The Most Urgent Need in the Church

"Pastor, I wonder if you agree with these two paragraphs from Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ book Preaching and Preachers?

But, ultimately, my reason for being very ready to give these lectures is that to me the work of preaching is the highest and greatest and the most glorious calling to which anyone can ever be called. If you want something in addition to that I would say without any hesitation that the most urgent need in the Christian Church today is true preaching; and as it is the greatest and most urgent need in the Church, it is obviously the greatest need of the world also. (9)

Do you believe that? Do believe that you have been called to the highest and greatest and most glorious calling to which anyone can ever be called? Do you believe the most urgent need in the church is not for better programs or for better leadership principles, but for better preaching? Do you believe. pastor, that the best way for you to serve the world is to study yourself full every week and preach yourself empty every Sunday?

Here is the other quotation.

We are here to preach this Word, this it the first thing, ‘We will give ourselves continually to prayer and the ministry of the Word.’ Now there are the priorities laid down once and for ever. This is the primary task of the Church, the primary task of the leaders of the Church, the people who are sit in this position of authority; and we must not allow anything to deflect us from this, however good the cause, however great the need. This is surely the direct answer to much of the false thinking and reasoning concerning these matters at the present time. (23)

Is that right? Do you believe that the primary task Church is not to redeem the cosmos or make a heaven a place on earth, but to preach Christ and him crucified? Do you believe that your primary task as a leader of the church is not cultural transformation but gospel proclamation? Do you believe the word of God will do the work of God?

Remember, pastors, as you step into the pulpit tomorrow you are charged in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word."

Article by Pastor Kevin DeYoung.  Key thoughts by Martyn Lloyd-Jones

"Expect To Be Misunderstood, Misrepresented, Belied, Ridiculed..."

Charles Spurgeon's advice to faithful ministers of the gospel.  "Expect to be misunderstood, misrepresented, belied, ridiculed, and so forth; for so was the Sent of the Father....As the Father sent His Son into a world which was sure to treat him ill, so has he sent you into the same world, which will treat you in the same manner if you are like Christ."

...."For my part, I am quite willing to be eaten of dogs for the next fifty years; but the more distant future shall vindicate me. I have dealt honestly before the living God."

Ministry Deja Vu

Deja vu "from the French, literally means 'already seen.'  Deja vu is the phenomenon of having the strong sensation that an event or experience currently being experienced has been experienced in the past, regardless of whether it has actually happened." 

As Bible believing Christians we do not really believe in things such as karma, luck, or deja vu.  Having said that, I want to highlight an important issue this morning using the phraseology "ministry deja vu."

I have learned over the past ten years of pastoral ministry that apart from a significant work of grace in someone's life history has a uncanny way of repeating itself.   This principle has been brought home to me especially in the realm of church membership.