Preachers

Must Be Something in the Water…

/ pastorlynnmalone / Leave a comment

Well, dang! It’s happened again…and in the Dallas, Texas area, too. What has happened again? Another prominent pastor has fallen from grace.

Pastor Steve Lawson, pastor (well, former pastor now) of Trinity Bible Church in Dallas, Texas was removed from his ministry by the elders of the church last week because of an “inappropriate relationship” with a woman who was not his wife. (Read more about the story here).

I’m not here to dump on Pastor Lawson. He’s got enough people doing that. I do want to say, though, there must be something in the water in the Dallas area that is affecting pastors. Only this past June, two very high profile pastors resigned or were removed from ministry in the Dallas area for the same issue facing Pastor Lawson. (I wrote about those two persons here).

I’ll say that Pastor Lawson (who is 73 years old!) is/was a passionate preacher. I’ve listened to a number of his sermons through the years, and have read a couple of his books (he’s written over 30). When he preached, he always preached with certainty and authority (that’s my kind of preaching). He may not have always been right, but he was never in doubt. He was, by all accounts, a holy man used mightily by God for His glory.

A Christian Reaction to Non-Christian Behavior

As one might expect, the ordeal has the Christian community scratching its collective head wondering what is going on with all these “holy” people. Are they living sham lives, false lives, hypocritical lives?

The non-Christian community is not asking the questions, they’re simply saying that all Christianity is a sham and that all Christians are hypocrites (they might be correct on the hypocrite part). Lawson just happens to be the latest example to their point.

As I have reflected over the past week on Lawson’s situation, I’ve found myself asking the same questions. The easier path would be to dismiss these fallen pastors as charlatans and move on, but in so doing we might overlook some truth and miss what God is doing in the midst of it all. So, where is the truth?

First, we need to clarify that we are ALL sinners saved by the amazing grace of God in Jesus Christ. Both preacher and parishioner are subject to sin because as the Apostle Peter reminds us “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8 NIV). The devil can devour the preacher as easily as the parishioner.

Second, these pastors were removed or stepped away from vocational ministry. Appropriately so, I might add. The sins to which they’ve either admitted or accused are of the disqualifying sort–at least until repentance is made and restoration practiced (that’s a whole other discussion).

Clergy should be held to a higher standard, but even acknowledging that fact, I am reminded of the words of Oswald Chambers: “The call of God has nothing to do with salvation and sanctification; it isn’t because you are saved and sanctified that you’ve been called to preach.” We are called to preach because God chose us to do so, and in so doing, placed a “divine compulsion” (the Apostle Paul’s words) within us.

Third, God uses both the holy and the unholy to minister to His people. This is where it gets sticky, but this is the point I want to make as I reflect on these events.

The Holy and The Unholy

I am reminded of Paul’s words to Timothy:

20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. 21 Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. (2 Timothy 2: 20 – 21 NIV)

Paul writes to Timothy to encourage him to rightly handle the Word of God. He even goes so far as to name two who have departed from the truth and brought confusion to the body of Christ. Yet, in his encouragement he admits that God’s house contains both holy and unholy vessels. Here’s the truth: God uses both!

Are the holy vessels more useful? Yes, obviously, but just because the holy vessels are MORE useful, doesn’t mean the Master does not utilize the unholy ones.

Please don’t hear me making excuses for these pastors and their failures. Their failures are their own and they must own them and deal with the consequences. What I am saying is don’t discount the good God has done through the ministry He entrusted to them–in spite of their failures. Stated another way: Don’t let the good God has done be negated by their unholy actions.

Nothing justifies their actions, but their actions don’t mean God wasn’t using them. So, why would God use unholy vessels? I can think of three reasons.

God and Unholy Vessels

The first reason is that God loves His people. He’s not using the person for the sake of the person. If He were, the person might begin to think that God owes him/her something because they’re “holy.” Or, the person might begin to think that God is okay with what he/she is doing…if it were all about the person. No, God is using the unholy for the sake of His people, and if another person’s life is touched in the course of that ministry, God has demonstrated His love for His people using an unholy vessel.

The second reason might be that God is storing up judgement/discipline for that “holy/unholy” person. Maybe God is giving that person the rope he/she is asking for, and surely, if you give a person enough rope he/she will hang themselves. Perhaps it is all about judgment/discipline towards His house. Is that not God using the unholy for His purpose?

The third reason is so that He can demonstrate the riches of His grace. God’s is an amazing and extravagant grace, and He gives it in ways we don’t always understand, nor do we always like (ask the older brother in the Story of the Prodigal Son).

If God used only holy people, it wouldn’t be long before all the holy people would be pointing to themselves thinking everything was happening because they are so holy. No, everything is happening because God is so gracious. It is always and forever about what God is doing, never ever about what we are doing.

So, I suppose we should let this be a warning to all of us (especially those of us in ministry). So, I heed the warning by seeking to live a holy life, by confronting the sin that is within me, and by crucifying the passions and lusts of the flesh on a daily basis…well, because holiness is such a daily endeavor. And I do it not for ministry success, but because I’m a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Yes, God uses holy vessels in a greater way than unholy ones, but God can, and sometimes does, use people who are undeserving. And, He does it whether I like it or not.

Until next time, keep looking up…

A Glimpse Inside a Preacher’s Mind…

/ pastorlynnmalone / Leave a comment

I went to church last Sunday. I heard a good sermon from a good preacher. These former United Methodists, though, they are in uncharted waters. The preacher who was preaching was doing so “in view of a call” to be the church’s pastor. The congregation was handing out ballots so the people could vote. It just seemed all so Baptist to me, but we are living in a new world as former United Methodists, aren’t we?

A Critical Mind

I did what I usually do when I attend worship where I’m not preaching. I critiqued the sermon. Don’t judge me! I suspect it is what most preachers do when they attend worship. They’ll probably tell you otherwise, but only a few (those really holy few) really mean it.

What is there to critique? Well, there is first the choice of text. Unless the preacher is preaching from the Revised Common Lectionary, I wonder why the preacher chose the text he/she chose. Did the preacher spend time in deep prayer and devotion and was moved by the Spirit to preach this text? Or, did the preacher just pull out an old sermon, dust it off, freshen it up and preach it?

Next, I can usually find a reason to critique the points of the sermon. “Well, I don’t know if I would have included that in the message.” “Interesting direction he/she took with that point.” “That application doesn’t really work with that point.” “I think I could have found a better illustration for that point.” And on it could go…

Then, I can usually find a critique of the preacher’s exegesis. Exegesis is one of those three dollar theological words that simply means “read out of.” It is taking the biblical text and bringing out the meaning, rather than reading meaning into the text.

Let me see if I can say it another way: Reading into the text (called eisogesis) would be like saying, “This is what the text means to me.” Reading out of the text would be saying, “This is what the author meant when he wrote the text.” There is a world of difference between the two.

Finally, I can usually find a critique or two on the preacher’s delivery. The preacher’s dress code, the preacher’s cadence, the preacher’s inflection, the preacher’s diction. And, on it could go…

Not to worry, though. I know that when I preach to a congregation that has other preachers in it, I’m probably getting the same treatment. Nonetheless, we preach on in spite of the critique. And, seriously, the guy is a good preacher and he preached a good sermon. That’s what you do when you’re preaching in view of a call (it still sounds strange saying that as a Methodist).

A Thoughtful Mind

How do I know the sermon was a good sermon? Because it was thought-provoking. The notes I made from the message cover the worship folder from the service.

The scripture for the message was Matthew 14: 22 – 33–

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

29 “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

So, here’s your opportunity to get a glimpse into how my mind works when I’m listening to someone else preach.

Thinking About Peter

The preacher’s message prompted me to look at the event from Peter’s perspective. My first thought was, “I wonder how many steps Peter took on the water?” Did he take one and then began to sink? Did he take ten before he began sinking? Even if he took one step, what a miracle that is because people don’t walk on water!

Also, Peter was actually willing to get out of the boat. What a risk of faith! Those who are willing to take the risk of faith generally reap the greatest rewards. Seems like there is a sermon in there to me. I’ll come back to this note another day. Yeah, I know, John Ortberg wrote an entire book about it. Nonetheless, I can put my own spin on it.

Peter, even in the midst of great faith, exhibited doubt and fear. No one is perfect…not even Peter…even as great as his faith was. Even the greatest among us can be overcome by doubt and fear…even in the midst of a miracle. Maybe it’s in the midst of a miracle that the devil shows up to do his most deceptive work?

Thinking About the other Disciples

I also think about the disciples who remained in the boat. I first got the impression that the disciples who remained in the boat are like most followers of Jesus. We are unwilling to take the risk of faith. The safest place is in the boat in the middle of the storm.

Interestingly, though, even disciples who aren’t willing to take the risk of faith still reap the benefit from those who do. They witnessed the miracle of Peter walking on water and of Jesus calming the storm. See how much difference one person’s faith can make? Yeah, probably a sermon in there, too. I’ll hold on to this note.

Thinking About Jesus

Of course, this is one of the Gospels, so what is most important is what do we learn about Jesus? First, Jesus is in the storm. That doesn’t mean Jesus causes the storm. It just means He’s there. Probably a sermon in there somewhere, too.

Not only is Jesus in the storm, sometimes He calls us into the storm. Yeah, I could do an entire sermon on our uniquely American name-it-and-claim-it prosperity gospel with this as an example of how we don’t need to avoid the “storms of life.” Jesus is there in the storm and He calls us to join Him there. It is where faith is built and miracles happen.

Jesus also gives us a powerful example of the spiritual disciplines of prayer and solitude. He went away alone (as was often His want) to pray. Jesus’s power was rooted in His relationship with His Father. I’m not so sure that this is not the most important point of the encounter. Jesus was sustained by this relationship, and all He accomplished He accomplished because of His connection to His Father. Exegesis (see above) proves this point well. Yeah, there’s a sermon in there.

One final thought I noted was the simple fact that Jesus is our salvation. Whether we are in the storm or in the boat, it is Jesus who saves us. Jesus saved Peter from the doubt and fear he experienced in the storm (while he was walking on water, I might add), and Jesus saved the other disciples when He calmed the storm once He got into the boat. Perhaps this is the most important point of the encounter–Jesus saves!

A Hopeful Mind

See? I told you it was a good sermon. No, the preacher didn’t make all these points in his sermon (it would be insufferably long if he did!). The sermon was good enough to get me to think all those things. So what if I might have gone a different direction? So what if the preacher’s diction wasn’t the greatest? So what if…? So what?

I left challenged to think more deeply about this event and its implications in my life and the life of the Church. I left asking more questions about Jesus and wanting to find the answers. That’s what good sermons do. I can only pray that my sermons are that good, too.

So now, you’ve had a brief glimpse into how the mind of a preacher works…or, at least how this preacher’s mind works. Please don’t judge me. I am, after all, not the perfect pastor.

Until next time, keep looking up…