“Some men love to fight and are drawn to controversy. I assert that such a spirit is not encouraged in the bible. There are times, however, when the glory of God and the authority of truth and the safety of the flock demands that pastors take a forceful stand.”
In the act of preaching, the Chief Shepherd is preaching to his people through his appointed servant. The herald of the King must accurately express both the message of the King and the heart of the King.
I have been involved, in one form or another, in the public ministry of God’s word for nearly 45 years. In those years I have taught or preached to saints and sinners over 3,000 times. Some years ago, I noticed a general sense of fatigue in the ministry. I realized that I had been battling discouragement for an extended period of time. This discouragement, for me, was rooted in what I will term a ‘theologically informed pessimism’.
“Love is the most essential element of the Christian faith; there is a special sense in which pastors are to love those entrusted to their care.”
No pastor I know wants their churches to fade away when they are gone. They desire that God will replace them with robustly confessional men who love the Lord and His people and who will lead them to the green grass and cool waters of His Word for decades till they themselves are replaced.