sbc 104 session 1: pastoral ministries manual... · page 3 of 23 . b. jesus is the “good...

of 23

SBC 104 SESSION 1: PASTORAL MINISTRIES

I. Introduction

A. Threefold Aim of Pastoral Studies

1. To validate the biblical absolutes required by God for pastoral ministry.

2. To elucidate the biblical qualifications for church pastors.

3. To delineate the biblical priorities for pastoral ministry.

B. Four Broad Categories in Pastoral Studies

1. The biblical character and essence of pastoral ministry.

2. The biblically required preparation of a man who would be pastor.

3. The personal qualifications of a man biblically qualified to pastor.

4. The biblical priority of activities involved in pastoral ministry.

II. Biblical Perspectives for Pastoral Ministry: Pastoral Humility

A. Five Marks of Paul’s Humility (1 Corinthians 4).

1. He was content to be a servant (4:1).

2. He was willing to be judged by God (4:4).

3. He was content to be equal with other servants of God (4:6).

4. He was willing to suffer (4:12-13).

5. He was content to sacrifice his reputation (4:9, 13).

B. Five Keys to Humility

1. Key #1: A humble pastor will be confident in God’s power.

2. Key #2: A humble pastor will be committed to God’s truth.

3. Key #3: A humble pastor is commissioned by God’s will.

4. Key #4: A humble pastor is compelled by God’s knowledge.

5. Key #5: A humble pastor is consumed with God’s glory.

C. Five Traits of an Effective Pastor

1. Tenacity

of 23

2. Integrity

3. Authority

4. Accountability

5. Humility

D. Objectives of Shepherding the Flock (1 Peter 5:1-3)

1. The primary objective of shepherding is feeding the flock.

2. The shepherd has two other primary duties as well.

a. He must exercise oversight of them.

b. He must lead them by the example of his life.

3. There are two things a shepherd should not do.

a. First, they must avoid doing what they are doing unwillingly.

b. Second, they must not shepherd simply for the sordid gain.

E. Obedience in Shepherding the Flock (1 and 2 Timothy)

1. Be faithful in preaching biblical truth.

2. Be bold in exposing and refuting error.

3. Be an example of godliness to the flock.

4. Be diligent and work hard in the ministry.

5. Be willing to suffer hardship and persecution in your service for the Lord.

III. Biblical Perspectives for Pastoral Ministry: Brief History

A. Biblical Period

1. Old Testament (Creation – 30 CE).

a. Sheep in need of a shepherd.

b. Sheep who need to be loved.

c. Sheep who need to be disciplined in love through:

i. Accountability

ii. Mercy

iii Compassion

iv. Delight

2. New Testament (30-100 CE)

a. Builds upon the example given in the Old Testament.

of 23

b. Jesus is the “Good Shepherd.”

c. Pastors are called to be under-shepherds who function and give oversight under Jesus’ authority.

d. There are five distinct terms used for these under-shepherds.

i. Elder (prespyteros)

ii. Bishop/Overseer (episkopos)

iii. Shepherd/Pastor (poimen)

iv. Preacher (kerux)

v. Teacher (didaskalos)

B. Early Christian Church (100-476)

1. The second century church came to view the bishop as the successor to the apostle.

C. Medieval Period (476-1500)

1. The first pope, Gregory the Great (540-604), assumed power in 590.

2. He outlined the qualification and duties of ministers in his Book of Pastoral Rule.

D. Reformation Period (1500-1648)

1. Two types of Reformation movements in pastoral ministries.

a. Magisterial Reformation – state church

b. Anabaptist – Free Church

2. Magisterial Reformation was influenced by several key reformers:

a. Martin Luther (1483-1546)

b. John Calvin (1509-1564)

c. Martin Bucer (1401-1551)

d. John Knox (1514-1572)

3. Anabaptist Reformation was influenced by:

a. Conrad Grebel (1495-1526)

b. Michael Sattler (1490-1527)

c. Balthasar Hubmaier (1480-1528)

d. Menno Simons (1496-1561)

4. Anabaptist rejected the idea of an invisible church.

of 23

E. Modern Period (1649-Present)

1. Key Figure in the development of pastoral ministries was Richard Baxter - The Reformed Pastor.

2. Following the Puritan era, other key figures during this period include:

a. Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)

b. Charles Bridges (1794-1869)

c. Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892)

3. In the nineteenth century key figures include:

a. G. Campbell Morgan (1863-1945)

b. Missionary Roland Allen (1868-1947)

c. Benjamin B. Warfield (1851-1921)

d. D. Martin Lloyd-Jones (1939-1981)

.

IV. Biblical Perspectives for Pastoral Ministry: Scriptural Approach

A. Introduction

1. The seven ministries through which the pastor can see the purposes of the church realized in the church he leads are:

a. Ministry of the Word.

b. Ministry of Fellowship.

c. Ministry of the Lord’s Supper.

d. Ministry of Prayer.

e. Ministry of Outreach.

f. Ministry of Missions.

g. Ministry of Interchurch Fellowship.

B. Biblical Philosophy of Ministry

1. Definition: A philosophy of ministry is a statement of purpose

2. Benefits:

a. It forces us to be biblical (1 Corinthians 14:33, 40)

b. It makes practical sense (1 Corinthians 9:26). Ministerial burnout usually lies at the

of 23

feet of a lack of direction.

c. It produces efficiency in ministry (Acts 6:1-7).

d. It results in effectiveness in ministry (Acts 17:6).

e. It issues the calk for a minister to display personal faithfulness (1 Corinthians 4:22).

3. Eight Advantages for the church:

a. Determines the scope of its ministry.

b. Continuously reevaluate its corporate experience in light of its message.

c. Evaluates its ministry in light of biblical truths not program popularity.

d. Helps keep its ministry balanced and focused on the essentials.

e. Mobilizes a greater portion of its congregation as ministers.

f. Determines the relative merits of a prospective ministry.

g. Offers a clear attractive alternative community to people seeking relief from systematic failure.

h. Gives guidance as to when and when not to cooperate with other churches and parachurch ministries.

C. Purpose of the Church

1. The church replaces Israel as God’s people in the present dispensation and becomes a community of believers, redeemed by Christ’s precious blood, with a three-fold function.

a. Worshiping community – exalt the Lord.

b. Witnessing community – evangelize the world.

c. Working community – edify its members.

2. Worshiping Community

a. The Christian is to be involved in the:

i. Ministry of the gospel

ii. Ministry of holy living

iii. Ministry of prayer

iv. Ministry of serving others

v. Ministry of gratitude

vi. Ministry of giving

3. Witnessing Community

a. Two approaches to evangelism are:

of 23

i. Contact with the lost in the immediate surroundings.

ii. To reach out to those in the regions beyond.

4. A working community

a. Four observations appear in Ephesians 4:7-16:

i. Distribution of gifts (vv. 7-11)

ii. Destination of the gifts (v. 12)

iii. Description of edification (v. 13)

iv. Design of edification (vv. 14-16)

D. Practical Application of the Seven Ministries of the Church

1. Seven ministries for accomplishing the three basic purposes of the church: exaltation, evangelization, and edification.

a. Ministry of the Word

b. Ministry of Fellowship

c. Ministry of the Lord’s Supper

d. Ministry of Prayer

e. Ministry of Outreach

f. Ministry of Missions

g. Ministry of Interchurch Fellowship

of 23

SBC 104 SESSION 2: PASTORAL MINISTRIES V. A Pastor’s Character

1. A pastor is to be above reproach.

2. This component of his character that falls into three major groups.

a. Sexual morality

b. Proven family leadership

c. Nobility in attitude and conduct

B. Sexual Morality

1. The first character qualification is being the husband of one wife.

2. Sexual sin disqualifies any man from being a pastor.

C. Proven Family Leadership

1. Three points of clarification.

a. He is not responsible for his child’s rejection of the truth, but neither would he be qualified to be a pastor.

b. Scripture does not bar a single man from being a pastor.

c. There is nothing in Scripture that would prevent a childless man from being a pastor.

2. First Timothy 3:4 is a reference to small children, not adult children.

3. The pastor’s children are to live obediently under their father’s control when they are small, following their father’s faith until it emerges as their own faith.

D. Nobility in Attitude and Conduct.

1. The Negatives.

a. Not self-willed

b. Not quick tempered

c. Not addicted to wine

d. Not pugnacious

e. Not fond of sordid gain

2. The Positives

of 23

a. Hospitable

b. Loving what is good

c. Sensible

d. Just

e. Devout

f. Self-controlled

VI. Call to Ministry

A. Uniqueness of a Call.

1. William Gordon Blaikie gave six criteria for evaluating a call.

a. Salvation

b. Desire to serve

c. Desire to live a life conducive to service

d. Intellectual ability

e. Physical qualifications

f. Social elements

B. Four Questions for Evaluation a Calling.

1. Is there confirmation?

2. Are there abilities?

3. Is there a longing?

4. Is there a lifestyle of integrity?

VII. Training for Pastoral Ministry

A. Introduction

1. Training for pastoral ministry cannot be market-driven.

2. Preparing for the pastoral ministry is a multifaceted journey.

B. Godly Character – what a man should be

1. The focal point of any ministry is godliness.

2. Godly Character as a Goal.

3. Areas of Godly Character

of 23

a. Moral Life (1 Timothy 3:2-3)

b. Home Life (1 Timothy 3:4-5)

c. Maturity (1 Timothy 3:6)

d. Reputation (1 Timothy 3:7-8)

4. Avenues toward a Godly Character

a. Reading and meditating on the Word of God.

b. Reading and studying other books.

c. Rubbing elbows with other godly men and spiritual leaders (Proverbs 27:17).

C. Biblical Knowledge – what a man should know

1. Biblical knowledge is an indispensable part of the training process. Without it one cannot enjoy personal spiritual growth in godly character, nor can effective and meaningful ministry to others ensue if it is not present.

2. Biblical Knowledge as a Goal

a. The goal is not personal recognition or academic respectability.

b. Being biblically knowledgeable and theologically accurate should derive its motivation first and foremost from a yearning to know God intimately (Philippians 3:8-10).

3. Areas of Biblical Knowledge

a. Linguistic Facility

b. Theological Framework

i. Historical theology

ii. Biblical Theology

iii. Systematic Theology

c. Bibliographical Familiarity

D. Ministry Skills – what a man should be able to do

1. Areas of Ministry Skills

a. Leading with conviction.

b. Teaching with authority.

c. Preaching with passion.

e. Shepherding with care.

of 23

VIII. Ordination to Pastoral Ministry

A. Introduction

1. Ordination describes the biblical concept of God’s appointment of men to full-time ministry.

2. Scripture does not specify the detailed procedure by which a man qualifies for ordination; therefore, liberty prevails when outlining a practical plan.

B. The Biblical Concept of Ordination

1. Ordination is the process of godly church leaders affirming the call, equipping, and maturing of new leaders to serve God’s purposes in the next generation.

2. Old Testament concept

a. Moses ordained Aaron and his sons to the priesthood of Israel (Exodus 29:9, 29, 35 Leviticus 15:32; Numbers 3:3).

3. New Testament concept

a. Jesus appointment of disciples (John 15:16).

C. The Practical Essence of Ordination

1. The ordination process serves to:

a. Identify and certify men truly called and equipped by God for full-time pastoral ministry.

b. Eliminate men seeking ministry credentials who are not called by God.

c. Give a congregation great confidence that their leaders genuinely are appointed by God.

d. Furnish a standard of accountability for the church concerning a man’s ministry.

e. Commend a man publicly to the ministry wherever God’s will takes him.

2. The Internal/Subjective Aspect

a. A genuine conversion to Christ and God’s subsequent call in his life to the ministry are vital aspects.

3. The External/Objective Aspect

a. Overseers need testing.

b. Scripture gives five major testing grounds.

i. First, a man’s character must be consistent with his call in that he models the messages he preaches.

ii. Second, a man’s conduct must be consistent with his character.

of 23

iii. Third, his capabilities must be in accord with his call.

iv. Fourth, his creed must join with his capabilities as God’s Word says it should (Titus 1:9).

v. Fifth, his commitment must demonstrate consistency in all four of the above categories by being tested over a sufficient period (1 Timothy 3:10).

IX. A Pastor’s Character A. The Pastor’s Home Life

1. Difficulties that lead to marital problems in the parsonage include:

a. Insufficient time together

b. Use of money

c. Income level

d. Communication difficulties

e. Congregational expectations

f. Differences over use of leisure time

g. Difficulty in raising children

h. Sexual problems

3. Pressure points in the pastorate include:

a. The pastor engages in the humanly impossible.

b. The pastor fills a never-ending role .

c. The pastor serves with increasingly questioned credibility in the eyes of society.

d. The pastor remains on call 168 hours each week.

e. The pastor is expected to perform excellently with the widest range of skills.

f. The pastor is expected to produce riveting messages twice or more each week.

g. The pastor is forced to work with a volunteer workforce for the most part.

h. The pastor and his family live in a fish bowl.

i. The pastor received criticism from both the congregation and the community at large.

B. The Biblical Benchmark

2. Three features of a pastor’s marriage and family.

a. He must be the husband of one wife.

b. He is to lead his household.

of 23

c. Children still at home should be living in harmony with their father’s example and instruction.

C. Fighting Back

1. A weak home life produces a weak ministry.

2. In addition to the pastor taking this priority seriously, his wife must take the ministry just as seriously.

a. Women must earn the respect of others through their maturity.

b. They are not to be devil-like in their conversation.

c. They are to be temperate.

d. They must be faithful in all things.

D. Where to Start

1. When problems arise at home, consult the Scriptures as to what to do.

2. Then pray for God’s enabling grace to do what needs to be done.

3. Then patiently obey God’s will in the matter and do what needs to be done.

of 23

SBC 104 SESSION 3: PASTORAL MINISTRIES X. The Pastor’s Personal Prayer Life

A. Praying – John 15:7-8

1. People abide in Christ in one of three ways:

a. They relate to Christ’s person and His values

b. They reject what is opposed to Christ’s person and purpose as clarified in the principles of Scripture

c. They continue in the Christian life by the same principle of which they were saved – by faith

2. The praying life is a life of:

a. Glorification

b. Multiplication

c. Authentication

B. Praying – Paul’s Example

1. We are to cast all our care upon God (1 Peter 5:7)

3. Pastoral leaders are to correct this through their teaching, example, and emphasis

C. Paul’s Praying Power – Ephesians 6:10-20

1. Power in the Armor

2. Parts of the Armor

a. Truth

b. Righteousness

c. Peace

d. Faith

e. Salvation

f. The Word of God

3. Prayer with Armor

a. Prayer is important in five ways:

i. Intercession for others

ii. Keeping each part of the armor intact

iii. Strengthens the believer

of 23

iv. Saturates the armor as a protective coating

v. Has a close relationship with bringing about victories

c. Paul’s all-out prayer

i. Prayer is for all situations.

ii. Prayer is for all seasons.

iii. Prayer is all in the Spirit.

iv. Prayer is in all steadfastness.

v. Prayer is for all saints.

XI. The Pastor’s Ministry Prayer Life

A. The Importance of Prayer

1. Prayer is foundational; prayer is not supplemental

2. The need for people to pray

a. A major problem is the failure to appreciate the need for prayer

b. Believers usually focus their prayer on physical or financial needs

c. An average day in the life of a pastor reflects this faulty mentality

3. The need for leaders to pray

a. The greatest need of the church is more prayer meetings, not more planning meetings

b. The people we lead are not our flock but very distinctly God’s flock

4. The need of the corporate body to pray

5. The need for small groups to pray

6. The need for men to pray

B. The Content of Prayer

C. The Manner of Prayer

1. The purpose of prayer

a. We often try to use prayer to change difficult circumstances that God purposes to use to change us

2. Attitude in prayer (1 Peter 4:7)

a. We must not become unduly excited, but exhibit confidence in Him

D. The Outworking of Prayer

of 23

1. In personal life

a. Prayer must play a pivotal role in your daily and weekly life

2. In family life

a. You should pray with your wife often

b. You should pray with your family members frequently

3. In daily meetings

a. Prayer can come at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of a meeting

4. In leadership meetings

a. Make prayer a focal part of all of your leadership meetings, not just a cursory introduction or conclusion

b. Church leadership is about servant leadership, not lordship leadership

c. Church leadership is about releasing and confronting, not controlling

d. Church leadership is about handing much of the decision-making process over to the other members of the body

5. In prayer meetings

a. Begin each session with praise

c. Pray for missionaries

d. Pray for the needs of the ministry of the church

e. Last of all, pray for individual needs

6. In small groups

a. Prayer should be a major focus of each small group

7. In staff meetings

8. In Sunday Services

F. Modeling Prayer

XII. The Pastor’s Study

A. Study Focus

1. Bible content

2. Hebrew and Greek languages

3. Systematic theology

4. Church history

of 23

B. Personal Attributes

1. Diligence

2. Discipline

3. Integrity

4. Accuracy

5. Efficient use of time

C. Balancing Study with Other Responsibilities

1. Study comes first

2. Learning from a mentoring pastor comes second

3. Everything else is prioritized as needed

XIII. A Pastor’s Compassion for People

A. The Shepherd’s Title and Role

1. When people use the term shepherd they focus primarily either on the nurturing aspect or on the guidance aspect

B. The Pastor’s Heart for People

1. The general responsibility of compassion

2. The leadership responsibility of compassion

a. Leading by example

b. Leading by administration

c. Leading by nurturing the flock

d. Leading by cultivating maturity

e. Leading by protecting from harm

C. Nurture and Guidance

1. People are looking for someone to meet their needs as they define and prioritize them

2. People need a pastor who will help them re-prioritize their felt needs through loving, compassionate, and patient nurturing through the righteous application of the Word of God

XIV. Worshiping

A. Deviant Worship

1. God does not accept worship not offered in spirit and in truth

of 23

2. Scripture outlines at least four categories of unacceptable worship

3. First – Worship of False Gods

4. Second – Worship of the Ture God in the Wrong Form

5. Third – Worship of the Ture God in a Self-Styled Manner

6. Fourth – Worship of the True God with a Wrong Attitude

B. Worship as God Designed It To Be

1. Worship occurs in three dimensions

2. First – The Outward Dimension

3. Second – The Inward Dimension

4. Third – Whole Life Worship

5. The order of priorities:

a. God’s Word repeatedly confirms the absolute priority of worship

b. In Hebrews 11 we see the example of Abel whose life echoes one word – worship

c. Next we see the example of Enoch whole life echoes one word – walk

d. Then we see the example of Noah whose life echoes one work – work

e. Hebrews 11 has an order that goes beyond chronological. It is an order of priorities: first comes worship, then walk, and then work..

of 23

SBC 104 SESSION 4: PASTORAL MINISTRIES XV. Preaching

A. Preaching Must Have the Proper Priority

B. Preaching Must Have the Proper Foundation

1. It must be built upon the Word of God

C. Preaching Must Have the Proper Content

D. Preaching Must Have the Proper Commitment

XVI. Modeling

A. The Macro-Theological Context of Modeling

1. The Importance of Image

a. In the history of systematic theology, three basic views related to the image of God have surfaces:

i. Substantive: analogy of being

ii. Relational: analogy of relation

iii. Functional: analogy of dominion

2. The Retention of the Image

3. The Re-creation of Image

B. The Micro-Theological Context of Modeling

1. Vocabulary of Modeling

a. The Old Testament contains no transparent teaching about following the example of God or His chosen leaders.

b. The New Testament abounds with this concept

2. Vocation of Modeling

a. God is the ultimate model for His church

b. There is a derived apostolic model in the church

i. Direct Modeling: the apostles offered themselves as ethical models for believers with whom they had personal contact.

ii. Mediate Modeling: The man of God always is accountable in areas of personal and professional responsibility.

c. Paul typified the moral example in five areas

of 23

i. In the language of the man of God

ii. In his general lifestyle

iii. In his love for God and others

iv. In his faith in God and Jesus

v. In his personal purity

3. Third Generation – Model of Church Leadership

a. Three contrasts highlight motives for spiritual leadership:

i. Spiritual leaders must not serve because of human constraints but because of divine commitments

ii. Spiritual leaders must not minister for unjust profit but with spiritual zeal

iii. Spiritual leaders must not lead as prideful dictators but as humble models

4. Model of the Church to the Church

a. All believers are to be examples for other believers to follow

b. The Scripture never tells believers to imitate an abstractions – the example always is concrete.

XVII. Leading

A. Introduction

1. The church is undergoing a leadership crisis that is evident from five symptoms:

a. The absence of meaningful growth in churches

b. The amount of discord and disharmony among congregations

c. The number of brief pastorates and ministerial burnout

d. The rise of a spectator religion that caters to the fallout from churches with leadership problems

e. The high percentage of non-ministering churches

B. Definition of Leadership

1. “The process of motivating people”

2. “That which moves persons an organizations toward the fulfillment of their goals”

C. Biblical Perspective on Leading

1. Leadership is biblical

2. Biblical Basis

a. The New Testament spells out in clear terms that God had a designated leadership

of 23

for his church

c. Certain charges addressed to individuals in the NT indicate that these men were to exercise leadership in the church

d. The church has received special exhortations regarding treatment of church leaders

3. Biblical Guidelines

a. A pastor is a spiritual leader

b. God uses spiritual leaders to accomplish spiritual purposes

c. As a spiritual leader, the pastor becomes a servant leader

d. Servant leadership is not enslavement to every whim of the church

e. Servant leadership is successful

f. The indispensable quality of any Christian leader is that he be Spirit-led

D. Practical Requirements for Leading

1. A good leader manages himself

2. A good leader knows how to make good decisions

a. Step One: Correctly diagnose the issue or problem

b. Step Two: Gather and analyze the facts

c. Step Three: Develop alternatives

d. Step Four: Evaluate alternatives pro and con

e. Step Five: Select from among the positive alternatives

3. A good leader communicates effectively

a. If we cannot communicate, we cannot lead

b. Communication is the process we go through to convey understanding from one person or group to another

c. The key to being a good communicator is:

i. First, to understand people

ii. Second, to know your subject thoroughly

iii. Third, perceive or create the right climate

iv. Fourth, listen for feedback to see if you are getting through to them

4. A good leader is one who manages his leadership style

a. Leadership classes and seminars do not produce leaders

5. A good leader gets along with people

of 23

6. A good leader is one who inspires

7. A good leader is one who is willing to pay the price

E. Act of Leading

1. Vision

a. A good leader develops vision from a number of sources

i. First and foremost, it comes from God through the Holy Scriptures

ii. Second, it proceeds from past experience

2. Enlistment

a. Most churches today suffer from a lack of workers

b. Despite these truths of our society, we need to keep these principles in mind:

i. People want to serve

ii. People will serve if we ask specific people for a specific ministry for a specific length of time

3. Delegation

a. Delegation is not the abandonment of leadership

b. Improper delegation will frustrate the people led

c. The ingredients of proper delegation include:

i. Responsibility

ii. Authority

iii. Accountability

4. Motivation

a. Leaders must inspire followers to stay the task

b. The secret to motivating others is keeping yourself motivated

XVIII. Outreaching

A. The pastor must play a key role in leading his church to fulfill this responsibility

B. Mandate for Outreaching

1. The mandate is to evangelize the world. It includes at least four features:

a. Taking the initiative to reach out to unreached people

b. Presenting the gospel as it is given in the Bible

c. Calling sinners to public declaration of their faith in Christ and repentance from sin

of 23

d. Teaching the new believer so that he/she matures in Christ

2. Evangelism is proactive

3. Evangelism is gospel preaching

4. Evangelism is transformed lives

5. Evangelism is an ongoing discipleship

C. Manner of Outreaching

1. Personal Evangelism

2. Public Evangelism

3. Church planting

D. Motivations for Outreaching

1. Motivations for the Pastor

a. Obedience to Christ

b. Love of Christ

c. Love for humanity

2. Motivations for the People

a. The pastor’s example

b. The pastor’s expectations

c. The pastor’s exhortations

d. The pastor’s excitement over new converts

e. The pastor’s efforts to promote special evangelistic efforts

E. Methods for Outreaching

1 Warnings about methods

a. Warning #1: Methods become dated with use

b. Warning #2: A particular method will not apply to every situation

c. Warning #3: Methods can distort the purity of the gospel

d. Warning #4: Methods can de-emphasize the prominence of the gospel

e. Warning #5: Methods can undervalue the power of the gospel to save apart from their use

2. Local Church Evangelism

a. By far the most effective tool for evangelism

b. Personal evangelism

of 23

c. Prospect Evangelism

d. Evangelistic Home Bible Studies

e. In-depth Evangelism

f. Inquirer Services

g. Media Evangelism

h. Crusade Evangelism

i. Not the most efficient in producing church growth

i. Specialty Evangelism

sbc 104 session 1: pastoral ministries manual... · page 3 of 23 . b. jesus is the “good...

Documents