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5 Questions the Pastor Must Ask God and Themselves
Posted on December 2, 2017 by Biblical Guy
The Church exists by what Christ has done for us in and for His Glory!
“The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock. ” I Peter 5:1-3
The 5 questions that the pastor must seek to God and themselves is this:
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How can I grow and live out the truths of Scripture and God’s will in society?
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How can I lead the people God brings me with His Word and Fruit?
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How can I minister effectively to my neighbor in all of life’s situations?
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What is my role and what are the gifts in my life? How do I please God with them?
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How do I glorify Christ in all that I do?
If the minister of a church cannot or refuses to be introspective of honestly evaluating what they think their call is and compare it to what Christ has actually called them too, they can’t possibly minister or lead a church effectively! For what we do with our self-directive call is lead by our whims and pride. In the actual call of Christ, we lead as he has called and shown. So, to be an actual Christ honoring gathering and leading His people effectually, we must bow to His Lordship and not the ways of the self, our fallen nature or worse another’s false lead.
The baton has been passed—not the role of head equipper and minister of the Word and Sacraments, but the baton of the responsibility to care and to live out our faith effectively to one another. These are the questions we must all answer diligently with the Word of God, and then follow through with our will to conform. Christianity is no longer a spectator sport; we are not Monday night couch quarterbacks. We are the people of God, called to do His will.
When we start to function as a cohesive group, the local church will be amazing! Your people and even your neighborhood will be amazed at the impact we have and the incredible, increased effectiveness in the building of the Kingdom of God. God’s Word tells us that we have “diversity,” yet in it all, we also have “unity.” We are not to allow the diversity of people’s ideas and feelings to be our focus, but we need to embrace them, train it, and direct it to the call, the goal, and purpose our Lord has for us. We will have a healthy form of codependency in Christ and cooperate with the laity and leadership, filled with encouragement and love. If not? As a pastor and church growth consultant this is what I have seen too much of: Bitterness, strife, and the unhealthy codependency to fads and false flags of leadership that ruins lives instead of building them up will no longer consume the ministry.
We all have different gifts and abilities given to us by the Lord for His purpose and glory. “Doing ministry” means we have pastors and leaders who are growing in Christ, operating in the Faith and Fruit of the Spirit and making decisions based on what the Bible says and what is best for the church and neighborhood. Not, how to I build a legacy for myself, the pastor! Or follow meaningless trends. We are to exercise the gifts that we each have received to accomplish His purpose. And, until the Lord calls us home or comes back, we are to keep plugging and persevering in.
Filed under: Building a Fruitful Church, Leadership Issues, Pastors, Uncategorized | Tagged: glorify Christ, lead the church, meaningless trends, pastor, prepare for ministry, purpose and glory, Questions Pastor Must Ask God, Questions the Pastor Must Ask Themselves, training pastors | 1 Comment »
Is the Advent Wreath Biblical?
Posted on December 2, 2017 by Biblical Guy
Traditionally, during the Christmas season, we have an “Advent Wreath” in our Churches, and this is remarkably celebrated in all Denominations, including Orthodox, Catholic, liturgical, Mainline and Evangelical. The Advent Wreath is a venerable tradition that cuts across denominational and theological boundaries. It dates to the beginning of the 19th century in Europe. This Advent Wreath is …>
via What is the Advent Wreath about and is it Biblical?
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How far is your church’s reach with kindness and truth?
Posted on July 29, 2017 by Biblical Guy
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade…” 1 Peter 1:3-4
Passages to ponder: 1 Peter 1:3-5, 13-16; 4:12; 5:10-11; 2 Peter 3:17-18; 1 John 1:5-7; 4:10-16; 5: 11-13; 2 John 5-6; 3 Jude 21-23
These early Christians who were grateful for Christ, placed Him as LORD, realized we need to guard His Truth so to live in truth and love. How are we doing with that?
The people God brings you, that is the ones in your care need to know the importance of our relationship with God and with one another. If you are not doing that you have a gaping hole in your church!
Realize the people are given to you for stewardship, but they are not yours, they belong to Christ! You are to minister and train them up for Christ’s glory. And in the character and precepts of Christ. In this way, we can be positive with those who do not know Christ. And not manipulative or controlling or hateful or embrace those rotten fruits…. Let’s take it where the Church today is lacking…. We must be known for who we are in Christ, not just for what we are against.
In so doing, we must show kindness and patience–the key characters of love–to those we ‘feel’ we must hate. We never will reach others for the Gospel by our negativity or argumentations. Our reach is effective by our kindness, by holding on to Truth, not compromising Biblical theology, and mostly by being patient with those who are ignorant or even hateful of the Truth, the Word of God.
In the calls of Scripture, we are encouraged to remain faithful, live a life of submission, purity, godly living, and be steadfast and faithful even in persecution.
Grace and truth, the covenant that God has with humanity and His steadfast purpose to keep and fulfill it. The truth is that there is no guarantee of happiness as a Christian; our salvation only by faith in Christ Jesus is the guarantee. Our living hope is our new birth in Christ. Things will not always be what we want. In a fallen world, there will always be suffering.
There is Truth! There is ABSOLUTE Truth. God’s Word-the Truth-remains unchanged and inerrant even when you may not feel it or when others proclaim otherwise.
We are called to learn and know the Truth and be on guard against false truths. He also reminds Christians to be faithful and prepare for the coming persecutions. Be diligent to live out and guard God’s true Truth!
The early Christians were positive with the Gospel and the call to love our fellow believers and enemies. They exercised kindness with one another and with outsiders. They were patient with the decadent society and persecutions they were in. However, they had to guard the Truth from those who come into the church, not seeking Christ, but who sought to destroy, wreak havoc, and to distract others with a prideful disregard for all that is Holy and Right and True.
© 2016, 2017, R.J. Krejcir, Ph.D., Francis A. Schaeffer Institute of Church Leadership Development www.churchleadership.org/
Filed under: Building a Fruitful Church, Pastors, Uncategorized | Tagged: absolute Truth, argumentations, Grace and truth, inheritance, kindness, Lord Jesus Christ, love, mercy, negativity, patience, Praise be, relationship with God, resurrection, set your hearts, set your mind, spiritual growth, Truth | Leave a comment »
Robbing God of our Opportunities?
Posted on January 7, 2017 by Biblical Guy
Some tough questions to make sure your church is aligned up to His true Truths and principles:
“Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue,…” Matthew 12: 9-21
What can you do to prevent robbing yourself of the opportunities God gives you?
Jesus went into their… church, what if it was your church?
To the Pharisees, Jesus robbed their bank and stole their possessions. To a point, He did, as He took away their presumptions and false ideas, and replaced them with the Truth and the true intention God had for them (Hos. 6:6; Micah 6:6-8). They did not want the Truth or what God had for them; they only wanted their postulations and their power to rule.
This brings us to, He went into our church…. Thus, the questions we have to ask ourselves are,
“Are we robbing God of the opportunities He tries to give us?”
“Do we mix them up with habits, pride and traditions?”
“Do we make grandstanding pretenses, showing off our faith while we have a heart full of soot?”
Do our passions line up with political agendas, or the precepts of His Word?”
Passion is paramount, but it has to be grounded in God’s Truth, not the ideas and desires of man. Seek initiative and inspirations from Christ, not from the traditions. Do not filter your faith and practice through the filter of traditions or habits. Rather, filter through the clarity of God’s Word!
As A leader in God’s House, what blocks Christ’s work in me from working and being exhibited in me?
We have been saved, not of any effort or reason on our part except by faith, so now what do we do with it? What do we do with it as a leader in God’s House? We are to take it to the streets in how we live to ourselves, others and even our enemies. Yet, most Christians, even us leaders, respond with a rear end firmly planted in a pulpit that goes nowhere in real effectual service or glory to Christ. Many of us hold on to a will that will not allow conviction or change in the routine or life. Thus, the church is just a club for comfort and not a “huddle” to strategize and put forward how to play the game of Christian life from receiving our orders from the Coach.
The questions we have to ask ourselves, are we ignoring our Lord? “Are we robbing God of the opportunities He tries to give us?”
“Do we mix them up with habits, pride and traditions?” “Do we make grandstanding pretenses, showing off our faith while we have a heart full of soot?” “Do our passions line up with political agendas, or the precepts of His Word?” Passion is paramount, but it has to be grounded in God’s Truth, not the ideas and desires of man. Seek initiative and inspirations from Christ, not from the traditions. Do not filter your faith and practice through the filter of traditions or habits. Rather, filter through the clarity of God’s Word!
Who is Jesus to you? What have you done with this knowledge? Do you see, feel, and know His Divine Fullness?
Filed under: Leadership Issues, Uncategorized | Tagged: false ideas, God’s House, intention God, Jesus went, passions, presumptions, pretenses, robbing God, Synagogue | Leave a comment »
Posted on January 7, 2017 by Biblical Guy
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Reverencing Christ
Posted on October 29, 2016 by Biblical Guy
“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God…” Colossians 1:9-10
We must understand the importance of our reverence to Christ. We come before a holy God.
Jesus is not just a pal or friend or guide, He is our Savior and our Lord (2 Cor. 5:16; Rev. 2-3). A healthy church is all about who Christ is and what He has done. He is not just a Savior and/or best Friend; He gives us life, holds our lives, and will judge our lives. He is the One who overcame life and death for our benefit, and when we seek to run His church our way, we embarrass and dishonor Him and His Way. He has the keys in His hand, as the door to knowing Him and making Him known is only locked from our side. We have no need to fear our future when He is our Light, Guide, and Lord!
This understanding of Who Christ is will help us truly worship Him, and be people who are humble and be a church that, lives a life worthy, that He can use.
One of the central themes of humbleness is if we do not do it, God will. God asks us to “humble yourselves” for the essential reason that if we do not, He will, and when that happens, it may just be too late. If we do not start to reform our churches to be as they were designed and destined to be, then it will be too late. The doors will close just as has already happened in most parts of Europe. The church once flourished there, but apathy and disease took over and now her pews sit empty in the midst of a confused and decadent culture. We cannot just visualize what a healthy church can and should look like; we must act on it to make it happen.
A healthy church is not just a question of believing in Christ, but being filled with the knowledge, of doing what He has called us to do with trust and obedience.
A healthy church is not about our comfort or what we can experience, but about being people of faith and maturity, bearing fruit, and being what we can be for His glory.
If you have spent any time at all observing churches, then you have seen what takes place. And, if you have spent any time in the Scriptures, then you know what Christ has called us to do. Many times, these two are in conflict. I have personally seen the results of what happens when we do, and when we do not follow our Lord, when we do not humble ourselves. So, the choice is up to us; we are given choices in life, options to follow. We can see for ourselves in the church that is worshipping the Lord, caring and loving one another, steeping itself in prayer, and reaching its neighborhood and world for Christ. Conversely, we can see the church that is full of strife and conflict.
The church that has given up its call to be in Christ and substituted it with their own inclinations and agenda results in people leaving the church, bitter and disillusioned. Too many Christians have traded their election of grace for advertisements of hostility, thus they have forgotten the main thing. As a result, the disillusioned world has confused the strife of Christians for the care of the Lord, thus seeing an uncaring God by seeing His uncaring people and leaders.
Filed under: Building a Fruitful Church, Leadership Issues, Pastors, Uncategorized | Tagged: bearing fruit, Healthy church, holy God, humble, humble yourselves, live a life, maturity, obedience, reverence, reverencing, reverencing Christ, truly worship, worthy | 1 Comment »
The Church that is Happening Now
Posted on August 23, 2016 by Biblical Guy
This is what our research has gleaned of the church that is happening now:
- We have a lack of Biblical imperative. We may say we are committed to God’s Word, but our spiritual formation, loose doctrine and behaviors show us a to be in breach (2 Tim. 3:16).
- We have an empty faith, so concerned with what feels good and not what we need by God’s Word (1 Pet. 2:2)!
- We have a too low view of God’s Sovereignty, we belittle to Him as a mere ‘friend’ and forget His Holiness and our need for repentance (Rom. 11:22-36).
- We have too much pride and selfish motives and not enough Christ impacting our hearts and minds (John 3:30)!
- We do not have our people discipled, so they are ignorant of Biblical precepts (Hosea 4:6)!
- We do not trust in the power and purpose of Christ and His Truth, instead we cater to personalities, political correctness and trends (1 Tim. 4:6)!
- We spend too much time with entertainment and not enough time of expository preaching (Rom. 10:16)!
- We have a lack of the power of the Holy Spirit, or too much of it is faked (John 6:63)!
- We do not teach, exemplify and motivate a radical transformation (Rom. 12)!
- We are too worried to offend, thus, we end up trying to block the conviction of the Word and Holy Spirit (John 16:8)!
- We do not have good unity or a Kingdom mentality, so we have apathy, gossip, discord and strife (Rom. 16:17-18)!
- We have a lack of the Fruit of the Spirit of love, Joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, …. (Gal. 5:19-23)!
- We do not have much in the way of real consistent outreach and missions or work on social justice (Matt. 5:13-16)!
- We have a lack of a realization that our time, talents and treasures are His, and view our monies only for our preferences (2 Cor. 9:7).
- What happened to prayer (Matt. 21:13)?
We may need to rediscover what Christ calls us to when we lead and manage His Church. We may need to reconsider what we do and how we do it. Is it biblical? Is it what Christ calls success or what the world calls success? Maybe we just need to get beyond ourselves, past our perceived needs and desires and repent. To seek Christ first and foremost. Then, we may be able to really lead His people properly where we all need to go. Closer to Him. Closer to one another. Nonetheless, authentic heartfelt surrendering to Christ as Lord, real discipleship and action of faith needs to take place or what are we doing (Matt. 6:33; 13; Rev. 10:8-11)!
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3 Online Tools For Fighting Addiction
Posted on August 18, 2016 by Biblical Guy
Here are some good ideas for Recovery….
Our resources are here:
http://www.discipleshiptools.org/pages.asp?pageid=65408
Filed under: Leadership Issues, Uncategorized | Tagged: Addiction, Recovery | Leave a comment »
Acts29.org 