Recently, a young man opened up and told my wife and me how horribly bothered he is ABOUT HIS OWN FATHER, who is a Baptist “pastor”! “He tells jokes from the pulpit and his congregation is filled with hypocrites,” he told us.
(He also mentioned his father had sex with an 18 year old girl several years ago!) He flatly refuses to attend his father’s congregation and is distressed by his so-called “preaching.” He, his wife and baby daughter have church together in their house and refuse to “go to church” where his father stands behind the pulpit! As he quoted the Lord Jesus, “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” (Mat 18:20).
Can You Be A Christian And NOT Go To Church
That young man’s report also reminds me of a Presbyterian man, who told me years ago that he left that congregation because the “pastor” there was throwing grapes up into the air and catching them in his mouth, as he was preaching! Such ridiculous nonsense is too common, even to the extreme of Calvinist Mark Driscoll outrightly insulting the Lord Jesus, as he lectures to his group! From there we could go to conscience seared liars, such as Chuck Missler, who admits to lying before the very audience he was about to preach the heresy of eternal security to! These, and others similar to them, are the opposite of what a true preacher is really like. So what should true servants be, according to scripture?
The Apostle Paul Was DEAD Serious As He Taught
The true servants of God have always been dead serious as they taught God’s word. Why so serious? Because nothing is more important than the work of God revolving around God’s truth and souls. Since nothing could be more serious, how could anyone walking with God take lightly the importance of declaring God’s eternal truths to the people in dire need of instruction, encouragement and perhaps a warning of severe danger?
In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. (Titus 2:7,8)
Again, soundness of speech is mentioned, but also SERIOUSNESS, which excludes all joke telling. NO servant of God is ever shown telling jokes in the bible!
Soundness
True servants of God must also be able to teach God’s word from the scriptures alone (2 Tim. 3:16,17)
and reason from the scriptures (Acts 17:2). The Bible is the one and only source for truth. True servants of God must also be able to refute those who oppose it (Titus 1:9). If such abilities are not present in a so-called spiritual leader, how can he stand against the many lethal lies of the devil, which will certainly come in various forms against the very souls he is commanded to guard (1 Tim. 6:20)?
The Heart of a True Servant of God
Let’s focus on the apostle Paul, who was a shining example par excellence of a true servant, after Jesus. What was Paul really like as he ministered and conducted himself throughout his ministry? As he faced various severe trials Paul wrote:
I served the Lord with great humility and WITH TEARS, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews. You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO YOU but have taught you publicly and from house to house. (Acts 20:19,20)
NOTE: Paul taught to “help” his audience. That is very significant and speaks volumes about his godly motives. He knew certain truths would benefit them and was personally willing to pay the price to tell those truths from the scriptures.
TEARS were also a regular part of Paul’s ministry and let’s not forget that Jesus was a “man of sorrows” (Isa. 53:3). To see a smiley, joking professing spiritual leader before the people is out of place and indicates serious spiritual problems in him. Tears, NOT laughter, was a trait of Paul:
So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with TEARS. (Acts 20:31)
For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many TEARS, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you. (2 Cor 2:4)
For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with TEARS, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. (Phil 3:18)
LOVE Manifested In Gospel Telling
The heart filled with love shares the gospel with others!
We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. (1 Thess 2:8)
COMMENT: One of the greatest manifestations of Christian “love” is to speak God’s truth needed for salvation, even if it will bring trouble and persecutions to the preacher. How could people not recognize this in Paul? Don’t forget John the Baptist either!
To Win As Many As Possible
Paul had no hint of greed in him at all, EXCEPT FOR SOULS!
Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. (1 Cor 9:19-22)
Comment: SOULS are always the priority for a true servant of God. Paul paid any cost within the will of God, while living holy, to win more souls and help keep souls saved.
Paul Warned About Losing Salvation
Suffering
The truest and most dedicated preacher surely won’t be appreciated for his dedication and laborers. In fact, some of the very ones he has helped to get saved and prayed for will turn on him and later become his enemy! Such heart-blows are a reality and even the perfect Lord Jesus experienced similar things (Mt. 26:21; Mt. 26:31-34; etc.)! The true preacher will be persecuted and opposed — even viciously by some — as he spreads the word of life and lives holy! The world will HATE him (John 17:14)! All men will not speak well of him (Lk. 6:26).
Nehemiah
Though Nehemiah was not a preacher, he had the spiritual traits of a true preacher of God’s word! For him the task was rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem after it was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar.
Nehemiah was a determined and fully-committed, bold and God-fearing man, who sunk great effort and sacrifice into the project to successfully see it accomplished! There was absolutely NO playtime or distractions allowed with him. He knew his hard-to-attain goal, and its importance, and went after it as a hunting dog running after a rabbit. All along Nehemiah continued to look to God for help as he faced various serious problems head on. Nehemiah was also an example and motivator, who got others needed for the project at hand, to join in on the grueling task of rebuilding the wall. He wasn’t reluctant to confront trouble, and got forceful with certain people without partiality, who needed it, just like a true preacher. Nehemiah was a successful and fruitful servant of God, who positively affected millions by his faithfulness and exceptional dedication.
Bible Answer To American Preachers Are Unusual
IF you can find a true servant of God in our apostate day, back him up. That man is a valuable asset to the Kingdom of God. Encourage and pray for him, for surely the devil wants to take him down! He will face MANY problems you will never know about in this life. He is battling for your soul and his own, as he looks to God and feeds the sheep (Jn. 21:15-17). Perhaps, YOU could dedicate yourself to God and become a true preacher of God’s Word, like Paul was and be a great blessing with your life.
