A Pastor's Heart for Preaching
Often in
ministry, the Pastor is looked at from a variety of angles. Sometimes he is
viewed as distant and aloof… sometimes as dictatorial… sometimes as too
emotional… sometimes as too harsh… sometimes as too easy-going, etc. While
sometimes these may be true, oftentimes they are misconceptions and
misperceptions of the Pastor. Beginning with this issue I would like to open up
a Pastor’s heart and give you a glimpse of what’s inside.
Revelation 2:4 condemns the church of Ephesus for leaving her first love. The Pastor’s first love should be the preaching of the Word (2 Timothy 4:2). As a pastor, I’m a preacher. I am not an entrepreneur, not a CEO, not a circus ringleader, not a salesman, but a preacher of the Word of God. I am man utterly devoted to displaying God's glory by the exposition of God's Word.
With this identifying factor, allow me to highlight several words to clarify this aspect of my heart. The first word is perspective. This is how I look at my preaching ministry. As a preacher, I need to go down deep into the text to mine out its immense truths and reveal the wonder and majesty and glory of God in the unfolding of that truth. Ultimately, as I attempt to bring you to the depths of divine truth and the height of worship, I have only one tool to do that… the Scripture.
The second word is preparation. If you don't understand how important preparation is, I don't know what I can say to help you understand it. In order to be able to tell you what's in the Book it takes preparation. Since all true preaching is expository, I am called to study. I went to Bible Baptist School of Theology to get tools so that I could give my life to study the Word. The Bible is the mine I dig into, to find treasures for you… and it requires radical commitment to diligence.
The third word is pace. As you may know, I do not allow my preaching to be bound by a time schedule. I don’t plan to finish by a certain time, I finish when the Spirit is done with me. What motivates me to that end is the fact that I have a deep love for you. Your life is but a vapor and the time I have with you is shorter yet. Thus, when I have you in a place where I can show you the treasures of the Word, I want to redeem as much of that time as possible. I am running multiple races… I am running my race and I am trying to come along and run with you in your race. This requires a pace that may seem absurdly inhuman, but one I believe that is Spirit-driven.
The fourth word is personal. As you can see, the ministry of preaching is personal to me. God placed me in it at an early age, but He called me to it at an earlier age. From that early age, I have wanted nothing more than to exegete the pages of Scriptures with the people that God would give to my charge. I take that ministry very seriously. I am filled with righteous indignation towards those who do not. The pulpit is a holy desk that holds the Holy Writ. God has charged me to preach it faithfully in season and out of season. I will not tolerate those who seek to mock the pulpit or undermine it. I will not tickle ears from behind it. I will use it challenge you to holy living. I will guard the pulpit with my life and pray that the Lord would call me home from behind it.
The final word is persecution. Persecution comes in various forms and is felt in various ways. I believe for myself, the greatest persecution I face is when God’s people reject the call to holy living. This tears at my heart, not because that one has rejected my preaching or me, but instead has rejected my God who called me to preach. I spend many days and nights in quiet contemplation with much grieving due to the sin of God’s people. “Therefore, I endure all things for the elect’s sake, that they may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” – 2 Timothy 3:10
- GGCJr., copyrighted 2008
Revelation 2:4 condemns the church of Ephesus for leaving her first love. The Pastor’s first love should be the preaching of the Word (2 Timothy 4:2). As a pastor, I’m a preacher. I am not an entrepreneur, not a CEO, not a circus ringleader, not a salesman, but a preacher of the Word of God. I am man utterly devoted to displaying God's glory by the exposition of God's Word.
With this identifying factor, allow me to highlight several words to clarify this aspect of my heart. The first word is perspective. This is how I look at my preaching ministry. As a preacher, I need to go down deep into the text to mine out its immense truths and reveal the wonder and majesty and glory of God in the unfolding of that truth. Ultimately, as I attempt to bring you to the depths of divine truth and the height of worship, I have only one tool to do that… the Scripture.
The second word is preparation. If you don't understand how important preparation is, I don't know what I can say to help you understand it. In order to be able to tell you what's in the Book it takes preparation. Since all true preaching is expository, I am called to study. I went to Bible Baptist School of Theology to get tools so that I could give my life to study the Word. The Bible is the mine I dig into, to find treasures for you… and it requires radical commitment to diligence.
The third word is pace. As you may know, I do not allow my preaching to be bound by a time schedule. I don’t plan to finish by a certain time, I finish when the Spirit is done with me. What motivates me to that end is the fact that I have a deep love for you. Your life is but a vapor and the time I have with you is shorter yet. Thus, when I have you in a place where I can show you the treasures of the Word, I want to redeem as much of that time as possible. I am running multiple races… I am running my race and I am trying to come along and run with you in your race. This requires a pace that may seem absurdly inhuman, but one I believe that is Spirit-driven.
The fourth word is personal. As you can see, the ministry of preaching is personal to me. God placed me in it at an early age, but He called me to it at an earlier age. From that early age, I have wanted nothing more than to exegete the pages of Scriptures with the people that God would give to my charge. I take that ministry very seriously. I am filled with righteous indignation towards those who do not. The pulpit is a holy desk that holds the Holy Writ. God has charged me to preach it faithfully in season and out of season. I will not tolerate those who seek to mock the pulpit or undermine it. I will not tickle ears from behind it. I will use it challenge you to holy living. I will guard the pulpit with my life and pray that the Lord would call me home from behind it.
The final word is persecution. Persecution comes in various forms and is felt in various ways. I believe for myself, the greatest persecution I face is when God’s people reject the call to holy living. This tears at my heart, not because that one has rejected my preaching or me, but instead has rejected my God who called me to preach. I spend many days and nights in quiet contemplation with much grieving due to the sin of God’s people. “Therefore, I endure all things for the elect’s sake, that they may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” – 2 Timothy 3:10
- GGCJr., copyrighted 2008