Over the course of ministry, I have been confronted by well-meaning friends and colleagues concerning my personality and preaching. I am not saying they were wrong in doing so. In fact, this has been a “thorn in my flesh” in several ways as the Lord’s plan for my use in ministry has been carried out. Over the years people have observed me as passionate, intense, typically high energy and high volume, and one individual, years ago felt compelled to let me know that I was unapproachable, and they may have been right. Regardless, my approach to ministry is a serious one and while the temptations to somehow be different to appeal to people have been real, my convictions concerning Scripture are stronger and I have no desire to compromise the truth as to come across more palatable.
That said, as time has passed, I have sought out the “fruit of the Spirit” more and valued my personality less. I have asked the Lord to moderate my ministry methods, and although He has made some much-needed changes, He has not seen it fit, at least as it relates to preaching, to diminish my vocal range, or to alter my facial expressions, and there are many cases, when I still look like a linebacker ready to take out the folks on the first row. This may be why no one ever sits there. HA! The back rows are always fuller than the front. Seriousness and intensity still characterize the ministry God has entrusted to me, but I believe this is a good thing.
Truth be told, we live in a world that idolizes fun and avoids serious matters, and the church is in a prime place to be different and draw people’s attention to the most serious matter of all; the knowledge of God and the truth of Scripture that leads to salvation and ongoing spiritual growth.
Consider the following insights concerning the seriousness with which the church should be ministering the Word of God.
Insight 1 – THE SERIOUS CHURCH HAS A SERIOUS LOVE FOR THE WORD OF GOD!
A serious love for the Word of God begins with God. No Christian has willed themselves into love with the Scripture. The Lord brings us under the power of His Word and is faithful to do so for those who seek Him with all their heart. Without a serious love for the Word of God, effective ministry is impossible. The church may appear healthy, but their fruit is plastic when you go to bite into it. It looks great from the outside and there appears to be a lot of it, but it has no caloric value. The distinction here is a serious love for the Scripture that drives every ministry of the church!
“I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame, for I delight in your commands because I love them.” Psalm 119:46-47 (NIV)
Insight 2 – THE SERIOUS CHURCH HAS A SERIOUS LOVE FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD!
The truth is that we can’t have a serious love for the people of God without a serious love of the Word of God. The Word of God helps us know who the people of God are. The Word of God shows us how to love with the love of God as opposed to some other worldly version. Many churches are loving people with a lovely counterfeit appealing first and foremost to the felt needs of people rather than introducing them to the God of Scripture who alone can satisfy their deepest longings and transform their lives altogether! The love of God looks different, sounds different, and feels different. The church with a serious love for the Word of God will be compelled to obey, serve, sacrifice, and care for others in a Christ-like way. The love of God learned in the Text will be the love people encounter and this is the love they desperately need.
Furthermore, God is love and the Word of God is how we know God. If we love the Word of God, we can help others to know Him also! The following text is a powerful one concerning the expression of the love of God thru the ministry of the church, but we would not know it if we did not engage the Scripture, read it, and learn it so that we can apply it.
“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:17-19 (NIV)
Insight 3 – THE SERIOUS CHURCH UNDERSTANDS THE SERIOUS LANGUAGE OF SCRIPTURE!
Again, it all begins with a serious love for the Word of God. Churches, preachers, teachers who don’t minister the Word of God seriously are in many cases lacking a right understanding of It. This happens on many occasions due to a lack of passion or true desire to know what the Text says. How can any serious student of the Scripture not perceive the serious nature of the divine content? The answer is, “They will.” And it will be evident in their ministry approach. That’s not to say their preaching will be louder, or their emotions more evident, after all, we are all different and unique in our passions. However, the people of God will certainly be able to detect a deep longing in the preacher to understand the Word of God rightly so it can then be introduced to the hearer in the same fashion, to their greatest benefit! We take seriously the words of Paul to his protégé Timothy, (note the word “warn”, sounds serious to me.)
“Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:14-15 (NIV)
Insight 4 – THE SERIOUS CHURCH ACKNOWLEDGES THE SERIOUS EXPRESSION OF CHRIST!
Read the prophetic words of Isaiah, then follow that up with the Gospel accounts and one could not possibly overlook the seriousness surrounding the life of Christ. Pay attention to the way He spoke to the disciples, the attacks of the pharisees and Satan himself. Note the righteous indignation Christ brought to the temple as He entered Jerusalem! He spoke emphatically. We know this by the punctuation. Spend time in the Gospels and you will likely come to an understanding that Christ was serious and for good reason. He had to suffer and die to be raised to life so that those who God chose could be reconciled unto Him for eternity!
Insight 5 – THE SERIOUS CHURCH REALIZES HER SERIOUS CALLING!
The calling of the church to minister the Word of God, to help people know God once more is impossible without a serious knowledge of the Scripture. When we don’t place a priority on the Holy Word, we are failing in our calling, plain and simple. The Holy Word is how we know God, but it is also how we know ourselves both as individuals and as the Body of Christ. Take away the Word of God and this explains the worldly seeker sensitive churches we have on so many street corners. So much of what’s happening on Sunday morning is nothing more than a rouse, a stirring up of human emotions with no eternal significance at all. So called Christians are being whipped up into a frenzy and the Holy Spirit is being accused of it when He had nothing to do with it, but how do we recognize this? How can we possibly know this is what’s going on? The answer is found in diligent study of the Holy Writ! Spend time there, lots of it! Go mining for the divine riches in the pages and I assure you things will start to become clear not only as it relates to the calling of the church, but also the problem we face if pulpits continue on a path away from the Scripture.
A good prayer for us all would be, “Lord help us!”
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