On the last day there will be a parade of ordinary men, whose names you have never heard, who will hear the following from the Savior: “Well done, good and faithful pastor.” This parade will include men like Tom Carson. At the conclusion to the biography of his father, Don Carson writes these words: Tom Carson never rose very far in denominational structures, but hundreds of people in the Outaouais and beyond testify how much he loved them. He never…
At the outset of this passage (2 Timothy 4:1–5), Paul informs Timothy that he gives this charge in the presence of God (“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus”) and in light of the final Day of Judgment (“who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom”). Paul wants Timothy to be motivated by an eternal perspective. During an NCAA college basketball tournament a few years back, I…
As Paul begins to summarize the pastoral call, he paints the picture this way: “As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Timothy 4:5). The pastor’s biography should be a simple one: he was sober-minded, endured suffering, did the work of an evangelist, fulfilled his ministry. He is sober-minded, not like those described in verses 3 and 4 who are vulnerable to fads and trends. He is not seduced by…
So what are your expectations of those you serve? Let me recommend a few realistic expectations. First, I think you should be amazed that those who heard you preach last Sunday come back—and even at times bring guests. No one should be more amazed than the ordinary pastor when people return. Why should I be amazed? Because I preached last Sunday! “If some men were sentenced to hear their own sermons,” Spurgeon said, “it would be a righteous judgment upon…
Sanctification is a process—an extremely slow process—for us all. Comprehending truth, applying truth, mortifying indwelling sin, cultivating the fruit of the Spirit—it’s a process that usually takes place by small increments over a lifetime. Normally, people don’t grow dramatically as the result of a single sermon or sermon series. And neither do you. Look at it this way: for ordinary pastors, the slow process of sanctification is a form of job security. Too often I expect those I serve to…