The Scourge Of Racism
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Pastors that have learned their service in the spiritually dead churches, legalism and empty traditions of Christianity the religion and fear of men have much trouble. They hold these churches together MacGyver style using the biblically unrelated elements of fallen personality, human effort, psychology, intimidation, coercion, control, manipulation, capitulation to sin and the will of the people as well as deceit. In part two of this 2013 blog repost, I continue urging every pastor seeking a reward from Christ for your service, to repent if guilty from purposeful ministry out of the motives and deeds of the sinful flesh and instead, imitate the example of our Chief Shepherd in the power of the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, woe to the domineering and sinful shepherds (Ezekiel 34:1-16)!
Originally Posted July 7, 2013
Pastor, the Lord does not see you as some infallible dictator He has assigned to lord it over His sheep. He really meant what He taught His disciples and modeled, ‘“he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves,’” (Luke 22:25-27, NKJV). Abuse of authority by leaders in the churches is ancient and continues rampant. Men weak and insecure in the flesh run off or attempt to destroy perceived rivals and those who do not agree with their every dictate like worldly despots. They are cultishly more focused on subduing and controlling others than they are serving them in genuine, Holy Spirit supplied love as the Master taught. There is no mystery as to why this is the case; such men are either impostors or quenching the Holy Spirit so that all of the failings of the sinful flesh dominate (Romans 6:1-16, 8:5-13; Galatians 5:13-26).
How can you realistically expect men to gladly follow you and it is plain you are not following Christ? Stop excusing your sin by calling it imperfection. We already know that. The issue is what are you going to do about it, pastor? The Lord calls us to confession and repentance from our sins not accommodation (1 John 1:5-10)! You cannot hypocritically call God‘s people to repentance and you refuse to do the same yourself since you are to be to them not a lord, but an example (1 Peter 5:1-3). The call from the Lord to pastor is a call to serve His local flock through visionary leadership, oversight, administration, loving works of service, teaching, guidance and counseling as a father in the home where God first begins to train you (1 Timothy 3:1-7).
As it concerns leadership and oversight, the business of leading men is not a matter of one size fits all just as it is not with our children in the home. Again, pastors and elders in the flesh without the love of God in their hearts, find it easier to see and treat everyone the same--as creatures needing to submit to their authority--falsely calling it equality. Notice that John describes himself as the disciple “whom Jesus loved,” (John 13:23, 20:2, 21:20, NKJV). Clearly, he speaks of favoritism to the carnal mind. Yet, there is not one recorded complaint by any of the other disciples about John’s special status with the Lord.
Surely, it is because none of them felt neglected and unloved; the Lord dealing with each man in accord with his personality even giving them special, descriptive names (Matthew 16:17-18; Mark 3:17). No wonder John felt loved--he was! Rather than cookie cutter conformity to a worldly authoritarian, flesh driven, religious handling of men, our Lord sets the perfect example of loving each man enough to really get to know him--his personality, proclivities, aspirations and needs (which requires spending quality time you cannot give if you are busy with the stuff of your own ambitions)--so that thereafter, you might gain his ear and voluntary following.
Finally--for this go round, I don’t know about you, sir, but the promise of reward from “the Chief Shepherd” means a lot to me (1 Peter 5:4, NKJV). If nothing else, serving for it has kept me from doing the things He certainly will not reward but punish since they are foreign to His shepherding example. It is Christ’s example that we are to follow in everything. For this reason, we challenge every Christian man including you, brother pastor, to aspire to be a strong man of God in Christ’s image (get my book to find out what that is all about)! Truly, being called by the Lord to be a pastor in no way suggests instantaneous spiritual maturity and Christ-likeness for the task.
In the time that is left before His return, be faithful in your service to Christ eagerly seeking to please Him. Pray, study and live out the Word as well as serve in the power of the Holy Spirit so that no sheep is lost due to your negligence (Matthew 18:6-9). Do this and you will have every confidence that His reward is yours.
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