Tag: Jesus

  • Letter #57 (The Body’s Members–4)

    Dear Small Church Congregation,

         Okay.  You’ve repented of your sins, asked God to forgive you and placed your eternal future into the hands of Jesus as your Lord and Savior.  You’ve decided to become a participating part of the Body of Christ.  You’ve decided to seek the anointing of the Holy Spirit to determine your gifts, talents and calling from God.  You’ve found a local congregation with which to worship.  Now what?  Now I challenge you to make the commitment that you will regularly associate with the other disciples in that local congregation.

         I ran into a rather disheartening statistic recently during a forum designed to instruct and equip pastors of small churches for ministry in their respective communities.  Across all Christian denominations in this country, an attender to worship services is considered a regular member if he/she is present 1.6 times a month.  Let that number sink in—1.6 times a month.  That’s obviously less than half the time if the local congregation meets an average of four times monthly.  (Many meet more often than that.)

         This brings into focus a very serious question—Why do people who claim to be disciples of Jesus not earnestly seek every opportunity available to worship God in a corporate setting?  The answer to this question could be presented as being quite complicated.  However, allow me to present one approach to the answer that might be simpler than expected.

         At the end of the first paragraph of this letter, I challenged you to commit to something.  That something was to regularly associate with other disciples in a local congregation.  I do not mean to say that regular association involves attending worship services 1.6 times a month.  In fact, I mean to challenge you to attend more often than that.  Associate with other disciples of Christ every chance you get.

         Why would I urge you to do this?  Associating with disciples of Jesus does more than place you in an atmosphere of worship.  It brings encouragement into your life from people who are experiencing the same trials and joys you are experiencing.  It gives you a place to ask questions, receive advice and to give advice to others.  It opens to you new opportunities to serve in the local body.  It also puts you in a position to experience new things in life in general as you interact with folks who know things you don’t know or do things you don’t usually do.

         Worship is great and should be experienced every time possible.  Joining in with other disciples to be encouraged in your faith and to receive ministry or to be a blessing to others should never be underestimated.  Worship is essential to your Christian walk.

         Meeting with other disciples of Christ for worship and other activities is important as you all learn to live for Jesus in a world that does everything it can to keep you from doing that.  Be aware that the devil wants to keep you from joining others in worship, Bible study or just living life together as Christians.  He will distract you, put more to do in a day than you can do while awake, place numerous temptations in your path, bring persecutions against you and delay answers to prayers whenever he can.  Satan will do anything he can to keep you away from other disciples of Jesus.

         He wants to isolate you from any source of spiritual strength.  Satan knows isolation yields spiritual weakness.  He knows worship, Bible study, prayer meetings, etc. bring you victory over him.  He knows corporate spiritual strength spreads to the individuals present and becomes personal spiritual strength.  And Satan does not want you to be spiritually strong.

         This is why I challenge you to commit to do the associating that will give you the faith and spiritual power to overcome the enemy of your soul.  This is why you need to do everything you can to be in attendance at the local congregation more than 1.6 times a month.  Be in attendance on a regular basis that surpasses that statistic.

    Sincerely,

    A Small Church Pastor

  • Letter #56 (The Body’s Members–3)

    Dear Small Church Congregation,

         When you are born again, you become part of the overall body of Christ, the body which makes up the church Jesus is building.  As part of that body, you have been chosen by God, called through the drawing of the Holy Spirit and given a new spiritual birth through the cleansing, creative power of the blood of Jesus.  The same Holy Spirit that drew you to Christ also places in you gifts, talents and anointings that are to be used to bring glory to the name of Jesus.

         God doesn’t bring salvation into a life and stop working in that life.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit, God gives you the abilities and opportunities to expand your ability to bring Jesus glory through what you do and say.  That doing and saying is where the gifts, talents and anointings come in.

         Some people are given special skills that develop into ministries that include being an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor or teacher so the overall body of Christ can be built up, developed and empowered to go into the world and share the good news about Jesus.  Others are given special abilities to give generously, to administrate and direct others, to sing, to speak God’s message to others through unlearned languages or interpretations of those languages, to bring healing to the sick, to be encouragers for the hurting, to perform miracles in unusual circumstances, or to do any other number of activities as directed and anointed by the Holy Spirit.

         Let me make something clear at this point in this letter.  No gift given by the Holy Spirit to a member of the body is more important than any other gift.  Our physical bodies operate properly when all the parts operate properly.  The lungs need the nose for the flow of oxygen.  The stomach needs the teeth for properly chewed food.  The eyes need the eyelids.  Each part, regardless of how small, is important.

         This same concept holds true for the body of Christ in the local congregation.  Each member operating properly adds to the proper operation of the whole congregation.  The person who cleans the front sidewalk after mowing the grass is just as important as the one who prepares the music selections for a service.  The intercessory prayer group leader is just as important as the pastor.  They have different responsibilities, but they all are needed for the congregation to fulfill its calling in its community.

         Another reminder at this juncture—All of these gifts, talents and anointings come from God’s Holy Spirit that is in complete agreement with God the Father and God the Son.  The Holy Spirit has other responsibilities, but He is the one who gives individual disciples these gifts as He chooses.  Men do not give these gifts to other men or women.  They come from God and are to be used to bring glory to God as the members of Christ’s body fulfill their individual callings.

         As each member becomes actively involved in the operation of the body, the body operates as it should and will bring Jesus to the forefront of everything that happens because of the words and deeds of the individual members.  This holds true for the overall, worldwide body of Christ, His church, and it holds true for the individual congregations that are made up of members of that body of believers.  Each congregation that is operating with its members fulfilling their callings from God will have the same result as the overall body of Christ when it does its world-wide job.  Jesus will be lifted up.  Lives with be changed  through faith in the creative power of Jesus.  The Kingdom of God will increase.  This happens in the local congregation, as much as it happens throughout the world.

         One of the primary reasons for a member of the local body to seek God’s anointing, power, gifts, talents, wisdom, discernment, etc. is so that member can help the local congregation become all God intends for it to be.  When the individual members are operating under the influence of the Holy Spirit, the local body matures, grows and becomes highly effective for the cause of the Kingdom of God.  Without the local member operating and fulfilling his/her callings, the local body becomes ineffective, and that hinders the overall body of Christ being effective on a larger scale.  

         The individual member can discover his/her gifts, talents and anointings through prayer, fasting, studying God’s word and simply listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit as He directs his/her life.  Seeking the Kingdom of God in one’s own life will help a person to discover just what his/her job is in the local body of disciples.  No two people will have identical gifts, just as no two people will have identical ministries and no two congregations will have identical ministries.  Some things may be similar from one local body or member to the next, but they will not be identical.

         Allow me to encourage you to invest some serious time in asking God to reveal to you what He wants you to do as one member of the local body.  Look for opportunities to apply your skills and talents in ministry within your local congregation.  Talk to your pastor about your interests and seek his guidance in filling a need within the local congregation if it falls in your areas of interest.  Talk to mature disciples and ask them how they became involved in ministry within the local congregation.  And as always, pray, pray, pray, and then listen and let God speak to you.

         Remember that God doesn’t necessarily call the qualified.  He will qualify the called.  (God will get you ready for what He wants you to do as an individual member of the local congregation.) 

    Sincerely,

    A Small Church Pastor

  • Letter #50 (Inevitability of Change)

    Dear Small Church Congregation,

         In the letters on first impressions, I mentioned some things that may need to change in how you approach worship services and the overall state of your facilities.  I hope you can realize that these changes will lead to better first impressions for visitors.  Sometimes we just need to take a look at how we operate and make any changes that will help us to operate more effectively as we strive to help people experience the love, grace and mercy found in Jesus.  After all, our goal is to lead to people to faith in Jesus and then guide them into becoming dedicated, productive disciples of Christ.  If we need to make a change or two in our facilities or our services, let’s do that so we can be more productive disciples ourselves.

         There is something about change that I have come to realize.  Only the spiritual laws and principles God created stay constant.  His laws and principles don’t change because He doesn’t change.  Sin is still sin.  Repentance is still repentance.  Forgiveness is still forgiveness.  Judgment of rebellion will still occur.  Reward of faithfulness to God will still occur.  And the physical laws that control nature, such as gravity, cause and effect relationships, etc., do not change, either.  You can take those concepts “to the bank,” to use an old saying.  Everything else changes.

         Face it, we age, grass grows and has to be cut, rivers move their banks over time, seasons progress, tides don’t stay in one place.  I could go on, but you get the idea.  Change is inevitable in just about every aspect of our daily lives.  Although we have daily, weekly or even monthly routines, if we think about what happens as we work and play, we will see small changes in our routines that affect us in small ways, or we might see big changes that make significant alterations in our lives.  We learn to adapt to those changes and go on with our lives, whether the changes are enjoyable, like getting a raise at work, or not so enjoyable, like being the victim of downsizing in a company.  We get used to the idea that changes occur, and we learn to deal with those changes to the best of our abilities so our lives can continue.

         How does this idea of inevitable change affect us as a small church?  We have to do the same thing when it comes to “church life” when changes occur, just like we do when other things change in life.  We deal with the changes and go on with our goals of reaching the lost for Jesus and ministering to our communities as the body of Christ is admonished to do in the Bible.  We know we can’t let changes in life defeat us, and we know that we shouldn’t let anything that changes at our place of worship defeat us, either.

         What follows is a brief list of possible changes that we should understand could happen at a place of worship.  These possible changes do not have influence on the spiritual principles and laws of God.  They do not influence whether or not we can approach the throne of grace.  They do not affect our personal relationship with God through faith in Jesus.  They are transitory items that might change from time to time, but a change in these items will not affect whether or not we can experience the presence of the Holy Spirit of God.

    Possible changes at “church”—

    A Pastor/Deacon/Music Leader/Musician/Bible Teacher/Janitor/Door       Greeter/Volunteer/Long-time Member/Anyone Else decides to resign or stop attending services.

    The song books wear out and have to be discarded and replaced.

    Furniture Styles/Decorating Themes/Equipment Upgrades create a new appearance or sound in the building.

    The musicians want to try a new instrument/platform arrangement/song/music style/etc. during the singing portion of the service.

    A safety inspection indicates doors, lighting, fire extinguishers, signage, handrails, entrance thresh holds, etc. have to be addressed and changed to meet safety requirements.

    The average age of new attenders is twenty to forty years younger than the long-standing attenders, and they bring new outlooks on life that are different from the traditional outlooks of older attenders, because the new people have experienced a different kind of world than the long-standing attenders did.

         These are just a few of the changes I have experienced as a small church pastor.  There are numerous others that will occur over the course of time.  The main thing we have to understand is that the vast majority of changes that will occur when it comes to “church life” deal with preferences and not the Biblical doctrines that are the bedrock of Christianity. 

         Biblical doctrines found in scriptures must not change. 

         Preferences, however, have a habit of changing.  We should accept this reality and determine in our hearts that preferences will not determine if we make it to heaven.  They do not establish the foundation for our faith.  Christ’s life, death, burial, resurrection and promise to return do that.  Preferences  should never come between us and those who may hold other preferences than the ones we hold ourselves.  And when changes in preferences bring about changes at church, we should never allow those changes to come between us and our worship of God. 

         If we attend worship services only when our preferences are met, are we attending for the sake of worship and to increase our faith in Christ, or are we attending because we like what is being done that agrees with our preferences?  If we become upset with a change in something at “church,” where is our focus? (Remember, change is inevitable in the negotiables of life.)  Is our focus on Jesus, or is it on what we want? 

         I know these are tough questions to ask, but they need to be asked.  And we need to answer them honestly and ask God to help us deal in love with any changes we experience. After all, changes occur in every temporary area of life, and that includes what goes on in our worship services and building facilities.

    Sincerely,

    A Small Church Pastor

  • Letter #37 (Talents)

    Dear Small Church Pastor,

        (This one is a spiritual exercise as much as it is a letter.)

         Another indicator in determining your priorities is where you invest your talents (skills, abilities, God-given spiritual gifts).  You haven’t just learned knowledge that you can utilize.  You also have innate, natural abilities that come to you from your genetic makeup.  And the Holy Spirit has gifted you with one or more spiritual gifts as described in the New Testament letters.  All these combine to create a long list of talents you possess.

         Here are the questions you know are coming—How are you using your talents?  Where do you invest your knowledge and skills?  Have you shared your spiritual gifts with others to their benefit?

         Take a quick inventory.  What skills do you possess?  What specialized knowledge?  What spiritual gifts?

         Well, what are they?  I challenge you to make a list of what your talents are.  Go ahead.  Make an honest list.  Take a few minutes and write them down.

         Now that you have the list, what talents would you like to add to the list?  Write those down, too.

         How many of these talents are being used to bring glory to Jesus?  How many of them are strengthening the body of Christ?  How many of them are “the better gifts” that are designed to encourage and build up other disciples?

         At this point, it would be good for you to talk to the Holy Spirit and ask to be given the gifts He has available for you because scripture says He will give them out according to His will and His choice.  Then ask Him to help you develop any new gift He decides to give you and any new skill/knowledge He opens the door for you to acquire.

         Look at that list!  You are talented!  You have skills!  You have knowledge!  You have spiritual gifts!

         Use your talents to benefit the Kingdom of God.  If you are using some of them for other reasons than benefitting God’s Kingdom, ask yourself what those reasons are.  Then pray about the reasons that may not be helping others to get closer to God.  Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance if you believe you need to redirect some of your talents.  Ask God to show you how to use your talents best for your own growth, for our family’s future and for the advancement of the body of Christ.

         Remember, you will invest your talents into your priorities.

    Sincerely,

    A Small Church Pastor

  • Letter #26–Frustration

    Dear Small Church Pastor,

         Let’s talk about frustration for a bit.  We’ve all felt frustration.  When someone is a pastor, that feeling can appear from nowhere and last much longer than we would like to admit. 

         A carpenter can work on building a structure, and, at the end of the week, he can look on what he has accomplished because he can see visible results.  The frame is completed.  The roof is covered.  The windows are installed.  The walls are insulated.  He easily can review his progress, because the results of his labor are evident.

         Those obvious results of labor that can exist for a carpenter are not going to be so obvious for the pastor.  The pastor may teach on generosity for a month and not see an increase in giving of time, talents or treasure for six months.  The shepherd may steadily encourage his congregation to daily read their Bibles and not hear anyone mention having a regular devotion for the entire year.  The pastor may pray for someone to draw close to God’s forgiveness and not see anything happen for months, even years.

         Example: I once met a couple who started attending our worship services and discovered they were living together but not married.  I began praying that their relationship would be influenced by the Holy Spirit and that they would realize that marriage was God’s established institution and that their relationship should line up with God’s intended plan for one man and one woman.  After praying for them for over three years, they contacted me and asked me if I would lead a marriage ceremony for them.  I joyfully performed that ceremony and thanked God for that answer to prayer.  I admit that I had been frustrated that it took so long for them to ask to be married.

         The result of all that not seeing regular evidences of the ministry’s effects on the lives of the congregation can lead to frustration.  And when that frustration appears, it can have devastating effects on the pastor.  We all want to see that what we are doing is bringing positive changes into the lives of those to whom we are ministering.  But the reality is that our evidences many times do not come quickly.  In fact, we begin to wonder if they will come at all.  And we become frustrated and might begin to question our calling.

           How do we deal with frustration?  How do we battle that nagging thought that we are not accomplishing what we hope and pray about accomplishing for the cause of Christ?

         First, remember the source of the frustration.  God does not lead you into doubting His call on your life.  The Holy Spirit will not put thoughts of quitting into your head because of lack of obvious results.  Frustration does not come from the one who wants to see all come to repentance and to be forgiven.  It comes from the enemy of your calling, your very soul.  The next time you feel frustrated at what seems to be no results in what you are doing, remember that doubt, that fear, that worry does not come from good.  Frustration is from the evil one who is fighting your ministry. 

         Second, remember who made you, who called you, who empowered you and who promised you success if you will just trust in Him.  Jesus is the one who assured you that there will be a harvest if the seeds are planted.  Jesus is the one who put you where you are.  The Holy Spirit is your guide, comforter, teacher and source of energy.

         After remembering those two things and talking to yourself about what they mean to your ministry, go read Psalm 22.  Then read it again, slowly.  Can you see the frustration David experienced?  Can you sense his doubt and fear?  Now, do you see what David did in the middle of his frustration?  Do you understand how he dealt with it?

         Psalm 22 describes someone who is at a very low point.  It describes someone who is mocked, persecuted and at the mercy of enemies.  But that someone remembers what God has done in the past.  Then he prays for deliverance.  The next thing he does is state that he will proclaim God’s name to others.  He praises the Lord and declares future generations, even those not born yet, will hear about the wonders the Lord has performed.

         In the midst of his frustration, David turned to God and refocused on God’s power, protection, provision, promises and presence.  In the midst of your frustration, I encourage you to do the same. 

         Remember just how powerful God is and how the Father has placed all authority in heaven and on earth in the name of Jesus. 

         Remember every time God has protected you, not just form physical injury, but also from spiritual attack. 

         Remember every time you saw God provide for your own family and the families of those you shepherd. 

         Remember Jesus’ promises to those who place their trust in Him. 

         And remember how fulfilling, how empowering, how motivating it is to be in the Holy Spirit’s presence as you praise and worship your Lord and King.

         When you focus on all these memories, you will have found the key to dealing with and overcoming frustration that David found in Psalm 22.  Frustration may come, but you can defeat it.

    Sincerely,

    A Small Church Pastor

  • Letter #23–Changing Others–1

    Dear Small Church Pastor,

         This letter will begin a mini-series on the topic of changing others. 

         The very first thing you need to understand is that YOU cannot change anyone.  You can lead them, advise them and make suggestions to them, but you cannot make the decisions that must be made in order for a change to occur in anyone, especially not in a whole congregation of people.  Only the Holy Spirit can bring in the changes that will help your people become more like Jesus.  Remember who is in control and who is building the church Jesus established so long ago.

         That being said–

         When it comes to changing others, after we start working on changing ourselves, there are numerous issues that must be addressed before any changes in a congregation can occur.  Do the people see a need for change?  Are they willing to make any changes?  Are they completely controlled by their routines and comfort zones?  How open-minded are they when it comes to temporary changes as opposed to permanent changes?  I could go on, but you get the idea.

         Then there are the unseen taboos that exist that are never mentioned until the pastor (that would be you) suggests a change, even if the change is for a few days.  Example: I once wanted to cover a painting, which was located on the back wall of the platform, with a large drape for a couple of weeks during a special sermon series.  When I mentioned the idea to the people, I was immediately reprimanded for wanting to cover a painting that had been donated by one of the “founding fathers” of the church.  The period of a few days was immaterial.  I wanted to cover a “sacred cow” in the minds of some of the people.  Sacred cows fall under the list of taboos.

         Back to the matter of changing others–Any time a pastor is faced with the understanding that a change needs to be made, there are some questions that need to be asked.  Is the change necessary for the spiritual development of the congregation, or is this a change motivated by the latest trends in congregational structure and operation that are being instituted in other locations?  Example: About fifteen or twenty years ago, a local pastor set up a week-long revival at his church and felt led by the Holy Spirit to invite different speakers for each night of the revival.  The revival was a glowing success.  The next pastor down the road decided to do the same and held a revival with different speakers.  The next pastor farther down the road did just like the others were doing and had several speakers at his annual revival.

         As I watched what was happening, I realized the first pastor had followed the direction of the Holy Spirit and had been rewarded with a great outreach to his community.  It appeared to me that the others had looked at what he had done and decided that God was now moving by having revivals with several speakers.  I’m not judging the others for their decisions.  I am merely stating a pattern that I saw developing during each repetition of the original revival.  Many churches still follow that pattern in our area years later.

         Getting back to the question, again—do you feel that the change will help your congregation grow spiritually?  If the answer is “no,” then ask yourself why you want to make the change.  Remember, your motivations will have a definite impact on your congregation and its future.  If the answer is “yes,” ask yourself what would be the best way to make the change.  Remember, as their pastor, you should always seek what is best for the congregation as the Holy Spirit directs your steps.

         Here are some suggestions when you believe a change will help your congregation grow in their relationships with Jesus:

         Pray, pray and then pray some more before introducing the idea of any change to the structure or operation of the church.  Then ask the congregation to pray with you as you seek the Lord’s guidance about the future.

         Informally bring up the change in conversations with various members of the congregation beginning with your leaders.  Ask them “How do you feel about….” types of questions and really listen to their answers.

         Be patient.  If you’re going to move the piano, do it one inch at a time.  Changes that are lasting should occur in small increments whenever possible.  People need time to adjust themselves to new things, no matter how small the changes are.

         Never make a change for the sake of change.  Always have a definite goal in mind, and be sure the goal will benefit your people in the long run.

         As led by the Holy Spirit, minister to your people about the control routines and comfort zones have over everyone’s lives and how to overcome that control through God’s help and direction.  Remember to use examples from your own life and from scripture when you do this.  Don’t try to point out their routines and comfort zones to them.  Rely on the Holy Spirit to do that.

         There is much more to discuss on this topic of changing others through God’s guidance.  We’ll address other things in the next letter.  You already have enough in this one to ponder and pray about as you lead your people into necessary changes.

    Sincerely,

    A Small Church Pastor

  • Letter #13–Not Alone

    Dear Small Church Pastor,

         You are not alone.  The devil will do everything he can to make you think you are.  However, whether you remember it or not, you are not alone.

              The enemy of Christ’s kingdom will use any method he can to try to isolate you physically or mentally and convince you that you don’t have any help in pastoring your small congregation.  He will try to make you think being God’s pastor has put you into the position of having no friends, no trusted confidants and no allies in the war against evil.  He will cause people to betray your trust or even desert you in a crisis.  He will do his best to convince you that nobody is responding to your sermons, nobody likes you anymore, nobody takes you seriously and nobody is willing to stick around during the hard times when nothing seems to be going the way you had hoped it would.

         Any time you begin to feel alone in your calling, get alone with your heavenly Father.  Ask Him to renew your calling.  Ask God to revive your spirit with His power.  Ask for wisdom, fresh anointing and a new vision.  Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you just how many are working beside you to accomplish God’s will in your life.  Ask Him to remind you of who “The Boss” is.

         Remember the great cloud of witnesses mentioned in Hebrews 12:1?  There have been millions who have gone before you who have served God.  You’re not the only one in town who is serving him today.  Remember how God had to remind the prophet Elijah in 1 Kings 19:18 that he wasn’t alone?  You’re not the only one who has had betrayals, troubles, threats or persecutions.  Wake up to these realities and pray until you have defeated Satan’s attempt to put you into a pity-party.

         Probably the most important thing you can do when you begin to feel alone is to remind yourself that Jesus has called you into His service.  He knows what you can do for His kingdom, and Jesus is depending on you to do it.  Remind yourself that Romans 8:26-27 states the Holy Spirit intercedes for YOU.  Remind yourself that Jesus Himself is at the right hand of God making intercession for YOU. (Romans 8:34)  Remind yourself that in John 17:20 Jesus prayed for all those who would believe in Him because of the message His disciples would spread, and that includes YOU.  Simply put, remind yourself that Jesus is on your side, and “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom 8:31)

         There are millions of fellow disciples of Jesus around the world and in your own community today fighting the same battles you are.  You are not alone.

         Jesus and the Holy Spirit are on your side and are interceding for you.  You are not alone.

    You are not alone.

    Sincerely,

    A Small Church Pastor

  • Letter #7–K.I.S.S. Revisited

    Dear Small Church Pastor,

         In the first installment for K.I.S.S., I suggested you include the members of your congregation as ministry partners in order to simplify your life.  I pray you are encouraging your membership as they develop the gifts and talents resident in your congregation in order to accomplish that aspect of keeping ministry simple.

         Allow me to make a second recommendation toward achieving a more simple life for yourself and your congregation.  When preparing sermons or Bible lessons, focus on Jesus.  Focus on who Jesus is, what he has accomplished, what he taught his original disciples, and what he promised to do for, in and through them.  Focus on the gospel message and how to live out the teachings of Christ.  You will find that centering your message on the good news that there is forgiveness through faith in Jesus will simplify your ministry.

         Satan will try to get you sidetracked from this central message.  Remember he is the source of confusion, division and strife.  Satan will try to get you involved in arguments over controversial doctrinal points.  He will attempt to bring factional “us versus them” thinking into your congregation, and, if he can, he will use you to create unintended factions within your attenders through what seems to be innocent questions.

         Always remember Satan is a deceiver, a manipulator and a thief, and he wants nothing more than to steal, kill and destroy the works you and your congregation are doing for the kingdom of God.  In order to achieve his insidious purposes, he works through people to bring up “What do you think about…” kinds of questions.  He uses, “I heard…,” “I’m confused about…,” or “My friend/uncle/brother/neighbor/etc. says….”

         It’s during these seemingly innocent times that your spiritual enemy is working to complicate your life and ministry by getting you to “major on the minors” in life.  To combat these deceptions, I encourage you to always use scriptures in answering any question that might be a controversial subject.  My normal response to any doctrinal issue that arises is, “Let’s see what the Bible says about this.”  Always remember that the Bible holds the truth about any situation that arises in life.  What I think about a situation does not matter when it comes to what the Bible actually says.  Taken in its proper context, scripture always has the correct answer to any question, even the ones the devil tries to use to complicate ministry.

         When those controversial subjects arise, and they will arise eventually, attempt to steer the conversation back to the simplicity of the gospel.  If that fails, allow the Holy Spirit the opportunity to speak through scriptures to those who are posing the questions.  Remember Paul’s advice to his protégé Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:20 to “…avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called.” KJV (“Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge.” NLT)

         Allow me to give an example of this concept for maintaining simplicity in ministry.  A missionary we know operates in a country where the population is over 99% non-Christian.  He never compares Christianity to that national faith, nor does he debate the ideology of the other faith’s founder to that of Jesus.  He only talks about Jesus and his teachings.  His ministry is very successful, reaching over 9 million people monthly through various media avenues.  That success is influenced by the fact that he keeps his ministry focused on Jesus only.

         Focus on the simplicity of the good news about Jesus as much as is possible in every facet of your ministry.  If some divisive topic rears its head, go to scripture for guidance and rely on the Holy Spirit to deal with those topics as only he can by moving in the hearts and minds of those involved.  Remember:  KISS.

    Sincerely,

    A Small Church Pastor

  • Letter #4 (K.I.S.S.)

    Dear Small Church Pastor,

                K.I.S.S. (Not the rock band.) Keep.  It.  Simple.  Stupid.  It’s been said so much that it has become a cliché.  But it’s still a great rule of thumb for ministry.  The gospel is the simple and uncomplicated news that anyone can be restored to a right relationship with God through faith in Jesus because Jesus is the Messiah.  The enemy of your ministry will do anything he can to prevent you from staying on track with that simple, uncomplicated message.

                As pastors of a small part of God’s flock, we feel responsible for any and all activities, programs, outreaches, hospital visits, encouraging phonecalls, discipleship training, prayer meetings, youth outings, special songs on Sundays, or any other “good works” that occur in, for or through our congregations.  As the shepherd of that local flock, you definitely are the leader of the flock and should be aware of what’s going on in, for and through the flock.  But you have not been called to do all the good works yourself.

                Each sheep in your flock has been given gifts, talents and strengths by the Holy Spirit.  Part of your job is to help the sheep discover the attributes God has placed in their lives and to use them to fulfill the work of the whole body in the local church.  The body won’t achieve its calling from God if the only part working is the heart.  You do not have to do everything by yourself.

                Satan tries to get you to become so busy directing all the activities of the congregation that you lose focus of what your job as pastor really is.  He tries to complicate your life with so many meetings, reports, trips, and responsibilities that you forget to focus on the good news you are to keep before them as they mature as disciples.

                The truth of the matter is that you are to help your people become mature disciples so they can take their place in ministry within the local church body beside you as the whole congregation moves forward for the kingdom of God.  The truth of the matter is that you cannot do it all by yourself, and I, personally, believe you will overload and undermine your ministry if you try to do everything alone.  Sometimes we small church pastors become so distracted in our ministry that we fail to realize this.

                We become overwhelmed by ministry because, without recognizing what is happening, we have allowed the devil to complicate what we do for God’s kingdom.  I’ll say it again—you do not have to do everything by yourself.  One effective way to uncomplicate your ministry is by including your congregation in ministry.  And teach them to keep their own ministry uncomplicated, too.

                The gospel is simple.  Ministry does not have to be so complicated that we lose sight of that simplicity. 

    K.I.S.S.  (More to come about this topic later.)

    Sincerely,

    A Small Church Pastor