Pure Church

HT: Between Two Worlds

From Paul Tripp’s chapter, “War of Words,” in The Power of Words and the Wonder of God, pp. 43-44 (Justin's emphasis):

I have committed to pray three prayers each morning.

The first one is a confession: “God, I’m a man in desperate need of help this morning.”

The second prayer is, “I pray in your grace that you would send your helpers my way.”

The third prayer is, “And I pray that you would give me the humility to receive the help that comes.”

Here is must reading for church leaders with their wives: "How to Help Your Husband When He Is Criticized." I'm guessing every church leader is at some point going to receive criticism. And if he is married, he is likely to share his feelings about the criticism with his wife. How wives respond can either be incredibly hurtful or helpful. Thanks C.J. and Carolyn for this very helpful word of encouragement.

"Humbled for past unworthiness, let elders work on steadily and prayerfully, looking for and expecting the blessing. There will be fruit of our sowing, for that is promised; and usually we shall see fruit, though that is not promised. Some men have passed away from their work to their reward thinking that they had been of little or no use in the world, when it was found that much good had been done by them. With others, again, there is a tendency to exaggerate in their own minds what they have been enabled to do. While it is very encouraging to know that the Lord has blessed our work, it requires much grace for ourselves to safely see much fruit. Everyone is not led to say, or at least to feel, as Dr. Chalmers did when told of a conversion under his preaching, "That is very humbling."

"Then we are apt to forget a great principle of God's Word: "One soweth and another reapeth" (John 4:37). In the rescue of a drowning man, one person might give the alarm, a second might bring a rope, a third might throw it to him, and a fourth might draw him to shore. It could be said truly of all these four that they were instruments in saving the man from death. So it is in the salvation of souls, as proved by the history of individuals. God works all in all, but he often uses several different instruments for the ingathering of his elect, "that no flesh should glory in his presence" (1 Cor. 1:29). How often would our poor hearts try to get credit for being the only instrument in the salvation of a sinner! Now, we can be of much use, and I believe often are of much use, where we see no necessary connection between our own work and the salvation of men. It is, in one sense, a humbling view. It excludes all boasting in ourselves. It is well for many that the good they do is hidden from them till they are able to bear it. And yet it is very encouraging too, for though we may not be able to do any great thing, we can yet do many little things. Let us rejoice to be even the smallest and humblest link in that chain of love and grace by which Jesus is drawing sinners to himself. How well for us and the souls we care for that, from first to last, "salvation is of the Lord" (Jonah 2:9)!"

From David Dickson (eds. George Kennedy McFarland and Philip Graham Ryken), The Elder and His Work, P&R, p. 126-127.

A dear fiend... I mean "friend"... called me last Saturday after my beloved Wolfpack took a beating at the hands of the then-#1 ranked UNC Tarheels.

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).

This week, in three different circumstances, I received three different books by Andrew Murray. I'm thinking I should read Murray, having never done so before. Today I wanted to share a small bit from the opening chapter of his little meditation on humility.

And so pride, or the loss of this humility, is the root of every sin and evil! It was when the now-fallen angels began to look upon themselves with self-complacency that they were led to disobedience, and were cast down from the light of heaven into outer darkness. Even so it was, when the Serpent breathed the poison of his pride--the desire to be as God--into the hearts of our first parents, they too fell from their high estate into all the wretchedness into which man is sunk. In heaven and earth, pride--self-exaltation--is the gate and the birth, and the curse, of hell.

Hence it follows that nothing can be our redemption but the restoration of the lost humility, the original and only true relation of the creature to its God. And so Jesus came to bring humility back to earth, to make us partakers of it, and by it to save us. In heaven He humbled Himself to become man. The humility we see in Him possessed Him in heaven; it brought Him, He brought it, from there. Here on earth "He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death"; His humility gave His death its value, and so became our redemption. And now the salvation He imparts is nothing less and nothing else than a communication of His own life and death, His own disposition and spirit--His own humility--as the ground and root of His relation to God and His redeeming work. Jesus Christ took the place and fulfilled the destiny of man, as a creature, by His life of perfect humility. His humility is our salvation. His salvation is our humility.

And so the life of the saved ones, of the saints, must needs bear this stamp of deliverance from sin and full restoration to their original state--their whole relation to God and man marked by an all-pervading humility. Without this there can be no true abiding in God's presence, or experience of His favor and the power of His Spirit; without this, no abiding faith, or love or joy or strength. Humility is the only soil in which the graces root; the lack of humility is the sufficient explanation of every defect and failure. Humility is not so much a grace or virtue along with others as it is the root of all, because it alone takes the right attitude before God and allows Him as God to do all.

This week I'm between trips to Toronto and Washington, DC. So, I've not had much time to write and blog. But in the time the Lord has given me, for which I am thankful, I've had the privilege of doing an interview on transracial adoption with Dan Cruver and Carolina Hope Christian Adoption Agency.

Also, the brothers at NA gave me the privilege of reflecting a little bit on how to humbly approach orthodoxy as well as humbly represent it.

Also, Boundless extended an invitation to reflect on the blessing of God-ordained parental authority in our lives and how to honor it when we're "grown."

These are just the things I've been able to contribute elsewhere. Check out the ton of good work going on at these and related blogs. While things are a little slower here, I hope these are useful.

"Practice these things, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress" (1 Timothy 4:15).

I've been "struck" by the rather strong words the apostle uses in this section of the letter in his instruction and encouragement to Timothy. "Devotion" appears several times throughout the chapter, whether it's the devotion that some will show to "deceitful spirits" or the contrasting devotion that Timothy is to have to public Scripture reading, exhortation and teaching. Also, Timothy is to "train" himself in godliness, to toil and strive. The image of sweaty exertion is strong. The ministry is labor. It's work. If we approach it thinking of ease and self-centered convenience, we will be run over and flattened by the rushing traffic of responsibility, hardship, difficulty, sin, disappointment, apparent failure (ours and others), death, disease, and all the other things that accompany fallen human life. Ministry is labor.

And like any labor, it requires routine, trial and improvement. Paul says to Timothy "practice these things." By these things I take him to mean the things that he mentioned in the previous verses:

• Warning the people of false teachers;
• Avoiding false doctrine and myths;
• Training himself in godliness;
• Hoping on the living God;
• Commanding and teaching;
• "Keeping his head up" as a young pastor;
• Setting an example in life;
• Public reading of Scripture, exhorting and teaching again; and
• Using his gifts.

At the end of this litany, Paul says "practice" and "devote yourself" to them. I take this to mean, both from the text and from my own experience, that some or all of this will not come naturally to pastors. We will find ourselves perhaps consistent and capable at some things, while tending toward lack and difficulty in others. If we think all is to be easy, we will despair of ever "being fruitful." And if we think that all is to be difficult, we may never even try, neglecting our gifts and calling, and failing to see the grace of God in both our successes and our difficulties. Focus, a good and godly focus, on the correct things is crucial.

One way to maintain a proper focus is to realize that ministry takes practice. It takes concentration, meditation, action, and evaluation. And good practice requires strong devotion. Anyone with a child who begged to play a musical instrument knows what I'm talking about. My high school basketball coach always chimed, "You will play the way you practice." It goes without saying that our practices were rigorous affairs. And we probably watched as much film of our practice as we did our games. We were to be focused, prepared, on task, and this is critical... willing to be coached or evaluated. All of that comes under the header of "practice." If we take Allen Iverson's attitude toward practice (sorry non-sports fans), our ministries will stall, lag, falter and decay and we will not win the prize, because we lack the necessary preparation, focus and evaluation.

Some thoughts about "practice" in ministry.

1. Approach the study as though it were the game.

The study is not optional. We will pastor the way we practice. In the study, we're to be running the routines and plays that make our "game time" performance smooth, efficient and effective. When my study if off, so is the rest of my game eventually. My counseling isn't as sharp or rigorously biblical as it should be. I find myself at a loss for how to respond to things I know I know. When my study is off, my discipling of other men tends to be shallower. When my study is off, my preaching is more self-reliant and wrongly emotional. I can preach to some effect, deliver more-or-less wise counsel, and come alongside men when my study is off. But if I do, it will sooner or later show up in the "game" of their real lives; I may be eloquent but I will not be useful. A good pastor needs to approach the study as though it were game time because "game speed" in ministry requires someone that is focused, prepared, and well coached.

2. Find yourself a good coach.

This is essential. There is no deserted island like that of pastoral ministry. For many of us, being on the island alone is lonely; some of us are just find with our own company. But for all of us, the deserted island creates a most tragic condition: little or no evaluation of our work. We're left to the cruel clutches of self-evaluation, which is notoriously one-sided. Few of us offer balanced appraisals of ourselves. We're prone to fall off one side or the other--either everything is great and everyone else needs to get on board, or everything is terrible and the sky is falling. Neither is accurate. And neither is good evaluation. A good coach, a godly older man in the ministry, a godly and discerning peer in the ministry, who will give us unvarnished but loving feedback on our habits of thinking, our preaching, our counseling, our services is essential. To practice, as Paul says here, we need to "watch film" with someone who knows the plays and can point out strengths and weaknesses. A good pastor seeks that kind of feedback. He meets up with other pastors for this purpose.

3. Cultivate humility.

Since I'm working on this myself, let me just make one observation and one recommendation. My observation of my own heart and mind teaches me that this is harder than it sounds. Pride is a hydra-headed monster that asserts and inserts itself in so many diverse ways and at so many varied times. At times it can feel a little like trying to nail Jell-o to a wall. Warring against it, for me, will be life-long. I have some imperfect knowledge of my own heart... and from what I can see, pride has deep roots there. Given my observation of my own heart, one suggestion. I would urge every pastor to get to know the Sovereign Grace pastors in their area. Spend time with them. See how they build accountability into the very fabric of their churches. Watch how they model warring against pride and cultivating humility. C.J.'s book, Humility: True Greatness, is a must-read, but walking with some of these men is even better. If you don't live near any Sovereign Grace churches... move! Just kidding :-) Look around the area very intentionally and carefully for men who are evidently and universally regarded as humble. They're probably not leading the new, hip, fast growing church in the area. They're probably laboring quietly in relatively anonymity... which is probably partially why they're on speaking terms with humbleness of heart. Cultivate humility by watching these men, following them as they follow Christ, and confessing/exposing your pride to the light of Christ's face. The practice and the coaching will not be the aid it's meant to be, if we're not teachable and able to receive godly feedback... in other words, if we're not humble.

Well, a good pastor does all of this, we're told, "so that all may see [his] progress." A couple observations to conclude.

1. If all are seeing the good pastor's progress, it suggests that his people already knew some of his imperfections and flaws. A good pastor must delight in that! It's liberating to know that others know you are not "da man." You can go on with the project of being a fallen creature redeemed by grace. Don't cover your faults, wisely, with godly edification in view, confess them. Let the people know you had a life before Christ, and that since coming to Christ, you've discovered how much you need to grow in grace and holiness. They know that. Remind them of it, and in most cases you will find added liberty and grace, especially if we extend the same to our people.

2. A good pastor is to be progressing. That's obvious, I know, but it's helpful to state it. Growth is normal in the Christian life, and that's no less true for the good pastor. We should be growing. If we're not, we should be exploring potential reasons with our coaches and trusted saints. We should pray fervently for a reversal of course and pick up good books like Don Whitney's Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Life or Octavius Winslow's Personal Declension and Revival of Religion in the Soul. A good pastor is to grow and to aim himself at personal growth. On that point, a good pastor would work to make sure that the church's budget reflects this desire for growth by supporting participation in a couple of great conferences a year (check out Challies for an excellent list) and by offering a good "book budget" to fill out the library and reading diet.

3. A good pastor's growth is to be seen. "All" are to see his progress. I think this is part of what it means to set a good example. A good pastor wants his people to grow and so he should grow himself. This is the purpose statement for why a good pastor practices and is devoted, "so all may see his progress." Perhaps this suggests that one thing we should hear at the doors after service or in conversation with people is that they can see how we've grown over time with them. Now, of course, this means good pastors need to stay in one place so that people will have time to see the progress. But having stayed, folks should be able to see his growth in godliness, grace, preaching, spiritual strength, love, faith, and the other things Paul calls to attention in this passage.

Let us be devoted and practice the essentials of the ministy so that we might grow and set a good example for our people.