Monday’s Ministry Musing: Disciple is Eternal, Pastor is Not.

Mike Leake

For there is no reason to fear that a minister, if tolerably furnished with gifts, will be remarkably deficient or negligent in any known branch of pastoral obligation while his heart is alive to the enjoyments and to the duties of Christian character.  It is from the pastor’s defects, considered under the notion of a disciple, that his principal difficulties and chief dangers arise.  -Abraham Booth

First, is this true?  If Booth means something akin to “seldom do ministers get fired for skill but often they are fired for immorality” then it is only partially true.  I can think of more ministers that are politely asked to step down because of inadequacy in their “skills” than because of immorality. 

However, I think Booth means something more eternal than simply being asked to step down from a position.  Booth is speaking of that which is eternal.  We will not be pastors in heaven—but we will be disciples.  Every faithful pastor is first a faithful disciple.  It’s when pastors are no longer disciples that their “ministry” is longer fruitful before the Lord. 

I agree, then, with Booth’s sentiment that pastors are disciples first.  And when being a disciple is neglected the ministry will typically not flourish.  But even here we can be deceived.  Booth continues:

Take heed to yourself, lest you mistake an increase of gifts for a growth in grace.  Your knowledge of the Scriptures, your abilities for explaining them, and your ministerial talents in general may considerably increase by reading, study, and public exercise, while real godliness is far from flourishing in your heart. 

He then says something that I think all of us that preach and proclaim gospel-centrality need to heed:

I have long been of the opinion, my brothers, that no professors of the genuine gospel have more need to be on their guard against self-deception, respecting the true state of religion in their own souls, than those who statedly dispense the gracious truth. 

In other words we can preach the gospel to others quite faithfully while neglecting to preach the gospel to ourselves.  A pastor may begin his day in his study, a disciple will begin his day on his knees.  A pastor may begin his day reading Scripture to prepare for the sermon, a disciple will begin the day reading Scripture to preach a fitting sermon to his own heart and soul.  A pastor may begin his day thinking of ways to serve and extend grace to others, a disciple will begin his day pleading for mercy and grace for his own soul. 

All that the pastor does, above, is not necessarily wrong.  But he has to remember that he is a disciple first.  Pastor he must; but a wise pastor will not forget that he is a disciple before he is a pastor.  Sitting at the feet of Jesus is eternal—pastoring is not.  Or to tweak a wonderful Piper quote, “[Pastoring] exists because worship doesn’t.  Worship is ultimate, not [pastoring], because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, [pastoring] will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever.”

Be a disciple first.  A pastor next.

—–

I know that many of my readers are not pastors.  You can just as easily replace the word pastor with whatever you are doing: mothering, banking, sword-fighting, or working in a factory.  The main point still stands—disciple first, _____ next. 

Review of Everyday Talk by Jay Younts

Mike Leake 3 Comments

“What is the most powerful human influence in your child’s life?”  That is the question that begins John Younts’ book Everyday Talk.  As you can certainly guess from the title of the book Younts would answer the above question by saying that “The most powerful personal influence in your child’s life is everyday talk”. 

We all experience everyday talk.  The question then becomes what does our everyday talk display.  Does our everyday talk display the truth about the glory and splendor of God or does our everyday talk convey lies to our children about who God is?  Younts hopes that this book will encourage parents to consider their everyday talk and see it redeemed by the power of the gospel.

The book is consists of fourteen relatively short chapters.  The chapters cover everything from how we talk about the gospel, to how we talk about sex and music.  Some chapters are more practical and others are more theological.  At the end of each chapter there are helpful application questions—thus making this an ideal book for a group of dads to get together and consider. 

My Take

I appreciate what John Younts does in this book.  It encouraged me to stop and consider the effect that even “casual” complaining about the rain would have on my children’s view of God and the world.  Certainly, this book helps parents to understand the heavy responsibility that God places upon parents.  We are prime influencers in our children’s lives—even if many influence their children more by their absence and disengagement than anything else.  I appreciate that Younts raises the bar to the place that Scripture does. 
I also appreciate the practicality of Younts book.  He gives wonderful illustrations of how our everyday talk can actually undermine the gospel.  I was rebuked—and at the same time helped—several times when I found my own speech in the categories of gospel undermining.  It so easy to slip into foolish talk. 

Younts helps us to see that our everyday talk “teaches your functional understanding of the gospel to your children.”  He then asks the penetrating question, “Does your everyday talk center upon grace or performance?”  After encouraging us to listen to our children to determine what they believe about the gospel, Younts then lists several examples that reflects a performance-based understanding of the gospel instead of an understanding that is based upon grace.  Here are a few examples Younts lists:

Mommy, I’m sorry I make you angry.
Daddy, I won’t do it again.
Why is everybody mad at me?
Do you think God is mad at me?
He hurt me, so I hit him back.
I’ll be good, I promise.  Please don’t be mad at me.
I guess I am just not good enough.
Mommy, I just can’t do it.  I try but I just can’t.

These rip your heart out.  I have not heard our children (well Isaiah—Hannah only grunts at this point) yet echo these statements.  But I have taken Younts’ advice and listened to how he speak about the gospel.  At times I do detect a legal understanding of the gospel.  That does not surprise me but Younts’ work has opened up my eyes to avenues for gospel proclamation. 

One Critique

At the end of the book Younts makes this statement, “The challenge is great.  The power of God is even greater.”  Phrases like this needed to be highlighted throughout the entire book.  It seems, though, that Younts assumes a gospel-centrality in the parents reading this book.  I could easily see many parents (myself included) read through each chapter of the book and then begin a holy quest to “work on” that chapter’s topic.  I would have loved to have seen more instruction to parents in how to apply the gospel in their own hearts—which would infuse our everyday talk with the message of Christ. 

This book is hard hitting and has several really great points.  Younts is, I believe, correct in most everything he encourages mom and dad to do.  We must see our everyday talk redeemed.  That much is true.  But mom and dad need grace just as much as junior.   

I would have liked to have seen every chapter end with encouraging parents in the completed work of Jesus on their behalf.  But as it stands most chapters end with probing questions meant to ask you, “are you blowing it”?  Of course the answer is yes in most of these categories.  As sinners we will fall in everyone of these areas.  The question is how do we confess to our children our lack of faithful everyday talk?  How do we as parents soak up grace? 

This book is very beneficial and with a little supplement can be an extremely helpful assistant to parents.  But if any pastor or leader is taking a group of men or women through this book it would be beneficial for them to be intentional about buttressing the chapter with the freedom and grace found in the gospel of Christ. 

Conclusion:

This book is very helpful and very practical.  It does help parents learn how to teach the gospel to their children using everyday talk.  Yes, I wish it would have been a little more intentional in reminding mom and dad that their rescue is found in Christ.  But at the end of the day—if parents heed this one caution—I think many will benefit from the help this book offers.  Our everyday talk does need to be redeemed and this book serves as a healthy reminder and a helpful assistant in redeeming just that. 

You can buy the hard copy for 10 bucks.  The Kindle version is on sale right now for only 3.99.  It’s worth it.  Buy it here.

Where I Get “Enjoy What Christ Has Already Purchased”

Mike Leake 1 Comment

There is a phrase that I use quite frequently in my preaching, writing, and praying before services.  In some form or fashion I often say that the Christian life is a quest to enjoy what Christ has already purchased.  I doubt that the phrase is original with me (so little is original with me—that’s why I say that).  However, I thought it may be wise to show where I get this notion from Scripture. 

Paul begins his letter to the Ephesians with two really long run-on sentences (v3-14 and 15-23).  In 1:3-14 Paul outlines the “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” that are ours in Christ Jesus.  All of these spiritual blessings are ours because of the electing love of the Father, the redeeming work of the Son, and the sealing of the Holy Spirit.  These spiritual blessings encompass everything that Christ Jesus has purchased for us.

In Ephesians 1:15-23 Paul beings his prayer, “For this reason”.  I take that as connecting verse 3-14 with his prayer.  What Paul says in verse 15 is “because of this (3-14) and because I have heard of your vibrant faith which evidences your claim to these spiritual blessings” I pray the following. 

What then is the content of Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians?  Fundamentally he prays that believers will “know” the spiritual blessings that are theirs in Christ Jesus.  I take this “know” to be far more than just head knowledge.  I take it to be a “knowing” that is parallel to tasting—perhaps even feasting.  I take Paul to be praying that they “know” their future hope, their inheritance in the saints, and their power in Christ primarily so that they will live lives of happy satisfaction in God instead of torn apart by all that the world offers.

Jerry Bridges tells a story in his book The Gospel for Real Life about a Southern plantation owner who leaves $50,000 (a great sum of money in the 1800s) to a former slaved that served him faithfully his entire life.  A lawyer of the estate notified the former slave of his vast inheritance.  Weeks went by and the former slave never requested any of his inheritance.  Finally, they decided to send a banker out to explain to this man what his inheritance was and that he could draw out money any time.  The old man replied, ‘Sir, do you think I can have fifty cents to buy a sack of cornmeal’?  He could have asked for much more—but he died having only withdrawn 50 cents from a $50,000 inheritance.

I take Paul’s prayer to be that the Ephesians (and us) might really come to understand what spiritual blessings we have so that we enjoy what Christ has purchased and not live as if he’s only purchased a little, only redeemed us a little, only forgiven us a little, only triumphed on our behalf just a little. 

God desires that we enjoy every bit of the spiritual blessings that Christ has purchased.  And that is why I preach, pray, and write that phrase so often and where I get it from.  This is why I give my life to helping others (and probably mostly myself) come to really understand and thereby enjoy what Christ has purchased on my behalf. 

A really good resource for exploring “the unsearchable riches” is Jerry Bridges’ work The Gospel for Real Life. 

—–

Explaining the picture of Scrooge McDuck:

I still remember watching Duck Tales as a child and seeing the joy that Scrooge had in swimming in his vault of money.  Believers have been giving a much more valuable treasure than a vault of germ-infested coinage.  We have been given every spiritual blessing.  We have everything we need in Christ for life and godliness.  It occurs to me that we should be swimming in grace with more joy and exuberance than dear old Uncle Scrooge swims in his money.