion to God, to a lowly tax collector who stood afar off, would not even lift his eyes to heaven, smote himself on the breast, and humbly prayed, “God be merciful to me a sinner!” Jesus said, “this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be abased, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” When we look at those around us who are living in sin, we need to say to ourselves, “there, but for the grace of God, go I!” If it were not for God’s love and grace, we would be in the same place as the most wicked sinner – lost and separated from God. It is only when we truly see ourselves as sinners who still need God’s grace, that we can lovingly and graciously reach out to others who have the same need. Only then will we not be afraid to reach down to even the lowest levels of humanity, because we will see ourselves as no better than they, and we understand that Christ died for them as well.
How do we gain knowledge? Developing a “knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” comes only one way – through a serious effort to learn all we can about the man and the plan from the pages of Scripture. Peter wrote, “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2). Unfortunately, many never progress beyond this point in their lives as Christians. This was true among first century Christians as much as it is of us today. In fact, the Hebrew writer strongly rebuked those in his day who had not matured: “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the Word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:12-14). Spiritual maturity, and the knowledge that comes with it, can only be achieved through a level of Bible study that goes well beyond “first principles,” by putting into practice the things we learn from God’s Word, and through regular discernment between right and wrong. It is certainly true that we cannot teach what we do not know. Nor can we lead others to “the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” if we have not made those two key ingredients an integral part of our lives.
When we have grown “in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” church growth will follow. Why? The apostle Paul listed several reasons in his letter to the Ephesian church (Ephesians 4:11-16).
· Equipping saints. Church growth comes by “equipping the saints for the work of ministry.” The edification of the body of Christ can only come when members are properly equipped to perform works of service, and are willing to do their part in accomplishing that goal. God gave gifts to the church (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors [elders], and teachers) for the purpose of providing the members with the tools they need to do the work of ministry. These tools are distributed through the work God designed for apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors (elders) and teachers to perform. That work includes teaching and preaching the Word of God, and through that teaching and preaching, they edify and strengthen the saints to do their work. Paul goes on to describe the work saints are to perform as the work of “ministry.” Encompassed in the word “ministry” is the concept of service and servanthood. It means serving the needs of others, whether those needs be material, emotional or spiritual. But the work of service and ministry cannot be performed by a few while others sit on the sidelines and observe. Everyone who is a “saint” is to be “equipped... for the work of ministry.” A saint who does not “minister,” is a saint who is not doing their work.
· Spiritual maturity. Church growth will also be achieved by our coming “to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect [complete] man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” “Unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God” can only come through an intense study of God’s Word. This is how we become “perfect” (complete) and attain the “stature of the fullness of Christ.” The apostle Paul told Timothy, “All Scripture is given by the inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Notice how a knowledge of Scripture is able to make a man “complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work!” When we undertake a diligent study the Scriptures we learn all we need to know “for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” That brings us into a “unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God.” We will no longer be like “children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine.” We will know the truth, and with that knowledge we will be able to speak “the truth in love.” We will be able to lovingly speak that truth to those outside of Christ who have never heard the gospel, as well as to those within the body who need our encouragement and nurturing.
· Cooperative work. Church growth also comes when “every part does its share.” The apostle Paul said this “causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” Sadly, to many, Christianity has become nothing more than a spectator sport, where only a few are on the field, actively struggling against the forces of wickedness, while the rest watch from the safety of the grandstands. But the Lord intends for every Christian to do their part in the work of service. For it is only when “every part does its share,” that the body of Christ will grow and be capable of edifying and uplifting itself in love.
When we carefully examine the character of Christians of the first century, it’s easy to see why churches sprouted up everywhere and grew into strong, healthy congregations.
· They prayed (Acts 2:42; 4:24, 29; 6:4). First century Christians relied heavily on prayer because they understood they could not successfully do the Lord’s work alone. They understood it was the Lord who had given them their success (Acts 11:21), and they constantly prayed for His intervention.
· They sacrificed. These saints clearly understood that to be a disciple of Christ meant being willing to give up everything to follow Him (Luke 14:25-33). They understood everything they had belonged to the Lord anyway, and saw themselves as only temporary custodians of those possessions. Therefore, when they experienced loss, they saw themselves as simply giving up what really belonged to the Lord – things the Lord had allowed them to enjoy temporarily. This is why we see first century Christians first giving themselves to the Lord’s work, then giving of their financial resources (2 Corinthians 8:5).
· They remained steadfast. Nothing could deter these saints from their commitment to Christ and to the Word of God. Beatings and threats of death couldn’t deter them (Acts 5:42). And even when they fled for their own safety from areas where persecution had grown to a fever pitch, they still went everywhere preaching the Word (Acts 8:4).
· They loved one another. Learning to love one another with a pure heart fervently came easy for these Christians, and there are several reasons why. First, no one considered anything they possessed as their own, and they willingly shared it with other Christians who were in need (Acts 4:32). Second, they worked at keeping the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:2-3). And third, they learned to forgive one another, just as God in Christ had also forgiven them (Ephesians 4:31-32; Matthew 6:9-15).
· They encouraged women to play a major role. While being careful not to teach or usurp authority over a man (1 Timothy 2:11-12), women of the first century actively participated in teaching others the gospel of Christ (Acts 18:26), and were even jailed for their efforts (Acts 8:3-4). They also played other key roles in the growth and development of the church. They did good works and charitable deeds (Acts 9:36), they prayed for special needs (Acts 12:12), and they worshipped with other women (Acts 16:14).
· They defended the truth against error. When doctrinal issues arose within the church, or when disagreements threatened to destroy peace and unity, these Christians earnestly contended for “the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). They were willing to openly discuss differences as long as it was done in a civil and loving manner (2 Timothy 2:23-26).
· They were respected. Although they often found themselves at odds with religious and political leaders who tried to stop the spread of Christianity, these first century saints were, nevertheless, respected by the common people (Acts 2:47; 5:13). They obviously conducted their lives in such a way as to earn the respect of those around them.
· They spread the Gospel of Christ. Because these Christians were completely committed to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, they felt compelled to share the good news about the death, burial and resurrection of Christ with others. As a result, the church grew from 3,000 on Pentecost (Acts 2:41), to about 5,000 a short time later (Acts 4:4), to multitudes of both men and women (Acts 5:14), to multitudes being multiplied (Acts 6:1). The reason they were so successful is because they prayed, they sacrificed, they remained steadfast, they loved one another, they encouraged women to play a major role, they defended the truth against error, they were respected, and they spread the Gospel of Christ. They had grown in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and were willing to do the works of service for which they had been equipped – each and every member doing their part for the growth of the body.
Preparing To Labor
In The
Vineyard Of The Lord
INTRODUCTION: Unfortunately, far too many believe teaching the lost, or the work of edifying the saints within the body, is a job best left to “professionals,” or to those teachers within the church who have taught for years and have that special “talent” for imparting the Word to others. We have forgotten that the power of the gospel of Christ is not in the person presenting it, but in the message itself. However, since the task of reaching the lost involves eternal issues, and since ministering to the saints must be done out of genuine love to avoid being phony and superficial, it is wise to make certain preparations if we truly intend to be most effective. What are some things we can do in preparing ourselves to be a laborer in the vineyard of the Lord?
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Over and over again, the Scriptures speak of the compassion of Jesus – compassion toward those who were sick, those who had nothing to eat, those who wept over the loss of a loved one, and especially toward those who were lost in sin. Jesus also taught several parables that dealt with the theme of compassion. The parable of the Unforgiving Servant – who was forgiven of his enormous debt, but who showed no compassion to one who owed him a small, insignificant debt (Matthew 18:21-35, esp. vs. 27, 33). The parable of the Good Samaritan – who saw a wounded man that others were passing by, and had compassion on him and took care of him (Luke 10:25-37, esp. v. 33). The parable of the Prodigal Son – whose father saw him returning home while he was still a great way off, had compassion on him, ran and fell on his neck and smothered him with kisses (Luke 15:11-24, esp. v. 20).
Of all the acts of compassion we see in the life and ministry of Jesus, one stands out head and shoulders above the others. In his gospel account, Matthew writes, “But when He saw the multitude, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest’” (Matthew 9:36-38).
Try to imagine sitting beside Jesus as He looked out on the throngs of people who surrounded Him, only to have Him turn to you and say, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” What would be your response? Jesus saw the multitude as being “weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.” He was “moved with compassion for them” because He realized that unless someone reached them with the message of hope, they would remain lost and eventually die in that condition. Therefore, compassionate Jesus told His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few”
There is so much work to do in the Lord’s vineyard, but there are so few to do it. The reason is simple. There are so few who see the lost with the same heart of compassion as Jesus saw them. “Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” The Lord desperately needs those who have developed a heart of compassion to see and respond to those who are “weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.”
Here are three ways we can develop a genuine heart of compassion for the lost.
· “Lift up your eyes and look at the fields...” (John 4:35). We must get our attention off of ourselves and truly lift up our eyes and look intently on the fields all around us. When we do, we will see ourselves surrounded by souls dying in sin. We will also see those within the body of Christ who are dying from a lack of proper care. We must force ourselves to look into the faces of men and women and realize we are looking into the faces of people destined for eternal torment unless we do something.
· Imagine their tormented cried. In the story of the rich man and Lazarus, Jesus said the rich man cried out to Abraham, “I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him (Lazarus) to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment” (Luke 16:27-28). Those lost in torment have no way to redeem themselves, and they certainly don’t want anyone those they love to end up where they are. The lost are pleading for us to reach their loved ones while there is still time. Try to imagine what it would be like to hear the tormented cries of those who are lost, pleading for us to reach their loved ones who are still alive.
· Learn to appreciate the value of human life. The value of human life can be seen in many ways:
· By its nature and origin: God created man in His own image, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (Genesis 1:27; 2:7).
· By the duration of its existence: We are destined to live forever, and will either go away to eternal life or to eternal punishment (Matthew 25:46).
· By the cost of its redemption: We have not been redeemed by perishable things such as silver and gold, but by the precious blood of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19). Jesus was willing to give His life to redeem the world. This means He even laid down His life for those we think are unworthy of that sacrifice.
· Understand that the fate awaiting the lost is real. Jesus said, “He who believes in Him (the Son of God) is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18). John wrote, “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son does not have life” (1 John 5:12). Hell is not some imaginary place, nor is it some place where the lost will experience only discomfort and displeasure. The Scriptures tell us of “weeping,” “wailing” and “gnashing of teeth” in a place described as “outer darkness.” Eternal and unimaginably horrible. And unless we can develop a heart of compassion for the lost we will be there too.
· Realize that more Christians are lost to the world through neglect than through any other means. All too often those who have drifted away from the Lord are heard to say, “no one ever cared enough to call or personally find out why we stopped coming to church.” They became discouraged because of certain circumstances in their own lives that caused them to lose their focus, and they slowly drifted away. But that discouragement was further compounded by the fact that no one seemed to care about them enough to bring them back. Unlike the sheep in Jesus’ parable who was brought back by a shepherd who couldn’t stand to lose even one, these sheep are simply written off by shepherds who are content with the 99 who remain. Sadly, the fate awaiting those who have abandoned their first love will be far worse than for those who never knew the Lord. Imagine how horrible it would be to spend eternity in torment knowing we had eternal life in the grasp of our hands – and simply let it go.
In addition to developing a heart of compassion, we need to develop a heart of service. When the disciples of Jesus were arguing among themselves as to who was the greatest, Jesus said, “...whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:26-28). Greatness in the kingdom of God is measured by our willingness to serve.
The greatest gift that anyone can give is to give of themselves. That’s what Jesus did, and that’s what He expects of His disciples. Those who give of themselves have only one thing in mind – how they may serve others without expecting to be served in return.
Here are some guidelines in developing a servant’s heart:
· Renew your mind. In Romans the 12th chapter, the apostle Paul speaks of the need to renew our mind so that we may be useful in our service to others (Romans 12:1-2). A renewed mind is one that thinks differently. It’s a mind that does not allow someone “to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith” (Romans 12:3). It’s a mind that understands there is a place and a function for every member of the body of Christ, and one that seeks to find its place of service (Romans 12:4-8).
· Esteem others better than yourself. In Philippians chapter 2, the apostle Paul speaks of the need to “let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not for his own interests, but for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4). Paul is not suggesting we develop an “inferiority complex,” but rather place the interests of others above our own. Then he says, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ, who...made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant...” (Philippians 2:5-7) A servant’s heart puts the needs of others first. (See: 2 Corinthians 12:15)
· Model the character traits revealed in the Beatitudes. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus listed eight character traits that should be found in the life of every disciple (Matthew 5:1-12). When all eight character traits found in the Beatitudes are mixed together in our life, the heart of a servant emerges. A true servant of God morns over sin in his own life as well as in the life of others. He is gentle. He hungers and thirsts for righteousness. He is merciful to others. He is pure in heart because he thinks on pure things. He is a peacemaker, who not only seeks to make peace between men, but between man and God. He happily endures persecution for the sake of righteousness. And he rejoices because he knows his reward in heaven is great.
In perhaps the greatest lesson Jesus taught on the subject of servanthood, the Savior gently and humbly set about to wash His disciples’ feet (John 13:3-11). It was customary for a servant to kneel with a pitcher of water and a bowl to wash the feet of every visitor to his master’s household, especially since the roads and alleys of Israel and Jerusalem were unpaved and dusty. If the household could not afford a servant, either the host or one of the early arriving guests would humbly assume the role and wash the feet of those who came in. But on this night, none of the disciples of Jesus had volunteered for that lowly task. The room was filled with proud hearts and dirty feet. Therefore, Jesus needed to teach these men a final lesson about servanthood. Unless they learned this lesson, they would never be effective in humbling themselves to take the message of the Cross to a lost and dying world.
From what Jesus did, three observations about being a servant emerge.
· Being
a servant is demonstrated, never announced.
Jesus didn’t say, “I’m now
going to demonstrate servanthood – watch my humility.” Rather, He quietly
removed His tunic, took a towel, a pitcher and a bowl of water, and began to
wash His disciples feet. The servant does not attempt to draw attention to
himself nor to his acts of service. He quietly demonstrates his servanthood in
a humble manner, and never makes a boastful proclamation about his acts of
sacrifice. He simply does what all servants do – graciously serve the needs of
others.
· Being a servant means being able to receive as graciously as we give. Peter was too filled with pride to allow Jesus to wash his feet. Therefore, Jesus replied, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me” (John 13:8). The heart of a genuine servant is a heart empty of pride. It allows one to accept the gracious acts of others without feeling guilty, or feeling the need to repay. While it is truly more blessed to give than to receive, a servant’s heart is genuinely humble enough to also accept a gift as graciously as it is given.
· Being a servant is not a sign of inner weakness, but of incredible strength. When Jesus finished the task of washing His disciple’s feet, He asked, “Do you know what I have done to you?” (John 13:12). He then proceeded to state His role of authority among them as “Teacher and Lord.” Then He said because He had washed their feet, “you also ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14). No doubt, His disciples expected to hear Him say, “because I washed your feet, you should wash Mine.” But that’s not what He said. Even the most pride-filled Christian would jump at the chance to wash Jesus’ feet, but only those empty of pride would stoop to wash the feet of his fellow man. Servanthood requires incredible inner strength to willingly humble ourselves to serve even the most basic needs of others. That’s the example Jesus left.
After the disciples of Jesus learned this lesson of servanthood, they were prepared to do two things – “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15), and lovingly respond to the needs of “one of the least of these My brethren” (Matthew 25:34-46). Servants should have no difficulty obeying the commands of their masters. The reason so many of us resist complying with the command of Jesus to take the Gospel message to a lost world, or caring for the needs of even the least of all saints, is simply because we haven’t quite developed the heart of a servant. If the apostles of Christ had never learned this lesson, chances are they would have never sacrificed themselves to proclaim the gospel of Christ to others, and we would still be in our sins. How many people are still in their sins because of us? And if the apostles had not learned to serve, we would have never seen the examples of sacrificial service in the lives of men like Peter, Paul, and other first century Christians who first gave of themselves to the Lord, then gave to others.
One last thought! From what Jesus taught about humility and servanthood, His disciples would never again consider anyone so far beneath them that they couldn’t stoop to the lowest person and share with them the message of the gospel of Christ, or minister to their needs. When we truly learn this lesson, neither will we.
Develop A Life Devoted To Prayer
Another aspect of preparing ourselves to labor in the vineyard of the Lord is to develop a life devoted to prayer. Prayer must play an important role in our efforts to teach the lost, especially since salvation of the soul is not a human work, but a divine work. Prayer must also play a crucial role in ministering to the needs of others, especially since the Lord can do far more than we can with our own limited abilities. And since Jesus wept and prayed over the lost and the disheartened, then His servants should follow His example and do the same.
To accomplish more in our efforts to share the gospel with others, there are a few things for which we should be praying, and there are some ways to make our prayers more effective:
· Pray for courage to speak for Christ. If the apostles felt it necessary to pray “...grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your Word” (Acts 4:29), what makes us think we should not also be praying for boldness to do the same. Paul asked the Ephesians to pray, “for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel” (Ephesians 6:19). This will not keep us from occasionally making mistakes and perhaps saying the wrong thing, but it will keep us from making the worst mistake of all – saying nothing! A lack of courage to speak for Christ is one of the major obstacles every Christian must overcome. The only way we can have the victory over this fear is to do as Paul and the other apostles did – pray for courage that we may open our mouth “boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel.” If we’ve done our part in preparing ourselves to teach others through a study of God’s Word, He will answer that prayer.
· Pray that our efforts to reach the lost will not be hindered. The apostle Paul asked, “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the Word of the Lord may have free course...” (2 Thessalonians 3:1). Paul also urged the church at Colosse to pray “for us, that God would open to us a door for the Word, to speak the mystery of Christ... that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak” (Colossians 4:3-4). Since Jesus prayed for the lost, we can also pray that the Lord help us in our efforts to reach the lost by ensuring that our efforts will not be hindered, and we can pray that the Lord open to us a door for the teaching of the Word. How the Lord opens doors through His divine providence is not for us to understand. All we are asking is that the Lord help us find an open door (a heart that is prepared to receive the truth), or help prepare a heart so that its reception of the truth will not be hindered. How many times have we seen a heart that was once closed to the Word of God suddenly open up to receive the Word?
· Pray for the salvation of lost souls. The apostle Paul wrote, “...my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.” While Paul recognized they had a “zeal for God,” that zeal was “not according to knowledge.” They were ignorant of God’s righteousness and had gone about to establish their own righteousness, not submitting themselves to the righteousness of God (Romans 10:1-3). How many good, moral and religious people fit this same description today? The apostle Paul understood the only way the people of Israel could be saved was through the preaching and teaching of the gospel of Christ (cf. Romans 10:14-17). The same is true for the good, moral and religious people of our day who have not obeyed the gospel. Therefore, like Paul, we should pray for opportunities to share the gospel with those who will be most receptive, and pray that these lost souls will be saved.
· Pray and not give up or lose heart. In Luke chapter 18 the Lord taught a parable, saying, “man always ought to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1). The parable went on to describe a woman who continually brought her petition before a judge until he finally did as she requested (Luke 18:2-8). The lesson Jesus attempted to teach His disciples was that if an unjust judge will grant the petition of a persistent widow, God as our righteous Judge will do even more for those of us who bring our petitions to Him day and night – even though He may not answer our prayers immediately. The Puritans had a saying about prayer: “Foolish boys that knock at the door in wantonness, will not stay until someone cometh to open them; but a man that hath business will knock and knock again until his call is answered.” If we “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) for God to help us in reaching a particular lost soul, He will honor that prayer. God will not force someone to accept the gospel against their will, but He will help us put forth our best effort in trying to reach them. And who knows? The Lord may bring about circumstances in the life of that person that will make them more receptive to the gospel in the future, than they were when we first approached them. Therefore, we need to keep asking, seeking and knocking for the Lord to give us the “good things” we need (Matthew 7:7-11).
· Pray in faith and without doubting. James says when we pray, we must “ask in faith, with no doubting...” (James 1:6) Why? Because those who doubt (those who lack confidence in God’s promises), will not receive anything from the Lord (James 1:7). This principle not only applies to our requests for wisdom, but for anything else we may need to help us in our efforts to reach the lost. The Hebrew writer explains why those who lack confidence in God’s promises receive nothing. He writes, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarded of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). How can we ever expect the Lord to honor our requests if we doubt He has the power or the desire to answer our prayers?
· Pray in keeping with God’s will. Not everything we pray for is in keeping with God’s will. Although we may never fully understand why, the Lord sometimes answers our prayers with “no.” Therefore, it’s essential that we pray as Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane when He said, “not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39). However, there are certain things we know that are in keeping with God’s will. For example, we know that the Lord is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). This should give us confidence when we pray for the Lord’s help in reaching the lost. It is the Lord’s desire that all be saved. Furthermore, we have this promise: “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him” (1 John 5:12-15).
To be most effective in the Lord’s vineyard, we should:
· Pray for specific people. As we have already seen, the apostle Paul repeatedly requested prayers on his behalf (Ephesians 6:18-20; Colossians 4:2-4; 1 Thessalonians 5:25; 2 Thessalonians 3:1). He also prayed for others (Philippians 1:3-4; 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12). When Peter was in prison, the saints in Jerusalem were praying for him (Acts 12:5, 12). Likewise, we should be praying for specific people when we truly desire to be effective. Unfortunately, we develop a generic kind of prayer in which we often pray “for those whom it’s our duty to pray.” But praying for the specific needs of others focuses our attention on specific individuals – especially when we ask for God’s specific intervention in helping us meet their needs. Praying for specific individuals also draws us closer to them as we pour out our hearts to God for their sake.
· Pray for God’s help in comforting others. In the opening remarks of Paul’s second letter to the church at Corinth, he describes God as, “the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). One of the reasons we go through various trials in life is make us more helpful in ministering to those who are going through similar trials. We can extend to them the same comfort God extended to us during our ordeal. What kind of comfort is that? The word “comfort” in this passage means “to stand beside, or to call along side.” That’s the way God comforted us. He stood beside us during our darkest moments. And that’s how we can comfort others in the same way – standing beside them with hope and encouragement while they endure trials and tribulations.
· Pray for wisdom. James says, “if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). Wisdom is essential in our being effective in ministering to the needs of others, especially in ministering to their emotional and spiritual needs. Wisdom is often defined as the ability to effectively put our knowledge to use. So, it stands to reason that we cannot effectively exercise wisdom without first having knowledge. And the knowledge to thoroughly equip us “for every good work” comes from a study of God’s inspired Word. Wisdom has also been described as the ability to see things from heaven’s point of view – to understand that God may have a purpose we don’t understand. While we may not understand why certain things happen to us in life, we can take courage in knowing God has a purpose (Romans 8:28), and we can help others develop that same perspective through the wisdom God grants us.
Another key ingredient in preparing ourselves for laboring in the Lord’s vineyard is to develop a love for the Word of God. As we mentioned earlier, there is an old axiom that says, “we cannot teach what we don’t know.” This is as true with teaching the gospel of Christ as it is with anything else. There is simply no way we can impart an understanding of the Word of God if we don’t know it ourselves. Herein lies the greatest obstacle in our efforts to teach the lost and comfort the suffering – we don’t feel comfortable enough with our knowledge of the Word of God to adequately share it with others. Therefore, rather than say something wrong, or say something that may prompt a question we cannot answer, we say nothing at all. However, by developing a genuine love for the Word of God we can overcome this obstacle and assume the role the Lord intended for us as laborers in His vineyard.
In time, everyone should be able to teach others about Jesus. The Hebrew writer severely rebuked certain first century Christians for their lack of spiritual growth that made them incapable of teaching others the gospel of Christ. “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:12-14).
Some never grow beyond “the first principles of the oracles of God.” They are incapable of digesting anything “solid” in the Word of God because they are still spiritual infants. This is why Peter tells us, “as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2). There must first be a desire for the “pure milk of the word” before we can expect to grow. When we have a sincere desire to know the things of God nothing will keep us from achieving the goal of spiritual growth. And once we have matured in our own understanding of the Word we will be capable of teaching it to others.
Those who teach the Word of God must also be prepared to accept the consequences. James says, “my brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment” (James 3:1). James is not attempting to discourage us from teaching, but is warning those of us who teach to be very aware that God will judge us more closely because He will not only judge us on the basis of what we teach, but also on the basis of how we teach it. The reason teachers will “receive a stricter judgment” is explained by the fact that all teachers use the one instrument of the body that is impossible to tame – the tongue (James 3:8). Just as one carelessly discarded match can set ablaze an entire forest, one careless attempt to teach someone the gospel of Christ can lose a soul to hell.
Sadly there are always those who rush into teaching without adequate knowledge or adequate preparation. The apostle Paul warned Timothy that there were those in their day who were “desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm” (1 Timothy 1:7). Times haven’t changed! Does this mean we should avoid the risk of saying the wrong thing, and simply say nothing at all? Absolutely not! Rather, we should take whatever steps are necessary to grow spiritually so we can teach. But we also need to be careful what we teach and how we teach it, knowing that we will incur a stricter judgment.
The Word of God is a powerful instrument that can be effective to the converting of the soul if used properly, or it can destroy if used carelessly. There are several admonitions in the Scriptures about our need to “be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15), and warnings that “...the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).
Assuming we have spent time reading and meditating on the Word of God, there are some rather simple ways we can develop the skills necessary to handle the Word correctly. Psalm 119 provides a number of wonderful guidelines for developing these skills. Here are just a few examples:
· We must be undefiled and walk in the law of the Lord (Psalm 119:1-11). We cannot be skillful in using the Word of God if we are not living according to its precepts. To solve this problem, the psalmist says, “Oh, that my ways were directed to keep Your statutes! Then I would not be ashamed, when I look into all Your commandments” (Psalm 119:5-6). The most effective cure against sin is by heeding the Word, seeking God’s will with all our hearts, and then treasure the Word of God in our hearts. Once we have done that, we will be able to effectively help others cure the sin in their lives.
· We must pray for the Lord to open our eyes to understand the wonderful things in His law (Psalm 119:18, 25-27, 33-34). Jesus recognized that many would never come to understand His teachings because “in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will not hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will not see and not perceive; for the heart of this people has grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their heart, and turn, so that I should heal them.’” (Matthew 13:14-15; cf. Isaiah 6:9-10). If we are truly seeking to know the will of the Lord, we can understand the things of God if we are willing to pray that the Lord open our eyes, and teach us His statutes, and give us understanding so that we may keep His law and observe it with our whole heart.
· We must meditate on God’s Word (Psalm 119:97-104). Those who truly desire a deeper love for God’s Word will spend time meditating on the Lord’s commandments, testimonies, and precepts. Through them we gain wisdom and understanding – two crucial elements needed in our efforts to reach the lost and in ministering to the needs of others. Meditating on God’s Word involves more than simply reading a chapter or two each day. We need to allow these truths to sink down deep into our hearts by thinking about the significance of every word and phrase we read. The deeper we search in the Word for wisdom and understanding, the greater our wisdom and understanding will be. Meditating on the Lord’s commandments, testimonies, and precepts is God’s way of teaching us what we need to know to teach others.
· We must speak of God’s commandments to others (Psalm 119:117-174). The most effective way to deepen our love for the Word of God is to share it with others and see the joy it brings them. As the Lord has taught us through His Word, so we must also teach others. And we can have confidence in what we teach because we know God’s commandments are righteous. When we put forth the effort to share the Word of God with others, the Lord will be with us. As the psalmist prayed, “let Your hand become my help” (Psalm 119:173), so we can also pray for the Lord’s hand to be involved in our efforts to reach the lost with the saving message of the gospel of Christ.
A New Testament Pattern For
Ministering To The Saints
INTRODUCTION: Shortly after the New Testament church began flourishing, problems arose over the care of those whose basic needs were being neglected. We are told, “as the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution” (Acts 6:1). Up to this time, the apostles had been assuming the oversight of receiving and distributing money to care for the material needs of the rapidly expanding number of disciples. But the task was quickly growing beyond their ability to handle effectively. As a result, some were beginning to “fall through the cracks” by being overlooked. Besides, there was a more pressing need for the apostles of Jesus Christ. Their primary mission was not to tend to the needs of each individual saint, it was to preach and teach the gospel to a lost world. They quickly realized “it is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables” (Acts 6:2). There were others who could focus their attentions on taking care of the problem at hand while the apostles focused theirs on a far greater need. To solve the problem, the apostles told the brethren to “seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:3-4).
___________
The work of ministering to the saints is a key element in the growth of the New Testament church. It involves nurturing the physical or material needs of others as well as caring for their emotional and spiritual needs. A nurturing church is a growing church because there is mutual care and concern for everyone within the local body. Unfortunately, the main reason why people leave one congregation for another is because one or more of their basic needs are not being met.
However, just as growth in the first century church could not be accomplished solely by the work of the apostles, neither can we accomplish growth in the New Testament church today by expecting the local preacher to do all the work of evangelism as well as ministering to the needs of the saints. It is no more “desirable” for the local preacher to “leave the word of God and serve tables” than it was for the apostles.
The role of the evangelist is clearly outlined by the apostle Paul in his first letter to Timothy. “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:1-5).
Evangelists, along with elders and teachers, were given to the church for the purpose of “equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-12). It is vitally important that the evangelist does not make the mistake the apostles warned against and “leave the word of God and serve tables.” Rather, he should give himself “continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” (Acts 6:2-4).
Too often, the local preacher is so busy visiting the sick, caring for the needy, as well as providing for other needs of the members that there is no time left to adequately do the work of an evangelist. Part of the problems lies in a misunderstanding of the work of the evangelist. It is not uncommon for members of the local congregation to perceive the preacher as an employee of the church who has been hired to take care of whatever needs to be done. Sometimes, the preacher himself thinks of his work the same way.
The local preacher should never perceive his role as simply doing a couple of sermons and teaching a couple of Bible classes each week, then being on call 24-7 to respond to the every material or physical need of the church. Neither should the members. While the local preacher certainly has a responsibility to visit the sick, care for the needy, and provide for other needs of the members, his responsibility in these areas is no greater than any other member of the church. He does these things because all Christians do them – NOT because he is an evangelist. If he is doing his job properly, the preacher has a monumental task in prayer and ministry of the word – teaching the lost, teaching new converts, teaching those who have fallen away, teaching and equipping the saints for the work of ministry in the church. The church that removes the evangelist from the work God has given him, and relegates him to the denominational concept of a “pastor,” is guilty of perverting God’s plan for the New Testament church. Preachers are not “pastors” in the Lord’s church.
Fortunately, the Lord’s wisdom has provided the church with an effective means
of caring for the physical or material, as well as the emotional and spiritual
needs, of our fellow saints. This care comes through the work of elders and
deacons.
Elders are specifically ordained as the spiritual shepherds
of the Lord’s flock, and have been given the duty of tending to the physical
(material) needs, and the emotional and spiritual needs of the flock under their
care. Unfortunately, not enough elders are assuming that God-ordained role, and
others don’t even know how.
The apostle Peter wrote, “The elders who are among you I
exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and
also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God
which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not
for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you,
but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will
receive the crown of glory that does not fade away” (1 Peter 5:1-4). The
seriousness of this duty is seen by the specific qualifications a shepherd must
possess if he is to shepherd the Lord’s flock effectively (1 Timothy 3:1-7;
Titus 1:5-9). As a spiritual leader, one on whom we can depend to provide us
with the spiritual guidance we need, an elder must not only meet these
qualifications, but must also understand that the Lord will hold him accountable
for sheep that are lost through carelessness or neglect (Hebrews 13:17; Ezekiel
34; Jeremiah 23:1-4). Simply put, God has placed the exclusive oversight of the
local church into the hands of the elders, not the preacher or any other man.
Furthermore, elders are to be “examples to the flock.” As shepherds, the elders must be at the forefront of the work of the church, leading the flock by their own example of faithfulness. They go before the flock leading by their own example in all areas of work within the church. If an elder is not leading by example, he is not properly doing his job of shepherding the flock. In the process of leading by example, elders are to plan the work of the church, oversee the worship and work of the church, care for those under their charge by responding to their individual needs, and properly discipline any member in error (even to the extent of withdrawing fellowship). The qualifications of elders outlined by the Lord give us some insight into their responsibilities – the responsibility of teaching, exhorting, admonishing, reproving and rebuking.
The apostle Paul told the Ephesian elders, “take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28). It is not enough for elders to simply watch out for their own welfare, they must also “take heed... to all the flock,” and must “shepherd the church of God.” To do this, shepherds must know the flock, and become thoroughly acquainted with each and every sheep under their care. Elders must be watchful, ever alert to the physical and spiritual needs of those they shepherd, and they must be capable of meeting those needs.
However, just as the apostles could not adequately and efficiently respond to every need by themselves, neither can elders. Therefore, the Lord authorized the