Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Excellent Essay on Pastoral Ministry
Courteous Reader,
I recently renewed an old blogship (friendship made through blogging) with a fellow pastor, Barry Maxwell, who ministers in a church in Tennessee. He was asked to address a class at a Baptist college, and wrote a manuscript of his remarks for the occasion. He has briefly described the experience and generously posted the manuscript on his blog. I highly recommend it.
Here is the link:
http://bjmaxwell.com/2010/03/09/strive-to-be-ordinary/
Here is one of the helpful thoughts, to whet your appetite:
"Some medicine is best taken on a full stomach, or else it causes more pain than the ailment. Likewise, imperatives are digested far easier and with greater hope by souls full of the gospel."
That's just what Paul did in his epistles! Consider how Romans chapters 1-11 is all about how God has saved us by His Son Jesus Christ. Then chapter 12 begins with "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God . . ." and goes on to tell us how we should live, all in response to the salvation given by God's grace.
In Brother Barry's essay, there is also material about humility. But I'm already perfectly humble, and proud of it, so I didn't need any of that. :)
Love in Christ,
Jeff
I recently renewed an old blogship (friendship made through blogging) with a fellow pastor, Barry Maxwell, who ministers in a church in Tennessee. He was asked to address a class at a Baptist college, and wrote a manuscript of his remarks for the occasion. He has briefly described the experience and generously posted the manuscript on his blog. I highly recommend it.
Here is the link:
http://bjmaxwell.com/2010/03/09/strive-to-be-ordinary/
Here is one of the helpful thoughts, to whet your appetite:
"Some medicine is best taken on a full stomach, or else it causes more pain than the ailment. Likewise, imperatives are digested far easier and with greater hope by souls full of the gospel."
That's just what Paul did in his epistles! Consider how Romans chapters 1-11 is all about how God has saved us by His Son Jesus Christ. Then chapter 12 begins with "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God . . ." and goes on to tell us how we should live, all in response to the salvation given by God's grace.
In Brother Barry's essay, there is also material about humility. But I'm already perfectly humble, and proud of it, so I didn't need any of that. :)
Love in Christ,
Jeff
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