Orientation Of New Pastors

A newly accepted pastor needs to know what he's getting into!  Orientation is the order of the day, telling it like it is, though this may seem to be a tall order, it's Job One, or he'll be wasting his time and energy on the futile.  The serenity prayer is in order: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference!  Nothing in an established church body will change overnight-- there are too many powers that be! We must acknowledge the de facto leaders as well as the leadership of the body for it is hard to kick against the goads, as Jesus told Paul in Acts 26:14, HCSB, meaning it's difficult and vain to fight God's will.   Just like in everything else, we all need to know our limitations and how the Lord uses us.  But we are all change agents used by God for His purposes and plan and need to make ourselves available and prepared, for He will accomplish His will with or without our participation or cooperation.  New ideas will ultimately be accepted if from God:  Nothing can resist an idea whose time has come!

All new coming pastors need to realize the already-existing powers that be and respect authority figures in whatever capacity--this is a general principle of life.  We should all be glad that Jesus is the Lord and in charge, not any certain micro-manager or contro-freak because pastor-driven or dictatorship churches are unbiblical.  We need leaders, not rulers!  There are limits to anyone's authority, for the biblical worldview teaches sphere sovereignty and domains or turfs of power and authority, and beware lest we violate God's order of things and the so-called powers that be.  As new pastors bring new life to a church, hopefully, it isn't moribund and needs revival, because no church body is standing still--it's either growing, going somewhere, and alive or it is dying a slow death.  Complacent churches are on the road to oblivion and are of zilch significance in the big picture of God's will and plan for a vigorous healthy church family.

We must realize the difference between the church, an organism, and any other organization or group: it's really a family and fellowship, not an organization.  It should be comforting to all that when you're here, you're family so to speak.   Note that the Catholic church operates as an authoritative organization rather than a fellowship with individual church autonomy.  We are to question authority as our privilege:  the slogan of the Reforms is appropriate, which says, "I dissent, I disagree, I protest!"  We must learn to disagree without being disagreeable and never to be contentious, argumentative, divisive, nor judgmental.  Whenever we feel slaves to church dogma or its leadership we have come full circle and are Catholics in effect.  Protestants question authority as a tradition and are Bereans at heart checking things out for themselves, not just taking a pastor's word for it all the time.  Trusting the pastor is earned, not part of the program or requirements for attendance and membership.

We will always encounter those fuddy-duddies who resist change and are stuck in a spiritual or worship rut, especially in denominational church bodies.  That's why we always need the influx of new, fresh blood to give a new perspective, insight, and M.O.s to implement the ideas.  In other words, visionaries are a rare commodity because everyone is a natural critic and fault-finder.  The warning for a healthy church is not to become complacent or self-satisfied with itself but to realize as Martin Luther did upon his death, that he had only begun the work of reforming the church and the work must go on: that's why the Reforms held to the slogan "Semper reformanda," or always reforming from the Latin.

But change must come from within and everyone must work with the system, not as a revolutionary but a visionary.  The book of Proverbs 29:18, KJV, says a lot, "Without vision the people perish!"  We must have a plan, purpose, goal, or we will end up in nowheresville.   The principle of synergy must be in effect as the only way to go:  the sum of the parts together can accomplish more than the sum of the parts separated.  Together, we can!  It is times when disagreements happen that letting Jesus be the Lord is appreciated.

Any pastor coming in should have a heart-to-heart, man-to-man talk with the man or the leaders to see where they are really coming from--are they on the same page?  It's not a job interview but a mission, calling, and vision interview.  He is not a wannabe but a man on a mission called by God and deserves the church's blessing and prayers.  We must never play the "Let's compare game!" and label a pastor or preacher or try to fit him into our categories, boxes, or preconceived notions, but God has called him individually and will use him for His purposes. When God has called someone, we might find ourselves fighting or resisting God if we resist his calling and vision!  We must remember the wise words of Henry David Thoreau, "If a man doesn't keep pace with his companions, perhaps he marches to the beat of a different drum."

Bear in mind that at the beginning he is still honing his skills and finding his audience and where they are spiritually speaking.  He may see something awry or even amiss that needs fixing in a broken system, but no one can even call something crooked unless he's got some idea of what straight is.  Remember that he's come from somewhere else and sees things from a new perspective. It is important for the candidate to be straightforward and aboveboard about himself and let them see him for who he is, not someone they have imagined:  WYSIWYG! What you see is [or should be] what you get!  Let him be himself and not what he isn't.

What a church shouldn't be looking for is someone who is just an educated wannabe or man of learning, but a student of the Word who's matriculated in the school of Christ and knows the Lord (cf. Jer. 9:24).  Real scholarship isn't how much one knows but how one uses and accesses information and data. He not only knows what he knows and what he doesn't know but knows how to find out information or whom to ask.   It is wrong to appear pedantic or to flaunt his knowledge, training, or education; on the other hand, a pastor shouldn't preach down to the body nor insult their intelligence!

WORDS TO THE WISE ARE SUFFICIENT:  let's heed the wise words of wisdom from Sir Francis Bacon, the founder of scientific empiricism:  "Knowledge is power!"  This is verified or taken from Scripture in Proverbs 24:5 that knowledge increases strength.  We must harness knowledge, not become its slave nor let it make us feel we are a cut above others spiritually because of the spiritual gift of knowledge.  A wise person knows his limitations and when to defer to others to make use of their expertise or learning, for no one has a monopoly on wisdom, the correct use of knowledge, and we can all learn from each other, even children.  The abuse of power is dangerous, and so the real goal is wisdom or its right usage.  Knowledge for its own sake is vain and puffs up one's pride, we must always have a reason for what we seek to know and not just want to know all the answers or to impress others.  We are not to reject knowledge; that's not an option.  "The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly [or trash!]"  God's people can perish for lack of knowledge!  (Cf. Hos. 4:1).  

CAVEAT:  CHRISTIANITY IS NOT KNOWLEDGE OF A CODE OR BOOK NOR EVEN ABOUT A GOD, BUT KNOWLEDGE OF A PERSON WITH A SUBSEQUENT RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM: WE TURN OUR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT GOD INTO KNOWLEDGE OF GOD BY TURNING CREEDS INTO DEEDS AND LIVING OUT OUR FAITH IN PRACTICE; HOWEVER, IT'S NOT ONLY NECESSARY TO HAVE THE RIGHT PREPARATION BUT THE RIGHT ATTITUDE AND SPIRIT!  THERE IS A VAST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KNOWLEDGE AND GOD:  WE USE KNOWLEDGE AND RELATE TO GOD AS A PERSON!   (Proverbs 15:14, NIV).  

In sum, let me close with a quote from Prov. 15:7, HCSB:  "The lips of the wise broadcast knowledge, but not so the heart of fools."     Soli Deo Gloria! 

To The Angel Of The Church

John gets a dictated message from Jesus Himself to give to seven churches in Asia and is told to address them to the angel of the church in each case. One sound principle of hermeneutics is to heed the recipient of a message and interpret it accordingly. Note that these letters are addressed "to the angel of the church" not to the church per se; the letter was not to be circulated among members in my understanding, but read by the angel and applied by him to his church and likely read publicly. These letters are indirect to the churches, but the message relayed by their angels (which, being interpreted really refers to messengers, elders, or spiritual leaders).

Sometimes the Word falls on deaf ears and sometimes the opposite, they have itching ears and just want to hear a good word without any negative news or rebuke accompanying it.  All these letters have both good and bad news, except Philadelphia, which has no rebuke explicit nor implied. It seems that Jesus says the good news first and then says, "Nevertheless, I have this against you...."  At one level all the letters apply to every church and all believers as commendations to aim for and warnings to heed. None of us want to go where some of these churches are. Don't say, "That doesn't apply to me." It does apply; however, the application may be different!  But one point I want to stress is that it is to the angels that the letters are sent and addressed (they may not necessarily be the elders or preachers), and the letters are to be read and applied by them.  It is not what the pastor holds against the flock, but what the Lord holds against them manifest in the Word.

It is quite possible that people were not as literate in those days as they are now, and may have needed someone to read it to them, but in today's society with almost 100 percent literacy in Protestant nations, the letter might have gone into circulation.  Even the Scriptures themselves were widely in circulation and there might have been only one per church that was shared among members.  I do not believe manuscripts, which were hand-copied, were as likely to be privately owned, but mainly in libraries and in churches.  

At that time it was still thought possible to wipe out or stamp out the Bible and abolish it everywhere, making it illegal. Even though people usually graduate from high school today, many still have minimal skill in reading and find it quite challenging or difficult to read because of dyslexia or other handicap or just plain limited academic skill.  Not everyone can read, and this makes them disinclined to do it--I believe this is why we have preachers and teachers who can do the homework and read for them:  "Faith comes by the hearing [via preachers] of the Word"  (cf. Rom. 10:17).

I have been teaching the Bible for years now, and I have been in many Bible classes, being exposed to students of the Word at all academic skill levels and natural abilities, and one thing I have learned is that some people are just not wont to read and do not enjoy it due to difficulty--not everyone finds reading fun and easy and a learning experience. They don't want to read anything mainly because it is over their head and they are not at that reading level--it's no fun for a high school student to read the college-level material unless he is a bright student and quite proficient and ahead of his years.

Some people don't realize that even Bible-reading is a challenge to some--though I believe in the simplicity of the Word and that its main salvation message is plain enough for anyone to comprehend as far as salvation goes (cf. Isa. 35:8)  Part of teaching is to be able to condescend and know where people are and not preach over their heads, and also not to try to "wow" them with your scholarship, which only discourages in the end--students should be able to relate to their teacher. We don't want them to say: "You lost me." Einstein's dictum is right:  "Keep things as simple as possible, but not more so."

Paul told Timothy to pay attention to the "public reading of Scripture" (cf. 1 Tim. 4:13).  During the Middle Ages, people were illiterate and got most of their doctrine from artwork in the church and from the sermons on Sunday and had no direct access to Scriptures, which were even illegal to own in their own language and they were only copied into Latin.  Martin Luther is credited with making Scripture accessible in Germany, and William Tyndale and Miles Coverdale in England (John Wycliffe and Jan Hus actually started the movement).  It wasn't long after the invention of the printing press in ca. 1454-56 that Bibles were widely published, circulated, and available quite cheaply. 

It is not true that, just because a person has graduated from high school that he can read at that level in today's day and age, or that he can read at all, and doesn't have severe difficulty, handicap, or academic deficiency to be able to read at will, even if he desires to.  Those of us who are very good readers are not to look down (which is expecting a certain level of comprehension from reading is doing this) when we note those who lack this skill, nor are we to expect them to rise to our level and find reading pleasurable and rewarding.  It is just as much the schools' fault to have never taught how to read, as natural ability not being inherent in everyone equally.

Jesus urged us not to lord it over one another and Paul told elders not to be domineering; we should not try to micromanage each other's lives and try to tell them what God's will for them is or what they should do to apply the Word of God.  We apply ourselves to the Word of God, and then the Word to us, and then we might have something to share with others and hope they can spread the Word and apply it to themselves.  Case in point:  A teacher cannot say to his student or a preacher to someone in the church that it's God's will to read a certain book or go to a certain class or take a certain course--we are all stewards of our gifts and held accountable accordingly and to whom much is given much is required, etc.  Preachers and teachers can make suggestions and possible applications and can express their opinion, but not to lay down the law and tell people what they ought to do in applying the Word--"Do not go beyond that what is written" (cf. 1 Cor. 4:6, NIV).

It is getting presumptuous to get sidetracked and turn the church into a college or academic institution, instead of a hospital for sinners and family of believers who are meant to do one mission: Fulfill the Great Commission--including preparation;  all else is unnecessary, or in addition to this. We are not to "turn stones into bread" or be involved in the so-called social gospel, which is a misnomer. This mission is our purpose and focus, and we must let people operate and function within their gift's domain and not try to project our gifts onto others and expect them to be like us.

At my last church there was a popular two-year college-level Bible Study that the pastor encouraged members to take, but at no time did he rebuke them for not taking it--one felt accepted whether one took it or not. I'll bet that if a church offered a course at the 9th-grade level there would be some who would take it that don't feel up to the level of the average member.  Some people have the deck stacked against them from the get-go and find other ways to learn the Word and do God's will.  My brother is dyslexic and is hardly the one to ever read a book--I doubt he's ever read one; he didn't even graduate from high school; however, his spiritual development and maturity level, as well as comprehension of the deeper truths, is no less than someone who just reads a lot.  He has gotten his knowledge first-hand while those who just read a lot have accumulated a lot of knowledge that is second-hand.

What we are to encourage people to do is to read the Bible the best they can and be faithful to what God has shown them in the Word. We cannot superimpose our standards of performance or achievement on others--God isn't looking for achievement; He's looking for obedience.  Christ said that His yoke is easy and His burden is light (cf. Matt. 11:30)--we are not to overwhelm our sheep and so discourage them.  The yoke we have to follow is the will of God and we should walk in fellowship with Christ doing His will, in whatever capacity, a sphere of influence, circle of friends, or turf we find ourselves.

Any course should have a purpose:  We don't increase knowledge for knowledge sake.  If it is your calling to be a teacher, then God requires more knowledge--that is the tool of the trade. Knowledge must not remain theoretical or be a basis of pride. It is not an end itself, but a means to an end.  A little knowledge can be dangerous; therefore, we must be careful not to half-educated our sheep give them overconfidence that they know something--knowledge should humble a person and make him realize what he doesn't know. Today, we have too much knowledge to know what to do with it. Wisdom is sen as the good application of knowledge or learning. 

Even believers must realize that the cliche is still valid that "Christianity is a relationship, not a religion" (list of dos and don'ts). You can't just tell people to read the Bible and make them feel guilty if they don't; you have to instill a love and appreciation for the Word, which must come naturally from God, and not conjured up.  I always read the Bible because God gave me a love for it, not because someone told me I had to. Religion says "have to," while Christianity says, "want to.  "Jesus said that eternal life is to know Him (cf. John 17:3) and this should remain the focus.  It is often tempting to tell others what they ought to do (unless the Bible admonishes it). We all have an inner sense of "ought." The end result may be that they stop listening or don't think you know what you're talking about.

Pastors advice from Paul is "not lording it over those entrusted to [them], but being examples to the flock" (1 Peter 5:3, NIV).  We are not out to make clones of ourselves nor set up ourselves as the standard to emulate; God doesn't want cookie-cutter Christians.  Paul urged young preacher Timothy to "preach the word" in 2 Tim. 4:2 and we must realize that truth endures and is unchanging, but applications may or may not apply and are different for different people.  Paul told Titus to "teach what accords with sound doctrine"  (Titus 2:2, ESV).

In the final analysis, knowledge (except knowledge of God) puffs up (cf. 1 Cor. 8:1), and it is not what we know, but what we apply--viz., faith expressing itself through love (cf. Gal. 5:6, NIV). It is not in the knowledge of Scripture that the power is, but in the doing of it (cf. James 1:22). Our aim is to know the Lord, not getting a big head, and in this should we boast (cf. Jer. 9:24). It is not knowing the Scriptures, but knowing the Author!  One great teacher may be a great scholar but hardly know his Lord.

The aim is not to know about the Bible (or be educated in it), nor even to familiarize yourself with it, but to get acquainted with the AUTHOR and be at peace with Him (cf. Job 22:21). Anyone who knows the Lord is all right in my book and I would never attempt to throw stones and try to bring guilt at not meeting my own personal standards of scholarship--I know God's will for me, but not for someone else. We can know who we are in the Lord, but not necessarily for someone else.

Personally, I believe you can learn from anyone, even a child, but there comes a coming of age spiritually when you venture out on your own studies and not become dependent on someone else if you have this gift. The same can be said about a lot of endeavors: I know that God loves music and brings him glory; however, I'm not musical and cannot carry a tune or sing in key, so I depend on the talents and gifts of others;  I don't need another book on prayer--I just need to pray; I don't have a deep theology on prayer--I just believe in prayer!

In summation, we must find out who we are individually in the Lord and what our own calling is and what we can do, not thinking we have to be like someone else or compare ourselves with others, as is the manner of some; or, conversely, that others have to be like us and minister similarly.  We can all strive to be angels or messengers in the church.     Soli Deo Gloria!