It’s been a while…
It has been a couple of weeks or more since I last sat down to really hammer out anything original. Most of my posts have been re-posts or shares from other blogs. However, before I leave the McDonald’s where I’m using free WiFi, I feel I’ve got to get something off my chest.
For years I studied and studied, spending lots of money and time in Bible school, college, and seminary – and I’m still learning. And even after all of that, I feel so inadequate, so unlearned, because there’s so much I still don’t know. It’s really true what they say – the more you learn, the more you know there’s more to learn.
Yet, let’s be honest – or at least honest with myself – I’m no idiot. I have been taught by some great teachers and have attended some great schools. I’ve even learned one of the greatest skills one can possess – the ability to know how to learn. So, there’s hardly any excuse for me not to know what I need to know.
And that leads me to a sobering and chilling revelation that came to me yesterday…one that I knew, but need to be reminded of…
I am going to be held accountable for what I know and what I preach and teach.
Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. – 1 Corinthians 4:1-2
I am going to have to answer to God for the proper care and feeding of His flock. I am going to have to answer for each one that gets led astray when I’m not looking. I’m going to be held accountable for their undernourishment when I should have been able to lead them to green pastures.
I’m a qualified and experienced shepherd – I have no excuses.
One deacon said to me, “We are looking forward to benefiting from your expertise.” My expertise? Of course! It was like at that moment the Holy Spirit whispered into my ear: “You have what they need…Why else do you think I would have led you here?”
On my first night after my very first day in the office (not even unpacked), I got called to the church to meet with an individual who was having serious problems that were way over my head – but not beyond what the counsel of the Word could deal with! Right there, right out of the gate, God brought to my mind what I had learned and gleaned from past experience and a victory was had in this man’s life!
Some of this may seem elementary and obvious to you. I mean, what else does it mean to be a pastor than this? But what hit me last night was the fact that now, more than ever, much has been given to me – much more than I stopped to realize – and MUCH will be required.
Looking forward to hearing “Well done” has been taken to a whole new level.
The Recovering Legalist 
Someone asked me Sunday why I admitted to being nervous at the beginning of my sermon. “James said, ‘Not many of you should be teachers, because we who teach are judged more strictly.’ Not least of all by ourselves, and we have responsibilities for the souls in our care.” (You can hear my message on my blog, if you find time.)
Then, our old Army Special Forces captain pulled me aside with tears in his eyes. He loves our congregation for the solid leadership, but apparently he has not seen “such a young man who so regularly rightly handles the Word of God.” I had to sit with this man almost twice my age who has been through things I don’t want to imagine and has had to lead men through things I may never experience as he unloaded some pent up stories and emotions.
And then it turns out that neither of us are much for “life verses”, but we both use James 4:7-8 to remind us of the spiritual dangers as well as the true source of hope and strength as we seek His cleansing.
Talk about a humbling experience!
Exactly. That passage better encapsulates what I was saying. And yeah, the deacon looking forward to my “expertise” is a Vietnam vet and retired plant manager.
Transparency and humbleness are one of the fitting qualities of a true under-shepherd. Appreciate the article and glad you took the time to write it!
What a reminder and you listened. Glory to our God.
Bro, you will never regret identifying some teaching elders to strengthen the church and yourself.
Oh, I’m happy there were some men who stepped up to lead through the last year when they had no pastor.
Multiple elders, grow them up, teach them to teach. You will never regret it.
1 Timothy Chapter 5
17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
2 Timothy 2:2 King James Version (KJV)
2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
That is certainly a goal of mine.
Sorry I hit send before the rest of the story!
Our pastor started a men’s bible study on Sunday nights before the service. Sort of like what the SBC used to call training union.
From that group of men he started a regular series of sermons, preached by those men at the Sunday night service.
They are going through the New Testament systematically, book by book.
Each man, including pastor, takes a Chapter to present and there are about 12 guys who participate so they know 11 weeks in advance what they will be preaching on. And they all study it together leading up to each ones sermons.
Are they all polished and great?
Nope.
But you will never find another group of men who are more supportive of their pastor, their church, and the Word of God.
They are fealty personified.
Plus it is a HUGE blessing to be in an IFB where the pastor doesn’t consider himself the only “Man of God” Jack Hyles style.
That’s a cool idea.