6 Qualities a Congregation Should Expect of Their Pastor

On May 18, 2015July 29, 2015 By Dr. Casey LewisIn Pastoral, Practical8 Comments

It is not too much to say a congregation places a lot of expectations on their pastor. To give you an idea of some of the expectations churches have, I recently googled: congregations expectation of a pastor. I found that most congregations expect their pastor to be:

A great preacher who accurately and dynamically proclaims God’s Word, while meeting their needs and inspiring them to live for Christ.
A wise leader who studies God’s Word diligently, spends hours each week in prayer, is involved in the community and denomination, while at the same time they are a faithful family man, someone who is always available for counseling, and home and hospital visits.
A man who knows how to best meet the needs of every age group; is biblically faithful, yet never offends anyone by calling them to repent; and can rescue and revive a dying church without changing anything.

That list is just the tip of the iceberg of what congregations all across America expect of their pastor. But are these expectations realistic? Can a pastor really be all these things? Should he be all these things? More importantly: What does God’s Word tell a congregation they should expect of their pastor?

Paul in 1 Corinthians 4 lays out six qualities a congregation should expect of their pastor.

6 Qualities a Congregation Should Expect of Their Pastor

(1) A Pastor should be a servant of Christ

Paul begins chapter 4 by saying,

“This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ.” (1 Cor. 4:1a)

By using the word “servant” Paul tells us pastors are subordinates who are cater to the needs of their boss; they are helpers, assistants, servants.

Who are pastors to primarily serve?

Paul tells us pastors are first and foremost to serve Christ. I think that is an important point because it means the pastor’s primary job is to carry out the will of Jesus and not the will of the church. That’s not to say a pastor shouldn’t serve his church. That is not it at all. Pastors should certainly serve their church. But as one commentator puts it,

“When I serve Christ, I will best serve His people. When I serve His people, I may not serve Him.” — John MacArthur

What MacArthur means is that when we focus first on serving the needs of the church, we may give them what they want instead of what Jesus wants for them. While it might be easier for the pastor to give the church what they want, that is not always the biblical thing to do, nor is it always what’s best for the church.

(2) A Pastor should be a steward of God’s Word

Look at verse 1 again. Paul starts by saying,

“This is how one should regard us, [first] as servants of Christ [to that he adds] and stewards of the mysteries of God.” (1 Cor. 4:1)

The second image Paul paints for us is that of a household steward. A household steward is someone who manages and dispenses goods to the household at the request of the owner.

Pastors are household stewards because they have specifically been tasked to manage and dispense to the congregation “the mysteries of God” or God’s gospel.

Pastors are to steward God’s gospel by making sure it is faithful taught in their church. As well as they are to dispense God’s gospel, His Word to His people.

Pastors are not to stand in the pulpit and dispense: Public opinion, or philosophical teachings; they aren’t there to give a political speech, an inspirational feel good message, or even their own opinions about how this world should operate. Pastors are not to do any of those things. Instead they are to dispense God’s Word to God’s people.

It is for this reason that I primarily preach through books of the Bible. I believe that a diet of consistent consecutive exposition is what is best for the church because it best exposes them to God’s Word, instead of my opinions or my soap boxes.

Preaching then isn’t me telling you what I know, or what you want to hear. It is instead me exposing you to what God wants you to hear – His Word.

(3) A Pastor should be a faithful worker for God

Looking again at 1 Corinthians 4, in verse 2 Paul says,

“Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.” (1 Cor. 4:2)

Someone who is faithful is someone who can be trusted to do what is asked of them. That’s what God wants and what a congregation should expect – pastors who are faithful to proclaim God’s Word to His people week in and week out.

In order for a pastor to be a faithful steward of God’s Word, his greater allegiance has to be to God, not to the church. That’s because there will be times when God’s message is needed but is not popular.

(4) A Pastor should be content with what God has given him.

Pastors, and all Christians for that matter, should not allow what they don’t have or what they are experiencing to get them down.

While it is easy to say we should be content, it is not always easy to practice, especially given that Paul tells us we will:

“hunger and thirst..[be] poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless…[we will be] reviled…persecuted…slandered” (1 Cor. 4:11-13).

Even though we will experience those things, we can be content knowing God is sovereign and that He has a plan for each and everyone of our lives.

As well as contentment in the worst of situations comes by looking forward to Jesus’ return, knowing He will defeat our enemies one day. When that times comes, we will not only be vindicated for our beliefs, but we will also live in a perfect world with our Savior for all eternity.

(5) A Pastor should be one others can Imitate

Paul tells the Corinthians they are to imitate him, to mimic him (1 Cor. 4:16). He doesn’t tell them that because he wants them to get on his nerves by playing an indefinite game of copy cat. He tells them to imitate him because he knows by them imitating his speech and actions, as well as his heart for God and others, they will better follow Christ. Just like Paul, pastors should be those others can imitate.

In order to be imitatable, we have to take following Jesus seriously. When Jesus called us to be His disciples, He didn’t just call us to believe in Him. He also called us to follow Him, to live as He lives, to allow Him to direct and guide our lives. So if we want others to imitate us, we must allow the One we are to imitate to guide and direct our lives.

(6) A Pastor should provide guidance and discipline, if necessary

Pastors are given as gifts of God to teach and lovingly guide their congregations in the truth of God’s Word with patience and long-suffering (Eph. 4:11-12). They are also given to rebuke and discipline those who are unwilling to repent (1 Cor. 4:18-21).

When I say pastors are to rebuke and discipline, I do not mean pastors have the right to be heavy handed or domineering. Pastors, even when they must rebuke or discipline, must do so with love, care, patient, and compassion, just as Christ does.

Conclusion

So these are the qualities the Bible tells congregations they should expect from their pastors. They should expect them to be men who are faithful servants and stewards of the Word of God, who are content, imitatable, and ready to guide and discipline with love and patience, if necessary.

Question for Reflection

Are these the qualities you expect of your pastor?

Resources

Post adapted from my sermon: What should a congregation expect of their pastor?

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What to Do About Divisions in the Church

On May 4, 2015July 27, 2015 By Dr. Casey LewisIn Practical4 Comments

I am currently preaching through the book of 1 Corinthians. One thing I have noticed thus far is that the Corinthians were a messed up, unhealthy church. Idolatry, sexual immorality, worldly wisdom, and divisions are just a few of the things you find consuming them.

A Church Divided

One of the first topics Paul deals with is divisions. The church had divided into personality factions.

“What I mean is that each one of you says, ‘I follow Paul,’ or ‘I follow Apollos,’ or ‘I follow Cephas,’ or ‘I follow Christ.’” (1 Cor. 1:12)

Some in the church attached themselves to Paul, some to Apollos, others to Cephas (Peter), and still others to Christ. They each championed and bragged about their leader, even quarreling with one another at times over whose faction was superior.

As you could imagine, these factions killed church unity and damaged their ability to accomplish their mission — to make disciples.

Divisions Today

The Corinthians aren’t the only church to divide. Churches divide today and for a number of reasons.

(1) Personality Factions

One story I heard started with the deacons deciding they didn’t like the Pastor. They thought he was trying to change the church too much. Instead of seeing the value in what he was doing, they sought to get rid of him.

When they told the pastor their desire, he decided it would be better to resign instead of fighting with the deacons and causing the church to divide over whether he should stay or not. In his mind, he thought it would lessen the controversy, but it didn’t. Instead it sparked one.

The next Sunday at church husband and wives, friends and relatives were divided against each other. Instead of having service, they had a church wide “discussion” that ended with two of the Deacon’s wives fighting each other at the front of the church.

(2) Politics

Republicans don’t associate with Democrats and Democrats don’t associate with Republicans. As well as people divide over other individual political issues. Some like abortion and the sanctity of marriage are legitimate, but there are other smaller issues people divide over that they probably shouldn’t.

(3) How church should be done

What I have in mind are “worship wars”. Let’s face it everyone has their musical preference. Some prefer a more traditional approach, others a contemporary one. Still others like a blend of each. Instead of seeing the value of all, a lot of folks will take a hard and fast line and divide.

(4) The Decorations in the Church

You would be amazed as to how many fights start over something as simple as the color of the carpet or the paint on the wall, or even the placement of a flower arrangement.

The Root Cause of Divisions

The above are just a few reasons churches divide, there are many more, but if we are going to find a solution, we need to know what is at the root of these divisions, so we can attack and kill it.

I believe our sinful desire for power, control, and praise are at the root of most church divisions. Think about it. Does the color of the carpet or walls really matter? As long as it’s not something that blinds you when you walk it, is it really something worth dividing over? Likewise, does it really matter where the flower arrangement is placed?

No, none of those things matter because none of those things are going to hinder the gospel from being communicated. But people fight over them all the time. They do so because they want to be in control, and they want the power to determine what happens in the church.

As well as people attach themselves to certain personalities because they like the status it affords them. People want to be able to say, “I follow Paul” so I must be better than you.

3 Ways to Fix Divisions

We all know divisions are damaging to the church and must be fixed. Let me offer 3 ways to fix divisions.

(1) Realize we are all on the same team, working toward the same goal.

At the end of verse 10 Paul tells the Corinthians his desire is for them to “be united in the same mind and the same judgment” (1 Cor. 1:10b).

When Paul says that, he doesn’t mean we are all to think the same exact way about everything. Instead, what he wants is for us to put aside our competitive spirit, realize we are on the same team, and be in one accord, so we can work toward the same goal — to make disciples. Church then shouldn’t be about our power, control, or praise. Instead it should be about Jesus.

(2) Remember our need for Jesus

In verse 13 Paul says,

“Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” (1 Cor. 1:13)

Paul wants all of us to see we are sinners who need a Savior because we all have rebelled against God and deserve to be punished for our rebellion.

Realizing we are all sinners who need Jesus, should help us to see we all are in the same boat. That realization should humble us. It should kill our pride, and destroy anything inside of us that thinks we are better than another person.

(3) Realize we are all apart of the same family

Consistently throughout chapter’s 1-3 Paul uses the term “brothers”. Starting in chapter verse 10 of chapter 1 he says, “I appeal to you, brothers,” (1 Cor. 1:10a). Then later he says, “Chloe’s people [have reported] that there is quarreling among you, my brothers.” (1 Cor. 1:11b). Then in verses 26, 2:1, and 3:1 he also uses the term “brothers”.

Paul uses the term “brothers” over and over to drive home the point that we are all apart of the same family. Families are supposed to work together as one unit, caring for and loving one another, not dividing and devouring one another.

Conclusion

As believers in Christ, we should do everything we can to heal any divisions we may be experiencing. We should do that because we are all One in Christ and we should all be working toward the same goal — to make disciples and glorify Jesus.

So don’t divide against another. Instead work to heal any divisions you may be experiencing so we as a church can more effectively accomplish Jesus’ commission to us — to make disciples.

Resources

Post adapted from my sermon: A Church Divided and What to Do About It

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How Do We Work Sin Out of Our Lives?

On April 27, 2015July 27, 2015 By Dr. Casey LewisIn PracticalLeave a comment

Along with eating well, working out is an important aspect of a healthy lifestyle. Recently, there has been an upsurge of both. If not in the culture at large, at least with my social media friends. It is hard to go a day without seeing someone’s cross fit feats plastered across my Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram feeds. Seeing those got me thinking: How do we work sin out of our lives? The answer I came to is that we do and we don’t.

The Work of God

The main way sin is worked out of our lives is through the Holy Spirit working in our lives. As we are freed from sin’s reigning power in the gospel, we are also given the Holy Spirit, who takes up residence in our bodies. He then works to sanctify us by: Convicting us of sin and enabling and empowering us to deal with sin. In addition to the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, God allows circumstances to occur that help us to grow spiritually (James 1:2-4).

The Work of the Believer

Even though the Holy Spirit is working in our lives and God the Father is working everything out in His sovereign plan, we must remember that we are not removed from the fight. We cannot and must not be passive in our pursuit of holiness (Philippians 2:12-13). We must still preach the gospel to ourselves, memorize Scripture, pray, and seek accountability from other believers.

What We Can’t Forget

While we must fight, we must not forget that we can’t get rid of sin by simply trying harder. We must always come back to the gospel and the work of God in our lives. While we can’t be passive, we also can’t be prideful. We must remember we need God.

A Seven Step Process to Dealing with Sin in our Lives:

In his book, Respectable Sins, Jerry Bridges offers 7 steps to dealing with sin that I believe is useful.

(1) Apply the gospel
(2) Depend on the Holy Spirit
(3) Recognize your responsibility
(4) Identify specific sins
(5) Memorize and apply appropriate Scriptures
(6) Cultivate the practice of prayer by planning consistent times and spontaneously praying when dealing with specific sins
(7) Involve one or a few other believers with you [2]

If we remember God’s role, and our role, and practice these seven steps, I believe we will be well on our way to working sin out of our lives.

Resources

[1] Jerry Bridges, Respectable Sins, 51.

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Missional Contextualization for Gospel Transformation

On April 22, 2015July 29, 2015 By Dr. Casey LewisIn Discipleship, Evangelism, Practical, Quotes1 Comment

Paul’s determination to adapt himself to the different cultures and contexts in which he would work established a basic mission strategy reflective of an important understanding of the relationship between the gospel and culture that has been essential to effective mission work throughout history.

What Could Have Been the Strategy

The Christian church could have simply decided that the gospel was a Jewish message sent throughout the world and that a proper response to the gospel should result in adopting the same cultural incarnation in all places. In that way Christians would all look and act the same, all have the same culture, wherever (or whenever) they lived.

What is the Strategy

Paul understands that the gospel does not belong to any particular culture.

As the gospel takes root among different peoples and cultures, its essence will remain the same but its “look and feel” may be somewhat different.

Why Contextualization is Important

Paul’s ability to adapt his life and culture according to the context in which he worked would have been strategic not only for the initial communication of the gospel but also for the ability of his converts to understand what it would look like for them to become members of Christ’s body. Gentile converts would not have to adopt Jewish culture to be members of Christ’s community, and Jewish converts to Christ would not need to become Gentiles or reject their Jewish heritage and lifestyle as part of their recognition of Christ’s lordship.

Question for Reflection

Do you expect the lost to adapt to your culture? If so, why could that be an unnecessary hindrance to salvation?

Resources

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Text from Ciampa and Rosner, 1 Corinthians (PNTC), 425-26. Headings are my own.

Eat the Word for Breakfast

On April 21, 2015December 16, 2015 By Dr. Casey LewisIn Church Life, Pastoral6 Comments

Every Friday morning at 6:30am for the last three years I have gathered with a group of men at IHOP for breakfast and Bible study.

The Plan – One Chapter

When we get together, our plan is to cover one chapter in God’s Word. As we cover that chapter, we work to understand what it means and how it applies to our lives, church, and culture. We don’t use any particular studies, nor is anyone designated as the teacher. We are all responsible for reading and studying ahead of time, and participating in the conversation. I was first introduced to this concept through David Helm’s book One to One Bible Reading.

The Effect – Changed Lives

The method is simple, but it has been effective. Over the last several years, we have covered all the Minor Prophets and most of the New Testament. During that time, not only has our knowledge of God’s Word and ability to interpret Scripture grown, but our minds have been renewed, our hearts transformed, and our actions corrected. As well as our relationships with one another have grown, allowing us the ability to encourage and help one another work through difficult situations and sin that the Word has exposed through our study.

Reflecting on the group and the changes over the last several years, I am reminded of the Cry of the Reformers

The church reformed and always being reformed according to God’s Word.

While I have always known God’s Word changes lives, experiencing it in my life and that of others has given me the confidence to stand with the Reformers of years past in calling for the primacy of God’s Word in our lives and churches.

The Encouragement – Eat the Word for Breakfast

Knowing the effect our gathering has had on our lives, I encourage you to do the same. Get together with a few people in your community and eat the Word for breakfast.

Question for Reflection

How has consistently studying God’s Word changed your life and the lives of those around you?

Resources

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David Helm One to One Bible Reading

11 Things to Pray for a Deeper Prayer Life

On April 20, 2015July 29, 2015 By Dr. Casey LewisIn Discipleship, PracticalLeave a comment

We all know we should pray regularly, but we often don’t. There are numerous reasons for why we don’t pray on a regular basis.

Why We Don’t Pray

Life gets busy — We haven’t set aside the time, and a prayerless morning turns into a prayerless week.
We think God doesn’t have the time — Our needs seem minor next to the atrocities we read about in the paper — famine, ebola, and genocide.
We believe we must pull our own bootstraps up — Our problem is ours, not God’s.

Maybe you find yourself in the list above. If you do, I can assure you, God does have time for you, so you should make time for Him. Your needs, however small, are important to God. As well as trying to handle everything on your own is not wise, nor what God wants.

Maybe you don’t find yourself in the above list. Maybe the reason you don’t pray is because you don’t know what to pray. If that’s you, let me point you to the Psalms. There you will find a wealth of content to guide you in prayer.

The Psalms

Lately, I have been meditating on the Psalms, even praying them at times. Doing so has added a lot of depth to my prayer life. As I was meditating on Psalm 25, I wrote down 11 things to pray for a deeper prayer life that I want to share with you.

11 Things to Pray

Pray God would help you trust Him more (1-3)
Pray for greater knowledge of God (4-5)
Pray a prayer of repentance (6-7)
Pray God would instruct and lead you (8-10)
Praise God for saving you (11)
Pray God’s name would be magnified (11)
Pray you would fear the Lord (12-15)
Pray your emotions and ask God to help you in your time of need (16-18)
Pray you would respond to your enemies in a gospel-centered way (19-20)
Pray for integrity and uprightness in your dealings with others (21)
Pray for God’s final and complete redemption (22)

Question for Reflection

Do you use a guide to help you when you pray? If so, would you share it?

Resource

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