Contemplating the idea of Pastor-Theologian

There is an almost innumerable amount of books and resources available delineating what the role of the pastor-teacher is in the church. There has been a strong movement declaring that the pastor must become a better leader for the sake of the church. There is leadership involved in the ministry of a pastor. One would be naive to think otherwise. Yet, this has resulted in pastors spending more time attempting to discover how to better motivate, inspire, and reconfigure people. It has led to many pastors becoming frustrated that they are unable to successfully lead those under their oversight.

When one examines the biblical text there are some very interesting details to be found that shed light on this confusing issue. Moses was the shepherd of Israel. When you read through the account of Moses' leadership experience you will discover that he didn't have one of those charming, successful leadership roles that are described in so many contemporary Christian leadership books and seminars. Much of modern leadership appears to be more manipulation and charm, than biblical leadership.

These contemporary leadership books and seminars present principle after principle that many times are based more on anthropology than Theology. People are sinful. Therefore, deep down we don't desire to submit to Christ as Lord, nor to the authority of Scripture. It is in my humble opinion that the majority of “leadership problems” in the church today are the result of refusing to submit to Christ and the Word of God, not the lack of leadership acumen on the part of the pastor(s). I would be first to admit that as a pastor I have a long way to go in my walk with God. But, as a result of reading books on leadership which are produced by non-believers, we have begun to believe that if one implements all of the anthropological principles set forth, it will always result in the people following. This is not what we learn in the Word of God, nor in life. Sin disrupts the whole process.

My conclusion to this matter is as follows:

If every believer submitted to the Lordship of Christ and the authority of the Scriptures there would be no need whatsoever for all of this talk about leadership. Pastors would proclaim the Scriptures and believers would obey and follow. This would be true even in the many cases in which the pastors are not charming, nor innovative and inspiring. I pray that we would get back to studying the Scriptures for the purpose of determining our actions and training. John Piper suggest this biblical role for pastors. He is the first person I have heard to suggest such an idea of a “pastor-theologian.” He urges every pastor to be a “pastor-theologian” not merely a leader.

Doctrinal and Theological Vagueness

Doctrinal and Theological Vagueness

There is something of note that I have discovered lately in perusing the websites of various churches. It seems as though there are many churches that have not bothered to included a doctrinal statement on their website. One would wonder what the motivation behind such an omission would be? Contrary to what many would declare, the Bible clearly proclaims that doctrine is important (Jude 3; Rev. 22:18-19; 2 Pet. 3:14-18). Is the motivation not to offend those who have varying doctrinal stances? There are many things that have been practiced by churches since the day of Pentecost that are merely preferences rather than commands. Yet, there are many biblical issues that one must study to determine what he believes.

There were some doctrinal statements that were more like lyrics to a contemporary Christian song, than a fully developed statement of biblical beliefs. This has led me to believe that there is widespread Theological ignorance at the highest levels of many local churches. I recently read of the contemporary disdain for history. Mankind has concluded that they know more than any generation before and therefore have no need to learn from our ancestors. This reminds me of a plaque that was hung in the classroom of my high school history teacher. It read as follows, “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” This chronological snobbery has invaded the church. Evangelical Christians believe they are “rootless” and are out to discover what is best for the church. The truth is that the Bible contains a great deal of historical information from which we must learn, so that we may be able to live a life that truly glorifies God (Rom. 15:4; 4:23-25; 1 Cor. 10:6-13). A large number of evangelical Christians are not only ignorant of the Old Testament, which gives us a proper foundation for and understanding of the New Testament, but we are ignorant of Church history. Church history is littered with examples of good and bad Theology. It contains pictures of how the Church was affected by its culture during history. It is to our detriment that we are unaware of these valuable lessons.

Maybe this current climate of Theological vagueness, which is also evidenced in so much of contemporary Christian music, is a symptom of a greater problem. It seems as though we are spending more time trying to “figure out” how to “grow” local churches, than we are spending time growing in our knowledge of and intimacy with the God of the Bible. God seems to be more of an accessory in our local churches, rather than the centerpiece. Maybe this is why we are Theologically vague. We are unsure of the importance of biblical doctrine. We are unsure of the value of Theology. We have come to believe that the “study of God” is not very exciting and not very relevant. We seem to have made ourselves the centerpiece of local churches. Why study God's Word to know God when our concerns and lives are more important? There are a large number who come to local churches for the purpose of learning more about their potential and their circumstances. If a local church is to focus on God and the proclamation of His Word, may view that local church as irrelevant.

If one seeks answers from Scripture, it would seem that Theological vagueness has resulted from professing Christians worshiping self, rather than the Triune God.

1 Corinthians 4:8-21

1 Corinthians

4:8-21

[Intro:]

Last time we were studying Paul's first letter to the Corinthians we read Paul's instruction on how to view Christian leaders. During that time there were apostles, prophets, pastor-teachers, and evangelists. The Corinthians had begun to view these men as heroes. In their hero-worship of these men they created conflict and division in the church. Here is a quick review of the main principles found in 1 Corinthians 4:1-7:

#1 – The Corinthians have been taught how to properly view pastors and other Christian leaders. They are slaves of Christ and managers of God's Word. As managers, they are required to be trustworthy as they oversee God's interests.

#2 – Christ is the one who will examine every pastor. As a result, people are to stop spending their time thinking that they are Jesus by examining/criticizing the ministries of pastors.

#3 – Don't go beyond Scriptural standards. This causes a lot of damage in the church.

This morning we are going to finish the chapter. The Corinthians had begun to believe in a prosperity gospel. They had begun to believe that Christians should have prestige, power, and prosperity. They were dwelling in a very wealthy city and the majority of the church was still involved in the sin of their unsaved days. Paul confronts their worldly thinking head-on.

[Message:]

#1 - The mindset of the Corinthian church (8)

The Corinthians believe that they are spiritually rich and reigning like kings (8). Paul truly wishes that this were actually true, but it is not. In reality they are spiritually poor because of their pride and spiritual immaturity.

#2 - The example of the apostles (9-13)

Paul uses the apostles as an example to correct the arrogance of the Corinthians (9). The apostles are placed on display by God as last place in the world. They are displayed as men condemned to die. The apostles are a spectacle to the entire world. This is witnessed by angles and by men. This is far from what the Corinthians believed the Christian life should be. The Corinthians wanted glamorous and pain-free. Paul describes the apostles (likely the most godly men on the earth at that time) as experiencing persecution and ridicule. The word translated here as “spectacle” is the Greek word from which we get the English word “theater.” Paul is using a metaphor here to describe one of two things, he is describing: either a gladiatorial contest in the Roman arena; or the triumphal procession of a victorious Roman general. If he refers to a gladiatorial contest, the apostles were brought in to the arena to fight for their lives in front of the entire world, including angels. If he refers to the triumphal procession of a Roman general, the apostles were led as prisoners of war in front of the entire world, including angels. The picture is one of ridicule in the eyes of the world.

A - Godliness results in hardship at times (10-11; cf. 1 Pet. 1:6-11; Jas. 1:2-4)

The apostles are viewed as fools for Jesus (10). The Corinthians see themselves as wise. Paul describes the apostles as weak but the Corinthians are strong. The apostles were without honor, but the Corinthians were distinguished (honored). The contrast is striking. Even at the time of Paul writing this letter, the apostles were still hungry, thirsty, poorly clothed, roughly treated, and homeless (11). This is so different from what the Corinthians believed Christianity should be (cf. 2 Tim. 3:10-17). Why is it that the Christian experience of the Corinthians was so drastically different from that of the apostles, even though they were living in the same culture?

B - Pastors should be financially should be financially supported (12)

The apostles even worked with their own hands to support themselves (12). They were supposed to be financially supported, so they could focus on prayer, the Word of God, and teaching (1 Cor. 9:3-14). In the Old Testament the priests were to be financially supported through the giving of God's people (Num. 18:21-32). The same is to be true of pastors today. They are to be financially supported by the church whom they serve (1 Cor. 9:8-14; Gal. 6:6-10; 1 Tim. 5:17-18). The apostles blessed those who reviled them (cf. 1 Pet. 3:8-9). They endured persecution (cf. Jn. 15:18-20; 1 Pet. 2:21-25).

C - Let God have vengeance (13)

The apostles also attempted to be reconciled with those who slandered them (13; cf. 1 Pet. 2:11-17). The apostles were like the scum of the earth, the dregs of everything. The dregs are what are left in the bottom of a bottle of wine. It is the junk that you don't want to drink with the wine. The apostles being viewed as lowly was still a reality when Paul wrote.

#3 - Pure biblical teaching and life-example are essential for pastoral leadership (14-17)

Paul declares that he isn't writing these things for the purpose of shaming the Corinthians. Instead, he is writing these things to warn them as his children in the faith (14). He is concerned for their spiritual well-being. This is truly what the Bible describes as a “pastor's heart.” The Corinthians could have many teachers throughout the years, but Paul would always be their “spiritual father” because he had led them to faith in Christ (15). As a result of this, Paul urged them to imitate his life example (16). This is how believers grow in their faith. They imitate those who lead them (cf. 1 Thess. 5:12-13; Heb. 13:7, 17; 1 Pet. 5:1-4).

To ensure their follower-ship, Paul sent Timothy to Corinth (17). Timothy will remind them of how Paul conducted himself in life. He will share with them what Paul teaches in every church. They are in desperate need of pure biblical teaching and a proper life-example. They need these two things so that they may build proper on-top of their gospel-foundation.

#4 - Talk is cheap, God's power is what matters (18-21)

There were some in Corinth who were becoming arrogant because they did not believe that Paul would ever visit (18). They were attempting to undermine Paul's authority (cf. 9:1-3) by saying that he was unstable (2 Cor. 1:7) and that his ministry was unimportant (2 Cor. 10:10). Paul assures them that he will visit if God allows him to do so (19). He understood that he is a slave of Christ, not a master. When Paul visits he will discover the power of the arrogant ones, not the power of their words. God's Kingdom is characterized by power, not words (20). Paul's ministry was authenticated by God's power (1:24; 2:1-4).

Paul asks the Corinthians what they want his visit to be like (21). Do they want a gentle visit with love or a visit with the rod of correction? The tone of Paul's visit would depend on their response to his letter, which would determine their spiritual condition.

[Conclusion:]

Here are a few concluding thoughts on what was communicated through this passage of God's Word:

A – Godliness results in hardship at times.

B – Pastors should be financially should be financially supported.

C – Let God have vengeance

#3 - Pure biblical teaching and life-example are essential for pastoral leadership

#4 - Talk is cheap, God's power is what matters

NET Bible First Edition review

I received a review copy the NET Bible First Edition in black a few weeks ago. The cover itself is a very nice bonded leather with hubs on the binding (a classic look). The one thing that I do wish is that they had gone with a genuine leather cover or something that would be a bit sturdier. The contents of the Bible are so large that I doubt the cover can withstand continued use without cracking or tearing (though the true test will be time of use). The pages are smyth-sewn which is a huge positive. This ensures greater durability of the binding and also for the bible to lay flat when open. The pages themselves are thin, probably a little thinner than normal Bible paper (not nearly as nice as the Lockman NASB's – large print ultrathin reference Bible and wide margin single column reference Bible). The overall the Bible itself is well-made.

The translation itself is very good. It is toward the formal equivalence end of the spectrum. There are places where the NET has clarified ambiguities that are found in the original text. This has made a more idiomatic translation than the NASB and the ESV. Yet, there are places where this causes the NET to be more accurate such as, John 1:18 and John 3:16. One of the features of the NET that is unique are the chapter and verse markings. The NET includes the chapter number along with each verse marking, ex: John 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4 and so on. This is not a problem for me, though it did take some time to become acquainted with it. The satellite maps that are found in the back of the Bible are full color and topographical. These are by far some of the nicest looking maps that I have ever seen in any study resource. They truly open your eyes to the features of the areas in question. The maps are a bonus.

Now, time to discuss the study notes. These by far are worth their weight in gold. There are three different types of notes: study notes, technical commentary, and technical notes. The study notes are what you would find in other scholarly study Bibles. The technical notes are alternative translation options or a more literal translation option. The technical commentary notes are filled with a vast treasury of notes on the original languages. The notes are much like technical notes you would find in a Greek or Hebrew grammar. Yet, the blessing is that the notes are found beneath the text in question. In a grammar you have to search the index to find if there might possibly be help in regard to a text you are studying. The Bible came with a Bible.org Bible Library resource C.D. I have not even had a chance to examine this added resource. It seems like the NET Bible is like the gift that keeps on giving!

I truly like the translation itself. I believe that it is very accurate and yet readable. The scholars are from Dallas Theological Seminary. Therefore they are conservative evangelicals. It has been stated that the NET will be revised every five years beginning in 2010. This helps you to realize that the translators are striving for the best translation of the Word of God possible. The only drawback for me as a pastor is that people will have to buy a new copy every five years (though I don't want to sound cranky, I am not, and I personally don't mind doing so).

I read somewhere that someone was hoping that the NET would replace the NIV as an idiomatic translation. I don't know if that will happen but I do believe that it is that good. I would highly recommend the NET Bible as a preaching and teaching resource. I would say that it is non-negotiable to own it as a study resource. At the very least, download the electronic version on Bible.org.

ESV Wide Margin Reference Edition (Tru-Tone Portfolio Edition)

I received a review copy of the ESV Wide Margin Reference Edition from Crossway a few weeks ago. I have been a longtime NASB user. The edition that was sent to me was the Portfolio style in TruTone. The cover itself is beautiful. It is very soft to the touch and flexible. It is a delight to hold. It is obviously not as nice as a calfskin cover, but from what I have heard it may be superior to the genuine leather edition. The pages are fairly thick, thicker than most other Bible paper. The paper is not as nice as that found in Lockman NASB's (large print ultrathin reference Bible and the wide margin reference Bible). There is a nice amount of space on the outside edge of the page for which to write notes. It is unfortunate (as many others have written) that the inside margin is too narrow for writing notes. The one request that I have for Crossway is that they switch this edition to a sewn binding. It is glued and eventually will begin to pull away. The glued binding also keeps the Bible from laying completely flat. One interesting note, the box said that the Bible is guaranteed for life! This is an impressive promise.

The translation itself is very similar to the NASB. There are some places where the scholars have updated some archaic words or renderings which are contained in the NASB such as, brethren to brothers; only begotten Son to only Son. There are some places where the ESV has eliminated some of the supplied words that are used in the NASB, which at times has led to greater clarity. Interestingly enough, the ESV does use some anglicized wording that does sound a little odd to the modern-day American reader such as, haughty, rubbish, puffed up (which I realize is a literal metaphor from the Greek language). I will not belabor the point. It is something that each individual believer would need to examine to determine if the language is comfortable for him.

I would like to say that I do believe that the ESV is a very good translation. I would highly recommend it to others. I believe that it is an accurate translation which will be useful to the church. Crossway has also provided many excellent editions of this translation which make it very likely that a believer will find an edition that fits his preferences such as, the personal reference Bible, classic reference Bible, thin-line edition, the single column reference edition, as well as many others. I really like the TruTone editions that Crossway has produced, they make it possible to have a very attractive Bible which is pleasant to hold and use.

If you are interested in this edition or other editions of the ESV, I would recommend that you check out the Westminster Seminary bookstore as a result of their exceptional prices.

Bible Rebind at Mechling Book Bindery

When I did a  price comparison on the Internet, Mechling Book Bindery offered the best price with the best options. I am so happy that I chose Mechling.  They provided great work and service.  I had my Zondervan NASB Study Bible rebound in chocolate goatskin with three ribbon markers.  The cover is beautiful.  It is a limp cover but seems very durable.  The goatskin softens with use.  If you know about the Zondervan Study Bibles, you know they are glued binding, not sewn.  When I received my Bible back it was newly sewn and now allowed the Bible to lay open flat.  Mechling was very professional from first to last in my interaction with them.  I am so pleased that I sent my Bible to Mechling.  The total cost with shipping was about $93.  If you are looking to fix a Bible that is falling apart check out Mechling Book Bindery.     

Free Electronic Edition of the HCSB 1st Edition

I have had this for awhile but I figured it was worthwhile to share with the blogging community.  You can find the download at Broadman & Holman's Academic site.  All you have to do is click the link and download the electronic version of the HCSB.