ministers handbook

7/29/2019 Ministers Handbook

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New Jersey Institute of Theological Studies

MINISTERS HANDBOOK

Study to show thyself approved ...

.

NJITS

Suite 160880A Whitehorse Pike

Atco, NJ 08004

2001 Crowned-Warrior Publishing Co


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2001 Crowned-Warrior Publishing Co. Ministers Handbook Page 2

Contents

Salvation

Basic Theology

Christology

The Bible

Leadership

Church Administration

Homiletics

Evangelism and Church Growth

Deliverance and Healing

Prayer


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SOTERIOLOGY

(The Doctrine of Salvation)

The Hebrew and Greek words for salvation imply the ideas ofdeliverance, safety, preservation, healing, and soundness. Salvation is

the great inclusive word of the Gospel gathering into itself all the

redemptive acts and processes:

1. Justification - Declaration of righteousness.2. Redemption - To buy back by paying a price.3. Grace - God's favor to mankind without merit.4. Propitiation - To actually care for sin and appease God's wrath

against sin.

5. Imputation - To reckon or put to the account of. Given orimparted to.

6. Forgiveness - To absolve from sin and forget.7. Sanctification - To set apart positionally and progressively in

behaviors.

8. Glorification - To perfectly conform the believer to God's moralattributes in the future.

Salvation is in three tenses:

1.The believer has been saved from the guilt and the penalty of sin.Luke 7:50; I Cor. 1:18; II Cor. 2:15; Eph. 2:5,8; II Tim. 1:9.

2.The believer is being saved from the habit and domination of sin.Rom. 6:14; Phil. 1:19; 2:12,13; II Thess. 2:13; Rom. 8:2;Gal. 2:19,20; II Cor. 3:18.

3. The believer will be saved in the sense of entire conformity to

Christ. Rom. 13:11; Heb. 10:36; I Peter 1:5; I John 3:2.


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Salvation is by grace through faith, a free gift, and wholly without

works. Rom. 3:27,28; 4:1-8; 6:23; Eph. 2:8. The divine order is first

salvation then works. Eph. 2:8-10; Titus 3:5-8.

This is what the scriptures teach. Those who remain in sin, like Paul once

said, were never part of us anyway. THEY WERE NEVER REALLYSAVED. If you aren't bearing at least some fruit you probably didn't

really put your faith in Christ. Some people simply have an emotional

high, whereby they make no real decision!

An illustration by Billy Graham has been adapted on the most important

thing we need this new millennium. We have been saved by grace

through faith. The apostle Paul emphatically states, "a man is not

justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus,even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith

in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the

Law shall no flesh be justified." (Galatians 2:16).

Justification is a legal standing with God based upon Christ's death and

resurrection and our faith in Him. The Greek word Paul uses, Daikyo,

comes from Roman legal courts meaning to declare to be righteous or to

pronounce righteous. Therefore, justification is the legal and formalacquittal from guilt by God who is the judge. It is the pronouncement of

the sinner, who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, as righteous.

For example, let's imagine for a moment that a person, called Mr.

Goner died tonight and stood before the Lord God, who is the Supreme

Judge of the Universe. No doubt God would ask Mr. Goner, why should I

let you into my heaven? You are a guilty sinner. How do you plead?"

Mr. Goners response would be, "I plead guilty, Your Honor." Then hisadvocate, Jesus Christ, who is standing there besides him, speaks up for

him. He says, "Your Honor, it is true that Mr. Goner is a grievous

sinner. He is guilty. However, Father, I died for him on the cross and

rose from the dead. Mr. Goner has put his faith and trust in Me and all

that I have done for Him on the Cross. He is a believer. I died for him,

and he has accepted me as his substitute."


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The Lord God turns to Mr. Goner and says, "Is that true?" Mr. Goner

will respond "Yes sir! Thats the truth. I am claiming the shed blood of

Jesus Christ to cleanse me of all my sins. I have put my faith in Jesus

to save me for all eternity. This is what you have promised in your

Word. Jesus said, 'For God so loved the world (and this includes Mr.

Goner), that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth inHim should not perish, but have everlasting life.' The Lord God

responds, "Acquitted! By order of this court I demand that you, Mr.

Goner, be set free. The price has been paid by My Son." Conclusively,

Mr. Goner gets to go home and live with the Judge!

Justification means that at the moment of salvation God sovereignly

declares the believing sinner righteous in His sight. The believing sinner

is declared to be righteous in His standing before God. From thatmoment on throughout life and through death, that sinner who has

believed is now and forever right before God. God accepts him and the

sinner stands acquitted of his sins.

A man is not justified by the works of the Law, but through faith in Christ Jesus,

even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ,and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no

flesh be justified (Galatians 2:16)


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Basic Theology


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BASIC THEOLOGY

The GODHEAD (Trinity)

1. The Trinity is a man made term to describe the plural nature of God.The term itself does not occur in the Bible, but the "reality"

represented by the term certainly does. The better term is the

Godhead.

A. God is one in essence or character.

B. But he expresses Himself in 3 distinct personalities.

2. The Godhead is the absolute entity of the universe. It is a term used

to indicate a unity concerning the plurality of expression God has

chosen for communion within Himself and for revealing himself to his

creatures. The Godhead is ONE in essence and THREE in personality

expression. This means that while God communes within himself

through 3 distinct personality factors, all 3 are a unit equally

possessing the 10 absolute attributes of Divine character essence.

(Deut. 6.4 -"Yahweh, our God (s); Yahweh (is) a unity.")

A. The first personality factor of the Godhead is AUTHORITY.

He expresses himself throughout the Old Testament as the

most High God and in the New Testament as God the Father.

B. The second personality factor is REVELATION.

In eternity past He was the Word. Throughout the Old

Testament primarily as the Angel of the LORD. And in the New

Testament as the incarnate Son of God, Jesus Christ.

C. The third personality factor is POWER.

The Holy Spirit is the one who executes the power of the

Godhead. He influences, guides and energizes to accomplish

God's plan for the human race. He is designated throughout the

Old Testament as The Spirit of God.


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3. The Godhead has a plurality nature, which is established in scripture

as triune. This is His STRUCTURAL essence or NATURE. It is not 1 or

2 or 4 or 8, but 3 specific personality expressions.

A. This is the STRUCTURE of that plurality nature in the

Godhead. God Most High, which indicates an authority personality

expression. The WORD, which indicates a revelation personality

expression. The Spirit, which indicates a power personality

expression.

B. The character essence or nature refers to the specific

attributes, which are equally shared by all three members of the

Godhead.

There are 10 absolute attributes of the Godhead. All other

character expressions fall directly under one of these 10.

1. God is sovereign. He has absolute authority to do as He

pleases. Psa. 115:3

2. God is eternal, having no beginning or ending. Psa. 90:2

3. God is righteousness. He not only IS but also determines

what is absolute right. Psa. 145:17

4. God is judge. As the enforcer of His righteousness, he

is perfectly fair and impartial. Isa. 30:18

5. God is omnipotent. Luke 1:37

6. God is omnipresent. Psa. 139:7f

7. God is omniscient. Isa. 46A: 9-10


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8. God is love. He places value on His creation and always

seeks what is best for it - as he determines what is best.

I Jn. 4:8

9. God is truth, which indicates His natural integrity.Isa. 65:16

10. God is immutable which indicates that His nature is

unchangeable and produces His faithfulness. Malachi 3:6

Any other character expressions such as goodness, mercy,

compassion, graciousness, kindness, etc. emanate directly from

the above ten.

4. The use of the word elohim in the Bible indicates the existence of a

plural concept concerning God.

A. Elohim is the plural of El or elah and is the only way that the

Hebrew has to express the idea of Godhead.

B. The plural personal pronoun at Gen. 1:26; 3:22 and 11:7 alsoindicates the existence of a plurality concept concerning God.

C. The significance of the plural, elohim, has been lost through the

years by the Jews and others because of a misunderstanding of

Deut. 6:4, which says, that God is ONE. What it really says,

however, is "Yahweh our Gods (elohim); Yahweh a Unity!"

D. The true significance of elohim is clearly seen at Joshua 24:23,

"Put away the foreign gods (elohim) which are in your midst,

and incline your hearts to Yahweh, the Gods (elohim) of Israel."


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The Compassion Of God

1. Compassion is the aspect of God's omniscience and love that totally

understands the condition and needs of His people and seeks to alleviate

them.

2. The Hebrew word rAchum is the quality of being objective, honest,

understanding and helpful when faced with another's problems.

A. The adjective is only used of God, but the very is used of both

God and man.

B. When used for God, it further amplifies God's love by

emphasizing His character of understanding and the consistentfollow-through of that understanding in meeting man's needs.

C. The Hebrew noun, rachamiym, means that which comes from the

character of rAchum (compassionate). Always in the plural and

refers to the expressions of compassion.

D. This word group is often rendered as "merciful" but compassion

is the closer idea.

3. Statements of His character, rAchum, occurs 13 times but 11 of

those are directly connected to channun (gracious).

A. Compassion is the understanding and caring

B. Gracious is the ACTION of giving assistance.

C. "Loving kindness" (chesed) is the ACTUAL provision as designed

by God's perfect wisdom and timing.

D. Ex. 34:6; Psa. 86:15

4. Compassion is the basis for grace provision (loving kindness, chesed).

Lam. 3:32; Jer. 31:3 (See the Kindness of God)

5. Gracious is the ACT of providing the chesed. (See the Graciousness of

God)


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6. The character of compassion: Psa. 51:1; 119:77; Jer. 42:12; Deut.

4:31; Psa. 78:38

7. God's expressions of compassion are great in number. Psa. 119:56

8. They exist within God's character of eternal existence. Psa. 25:6

9. His compassion never fail. Lam. 3:22-23

The Eternity of God

1. Statement of absolute existence. Psa. 90:2

2. Absolute existence is inherent in the name Yahweh (Jehovah).

Exo. 3:14; Jn. 8:58

3. The title: God of eternity. Isa. 40:28; Gen. 21:33

4. God's life will never end. Psa. 102:12, 27

5. God dwells in eternity (perpetuity). Isa. 57:15

6. God is the First and the Last. Isa. 44:6; 48:12; Rev. 1:8, 12-18;

22:13

7. The eternity of God related to sovereignty.

Psa. 10:16; 29:10; 93:2; Jer. 10:10; Lam. 5:19

8. God's truth is everlasting. Psa. 117:2

9. God's righteousness is everlasting. Psa. 119:142

10. Application. Deut. 33:26-27 (Heb. 13:5-6)

His grace provision (chesed) is everlasting - Psa. 118:29


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Christology


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CHRISTOLOGY

(The Sinless Savior)

It was impossible for the Lord Jesus to sin because He is unchangeable"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, yes and forever" (Heb. 13:8).This tells us that since it was impossible for Christ to sin before Hisincarnation then it was impossible for Him to sin during His incarnation. But it

cuts another way too. If Christ could have sinned when He walked the earth,

then it is still possible for Him to sin since He is unchangeable! Such a

thought is too terrible to countenance. It would mean that our salvationwould be forever in doubt since our Savior could fail at any time. Thankfully

our salvation is eternally secure since our Savior is now and always has beencompletely immune to sin.

Does this Really Matter?

"We all agree that Christ didn't sin, so isn't this all just hypothetical? Whatpossible difference could this make to our daily lives?" Let me suggest a few

reasons why it's important for us to stand up for the undiminished holinessof Christ.

9. As we begin to appreciate how detestable sin is to God - so detestablethat He went to the Cross to do away with it - we will also begin to

appreciate what an insult it is to Him to suggest that He could ever have

even desired to sin. To reconcile Christ and sin requires us to have very

little comprehension about either one.10.Believing that Christ felt the inward desire to sin allows us to feelcomfortable about our lusts as long as we don't act on them.

11.Believing that Christ could have sinned leads us to conclude that God'sentire plan of redemption was (and still is) at risk; that both God and ourredemption could have failed at any time and still might. We can only haveconfidence in God and our salvation as we recognize that our Lord is

absolutely trustworthy with no possibility of failure.

12.Those who suggest that it was possible for Christ to sin tell us that itought to encourage us in our temptations to remember that Christ was


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"just like us". The problem is that when we're feeling tempted the last

thing we need is someone who is just like us! We're the whole problem!

Victory over sin in our life comes from recognition of the supremacy ofChrist. Believing that Christ could have sinned weakens us.

13.Our view of Christ affects our Christian walk (2 Cor. 3:18). Low viewsof Christ will inevitably have a negative influence on our lives and it willcheapen our worship of Him.14.Lastly, we are all quick to defend the reputation of those we love,whether family or friends. Ought we not to be even quicker to defend the

reputation of the One that died for us? There are many good reasons for

defending His impeccability, but the greatest of these is love.

Written byJames Martin

Actual quotations are from the New American Standard Version. The

Lockman Foundation.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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CHRISTOLOGY: The I AMs of Christ

Many false religions claim Jesus is not God because He never said, I

am God! But He did -- on more than one occasion. Lets examineJesus self-declarations:

1. I AM the Bread of Life (John 6:35). This was spoken during Hissermon which followed the feeding of the multitude. Jesus said,

Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to

eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. Jesus always

directs people to place their hope, trust, and faith in Him. The

Bread of Life indicates the fact that Jesus is the spiritual

equivalent of natural bread, which is called the staple of life.

Jesus knows that Jews can identify with this especially in

relationship with the manna that fell from heaven for the Jews

in the wilderness. Did a man provide manna for the children of

Israel or was it God? It was God of course. Jesus is the source

of mans provision. When Jesus fed the multitudes He wassimply repeating a previous miracle! The same Lord fed the

children of Israel in the Wilderness.

2. I AM the Light of The World (John 8:12). Jesus made thedeclaration at the Feast of Tabernacles. This is significant

because the lighting of candles is a major part of the feast. For

Jesus to declare this at that time was very eye opening becauseJesus is saying all spiritual insight and direction come from Him.

He is the true light in the tabernacle. He is the light that

guides our paths. Jesus said I AM the only hope for the world

because I am the opposite of the darkness that enslaves it.


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Could a man make this declaration? This is something only God

could claim.

3. I AM the Door (John 9:34-38). Jesus is identifying Himself asthe entrance of the sheepfold. The Shepherd would protect the

sheep by establishing a single entrance and exit for the sheep togo through. Jesus said He was that door. Any other way is the

way of the thief or robber. Jesus was saying there is no other

way but His way. By calling Himself the DOOR Jesus clearly

defined Himself as the ONLY WAY to eternal life.

4. I AM the Good Shepherd (John 10:12,13). Here Jesusdistances Himself from the religious leaders around Him. By

saying He is the Good Shepherd Jesus is speaking of His

intrinsic goodness. He is saying I am the kind of good no man can

ever be because I Am God! Jesus is also sharing the duty of a

good shepherd by being willing to die for the sheep he is tending.

Jesus died for sinful man.

5. I AM the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:23-24). Jesus letMartha know that He was the one that imparts life. Not just for

Lazarusbut for those that put their trust in Him for eternal

life.

6. I AM The Way, The Truth, and The Life (John 14). First, Jesussays He is the Way. He did not say one of the ways. He pointedto Himself as the only path to eternal life. Jesus did not say I

tell the truth, He said I AM THE TRUTH! Every religion claims

to posses the truth yet Jesus takes the position of supremacy by

saying He is the source of all truth. If you want the truth you

must go to the fountain of truth and that is Jesus Christ the


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Son of God. Again the Lord says He is The Life meaning He is

the source of all life. When you wake up in the morning thank

Jesus, He is the source of life.

7. I AM the True Vine (John 15:5). Jesus lets believers knowthat he is the source of their strength as long as they stayattached to Him. Jesus identifies Himself as mans SOURCE of

strength and power in the Christian walk. We can look to NO

ONE other than the risen savior, Jesus the Christ.

8. Jesus is simply I AM (John 8 & 13). Jesus called Himself thesame name God shared with Moses at the foot of Mt. Horeb. I

AM the Self-existent God. Yes, Jesus did declare His deity.

Here Jesus is calling Himself Yahweh The Self-Existent God.

This verse is the strongest declaration of Jesus deity.


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The Bible


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The B.I.B.L.E.

Someone shared the Bible is an acronym for Basic Instruction Before

Leaving Earth. Others with creative minds can probably developadditional appropriate acronyms. However, the inescapable fact is the

Bible is His-Story (history), highlighting the events of one mans family

interacting with other within the human family at-large.

The man whose story is told in the Bible is Adam. His genealogy is

detailed because it directly proves both the humanity and divinity of

Christ. The experiences of the Adams family, as the apostle Paulstated, serves as an example of how God expects those called by His

name to react, interact and refrain from acting under a myriad of

circumstances [1Cor 10:6]. Now these things were our examples, to the

intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Indeed

the apostle Paul confirms this premise by directly relating the two,

Christ and Adam, by calling Christ the second man Adam [1Cor 15:45].

And so it is written, the first man Adam was made a living soul; the last

Adam was made a quickening spirit.

His-story of the first Adam, recounting the tragedy transpiring at Eden,

is in stark contrast to His-story of the second Adam, recounting the

triumph transpiring at Calvary. The sin at Eden is paid for by the

sacrifice at Calvary. Paul stated of Jesus [Hebrews 10:7.9], Then said

I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy

will, O God.

His-story is recorded from the beginning. The very name Genesis means

in the beginning. The apostle John opens his letter by calling Jesus the

word and stating exactly when the word came [John 1:1]. In the

beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was

God. Therefore, His-story begins in Genesis in the beginning.


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His-story through the books of history, poetry, and prophecy details the

familys struggle to maintain a perfect bloodline, leading to the Messiah

under the Old Testament. The ultimate arrival of the Messiah instituted

a New Testament. The old covenant with Adams descendant, Abraham,

was sealed with the human blood using circumcision. The once shed blood

of Christ sealed the new covenant for all human descendants [1 Cor.11:25.20]. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had

supped, saying, This cup is the New Testament in my blood: this do ye,

as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. Note that under the old

covenant each males blood was ceremonially shed only once with

circumcision. Likewise, under the new covenant Christs blood was

sacrificially shed only once for all, both male and female.

His-story culminates with reunification of God with humanity restoring allthings as they were originally in the beginning. The Bible ends with a

new beginning:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and

the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw

the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,

prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; and I heard a loud voice

from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will

dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will bewith them; [ Rev. 21:1-3]


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Leadership


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LEADERSHIP

Distinctive Leadership

Why are Old Testament and New Covenant leaders different than

secular leaders?

Abraham - Genesis 12:1-3; 15:1-7; 17:1-15, Having a child wasGods vision, not Abraham and Sarahs idea. God vision defies

human wisdom and logic. Visionary leadership does require

something of us...trust in God. God came to Abraham 3 times to

reinforce his faith in the vision of a son. (Faith cometh by

hearingand hearing by the Word of God Romans 10:17) This is

why messages are repeated so often in church. If the pastor is

teaching on repentance every Sunday, this must mean there is aneed for repentance in the assembly. God wont let him stop until

repentance takes place.

Moses Meek Meekness and humility are not traits the world systemencourages in leadership. In Christ however it is entirely different.

The Bible says God RESISTthe proud and gives GRACE (favor) to

the humble. Moses allowed God to fight his battles, he knew hissource of strength was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Even

when his brother and sister opposed him, he simply bowed in the

presence of God, and God dealt with the rebellion. After a bought of

leprosy, Aaron had to beg Moses to God on behalf of Miriam.

Remember the Meek shall inherit the earth.

David Passionate and devoted David did everything with the passionof an artist and the devotion of a shepherd. David had the anointing

to be King even before the office became available, yet he remained

devoted.


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Joseph Dreamer

Samson Believed in Comebacks

Daniel Man of Prayer

Ezekiel Face like Flint a God-hardened man

Jesus Style of Leadership Discipleship is the key to success!

Training the trainer Challenge people Allow room for failure Everyone a potential leader

Visionary Leadership Nehemiah and Joseph

Protect the vision (Carefully select confidants) Stay on the wall (Stay focused) Avoid the Counselors of Frustration (Avoid Naysayers)

Moving into the Vision You cant stay where you are at, and go with

God.

God can alter your plans, AND HE WILL! Go with the flow (Holy Spirit) Expect Conflict (Acts 16)


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Raise Everyones Potential on Your Team Jonathan and the armorbearer

Encourage dont criticize! Pray for your comrades! Identify potentialand use it! Be a mentor! Teach your followers very well! Everyone a Paul or Timothy! Adopt a younger minister!

Maintain Integrity Like a tree planted by the water

The Fruit of the Spirit (Gods Character helps in leadership) The Gifts of the Spirit (Gods power a MUST) Grieving the Holy Ghost (Avoid sin) Truth holds it all together (Cling to the truth of scripture)


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Church Administration

CHURCH ADMINISTRATION


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Principles of Leadership in the Church

The Principle of Identification

Because of confusion regarding the roles of pastor and flock, a confusion created

largely by certain cultural expectations that have developed over the years, it has

become even more imperative that we all have a clear biblical understanding of who the

leaders and people are if churches are going to have effective ministries. Why?Because it affects what they do and expect from one another. (Compare (Eph. 4:12; 1

Thess. 5:12-13; Heb. 13:7, 17).

The Leaders

The leaders of the church are referred to as elders (presbuteroi, Acts 20:17; 1 Tim.

5:17), overseers (episkopoi, Acts 20:28; Phil. 1:1), leaders (proistamenoi, Rom. 12:8;1 Thess. 5:12), and pastor/teachers (poimenas-didaskalous, Eph. 4:11; cf. also Acts

20:28 and 1 Pet. 5:2 with 1 Tim. 3:2, able to teach, 5:17b, and Tit. 1:9). Though each

of these terms may describe the different aspects of leadership, they seem to be

used interchangeably to designate the same office. Above all, as Ephesians 4:11f makes

clear, they are equippers whose agenda (priorities, allotment of time, and duties) are

to be ordered by the Word of God, not by the agendas of people following their

cultural expectations set by the traditions of men.

The People

The people of the church are ministers who are to be trained for the kind of growth in

the Word that results in changed lives and ministry. Pastors/elders are to be a gifted,trained, and skilled believers whom God has called to lead a group of fellow priests or

ministers, not a minister who leads a group of lay spectators.

The Principle of Pastoral Priorities in Responsibilities


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The Necessity of Establishing Priorities (Acts 6:2)

When the apostles were confronted with how to meet the needs of the people, they

first approached the problem by establishing priorities. They said, It is not desirable

for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. Biblical priorities must

determine responsibilities.

The Necessity of Training and Delegation (Acts 6:3-4; Ex. 18:1f; 1

Tim. 4:6, 11-16; 2 Tim. 2:2, 15)

Facing the limitations of one man, the necessity of priorities, and the giftedness of

the body of Christ naturally leads to the importance of training and delegation.

Neither Moses, following Jethros advice, nor the apostles ignored the legitimate

needs of the people, but neither did they allow themselves to be distracted from the

primary needs of the people and the priorities of the Word. It becomes important,

therefore, for pastors to train the body of saints in the basics of the Word and

delegate various aspects of ministry to other members of the body according to theirgifts and the Lords leading in each believers life.

Personal Priorities for Pastors or EldersThe pursuit of God (Matt.

6:33)

God is the central priority. Everything else flows from this center like spokes in a

wheel (Prov. 4:23; Matt. 12:34-35; 23:6).

(1) A strong marriage relationship (Eph. 5:25; 1 Tim. 3:4).

(2) Training and disciplining ones children (Eph. 6:4; 1 Tim. 3:4-5).(3) Serving the church in his pastoral responsibilities as set forth in Scripture (1 Pet.

5:2-3).

(4) Modeling the character of Christ (1 Tim. 4:12, 15; 1 Pet. 5:3).

(5) Modeling the great commission: doing the work of evangelism with neighbors,

friends, relatives, etc. (1 Tim. 3:7).

Please note: Serving the church is not number one on the list of personal priorities. It

is one of four key responsibilities. Too many men have ignored this and have broken up

on the rocks of adultery or divorce or have experienced spiritual burnout because they

put their ministry ahead of their relationship with God and ignored their families.


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Pastoral Priorities for Pastors/Elders

PRIMARY

(1) Prayer, in-depth Bible study, and spiritual preparation for teaching and

communicating the Word. Teaching then becomes an overflow of a life bathed in the

Word (Ezra 7:6-10; John 15:7; Eph. 5:18; Col. 3:1-3, 16; 1 Tim. 4:14-16; 2 Tim. 2:15).(2) Preaching and teaching the Word (1 Tim. 4:6, 11-13; 2 Tim. 4:1-2; 1 Cor. 9:16). Some

Goals:

Teach the people to love the Word of God (Isa. 66:2; Ps. 1:1-3). Lead people to submit to the authority of the Word and to see obedience as a

major goal of their lives (Josh. 1:8).

Demonstrate that the proclamation of the Word is critical to worship (John4:24).

Motivate people to look for and live in view of the coming of the Lord (Tit. 2:1,11-15).

Motivate people to good deeds or ministry (Tit. 2:14; 3:1, 8, 14)(3) Discipling leaders and future leaders (Matt. 28:19-20; 2 Tim. 2:2)

SECONDARY

(1) Calling, visiting, counseling (Rom. 15:1-4; 1 Thess. 5:11-12; Jam. 1:27; 5:14).

(2) Administrative functions: thinking, planning and organizing, letters, etc.

The Principle of Plurality and Equality

In keeping with maintaining the priorities, the limited capacity of one man, and the

giftedness of the body of Christ under His headship, authority, and preeminence, New

Testament leadership appears to have been plural and equal with no system of

hierarchy. Certain men will naturally function as leaders among the leaders because of

their training, giftedness, wisdom, knowledge, and experience, but all are equal and

accountable to each other. (Compare Acts 15 and the leadership demonstrated by

James among the leaders of the church at Jerusalem. Also compare Acts 14:23; 20:17;

Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 5:17.) See Appendix B for elaboration.

The Principle of Selectivity and Quality

The most important element in selecting leaders is their spiritual qualification.

Selection is the process of applying biblical standards to the selection of leaders, but

these are to be leaders chosen by the Holy Spirit. It means the greatest need is not

leaders, but spiritual men. It also necessitates the intentional training and preparation

of men to take a leadership role (Acts 6:3; 1 Tim. 3:1f; 2 Tim. 2:2; Tit. 1:6f).


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In his classic on leadership, Oswald Sanders writes,

The Holy Spirit does not take control of any man or body of men against their

will. When He sees elected to positions of leadership men who lack spiritual

fitness to cooperate with Him, He quietly withdraws and leaves them to

implement their own policy according to their own standards, but without His

aid. The inevitable issue is an unspiritual administration.4

Choosing men according to biblical standards means we must seek to select only those

who have modeled commitment and obedience as an emergent leadership. This creates

standards and establishes training examples who model the message (1 Tim. 4:12; 1 Pet.

5:3).

The Principle of Purity of Philosophy

(1) Definition:Philosophical purity simply refers to an agreement, especially among

the leaders, but extending to a broad base in the congregation, concerning (1) thepurposes, goals, and product of the church, (2) the priority of certain ministries over

others (exposition, training, evangelism, etc., versus some of the typical expectations

that people have regarding the church), and (3) the methods used to reach those

objectives.

(2) Description:Philosophical purity means unity or oneness of mind, harmonious

agreement, but not necessarily unanimity, the complete agreement on all issues (cf.

Phil. 1:27; 1 Cor. 1:10). Unity means coming to a working agreement based on a common

objective.

(3) Necessity:Philosophical purity is vital to the kind of ministry that is able tomultiply itself in growing, mature people who become engaged in the work of ministry in

evangelism and edification.

(4) Key Scriptures: John 17:11-23; Eph. 4:3-16; Phil. 1:27; 2:2.

The Principle of Servant-Like Ministry

The church must be led by those who have the heart and life of a servant whose

motives are pure (John 13:1f; Luke 22:26; 1 Thess. 2:3-8).

The Principle of Autonomy

Each local church is a separate entity in and of itself with its own God-given leaders

and is answerable directly and only to Christ (Heb. 13:17; 1 Pet. 5:3).


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Principles of Administration and Organization for the Church

Principles of Administration

The following is summarized from Sharpening the Focus of the Church:5

(1) Face the Reality of the Problems: Problems do not go away, they only get worse.They must be faced and dealt with according to the principles of Scripture.

(2) Develop a Clear Understanding of the Problem Before Seeking Concrete

Solutions: This means getting all the facts available and then prayerfully seeking

biblical solutions.

(3) Delegate Responsibility to Qualified People: This principle follows naturally the

establishment of priorities as seen in Exodus 18 and Acts 6. Note: Scripture stressesthat this must be done with people who are qualified spiritually and by their ability

(gifts and training as is needed).

(4) Establish Priorities According to Biblical Agendas: In solving problems andmeeting the needs of people, we must, as emphasized above, act in accord with Gods

priorities or we create overload and burnout (cf. Ex. 18:18).

(5) Solve Problems Creatively Under the Leading of the Holy Spirit: It is easy to

get locked into administrative routines that kill the freedom of the Spirit of God to

lead us in different ways and use our God-given creativity.

Principles of Organization6

(1) Organize to Apply New Testament Principles and to Accomplish New TestamentPurposes: Organization must never become an end in itself. We must seek to develop

structures for the church which will help us accomplish New Testament purposes and

objectives. When an organizational form ceases or fails to do that, it needs to be

abandoned.

(2) Organize to Meet Needs According to Biblical Standards: We must never

organize to organize. The New Testament church organized only when a need arose and

only as long as the need existed.

(3) Keep Organization Simple: This follows the former. Organization must be

functional to accomplish biblical purposes, goals, etc., and to meet needs. A good test:is the structure serving the goals or has it become an end in itself? Is it serving or is

it being served?

(4) Keep Organization Flexible: Biblical leaders were never locked into organizational

structures.


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PART IV:

Primary and Critical

Foundations For the Church

The Authority of Scripture Over Belief and Practice

The prophet wrote, I know, O Lord, that a mans way is not in himself; Nor is it in a

man who walks to direct his steps (Jer. 10:23). The authority of the Word of God iscrucial and foundational to all that it is and does. We must not operate in a way that

contradicts what is written in Scripture (1 Cor. 6:4). (Compare also 1 Tim. 1:10-11; 4:1-

6; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; cf. Mk. 7:8-13; Col. 2:22.)

The Necessity for Clear Vision of the Church

and Its Purpose for Being

Vision (seeing as God wants us to see) is crucial for the people of God. It is through

vision that we know and stay aware of who we are, why we are here, and where we aregoing. Without vision, a church will end up in a maintenance program maintaining the

status quo. This results in a church going nowhere (Prov. 28:18).

As Gods people, we need vision. We need to see the greatness of God and what is ours

in Christ, but not simply for our own strokes or personal blessing. We need to see the

world as God sees it and where our responsibilities lie as members of the body ofChrist. This means a vision for (1) every member ministry, and (2) what ministry

consists of in biblical terms.

The Pursuit of GodThe Need for AbidingThis involves the principle of from the inside out (cf. Matt. 6:33; John 15:1-7; Eph.

3:16-19 with Isa. 29:13).

We are a consumer-oriented, self-centered, self-indulgent society bent on pleasing

ourselves rather than seeking to know and love God. We tend to seek the wrong things

and asking the wrong questions. We ask, What can this church do for me? What can I

get out of this church? rather than Can I know God here? What can I give, how can I

serve? We tend to worship worship and what we get out of ita good feeling, a rosy

glow, entertainment, etc., rather than thinking about God Himself and how His truth

should impact our lives for God and the world. How do we turn this around? We beginby making God the number one priority and seeking to genuinely walk with Him in

honest fellowship through the ministry of the indwelling Spirit of God.


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Personal Commitment to God, to the Great Commission,

and the Stewardship of All We Are

To truly know God is to love God, and to love God is to be committed to Him and His

purposes. It is to live with a view to eternity when we will be forever in His glorious

presence. When this is not fundamental and kept in focus in the ministry of a church,

the people will naturally withhold their lives because earthly and material treasures willbe more important (Matt. 22:36-40; 6:19-24; Rom. 12:1-2; 2 Cor. 4:16-18).

The Priesthood of Believers and the

Principle of Every Believer Gifted by God for Service

There must be a commitment to teach the priesthood of believers and promote its

implications for ministry along with its natural companion, the truth concerning

spiritual gifts. Why? So more and more believers function as a body in unity with

diversity. This is vital to an effective ministry. Spectatoritis is an ailment in the

church that must be remedied if the church is to count for God (Rom. 12:3f; 1 Cor.12:4f; Eph. 4:7f; 1 Pet. 2:5-11; 4:1-12).

Addendum A:

The Team Concept of the Body of Christ

(Every Member a Minister)

The church is not a one-man team with the minister and the so-called laymen. Sadly,

and to the hurt of the body of Christ, there still exists today a spirit of clericalism

the expectation that the professional clergy does the ministry. Though the belief thatpastor-teachers are to equip the saints for the work of ministry is widespread and well

known, it is rarely practiced and sorely hindered by pastoral expectations that simply

do not line up with Scripture. Churches give lip service to the truth of Ephesians 4:11-

16, but have a hard time managing to apply it because of these long-held expectations.

There is still an iron-clad expectation that the pastor is to function in three areas:

(1) He prepares, teaches, and preaches the Word

This is a biblical expectation.

(2) He is also often expected not just to be the church manager, but the main

administratorHe is to keep the administrative machinery oiled and running. In other words, churches

often and unrealistically want a theologian, Bible expositor, and a corporate executive

all rolled up into one. Some men may have all these gifts, most do not, but even when

they do, is it biblically right to expect one man to do it all? Hardly!

(3) He must care for the flock


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This includes everything: hospital visitation, home visitation, counseling, conductingfunerals, officiating at weddings, attendance at all committee meetings, Sunday school

parties, socials, and so on. If he is not involved in all these things and at all these

functions, he is sometimes labeled uncaring, or is criticized with remarks like, He

does not have a pastors heart. This is not necessarily true because it is a matter of

priorities (cf. Mk. 1:35-39) and even giftedness (Rom. 12:3-8). His commitment to

teaching the Word and training people can be a greater display of love and compassion

because this ultimately meets the greater needs (Acts 6:2-5).

Some of these expectations are legitimate, but some of them must also be shared by

other members of the body, starting with the pastoral team (the other elders), then

the deacons and extending to the whole body (Eph. 4:16). The above list of

expectations leaves little time for the main function of those who labor in the Word

and teaching. The study and exposition of the Word and the equipping of the flock for

the work of serving or ministry is the biblical mandate and priority for pastor/elders

who follow the scriptural mandate.

The false expectations of our day have caused pastors to become general (generic) intheir ministries because they too often let people set the agenda for themnot the

Lord. They serve the people, but not Christ. Christ and the priorities of Scripture

must set the agenda for a pastors ministry just as our Lord allowed the Fathers will to

set His agenda regardless of the pressure of people (cf. Mk. 1:35-39). When thepastor serves people, he serves their vested interest and expectations. When he

serves the Lord, he serves their best interest. Only when we serve Christ can the best

interests of people be served. When this is not the case, you have burnout and

frustration from trying to satisfy the whims, expectations, and desires of the flock

which vary almost from person to person.Like the great commission, we have worshipped Ephesians 4:12-16, but we havent

obeyed it. This obviously needs to change. Pastors and churches need to develop a new

mind set. They must see and make room for pastors to function in a more specialized

rolethe role of equippers. The ministry of equipping the saints unto the work of

ministry must set the agenda. The biblical priority is functioning as teacher/equippers

who get the work of ministry done through building others. It means the multiplication

of ministry through every member (Eph. 4:12-16; 2 Tim. 2:2).

Every believer is a priest of God to whom God has given personal stewardships, the

stewardships of time, talents (including our spiritual gifts), truth, our bodies as Godstemple, and treasures. This means personal responsibilities to be faithful to these

trusts from God. This also means a team ministry with pastor-teachers (or the pastoral

team) building up the saints unto the work of the ministry (their places of service and

ministry) unto the building up of the body of Christthe spiritual (qualitative),

physical (quantitative), and organic growth of the church (the development ofministries)through the exercise of these stewardships (Eph. 4:12). This means the


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leadership PLUS the rest of the flock serving and striving together for the faith ofthe gospel (Phil. 1:27)

Addendum B:

Church Leadership

The leaders of the church are divided into two groups, elders and deacons. While

considerable scriptural direction is given concerning the function and responsibilitiesof the elders, little or none is given for the deacons. Their function seems to be that

of helpers to the elders in the work of ministry. Though the men chosen in Acts 6 are

not identified as deacons, they may illustrate the concept of helping the elders in

meeting the needs of the flock. We should not, however, limit the work of deacons to

merely physical things for some of these men as Philip the evangelist and Stephen were

gifted and served in the communication of the Word.

No little debate exists among conservative scholars regarding the number of elders

each church had in New Testament times and should, therefore, have today. Some

argue for the single pastor/elder while others argue for plural elders/pastors for eachlocal church.

With one exception, whenever the New Testament speaks of elders or overseers, it

speaks of them in the plural. Paul and Barnabas appointed elders (pl.) in each church in

the region of Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch (Acts 14:23). When Paul wrote to the

Philippians, he addressed the overseers and deacons (Phil. 1:1). While some passages

suggest the presence of an elder who became the spokesman for the leadership and

may have even functioned as a leader among the elders, there is no suggestion any

place of one man who was viewed as the pastor. Such a person was always accountable

to the other elders and never ruled in a hierarchical fashion as was the case withDiotrephes (3 John 9-11).

Still, there are those who argue for the concept of one pastor or senior pastor. Their

primary arguments are as follows:

(1) Biblical history illustrates Gods use of one man as a leader of His peopleNoah,

Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Elijah, Elisha, Ezra, Nehemiah, etc. It is argued that some

churches claim to have a plurality of elders with no single leader, but objective

observation clearly demonstrates one man often provides special leadership to the

rest. But we are not under the Old Testament system, and the fact one man may

function as a leader among the leaders is a poor argument for calling one man thepastor.

(2) When God began forming the church and planting churches, he used teams of men

like Paul, Silas, and Timothy, but central to each team was the apostolic authority of

men like Paul and Peter. They provided leadership among the leaders. But Paul and

Peter were apostles with the foundational gift of an apostle, a gift especially used to

establish the church (Eph. 2:20-21). Further, later on in his ministry, Peter saw himself

as a fellow elder (cf. 1 Pet. 5:1).


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(3) In Acts 15, concerning the dispute over grace and keeping the law and circumcision,several of the church leaders took prominent leadership, Peter, Paul, and Barnabas, but

James is the one who gave the verdict and seems to have functioned as a kind of

president of the council or leader among the leaders. But such a fact gives no more

authority for the pastor concept than the fact that Peter was the spokesman for the

apostles during the Lords ministry on earth.

(4) Early church history, specifically the writings of Ignatius, teach us that a single

pastor or overseer, assisted by other elders and deacons, became the widespread

pattern within the churches by the turn of the century.7 But church history should not

become our authority for theology, especially if it flies in the face of the plain

teaching of the New Testament.

(5) Finally, it is argued that several New Testament passages lend further support to

the single pastor or at least leave room for this concept:

1 Timothy 3:1-12: All the terms describing the overseer or elder (both termsrefer to the same office) are in the singular while all those describing deacons

are plural. The Greek text employs the singular article with a singular noun, theoverseer (ton episkopon) in verse 2. Some argue this shows that Paul had in

mind a single pastor for each church. But the singular is a classic illustration of

the generic article which looks collectively at a group or a class. Clearly the

majority of commentators agree with this usage for the article in this passage.This is supported by the context of 1 Timothy and the plural used in 1 Timothy

5:17. Perhaps an illustration will help. If I were to say, speaking of our

government, If a man desires the office of senator, . . . for the senator must

be, . . . how would you understand this statement? Knowing the makeup of our

government, you know I would be talking about a group, a class of men we callsenators.

If is often argued that the early church met in houses and probably had oneelder for each house at least in the beginning stages until the church grew when

more pastoral help was needed. Several of these churches constituted the

church in a particular city. Even in Acts 14:23 where we are told elders were

appointed in every church, this is a distinct possibility. When he speaks of

elders in each church, Luke may be referring to the church as a whole in each

city with its several house ministries. They would say the text is speaking of

what they did in the three cities, Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch (Acts 14:21f).This idea, they would argue, finds support in Titus 1:5. But this is all supposition.

The fact still remains that Scripture teaches a plurality of elders were

appointed in each church.

Revelation 2-3: Each message to the seven churches is addressed to the angel,angelos, of the church. Unless this is a guardian angel, which is very unlikely, themessage is addressed to one leader who is responsible to present the message


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to the flock. In Acts 20, elders (plural) are gathered, yet in Revelation 2:1, onemessenger is addressed. Why? The fact is, we really do not know. Perhaps the

Lord simply singled out one leader to be the messenger of this special message

to each of these churches. Regardless, the abundance of evidence in the rest of

the New Testament supports a plurality of elders who operate on a parity with

one another.

When considering all the data, three things seem to surface.

(1) All elders are pastors and should be engaged in the work of ministering the Word to

the flock. But in many churches today, the leadership is divided into pastors and elders

and deacons, or ruling elders and teaching elders with the ruling elders functioning

more like glorified deacons or administrators who are engaged in very little pastoral

ministry. They arent really functioning like shepherds. Note the following:

1 Timothy 5:17 does not distinguish between two types of elders, ruling andteaching. First, the qualifications required of elders teach us that both

functions were to be united in one person. Second, the differentiation in this

verse is between those who do the work of study and teaching with less energy,devotion, and excellence and those who work harder and with greater

commitment.

In nearly every passage where elders or overseers or the leaders of the churchare referred to, they are mentioned in connection with their responsibility tocommunicate the Word in some fashion (Acts 15:6; 20:27-32; 1 Thess. 5:12; 1

Tim. 3:2; 5:17; Tit. 1:9; Heb. 13:7; cf. also Eph. 4:11).

All the elders will not, of course, have the same abilities and will vary in theirgiftedness, as in a pulpit ministry, but they should all be able to teach: be

knowledgeable and trained in the Word and able to communicate it (1 Tim. 3:2;Tit. 1:9). In many churches, administration is the primary function of the board

of elders. Some will undoubtedly excel in administration, but teaching is a crucial

function to their work as shepherds.

Their MANDATE is to lead and protect the flock, their METHOD is by teachingand example.

(2) Among the elders there may need to be one who functions as a leader and trainer

of the others at least in the initial stages of the ministry (2 Tim. 2:2). In time, more

elders may need to become full-time in ministry and supported by the church as the

needs develop.(3) The rotation system of elders seems to have no biblical support and may be more

harmful to a church than it is protective. A church should have no more elders than are

spiritually qualified and normally these should continue to serve unless they need a

sabbatical for rest or some other ministry. Rotating elders every three years, for

instance, removes needed and effective leadership and often results in replacementwith those who are less qualified.


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Homiletics


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HOMILETICS

But we will continue to devote ourselves steadfastly to prayer and the

ministry of the Word. (Acts 6:4 Amp)

This is one of the key verses in the Bible to help a novice minister

be a successful tool for the Master. Preaching has nothing to do witheloquence, intelligence, or charisma. The successful minister is the one

that realizes that sharing Gods Word is a divine call and privilege that

cant be done in ones own strength.

The Apostles took this charge so seriously that they knew total

devotion to prayer and study was paramount. A preacher that doesnt

devote his life to prayer and study is a potential false prophet. Satan

loves preachers that say Im to busy to pray or I dont thinkpreachers need formal Bible training.

Hundreds of pulpits are manned by preachers that feed flocks

rhetoric, politics, church doctrine, and outright nonsense. It is no

wonder churches are filled with people that couldnt hold their own with a

Jehovahs Witness or a Muslim. God wants saints to be able to know and

defend what they believe. If preachers cant effectively convey the

doctrine of scripture effectively, how can the saints of God ever hope towin a lost soul, defend the deity of Christ, or live victorious Christian

lives? Jesus told his disciples that he would make them fishers of

men. He did this by teaching them His word, teaching them to pray,

and putting them through an intensive OJT (on the job training) program.

This handbook is not just intended to be a compilation of sermon helps

but an aid to the (new) minister in sermon preparation and personal

preparation as well.

The first emphasis should be personal preparation before you get to

sermon preparation.

Now, O Lord my God, you have made Your servant king instead of David

my father, and I am but a lad [in wisdom and experience]; I know not

how to go out (begin) or come in (finish). (I Kings 3:7 Amp.)


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The reason Solomon was blessed with an anointing of wisdom was

because he realized his inadequacy in the position he was called to.

When God calls us he does so because of our availability and obedience

to the call. The sovereign wisdom of God determines who, how, and why

he calls any of us. We must never think God called us because of ourcleverness or natural abilities. Solomons wisdom, (spiritual insight) was

supplied by the Lord. It was his natural wisdom that got him in trouble.

The Bible says that God resist the proud (James 4:6,7), but extends

grace to the humble. The man or woman of God must never fall prey to

the sin of self-reliance. Satan loves preachers like this. They are

candidates for a hard fall.

The revelation knowledge (wisdom) of God is essential in ministry.Paul prayed for both the churches at Ephesus and Colosse, that they

would obtain spiritual insight. This insight can only come through the

knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Just like the disciples that Jesus

groomed for Apostleship, we must spend time with the Master.

Before you can accept the call to specific ministry, you must heed

the call to discipleship. A disciple is a student. All preachers must first

and foremost be students of Jesus. You never graduate from JesusUniversity; it is a continued education. Some people feel that all

preachers should attend seminary, while others condemn seminary

training as too liberal. The bottom line is all preachers need training.

Find what is best for your situation. There are hundreds of schools,

institutes, and academies that teach sound bible doctrine. FIND ONE!

Every denomination that ordains people should have a means to train

men and women. Pastors should have a discipleship program that willprepare saints for specific ministry. Too many preachers are licensed to

kill. The last time I checked only James Bond was allowed to do this.

Untrained preachers are killing saints with tradition and rhetoric from

their untrained predecessors. You can never learn all there is to know

about Gods Word. It is an education for life. The apostle Paul asked

for the parchments (Old Testament) right up to his death. Paul was still


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searching the scriptures on death row. Many of us would have said,

Whats the use? Ill ask Jesus when I see Him in glory. (Smile). Do we

really study the Word enough? No we dont! Can you honestly say I read

my bible more than I watch television? Do I pray more than I talk on

the telephone? If you do, then you are on the right track.

Preachers must also realize that the power that works in us works

well beyond our comprehension. (Eph. 3:20) I was stationed in Turkey

during the Gulf War. I had an opportunity to lead two Moslems to

Christ. Was it my knowledge or charisma that got these men saved? No!

It was the power of God at work in me. I was even able to lay hands on

one, and the Lord delivered him of migraine headaches. Do I profess to

be a healer or prophet? No! I am just an instrument for the Lord Jesus

Christ. It did not have to be me! I was just available and obedient.The problem with many preachers is they begin to believe it is they and

not the Lord.

We must also realize that the true purpose for the anointing of God

is always SOULS! (Acts 1:8) When preachers start to merchandise

the anointing, the lost souls suffer. Too many ministries are trying to

sell a false product, when Jesus told the disciples, freely you received,

freely you give.

God is to be glorified for His Work. (Zec.4: 1-6) When God calls us

to do a specific work, we must remember that the glory belongs to Him.

It really irritates me when I hear preachers boast about their

ministries, their gifts, and their flocks. NO! NO! NO! It all belongs

to GOD! We must humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, and

HE will exalt us in due season. I really believe for many of us, due

season wont be until we reach heaven. (Remember Peter and Paul) Thisleads me to another point preachers must take note of. There is a price

to pay to be anointed. The apostles went through much tribulation to

spread the gospel. If you are really preaching the good news of Jesus

death and resurrection, you will face tribulation. From Abraham to John

on the Isle of Patmos, men and women of God have suffered for


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righteousness sake. You too man or woman of God will stand trial for

your faith in Jesus Christ.

The Children of Israel limited God, (Psalm 78) what? How can limits

be placed on God? Easy, Forget His greatness, forget how He delivered

you, and steal His glory thats how. Gods hands were tied so to speakbecause of Israels attitude toward Him. Preachers dont make the same

mistake! You were chosen by God to be a watchman, spokesman, and

ambassador for the Master. I was saved by the grace of God, BUT I

was also called by His grace. I did not deserve to be a preacher! It is

a divine opportunity provided by the Creator of the Universe. I was

called to preach before I was in my mothers womb. (II Tim. 1:9) I did

not choose this calling, it was pre-ordained. When I hear people say I

think Im called I know that you dont think you are calledyou knowit! The devil knows it as well, thats why he tries very hard to snuff

the lives of preachers. I have lost count of the times the enemy has

tried to kill me. My mother gave birth to me alone in a house, no doctor

or midwife. I nearly died a few months later; she had to put me on ice

because I was burning up from a fever that sent me into convulsions. At

four I nearly drowned. I have survived 4 car accidents (two of the cars

were totaled), I have had hepatitis, Scarlet Fever, A near miss in a C-

130 aircraft, I have been held at gunpoint in Somalia, and at present Iam battling Sarcoidosis, an incurable auto-immune disease that causes

lesions and severe pain all over my body. I could add a few more

examples but you get the picture. Now some of my faith-preaching

buddies would tell me I am suffering because of a lack of faith, NO! It

was because of my faith. It is my faith that sustains me, through it all

Gods grace IS sufficient. Satan hates preachers! Get this through

your head now. When you stand in the pulpit, you are stepping into the

ring.If you think spiritual warfare is a piece of cake, you are sadlymistaken. When you lead a soul to Christ, Cast out a demon or two, or

lay hands on the sick you infuriate the devil! This is why Ephesians 6

says, when you have done all, TO STAND. STAND THEREFORE You

will be attacked, remember this preacher. What makes you think you

will be any different than Joseph, Daniel, Peter, James, John, Paul, and

of course JESUS!


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SERMON PREPARATION

The first thing I would like to say about preparing a sermon is that

people need to hear from God! Not you! It is a tragedy to hear a

preacher feed the flock an ill-prepared meal. It is your responsibility

to lay before God and seek a word for the hour. One thing all sermonsshould do is inspire people to draw nigh to God. You must also know the

spiritual climate you are in. You would not preach an evangelistic sermon

to a room full of saved people, nor should you preach a sermon about the

gifts of the Holy Spirit to unbelievers. Im going to list some common

mistakes preachers make when delivering a sermon.

Donts

1.Dont preach too long! Say what God gave you and sit down.2. Dont preach beyond the anointing. Remember it is not YOU! Its

CHRIST!

3.Dont preach more than one message at a time.4.Dont force a conversion, allow the Holy Spirit to work.

5.Dont be what you are not. Stay true to your calling. If God calledyou to teachthen teach. Etc, etc.

6.Dont forget truth is more important than sparing someones feelings.Remember how Paul rebuked Peter for allowing legalism and prejudicesovertake him. I am afraid too many preachers are political animals

that avoid such confrontation. Be a Paul! Paul knew that the doctrine

of grace was more important that sparing Peter a public rebuke.

7.Dont merchandise the anointing. You dont preach for pay. Ifsomeone supports your ministry, fine! If not, fine! Paul said, Woe

unto me if I preach not the gospel! No God breathed ministry will fail

if it is God breathed. You dont need a large expense account to

preach the gospelbut you do need the anointing of God. And guesswhat, its free.

8.Dont always expect positive results. Jeremiah and Ezekiel preachedfor years with no results (conversions). Sometimes preaching will bring

mans wrath. (remember Stephen)


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Dos

1.Fast and pray prior to each sermon. You are not just delivering asermon; you are speaking words of life.

2.Pray for lost souls. Satan wants the lost to stay that way. Paul toldTimothy that intercessory prayer was a priority in ministry.

3.Support and encourage other preachers. You are a unique club. Stayunified!

4.Study the topic God gave you to preach intently. Use handbooks,commentaries, and history books. Above all things use the Word. Do

topical studies.

5.Use an outline for your sermon, it is not unspiritual to use notes.6.Get to the point, dont be cryptic! When the Vail was rent, so was

the mystery of salvation.7.Give God all the glory!

8.Give an altar call.9.Minister beyond the pulpit.

10. Be prepared to cast out devils. After the Word goes forth demonsare agitated.

11. Solicit the help of other competent ministers.12. Expect a backlash from enemy.

Preacher, you must also take care of yourselves. We always preach

against smoking and drinking, yet we eat like there is no tomorrow. The

devil loves giving preachers strokes and heart attacks. Sometimes you

may have to decline sister Butterbeans pig feet salad and live longer.

African-Americans suffer from diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart

disease at higher percentages that our Caucasian brothers and sisters.

The reason is primarily due to diet. We love fried food, gravy, saltedmeats, and parts of the pig we should throw in the trash. I too am

guilty! But at this stage of my life, I realize my mission for Christ is

more important that satisfying my taste buds. We need to realize that

we are just as guilty as the cigarette smoker and liquor drinker, if we

destroy our temples with unhealthy foods.


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Evangelism and Church Growth

LUKE 4:16-21 - Isaiah prophesied that Jesus earthly ministry would consist of

PREACHING, HEALING, and DELIVERANCE.

LUKE 7:20-23 - Jesus ministered to Lepers, the blind, the crippled, and the poor.

Peter described Jesus ministry as one that went about DOING good and HEALING all

under the Devils power. (Acts 10:38)

Jesus told Herod that nothing would keep Him from driving out demons and healing

people. (Luke 13:31-32)

Jesus trained His disciples for DELIVERANCE ministry

LUKE 9:1-2,10 When Jesus called the Twelve together HE GAVE THEM POWER

MATTHEW 28:18-20 Jesus gave His disciples an outline of how to get the job done

after He left.

Jesus intended for His followers to carry out the ministry of SALVATION, HEALING,& DELIVERANCE. He also commissioned 72 others to do the same work. (Luke 10:1-17)

Jesus did not come to just to die, but to set an EXAMPLE of what REAL MINISTRY is

to be. In many of our churches we call many things ministry, but REAL ministry

centers around SALVATION, HEALING, and DELIVERANCE.

SALVATION - The Spirit

DELIVERANCE The Soul

HEALING The Body

Jesus is ALWAYS interested in the TOTAL man! He cares for us in such a

special way. We must render Jesus type of care to the world and the

church.


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The LAYING ON of Hands

Laying hands on the sick is considered an ELEMENTARY TEACHING which

ALL Christians should partake in. (See Hebrews 6: 1-2 and James 5: 14-15)

One problem I have found in the modern church is that we have made thechurch a CLERGY run entity. God meant the church to be driven by ALL of

the saints. We are a body of BELIEVERS and BELIEVERS are supposed to

CAST OUT DEVILS, PREACH THE GOSPEL, and LAY HANDS on the sick.

(James 5:16 and Mark 16:20)

Evangelism, Healing, and Deliverance were not just for the APOSTLES!

This is a lie many Seminarians teach and advocate. I too am a college-

educated preacher, however I know that the Word of God teaches that

ordinary men and women participated in the work of the ministry.

Ananias was not an APOSTLE, he was an ordinary Christian, just like you

and I, yet he prayed for Pauls HEALING and that he would receive theBAPTISM in the HOLY GHOST. Healing the sick is NOT just for the

Apostles! The signs are designed to follow THEM THAT BELIEVE!

Believers are supposed to BELIEVE that Jesus power is yet for today. I

am a firm believer that we dont see the miraculous because we dont

EXPECT the miraculous. (Mark 16:20, Luke 1:37, and Phil. 4:13)


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Prayer


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PRAYER

Hebrews 11:1-30

What some preachers call faith isnt really faith. Just quoting a verseover a problem isnt really faith. The ability to endure the span of time

between asking and blessing is real faith. I call this span of time the

valley. There is a way to survive and grow in the valley.

Praise God in tribulation (Ps.139: 7-13)Remember how God blessed you (Ps.78)Acknowledge your sinful activity (Ps.51)

Yield to the will of God (Rom.12: 1,2)Expect God to work in your behalf (Ps.23)

Resist temptation (I Cor.10: 13)

When Elijah called upon the Lord at Mt Carmel, God answered his

call with fire (1 Kings 18:17-40). This is the power of prayer. It

"calls" upon God to act.

Prayer is active, requiring a response from God. It is by prayer thatwe enter the Kingdom of God. We must ask God to bring us in; we can

not enter in our own power. It takes a sovereign act of God for us to be

"born again" into His eternal Kingdom.

Prayer is calling upon the Lord to intervene in our lives. To enter the

Kingdom of God we must confess our sins and ask God to forgive us. We

must ask Jesus to be our savior. We must ask for the Holy Spirit

baptism. It is all "calling upon the Lord" to act. Prayer depends on God

responding to a request.

Conclusion: Your faith will stand trial. What makes you think that you

can avoid something all of the champions of faith had to experienceTHE

VALLEY! Every preacher called of God is ALSO called to be a prayer


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warrior. The Apostles said it best in Acts 6:4 We MUST give ourselves

to PRAYER and MINISTRY of the Word! Notice they put prayer FIRST!

In order for us to fulfill His purpose in the world, Jesus has given us

the "Keys of His Kingdom" (Matthew 16:13-20).

The keys of the kingdom are very simple but powerful tools that

bring people in through "the door" of Jesus' sacrifice. They are

the Name of Jesus, the Power of God, the Holy Spirit, Prayer, Faith,

and the Word of God and Love. All of these are "mighty in God, to the

pulling down of strong holds" (2 Corinthians 10:4). With these "keys"

we can "loose and bind" things in both heaven and on earth (Matthew

16:19). Using them properly we can bring many into the Kingdom of

God.

THE NAME OF JESUS

As Christians we have not come in our own name, but in the "name of

Jesus" (Mark 16:17:18). We are "sent" out into the world to glorify His

precious name and make His Kingdom known in the earth.

"There is no other name under heaven by which a man can be

saved" (Acts 4:12). This is a simple statement of fact. Jesus is the

only salvation God has provided. "He who calls on the name of the

Lord shall be saved" (Joel 2:32; Romans 10:13).

For this reason the name of Jesus is more precious than any other name

in all the earth. "At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and

every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of the Father"

(Philippians 2:10). There is no other way to escape from sin, and God's

righteous judgment of it, than by calling on Jesus for mercy.

Therefore the name of Jesus separates those who are being saved from

those who are perishing. It is only by calling on His name that we enter

into His Kingdom.


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THE POWER OF GOD

I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God

unto salvation to everyone that believes (Romans 1:16). Our faith must

be based on the true and clear knowledge that God is the creator and

sustainer of all we see around us. To believe in anything less is to deny

the nature of God and to form a breeding ground in our mind for all

manner of doubts and fears about our salvation. In fact we are assured

that the kingdom of God is not in word but in power (1 Corinthians

4:20).

"From ages past no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has

seen any God besides you, who works for those who wait for him."

(Isaiah 64:4)

It has always been and always will be God's purpose that we know Him

and trust Him because he has the power to fulfill any and every promise

He may care to make for us, for the gospel came not in word only, but

also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance (1

Thessalonians 1:5). Even Paul declares My speech and my preaching was

not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the

Spirit and of power that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of

man, but in the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:4-5).

We also trust in the power of God as demonstrated by the resurrection

of His Son, Jesus, that in due time He will also raise us up from death

(1 Thessalonians 4:15-18) and make us joint heirs with Christ (Romans

8:17).

"Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting

God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow

weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint,and strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and be weary, and

the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the LORD shall

renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they

shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:28

- 31)


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There is no doubt that God is well able to vindicate his chosen ones. The

Bible is full of accounts of how God's people who trusted in Him rather

than their own strength "through faith conquered kingdoms, administered

justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched raging

fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness,

became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight." (Hebrews 11:33 -34). A systematic study of both the old and new testaments will reveal a

clear record of God's omnipotent power demonstrated to, and on behalf

of, His chosen people.

The Elders Summary


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FINAL THOUGHTS FOR MINISTERS

Looking back over last 27 years in the ministry I can honestly say, Imstill learning every day. The key to being a vessel used by God is to

remain teachable. Read the Word everyday like its the first time. Go

to Bible Schools, Seminars, or take correspondence courses. Visit other

ministries and churches. Listen to tapes of Bible teachers and

preachers. Read books and articles on various theological and biblical

topics. Dont be afraid of views that challenge the truth. This will help

you in the area of Apologetics.

Study biblical doctrine like there is no tomorrow. Dont sacrifice the

truth for unity. You will be criticized and called a fanatic. Stand on

the firm foundation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Dont allow tradition

and religion to supersede sound doctrine and Christian character.

Examine the lives of the patriarchs in scripture and learn from their

mistakes. Model your prayer life after David who poured his heart out

to God. Learn leadership principals from Joshua and Josiah. Follow Godlike Ruth and forsake sin like Joseph. Speak the truth like Jeremiah

and be stern as Ezekiel. Ministers are just human, yet called out of the

pack by the Lord God Almighty. We must remember its not by (our)

might, nor by (our) strength, but its by His Spirit that we preach His

Word.

The gospel preacher must devote his (or her) life to purity of

doctrine. Paul warned Timothy to avoid fables and old wives tales. Itsvery easy for preachers to get involved in the flavor of the month

teachings. In last 20 years we have been bombarded with the faith

message, prosperity gospel, Spiritual Warfare, and Prophecy.

Every one is an Apostle or Bishop; no one is simply a Gospel preacher.

Dont get caught up in trends and hype. Be lead by the Holy Ghost and

walk in your calling. I have been preaching 23 years. I have done the


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work of an evangelist, and served in pastoral capacities, but I am called

to teach. My anointing is that of a teacher. It would be foolish to try

and be anything else. I live to study and teach the Word of God.

I refuse to get caught up in the flavor of the month. You must

walk in YOUR anointing. There are many preachers floundering from fadto fad. No matter what era you live in there will always be a need for

diversity in ministry. Peter was an uneducated fisherman, yet the

evangelistic mantle was on this apostle. Peter preached, and people got

saved. Paul on the other hand was educated. Gamaliel, the greatest

teacher of the law, trained him in his age. Pauls education didnt go to

waste. After salvation the Holy Ghost gave him insight into the law he

studied all his life as a Pharisee. Paul was an Apostle but his primary

anointing was that of teacher. Dont let people turn you into somethingGod didnt call you to be.

Man or woman of God you dont need gimmicksyou need the anointing

of the Almighty God. If this handbook has been a blessing to you share

it with someone else. God bless you.

Chaplain Mark H. Stevens, M.Min

Works Cited


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The Sinless Savior

Written byJames Martin

Actual quotations are from the New American Standard Version. The LockmanFoundation.

Basic Theology

Written By Dr. Charles C. Ryrie

Wheaton: Victor Books

Lewis Sperry Chafer Systematic Theology

Victor Books 1988

A Guide to the Gospels

Fleming H. Revell Co. p508

Derek Prince on Experiencing Gods Power

Whitaker House, New Kensington, Pa. 1998

Getz, Gene A., Sharpening the Focus of the Church, Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois,1974.

Hull, Bill, The Disciple Making Pastor, Fleming H. Revell, Old Tappan, New Jersey,

1988.

Miller, C. John, Outgrowing the Ingrown Church, Ministry Resources Library,

Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1986.

Radmacher, Earl D., The Nature of the Church, Western Baptist Press, Portland,

Oregon, 1972.

Richards, Lawrence O. and Gib Martin, Theology of Personal Ministry, Spiritual

Giftedness in the Local Church, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1980.

Saucy, Robert L., The Church in Gods Program, Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois, 1972.

Tillapaugh, Frank R., Unleashing the Church, Getting People Out of the Fortress and

Into Ministry, Regal Books, Ventura, California, 1982.

Warren, Rick, The Purpose Driven Church, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1995.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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