Southern Baptists, Evangelicals, and the Future of Denominationalism
Wednesday, October 7, 2009 - Dr. Ray Van Neste
Too many times today, preachers seem to believe that the central goal of the pastoral ministry is to preach the word. They believe that their presence in the pulpit over the congregation (a position that is removed from the personal relationships he could have with those people) is the most important aspect of their ministry. Now while the proclamation of God’s Word from the pulpit is key to their ministry, it is not the most central element. Do not get me wrong. I am not saying that the Gospel is not central to ministry for I believe it is the central element of our ministry. The problem that has arisen today is the fact that too many preachers no longer invest in the lives of their congregation.
A pastor is commanded to shepherd the flock. Dr. Van Neste pointed out that John 10:11-15 is an example of this ministry, an example that comes from the perfect example, Jesus. In this passage, Jesus portrays Himself as the Good Shepherd, the one who takes care of the sheep, the one who faces danger in order to protect His sheep. He does not run away when the trials come. He does not abandon the sheep in the difficult times. Instead He guards them so that they might persevere through those difficult times. The goal of today’s pastor should be more focused on taking care of the souls of his congregation (personally reaching out to the individuals) and not so much on preaching from the pulpit (hoping that someone might possibly hear the word and choose to respond without any prior personal interaction).
Paul is an excellent example of what this ministry should look like. Paul preached from the pulpit, and although it may seem as if that practice has been beaten down at this point, there is a time and a place for preaching. But Paul did not exclusively preach the Gospel from the pulpit like so many do today. Instead, he made sure that he took time out of his schedule to visit those in his congregation. He made sure that his ministry was also public, going from house to house to invest in the lives of his people.
Dr. Van Neste mentioned that many young pastors today are encouraged to stay distanced from their congregation. They are warned to not get too close lest they have to rebuke someone. But he suggested that this view is completely backwards. Pastors do need to be involved in the lives of their pastors. As for the practice of rebuking, it is much more effective when it comes from a close friend who cares about the spiritual condition of the person than it is when it comes from someone who has never shown any interest in the condition of their soul. Thinking on this, I believe that although it would hurt worse (which is the point), I would much rather one of my close friends rebuke my sinful ways than someone who I barely know. I may feel that these other people are picking on me, trying to make me feel bad, finding joy in my suffering, or I may just not know how to take them since I do not know them. But I would understand that my close friend had my best interest in mind, wanting me to draw closer to God once more. Now while this is just one example of why the pastor should be involved in the lives of the congregation, Dr. Van Neste also mentioned more.
But I will close with this one last observation. In the end, when judgment day comes, God will judge us according to the work that He gave us to do on this earth. He entrusted us with the souls of the many people that we would come in contact with in life (for the pastor, this would be his congregation). What will be the modern pastor’s excuse when God asks him why he did not reach out to those in his congregation? God gave us a mission, the Great Commission. And although it is honorable to preach God’s Word to the multitudes, we must also preach to the individuals, caring enough about their souls to share God’s word with them unashamedly.
Matt
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