Shepherding the Church the Biblical Way

Paul’s ministry in the early stages of the church serves as an exemplary pastoral model. His theology arose from his pastoral experiences and the circumstances surrounding the church and society of his time, which seemed clear in his writings. His heart, ambitions, techniques, advice and frustrations were all apparent in his letter to the New Testament churches.

According to Derek Tidball, the complexity of Paul’s role as a pastor is seen in the three phases of his ministry. First, we can see his pastoral role among the churches he founded. As a church planter, his correspondence with the church reveals his vision and concern for the church as a whole and for the individual members as well. His letters convey much love and sensitivity to the needs of the church. He dealt with the issues and circumstances much like a father. His concern primarily was for the church to grow collectively, as it is being transformed into Christlikeness.

The churches at present seemed to veer away from this model. This is the sad reality when many pastors at present are so caught up with church growth methods but are so indifferent with the idea of helping the church to be like the Savior. Paul had always wanted the believers to be like Christ, dying daily in their lives and making Christ more and more visible in their everyday walk. With this in Paul’s mind come the different analogies and expressions he used in his letters to articulate his goal- the transformation of the body of Christ. He is resolute in his goal and he sees complacency as a disease that will kill the church if they are caught unaware of it.

The passion that Paul has is shaped by his unceasing excitement for the future. Thus, his teachings cannot be separated from his eschatological hope. This is the driving force behind his zeal. It was a constant reminder of his accountability to God as much as he is eager to see the future outcome of his toil for the church.

I believe that this is one important element in our ministry that we somehow have overlooked. We seem to have forgotten the bigger picture of events fast tracking to the blessed hope of Jesus’ return. His parousia should always enthuse us to do his work, reminding God’s people that it should be our goal to be like Christ so that when he comes back, he will see us living and doing his work and shining his light to the world. Tidball argued that many churches today are motivated to keep the people committed to the church and its programs but not helping the members mature in the faith leading to Christlikeness. Quantity seems to be the name of the game disregarding the quality of the Christian life that the believers should have. Shepherds appear to be complacent that the believers will not despise the faith anymore and so they neglect those who have been there for a longer period of time. They concentrate more on the new believers at the expense of those who are already churched which is very indifferent to the New Testament style of shepherding.

Second, Paul’s role as an apostolic teacher to other churches, some of which he had never visited should be given consideration. On two occasions, Paul referred to himself as the father of the churches he had planted. This is to note his special relationship with them as a doting father who deals with his children (1 Cor. 4:4, 1 Thess. 2:11). This special relationship is qualified by Paul by saying that he became their father “through the gospel”, who provides, protects and guides them.

Some scholars are not in agreement though with the way Paul exercised his authority especially when according to them, Paul, conceitedly urged his “children” to “imitate” him, accusing him of power tripping. Yet, it is important to know that Paul only invited the churches whom he founded to do so (Phil. 3:17, 1 Thess. 1:6, 2 Thess. 3:7, 1 Cor. 4:16 and 11:1). These churches had the privilege of seeing Paul and observing his way of life. He was not advocating his own personal cause since he qualified his statement by saying, “Imitate me, as I imitate Christ.” (1 Cor. 1:11). Thus, the end goal of Paul is for them to follow Christ in his example and be conformed to His image.

Paul’s emotional bond to the churches is apparent in his letters, and this Tidball said that the apostle is always aimed at helping the believers reach their full potential as adults and not reinforcing his own position of power. This is a good reminder and a rebuke at present for many church pastors nowadays to consider. They were given the God-given authority to lead which entails the exercise of power, yet, it is vital to realize that the task of pastoral leadership is not about power tripping as Andrew Clark emphasized, but being of help to the church, serving and encouraging the body of Christ to be more like the Savior.

Paul, while being a founder of these churches did not consider himself of a higher status than the ordinary believers. In fact, he explicitly stated that he is of no importance (1 Cor. 3:5-12), a fool for Christ (1 Cor. 4:9-10) and a garbage of the world (1 Cor. 4:13). He regards himself as a slave representing and imitating Christ who became the servant of all (Phil. 2:1-11).

Lastly, Paul was like a statesman passing on the baton to the next generation. He did this by teaching them their identity which sets them apart from others. He reminded them of how the church was formed and reinforced the importance of knowing how Christ’s followers are to behave themselves in this world. The apostle stressed that the church is a community under the cross (1 Cor. 1:26-2:16), and this should lead them to practice discipline in their lives.

The infant church needed a lot of care and attention from Paul. It was not an easy task for him yet, he strove hard to help these churches to develop and mature in the faith. He led them not astray to the most important aspect of being a Christian and that is to grow into Christlikeness. Paul’s relationship with the church was such a personal one that he considered himself as a loving and caring father especially to the churches he planted. Yet, he did not deem himself the main Person to be imitated since he led those who followed him to look up to Jesus and be like Him.

Pastors at present should go back to the New Testament model of shepherding. While we are aiming at winning multitudes of souls for Christ, we ought to balance it by helping those who are already in the faith to grow in their commitment to Christ and live lives which are pleasing to him. The nurturing of the saints entails hard labor yet there is nothing compared to the joy of seeing the church mature as it prepares itself for the coming of the Bridegroom.

************

This article is a response to the 6th chapter of Derek Tidball's, "Ministry by the Book", entitiled, "Paul: Ministry in an Infant Church The Ministry of a Founding Father.

BOOK REVIEW: OUTSIDE THE CAMP BY RICHARD JOHNSON

The sociological background of the book of Hebrews is greatly essential to the understanding of the people to whom it was written and the purpose for which the epistle was circulated. In Going Outside the Camp, Johnson argues that a lucid understanding of the recipients background in light of the levitical system, expounded by the book’s author in the cultic section of Hebrews, gives warrant to his study. The author, drawing his idea out of William Lane’s book, Hebrews 1-8, asserts that since scholars are not in harmony on the background and purpose of the epistle, an in-depth sociological examination of the letter is a crucial necessity to a better understanding of the epistle to the Hebrews.


Johnson’s work is central to a scholarly understanding of the letter. The lengthy section of the cultic practice is possibly a major key to a better understanding of the letter’s addressees. His guide to a stratified society and its descriptions of the recipients’ cosmology is a much a welcome addition to the limited works done on the levitical critique as an aid to a better understanding of the community addressed in the letter. The author intended to show that even though there is no consensus as to who those people were, this group was actually functioning as a society which he then termed as the “implied society.” This term was cautiously chosen to make amends to the present thought in relation to the identity of the addressees.


This book contributed to a clearer, and better knowledge of how that particular society (although still unspecified), worked as he delineated and explained how it treated the “outsiders” who are not part of the implied community. His description of these outsiders as “the foes of God” (p. 85) is imperative in the overall perception and idea of how the recipients of the letter perceived the outside world. The description he gave was in line with their relationship with God and not because of their separation from the addressees. In addition, His take on the social implications of their understanding of the levitical practice in relation to their society will certainly enlighten those who are skeptical as to the purpose of the book in light of their background. The author’s indubitable and extensive labor in unleashing the distinctiveness of that society should be commended since the cultic activity which he espoused here gives superior insight as to how the recipients looked at the rituals in the Day of Atonement and how this has affected their worldview as a community.


The author’s critique of the levitical cultus led him to conclude that the society, described, yet unnamed, is exhorted and suited for a greater task- that which is to do the mission of the church, to go outside the camp, and bring the gospel to the Gentile world. Thus, the sociological function of the ritual of the addressees did not end in worshipping their God within the community but was a reminder to them that theirs was a taxing assignment to lead the heathens to an understanding of God’s salvation. Johnson, with his critical approach in studying this sociological phenomenon, succeeded in demonstrating the power of the practice to influence the implied society.

A FRUITFUL REWARD

The more believers continue to walk closely with the Spirit of God, the more that they become aware of the truth of God. This awareness and walk with the Spirit will be visible in the fruits that are products of a discerning life. The prize of allowing the Holy Spirit to work in the discernment process of every believer is manifested in its fruits. Who else can understand this better than the Apostle Paul.

After exhorting the believers in Galatia to live by the Spirit, Paul then turned to introducing them the fruit of the Spirit of God. Those who are discerning God’s will ought to realize the fruit that comes with the direction where God is leading. This is very important since Paul also contrasted this fruit from that which is not of the Spirit of God.

Galatians 5:22-23 affirms, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”[1] The fruit of the spirit is ever present in the lives of those who are always keeping in step with the Spirit and whose direction in life is focused on self abandonment, yielding to the power of God through his Spirit. The opposite of this are the acts from the sinful flesh which wage war against the desires of the spirit: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions and envy, drunkenness, orgies and the like.[2] Thus, Paul made a clear cut comparison in order for God’s people to understand how to know and discern what is of the Spirit of God and what is not of him.

Paul in closing his exhortation to the Galatians said, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”[3] This line is a good reminder that living by the Spirit requires a conscious and daily self surrendering to the Spirit of God, allowing him to take the lead in our journey towards knowing and understanding the direction of God in our lives. It denotes a surrender of will, and a strong conviction to follow wherever the Spirit is showing the way for us in our own journey of faith.

---

[1] Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV).

[2] Galatians 5:19-20 (NIV).

[3] Galatians 5:25 (NIV).

ON THE SIDE OF TRUTH

TESTING THE SPIRITS
Knowing whether we are on the side of God’s Spirit is a matter of testing. It necessitates a great amount of prayer and the Spirit’s guidance to make sure that we are leaning on God’s truth. This truth will help us not to fall on the deep ravines of errors and blunders.

The Apostle John talks about discerning and testing every spirit in 1 John 4:1-6, he expressed that believers should not believe every spirit but test them daily. He said, “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.”[1]

Verse 1 sets the pace here for the argument of the stark contrast between the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.^[2] Truth comes from God while error is propagated by the pseudo prophets whose aim is to sway and influence those who are of the truth into the lies and errors of the evil one. This contrast will be a time consuming task but it is important in order to separate what is of God and what is not from him. And whatever is not from him should be considered as trash and of this world.

Timothy Gallagher, in helping his readers understand what discernment of spirits is, used the conversion experience of Ignatius of Loyola which led him to reveal a three-fold paradigm for the comprehension of the discernment of spirits. First is to BE AWARE as to what happens in the inner spiritual experience of the individual; second, is to UNDERSTAND, that is to reflect on the stirrings that allows people to discern what is of God and what is not of him; and lastly, to TAKE ACTION, which is recognizing and living it out as living God’s will for his children.^[3] This process will be helpful for believers to see the process in complete on its own. Testing the spirits involves an execution as well of what has transpired of the process.

Elizabeth Liebert explains that, “the Holy Spirit is manifested in the inner experience by which we can recognize God,” while adding that “This inner recognition grounds our belief that God can be discovered through our powerful sifting and weighing.”[4] This then, is how every believer should test the spirit. We ought to weigh things and see if they are coming from God. This practice of testing denotes a prayerful attitude and a strong clinging to the Holy Spirit who is the truth.

The Holy Spirit will equip God’s people into distinguishing between right and wrong. However, it takes an intimate relationship with the third Person of the Godhead in order to do this. Still and all, it will always be the most fulfilling in the life of the believer. This gift to discern the truth from error is given to those who fall in love with the Spirit of God.[5] It should be intentional on the part of the believers and they should savor their relationship with the Holy Spirit all the time. Falling in love with the Spirit is not a one-time act but a continuous reflection of his truth, his work and his power.

However, not everyone will acknowledge the Spirit of God. Only those who believe and recognize his Personhood will do so. 1 Corinthians 2:12 states, “We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.”[6] Hence, the Spirit of God is received by those who believe that he is from God himself.

This is what differentiates the believers who rely on the Spirit of God from those who are skeptics and unbelieving. The Spirit gives understanding and wisdom and sheds light to what the Spirit-less people cannot comprehend because they are spiritually discerned. This, Paul articulates in 2 Corinthians 2:14, “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him and he cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned.”[7] Since God’s wisdom is thought to be foolishness in the world, not everyone will accept it. Yet, it will not change the reality that the Holy Spirit is undeniably significant to understand the truth.

---

[1] 1 John 4:1-3a (NIV).

^[2] Stephen S. Smalley, Word Biblical Commentary: 1,2,3 John (Dallas: Word Books, Inc., 2002), 217.

^[3] Timothy M. Gallagher, The Discernment of Spirits: An Ignatian Guide for Evreryday Living (New York: Crossroad Publishing Company, 2005), 17.

[4] Elizabeth Liebert, The Way of Discernment: Spiritual Practices for Decision Making (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2008), 14.

[5] Joan Mueller, Faithful Listening: Discernment in Everyday Life (Lanham: Sheed and Ward, 1976), 14.

[6] 1 Corinthians 2:12 (NIV).

[7] 1 Corinthians 2:14 (NIV).

DISCERNING THE WAY OF THE SPIRIT

            The Holy Spirit is God. Just like the Father and the Son, so is he ever present even before the creation of the world. Genesis 1:2 declares that in the creation account, “the Spirit of God was hovering around the waters.”[1] The doctrine of the Holy Spirit as God and his work in the lives of people need to be firmly established at the outset since his presence is felt both in the Old and the New Testaments not as a force or a power but as a Person. Shedding light to the Spirit’s identity and characteristics are significant since our growth as Christians is anchored on how we nurture our relationship with the Holy Spirit.

           
            We need to understand who the Spirit is and how he works in and through us as God’s chosen people and how his presence in us significantly affects the decisions we make in life. Thus, in our discernment of God’s will, the Holy Spirit should be given much prominence. The Holy Spirit’s wisdom in the discernment process leads to life, and a deliberate neglect of his counsel brings about death and destruction. Believers ought to seek the Counsel of the Holy Spirit in their discernment process in order to grow, mature, and live a life spiritually directed in God’s plan and purpose.


            When Jesus was preparing his disciples for his death, resurrection and ultimately his return to the Father, he encouraged and comforted them, by saying, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”[2] Two significant roles of the Holy Spirit are mentioned here by Jesus. He described the Spirit as a Counselor, and as the Spirit of Truth. This work of the Spirit is important in the understanding of his role in the discernment and decision making process of the disciples.

            The Greek word for Counselor is paraklētos which is rendered in other translations as Comforter or Helper. The important function of Jesus in the life of the believers was to lead and guide them during his earthly ministry. He helped them to know God more. He led and guided them to spiritual maturity. However, as he was about to leave his disciples and to go back to where he was from the very beginning, he told the disciples that they will not be orphaned because he will ask the Father to send another Counselor who will be with them and who will do what he did for them. Here comes Jesus who made it clear of what the Holy Spirit’s function will be in the life not just of the disciples but ultimately for his church. The New American Commentary perfectly stated it:

            Thus the picture presented in this context is that of a Paraclete who will function as a replacement and a strengthening companion who will be a kind of alter ego for Jesus. Jesus had been leading them, advising them, teaching them, empowering them, and critiquing them. But his time with them would thereafter be limited, and his followers needed a new companion who could function in all those ways. ^[3]

            Since the disciples will be left by Christ to continue on his work, they will need his wisdom to aid them in their work. They will need his leading as to where they are supposed to go and what they are supposed to do. For this reason, the function of the Holy Spirit is the same as that of Christ. The Spirit will be as what Christ has been to them. He is the one who was leading, advising and teaching God’s people soon after Jesus’ return to the Father. This truth is palpable in the whole of the New Testament as seen in the stories of the disciples of Jesus and their work.

            Jesus continued his encouragement to the disciples when he said, “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”[4] In John 16:13, the function of the Holy Spirit as a guide was even more highlighted. Jesus declared, “But when he, the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.”[5] Thus, the truth of the Spirit’s wisdom was articulated from the very words of Christ.

            The Holy Spirit’s importance is highlighted throughout the New Testament. At the outset of the process of discernment, the testing of the spirits, to the execution of it, and the fruits of self abandonment yielding to the Holy Spirit’s desires, it is indubitable that the Spirit of God is present, active and living. We have seen above how the lives of people in the New Testament were changed as they surrender to the ultimate will of God, seeking for the Spirit’s direction in their lives. They became channels of God’s grace and truth. They became God’s mouthpiece, declaring the direction where God is leading his people. They became the embodiment of what is means to seek, follow and yield into the direction set forth by God through the Counselor sent forth by Christ.

Yet, to those who did not yield to the Spirit’s desires, their lives ended in destruction. It is a good reminder for all of us that an unyielding spirit will bear vicious if not destructive consequences. The direction which the Holy Spirit is leading is always perfect. And since believers are called to be children of God, they should be led by the Spirit of God all the time in all of their life’s aspects.

Romans 8:14 says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” [6] This statement harks back the reality that as God’s children, we should be led by the Spirit at all times, producing a life that is fulfilling, and whose fruits will lead to life not just for us but for those who will see the light of God in us.

Thomas Merton in his book, Spiritual Direction and Meditation said, “Spiritual direction implies a trust in God and a sincere abandonment to the Holy Spirit, from whom we can at any time rely on the light of the divine Counsel.”[7] This statement provides us with the basic reality of the major role of the Holy Spirit in seeking for the spiritual direction of believers. Merton’s emphasis on self-abandonment is required of the person who is after the will of God in his or her decision making.

In all these, the Counsel of the Holy Spirit in the believers’ discernment process leading to their decision making is vital in order for them to grow, mature, and live a life spiritually directed in God’s plan and purpose.

---

[1] Genesis 1:2 (NIV)

[2] John 14:16-17 (NIV). The term Paraclete (paraklētos), rendered “comforter” in the KJV, “counselor” in the RSV, NIV, HCSB, and NLT, “helper” in the TEV and NKJV, and “advocate” in the NRSV.

^[3]Gerald L. Borchert, John 12-21: The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2002), 123.Italics are used by the writer to emphasize the role of the Holy Spirit in guiding the disciples in his wisdom for the latter to discern what they ought and ought not to do.

[4] John 14:25 (NIV).

[5] John 16:13(NIV).

[6] Romans 8:14 (ASV).

[7] Thomas Merton, Spiritual Direction and Meditation (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1987), 25.


*Images courtesy of findingtruthmatters.org

LIFE'S WORTH IT!

(image from hulu.com)

        The fact that life is a gift should lead us to seize every moment of it. Life is full of excitement, love and joy. Life is a gift that is worth living. As we live life to its fullest, who knows whom we could encourage, uplift and bless. Wouldn't it be good if we could infuse the joy of living life itself to those who haven't quite gotten the  beauty of it?

         We are pilgrims in this world, yet, this gift of life will remain with us as we certainly will meet (along with the many others who have accepted this gift and much more) Jesus, the Lifegiver himself. And when that day comes, we will all experience life to its perfection.

        Jesus, in a nutshell, explained this in John 10:10 where he said that he came to give life and give all of its accompanying blessings to those who have it. Life is indeed a good blessing from a great God. Every second counts in life. Every memory we make will go down in the annals of our history as our way of seizing this precious gift or unmindfully wasting it. The choice is ours. LIFE IS WELL WORTH IT. SO LIVE AND LOVE IT!

(image from smashingtube.com)