Pure Church

"I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers day and night." (2 Tim. 1:3)

The apostle is near the end of his life. As one writer put it, "he is writing in the shadow of the gallows." Death is near. And what is Paul's mental state?

He tells us that (a) he thanks God, (b) he serves God, and (c) his conscience is clear.

What a way to face death! The apostle dies as he lived--thanking and serving God and consequently with a clear conscience.

A clear conscience before God is to be sought and treasured by all His children. I've seen some and read of many others who see death approaching and fall to pieces. Even some professing Christians experience grave uncertainty and anxiety. Often it's because they're more aware of periods in their life when they've not served God faithfully. They remember the kindnesses not shown, the forgiveness not extended, the duties left undone, the opportunities missed or ignored, the love withdrawn, not to mention the words rashly spoken, the bitterness coddled, the grudge carried, the prayerlessness, the closed Bibles, the fellowship shunned, and so on. They're filled with regret that they have walked at some distance from Christ, followed along at a safe distance like Peter at the Lord's arrest. And they're afflicted with the thought that though they could have walked by the Savior's side, stood in His defense, proclaimed His name, they have accomodated the world, satisfied their own desires, and wasted so much. Their consciences aren't clear. The mind is plagued. It's agonizing.

Paul's mental state reminds us that each day is a day presented to the Chrsitian as a gift of communion with the Savior, an opportunity to know Him more deeply and serve Him more gladly. Each day and each moment of the day offers that golden gift. Paul seized it. He remembered that his ancestors served God, and he remembers his constant prayers. Is this not the apostle who tells us to pray without ceasing? And was that not his habit? And the result: confidence before God, awareness of "the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus" (v. 1), peace in the face of death.

What testimony does our conscience make?

"By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases Him. And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he commanded us. Whoever keeps His commandments abides in God, and God in him. and by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us" (1 John 3:18-24).

I have a ritual when visiting restaurants, especially restaurants I don't know very well. From time to time, I like to have the waiter surprise me with whatever he or she thinks I will enjoy eating. This got started one day when some co-workers and I went to a restaurant following an excruciatingly long day of meetings and decision-making. I simply didn't have another decision left in me. So, I handed the beautiful menu with all its mouth-watering fare to the waiter and asked, "Could you order something for me? I'm an omnivore, so there isn't much probability of disappointing me." The waiter returned with a scrumptious meal and I was spared the agony of another decision that day.

In the 10 years or so that I've been doing this, I can only count about two instances where a waiter brought back something disappointing. Once, on a day much like the first day when this ritual developed, after telling a young man that I was quite hungry and preferred meat, he brought me a large plate of shrimp and grits! Now, I know that's a S.C. low-country delicacy, but there's no way to fuel this tank with shrimp and grits. My jaw nearly hit the table when he returned with this meal. My bargain with the waiters, so they aren't laboring under too much pressure, is that I will eat whatever they bring and be content. So, I gave thanks to the Lord and enjoyed the shrimp and grits.

This entire ordering philosophy rests on one simple fact: the waiter or waitress should know the menu and the kitchen far better than I can or do. Their knowledge of what the chef cooks well, what customers appreciate, and the ingredients available to make a delicious meal either makes this a great strategy or a grand adventure in culinary tomfoolery. As I said, only twice did I leave feeling like I wore a dunce cap during my meal. Waiters and waitresses generally know their product.

Well, what is true for table servers in restaurants is truer still for table servers in the Lord's church. Deacons must know their "product." In the words of the Apostle Paul, deacons "must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience" (1 Tim. 3:9).

The practical "table server" aspects of deaconal ministry may inadvertently obscure or come to de-emphasize the utter necessity that deacons be people sound in the faith. Because we understand deacons to be people who care for the practical needs of the body, perhaps even being assigned a specific area of service, we may run the risk of thinking of deacons as technocrats, people with specialized skills but little or no theological requirements.

To "keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience" is to grip or possess the gospel of Jesus Christ with full assent. First, the prospective deacon needs to have embraced the faith him or herself. Deacons are not to be unbelievers, people unsound in the faith, or who cannot give a credible profession of faith and knowledge of the gospel. Second, they must know what they have embraced. There is a cognitive requirement here. They must know "the deep truths of the faith." Articulating and explaining the cardinal points of the gospel and of Christianity is a requirement. How else can deacons be the kind of servants that point others to Jesus as they serve? Third, the deacon must hold these truths "with a clear conscience," that is, his life and conscience must conform to the faith he professes. It's not merely that he holds the truth of the gospel without doubt or mental reserve, but that he also lives a life worthy of the Christian calling (Eph. 4:1).

What are we looking for in spiritual table servers? People who know the truth of God's word in their own converting experience and with sufficient understanding to live it out and model it for others. This is important because deacons will inevitably find themselves in gospel conversations, applying the truth of the faith to their ministries and the lives of the people, and modeling the faith to those who look to them. That they "keep hold" is then a must, a necessity.

Some questions to ask:
1. Does the prospective deacon give a credible profession of personal saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? If the church practices some form of membership interview as part of its membership process, they will likely have heard the person's testimony of conversion at some point. But it's good practice, as part of considering a person for service as a deacon, to set apart some time for first the leaders and subsequently the congregation to hear and discuss the potential deacon's testimony. This is not an inquisition. But it is an opportunity to search for and affirm evidences of God's grace in a person's life.

2. Does the prospective deacon understand the gospel? Part of hearing the person's testimony should include a statement of the gospel itself. What has the person believed about God, man, Jesus Christ, repentance and faith? Can they articulate and defend the biblical truth about the triune nature of God, about the creation and fall of man, the Person and work of Jesus Christ, and the nature of true conversion?

3. Does the prospective deacon bring the truth of the gospel and the Scripture to bear on his life and ministry? Is the person known among leaders and others as someone who thinks from the cross outward? Does the Person and work of Christ govern their perspective on service, or are they motivated by other philosophies and ideas? Does the manner in which they now live and think give confidence that their service would be informed by the Word of God? Are they known to open the Bible with others when thinking through issues, or are they mostly reliant on their own understanding? Are they known to live the faith inside and outside the church?

4. Does the prospective deacon hold the deep truths of the faith without reservation? The plethora of rival "Christianities" makes it necessary that the servant-leaders of the church be committed to the truth revealed in Scripture. Does the deacon profess any major doubts or even disagreements with the church's statement of faith? Are they able to sign it in good conscience, indicating their complete agreement and willingness to defend? Are they committed to immediately informing the elders should they find themselves out of agreement with the church's statement of faith? Does the deacon also support and uphold with clear conscience the biblical distinctives of the church? This might include things like baptism, the church's position on women in ministry, gender roles, etc. In so far as a position is shown to be biblical, does the prospective deacon support these positions?

5. Is the prospective deacon someone who perseveres in the faith? This I think is somewhat implicit, but needs to be brought out. The deacon will be someone who often enters into difficulty with the goal of bringing peace, stability, order, and fruit in an otherwise chaotic area. To do that, they must persevere in the faith and in the truth of the faith, applying God's word and patiently awaiting fruit. There may not be, and often will not be, immediate fruit from the labor. So, a patient abiding and persevering are necessary to faithfulness in this ministry.

Conclusion
In many churches, deacons serve in the teaching ministry of the church. That's a good thing where the men have gifts for teaching. But whether a deacon leads a Sunday school class or not, they will inevitably be in a position of professing, living, and modeling the deep truths of the faith. And it's necessary for the God-glorifying and healthy functioning of the church that the deacons be mastered by and be committed to mastering the truth of God's word and the gospel it reveals.

What do you suppose is the most frequent criticism lodged against the local church and Christians?

• The church is not doing enough to address problems (youth, homelessness, etc.)
• The church and Christians are not open-minded; they’re backward and discriminatory.
• The church and Christians—especially preachers—are out for your money.
• If the church has the truth, why are there so many divisions and denominations?
• The church is obsolete and unnecessary, and Christians are dangerous to society.
• The church and Christians are boring, not exciting, killjoys, dead.
• Christians are self-righteous and mean.
• The church is full of hypocrites.

That last complaint, the church is full of hypocrites, probably covers a lot of the other problems and complaints. Many people in the world, in one way or another, consider Christian people and the Christian church as a whole… hypocritical.

And, let’s face it. Many of the critiques I just read out… are on the money—at least for some churches and professing Christians.

• There are Christians who are self-righteous and mean.
• There are Christian preachers and churches who care more about money than people.
• There are Christians and churches that are not open-minded in the best sense of that phrase… who are stuck in some bygone era and unable or unwilling to take the truth and engage contemporary society.
• And Christians are a quarrelsome lot. We divide sometimes over the most insignificant things.

It will not do for us to just ignore such criticisms. Yes, the people who raise them are likely hypocrites themselves. But that’s what we’d expect to find out in the world.

But is it what we should expect in the church? Have our critics done us a service by pointing these things out? Do we agree with them? If we agree, what are we to do?

The Apostle Paul comes to his final qualification for elders/pastors in 1 Timothy 3:7--"Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil."

It turns out that what unbelievers think of us really does matter, especially for potential elders and leaders. A man who desires to be an elder must have a strong reputation with those outside the church. These outsiders, non-Christians, are witnesses certifying and corroborating the potential elders' testimony. It's not that folks are neutral about him; "he must be well thought of." The opinion must be positive. If a man is well-regarded inside church but poorly regarded by non-Christians, he is not a suitable candidate for the Christian ministry.

The reason Paul gives under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is similar to the reason given for why an elders hould not be a new convert but mature. A poor outside reputation makes a man vulnerable to falling into disgrace or a trap of the evil one. How many men in pastoral ministry with poor reputations have tarnished the witness of their local church, the Name of Christ, and the gospel? That's precisely what the enemy of the elect wishes to have happen--men falling on their own sword of poor reputation and bad living in the name of Christ.

Elders are to commend the gospel and everything that conforms to sound doctrine. Even the Christian's enemies should feel ashamed about their evil comments in the face of a life lived well for Christ (1 Pet. 3:16). These are the kind of men we are to pray for and look for when it comes to the office of elder.

Some Questions and Observations (Please feel free to add others)

1. What does the prospective elder's non-Christian neighbors and co-workers report about him? Are they witnesses to what they would consider Christian or un-Christian behavior in the prospective elder?

2. Is there evidence that the outsiders' opinions are accurate or inaccurate? It is improbable that Paul intends the local church to take the opinion of non-Christians without reflection and discernment. Paul himself would not be judged by any man when that judgment was unfounded and where faithfulness was demonstrable (1 Cor. 4:1-4). Likewise, the local church should neither dismiss the opinion of outsiders regarding her leaders or swallow "hook, line, and sinker" any charge brought aagainst a man.

3. Does the prospective elder engage in the affairs of the wider community? A prospective elder should be salt and light in the world. That will be reflected, in part, in the non-Christian relationships he maintains and the civic and community contributions he makes.


Conclusion
The call to serve Christ as an undershepherd is a high call. Not everyone may take the mantle of leadership in the church. Those called must be examples to the flock in every area of life (1 Tim. 4:12). Such men must be models of devout faith inside and outside the church, commending Christ and the gospel to all. And yet, apart from being able to teach, the qualifications in 1 Timothy 3 are characteristics that every Christian should increasingly possess by God's grace and the work of His Spirit. May the Lord be pleased to grant us both the blessing of faithful, reliable men to lead our churches and the fruit of His Spirit.


Other posts in this series
Introduction: Finding Reliable Men
Above Reproach
One-Woman Man
Temperate, Self-Controlled, Respectable
Hospitable
Able to Teach
Sober, Gentle, Peacemaking
Not Lovers of Money
Leaders at Home
Mature and Humble

You ever heard the phrase "the zeal of a new convert"? It's used to describe someone who is fervent and boiling over with enthusiasm because of their newfound beliefs or commitments. It's a bit of a cliche, but it's a helpful description of recent initiates. New converts tend to have a great deal of energy and enthusiasm, they're bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (to use another cliche) but not according to knowledge.
The Lord's next requirement for those who would lead His church as under-shepherds is that "He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil" (1 Tim. 3:6).

The church is a family. It is a group of brothers and sisters in Christ, submitted to God the Father by the working of God the Holy Spirit. The church is a family.

Every family requires leadership. The church is no different. So, it's surprising that the Apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit adds another qualification for those who desire to be overseers in the Lord's family, the church. He writes, "He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church?"


Notice the urgency and insistence about these qualifications. The prospective elder must possess these qualities. That's said of all the qualities, but here it has a louder ring to it. There is no way for a man to be a qualified elder and not be in the habit of consistently managing his own household well. He simply must. And this managing of the home is prerequisite to serving as an elder. It's not something that is "learned on the job;" it is a minimum qualification for even accepting the application. An inability to manage this smaller household by definition means a man can not manage God's larger household, the church. And an elder is called to nothing less than tending to God's family and household.

And, notice that it's "his own" household that must be managed. Women get an unfair and bad rap being sometimes stereotyped as busy bodies and meddlers into the affairs of others. Well, here, Paul warns against men who may be too preoccupied with the affairs of others and too little occupied with things going on under their own roof. One thinks of Eli's hasty and mistaken rebuke of Hannah as she prayed while abdicating responsibility for his wayward boys in 1 Samuel. An elder tends to affairs at home.

To "manage" his home includes both the supervision of his family as well as the nurture of the family members. If a man only supervises but fails to nurture, he may be either a tyrant or an absentee landlord. Neither is fitting for a father, much less an elder. If he only nurtures but fails to supervise, he may play the part of the permissive "good cop" and "friend" to the children but never give appropriate guidance. He is to govern the home but with gentleness and concern for each member of the family. The word "manage" here is the same word used of the Good Samaritan who risked himself to bandage and care for the wounded man. The Samaritan responded with caring supervision and concern. This is what the prospective elder will be called to do in the church.

The apostle tells us immediately what this good management concerns. It is "with all dignity keeping his children submissive." Paul has already addressed the fact that the prospective elder is to be "a one-woman man," indicating the singleness of heart he has for his wife if married. He will love her as Christ loves the church (Eph. 5). But here, Paul has particular concern for a father's relationship with his children. The NIV renders this "see that his children obey him with proper respect." The word "dignity" can apply either to the father in his role or the children in their submission and obedience. And, actually, one would expect both with a qualified elder. Such a man is worthy of respect and it shows in how he leads his home. He is dignified, respectful or reverent. Correspondingly, his children should treat him with respect and reverence. There is to be a mutuality in this regard.

Some Questions and Observations (Please Share Others)
1. Is the prospective elder attentive to his home? Does he provide leadership to the affairs of his home? What does his wife say about his involvement? Does she commend him or tend to camouflage lack of involvement with rationalizations? Supervising the home can be measured in a number of ways, from knowing and attending to the family's finances to leadership in decision-making about the kids' education to the physical upkeep of the home itself.

2. Does the prospective elder care for his children? Is that care demonstrable for each individual child? An elder will often be called to tend the individual members of the flock. It's wise to observe that tendency in a prospective elder with his individual children.

3. Do the children submit to their father? Are they obedient to their father? Is it evident that they respect their father and regard him highly? Or, is the relationship characterized by animosity and rebellion? Obviously, the particulars of the situation matters here. It may be that a child is spiritually lost and struggling, yet still obedient and respectful to their father. Paul's instruction here doesn't call for a perfect home and perfect children--none exist. So, it's as wise to ask if the father is managing the home well in the midst of difficult circumstances, his children showing proper respect despite the present challenges.

4. Would the children say that the father is qualified to serve as an elder? Age and understanding matters here. But if the children are old enough to understand the decision at hand, would they support their father as worthy of the office? What grounds would they give for affirming or denying a man's qualification? Sensitivity is required. But what our children see in us is likely to be what the church sees in us--only our children tend to see it first and without the mask of religious hypocrisy.

5. For single men or married men without children, it would be important to know what their attitudes are toward children and child rearing. Is he opposed to having children or is he postponing having children (if married) for some period of time? In that case there may be selfish tendencies shaping his life. For single men, it might be worth considering whether the man has other opportunities for shepherding children that serve as a proxy of sorts on this issue. Does he volunteer with any ministries or community programs that serve youth? Does he have nieces and nephews? Does he volunteer to care for children of other families in the church? If so, how do the children in those programs respond to him and how does he care for them? Workplace relationships may provide a similar proxy.

The Lord requires that His church be managed by men who know how to supervise and nurture His children. To a great extent, that is the task of pastoral ministry. And where are we to find these men? Where else? At home taking care of business. May the Lord be pleased to raise up men gifted for the task.

It's an ol' school O'Jays kinda morning in the Cayman Islands. Well, maybe not in the Cayman Islands, but in my office in the Cayman Islands.

I feel compelled to begin this post with a bit of personal disclosure. I hope it's not inappropriate or offensive, most of all to the memory of people I'm thinking about as I write.

Have you ever thought of how central an activity teaching is in the New Testament? I know pastors think of the centrality of teaching all the time, but usually as it relates to their own duties and the gathered church. But teaching appears necessary to every aspect of the Christian life. We call ourselves disciples and we practice spiritual disciplines, ideas with their root in the clasroom, in teaching and learning. Teaching is central to how we train younger generations (Titus 2). It's central to serving others in the church and living out the faith in a worthy manner (Eph. 4). Teaching is unmistakably central to the proclamation of the gospel and making disciples (Mt. 28:19-20). If we're going to pray, we must be taught (Luke 11:1). Even singing is connected with teaching (Eph. 4:19; Col. 3:16)--we speak to one another and admonish in song, if we're singing correctly we're teaching in the process.

"How do you find our hospitality?"

1. Hospitality is a tangible expression of love. Christians are called to love one another and their enemies and hospitality gives practical form to that love. Elders should model this.


2. Hospitality is a tangible way to care for strangers. How do we know that we're caring for the strangers in our gate? Well, one measure is how close we get to them. Hospitality brings us close in a meaningful way. It establishes intimacy and relationship that reflects the love of Christ in an identifiable way.


3. Hospitality enables evangelism. Perhaps the reason so many Christians have no non-Christian friends and find themselves "far removed" from evangelistic opportunities is they are not hospitable. You can't share the gospel with a person you don't greet or with a person you will not spend time with in some way. Apart from being hospitable on some level, sharing the good news become close to impossible.


4. Hospitality enables discipleship and fellowship. The early church devoted themselves to, among other things, breaking bread and fellowship (Acts 2). Among the fundamental activities of the early Christian church, hospitality ranks up them with devotion to the apostles' doctrine.
   

I don't much like walking through malls. I guess I'm the stereotypical male. I storm through to the one (at the most three) stores that potentially have what I'm searching for, select the item, and then escape the whole harrowing experience through the closest exit.

Paul continues in his treatement of qualifications for leadership in the Lord's church. He has placed desire in the pole position and followed that with an ominbus statement of qualification: above reproach.

To be above reproach, an elder must be 'the husband of one wife.' This does not prohibit bachelors from serving as elders. Commonly, elders will be married, and God will use the demands of their callings as husbands and fathers to do much of the sanctifyinig work that needs to be done in their lives before they are ready to serve as officers in the church. But remember that Paul himself was single and commended singleness to others as an opportunity for greater service in the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 7:17; 9:5). Some suggest that the phrase means 'married only once.' This would disqualify widowers who remarry, as well as men who have been through a divorce. If this is what Paul meant, however, one might expect him to be more explicit.

The point of the phrase is probably more general: elders must be morally accountable for their sexuality. The Greeks and the Romans of the day generally tolerated gross sexual sin. Polygamy was practiced by both Greeks and Jews. Marriage was undermined by frequent divorce, widespread adultery, and rampant homosexuality. The words of Demosthenes show the scope of the problem: 'Mistresses we keep for the sake of pleasure, concubines for the daily care of our persons, but wives to bear us legitimate children'.

All of the world seems aimed at the pursuit of possession. When we're children we want toys. When we're teenagers we want the coolest clothes and a car. Soon we're off to college, hopefully one of the "better" institutions for our selected major. Not long after college we want the dream job and, of course, a better car to suit our "status." Then we purchase our first home. That "starter" home gives way to the "upgrade" or the "dream home." We fill that box with all kinds of furnishings and things to make it suit our tastes. Sea-Doos, boats, plasma TVs and the like become the grown-up version of the toys we played with as kids. A "mid-life crisis" may change everything. Time for the sportier car, the trendier clothes, and sometimes a new "trophy" spouse.

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

First, they are to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. They are to continue on in obedience, as they started in Paul's presence and now in his absence. The basis for continuing in obedience to Christ is the realization that it is actually God working on their wills and their actions in accord with His good pleasure (2:13; see Carson, Basics for Believers, 62-63). The option of resting on their laurels is removed; their wills and actions must be exercised. But also removed is the notion that it all depends on them, on their heroic effort and energy. For it is God working on their wills and actions. Human responsibility and divine sovereignty meet in the outworking of their redemption. Christian growth is not by osmosis but by work--God's and ours.

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose (Phil. 2:1-2).

Theology is tremendously practical. Never let anyone drive a wedge between good theology and "practical" information. The Apostle Paul (one of the writers of Scripture) never falls into that trap. He never writes as though some lofty statement about God is really merely a frill, a lace doily on an otherwise useless idea. He writes in such a way as to maintain profound and necessary connections between theology and practice. And sometimes surprising things emerge.


For example, in Phil. 2:1-2, the Apostle begins as he often does with good theology... reminders really of astounding truths:


1. Christians are united with Christ; our lives are joined with His through faith. We are accepted in Him; He is our Head and we His body. We are one new man in Christ.

2. Christians draw comfort from Christ's love. And who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Can anything in this life or the next, in this world or the one to come? What comfort is offered by the knowledge of God's unchanging, unshakeable love in Christ!

3. Christians "fellowship with the Spirit." We commune together with the Third Person of the Godhead, the Spirit through whom the love of God is poured into our hearts, by Whom the Father and the Son come to us and take up residence, and by Whom we cry out, "Abba, Father!"

4. Christians have new hearts. Where a stone once filled the cavity of our souls, now there beats a heart of flesh, a heart of Christlike compassion and tenderness. Christians are now free and empowered to love like God loves as the new heart of the new covenant throbs in our breasts.

That's all theology. And then the Apostle shows the practical implications of that theology. Christians, then:

1. Should be like-minded. With Christ as head, with the same mind or attitude of Christ (v. 5), Christians can and should experience a great deal of unity of thought and sentiment.

2. Have the same love. No longer are there variations in our love according to natural affiliations (ethnicity, class, etc), but now Christians love their brethren as Christ has loved them, not regarding one another according to the flesh but according to the shared life and love of Christ in us all.

3. Should be one in spirit and purpose. Where does unity in the church come from? It springs, it seems, from the application of good theology. Right thoughts about God lead to right living. Properly understanding our fellowship with the Spirit of God leads to oneness in spirit and purpose with His people.

Paul beseeches the Christians to remember the truth about God they've been taught and then to live that truth out in their relationship with one another.

And this, he tells us, will "make [his] joy complete." Whatever is lacking in the Apostle's joy is supplied by the Philippian Christians walking in the knowledge of God. The Apostle John says the same thing: "It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth" (3 John 3-4).

Seeing his people walk in the truth was for Paul a complete joy, and for John the greatest joy. And so it is with the pastor and his people. Perhaps there is no sweeter joy than to see your people lay hold to the truth, imbibe it, make it apart of themselves, and walk it out.

I don't know that I've been more encouraged than when I've seen Christians take some teaching of God's word and really accept it as truth (which is in itself a declaration that truth exists and matters), walk in it, and rejoice in it. A pastor may rightfully be surprised by the joy he finds in ministry when amidst difficult situations (the loss of loved ones, persecution, the threat of divorce, debilitating disease, and so on) his people stand and walk in the truth.

And if a pastor frequently and consistently comes close to the sheep, he may not only smell the sheepiness of sheep but also rejoice that they hear the Shepherd's voice and follow Him. And what undershepherd is not pleased that the flock follow the Chief Shepherd? Unique among the joys of ministry is to see the truth of God seep into the hearts of His people and overflow in like-mindedness, mutual love, common cause, humility and service.

This joy, when it's observed, surpasses even the joy the preacher-pastor receives as he studies and prepares to teach. What sweet fellowship with the Spirit and Christ study and preparation is. And how much sweeter to see the fruit of that study in the lives of your people, to see the Spirit at work in the word and the walk. Pastors have no greater joy, no more complete joy, than to see their people walk in the truth.

To experience this joy more fully, we have only to do two things:
1. Keep teaching the truth with patience, clarity, gentleness and joy; and
2. Develop skill at looking for evidence of the truth working itself out in our people, to see them walking in it.

Therein is complete joy in pastoral ministry.