The Warning of a Pastor

As Paul continues his farewell charge to the elders of Ephesus (Acts 20:17-38), the third aspect of the life and work of the pastor is a warning to be on guard against false teaching (vv. 28-31).  From its beginning the church has had to face the threat of false teaching.  It is the pastor’s responsibility, as the shepherd, to protect the flock from the wolves seeking to destroy the flock.

How does the pastor do this?  First, the pastor must be a student of scripture.  To recognize the counterfeit, one must be an expert in the authentic.  Pastors should be experts on the Word of God.  This requires time devoted daily to the thorough study of the Bible.  This protects the pastor from the unintentional error of teaching falsely himself and gives him the ability to recognize false teaching when confronted with it.  Congregations need to ensure the pastor has time each day to do Bible study as his primary job.  They need to insist that he does it.

This should include the study of theology and church history.  God has graced the church for two thousand years with great teachers.  Pastors need to be well-read and well-schooled in this rich mine of spiritual, biblical and theological understanding.  Pastors need be thinkers who can answer questions or know where to find the answers. 

As Paul says elsewhere, we are to study to show ourselves workmen…rightly dividing the word of truth.   The challenges faced by the church today demands that pastors devote themselves to providing deep answers and not spiritual clichés. 

Second, the pastor must teach.  Yes, pastors are to encourage but also to rebuke, to exhort, and to challenge (2 Timothy 3:16-4:5).  We must challenge our flock to deeper understandings of scripture so that they will be able to recognize false teaching when they encounter it.  Congregations need to appreciate pastors who teach deeply and not just praise those who encourage and entertain.

Third, the pastor must serve as a watchman.  He must know that anyone who is invited to speak in the church passes the test of orthodoxy.  He must make sure that lay teachers in the church’s programs are prepared theologically to teach.  Yes, we should teach them how to teach but we must make sure the content of the teaching is sound.   

Paul points out that the false teaching can come out of the church itself.  We have two types of teaching in the church in America today that runs the danger of degenerating into types of false teaching.  On one hand, we have those who have watered down the Gospel and the demands of righteous discipleship.  This approach compromises on sin and is moving increasingly in a direction of a sugar-coated God who will save all humans (universalism).  On the other hand, there is a growing emphasis on presenting God as the great genie who fixes all our problems, makes our lives great, grants us success, etc.  

Both extremes are rooted in a similar error—a focus on humanity instead of God.  The church, and its teaching, should be based on a goal to glorify God and not humanity.  Yes, God is there for us and we should be grateful for all he does.  However, we should follow the example of the Reformers who signed everything with the phrase “only the glory of God.”  In many of the religious, moral, and cultural debates around us today, too many who claim the name of Christ based their position and arguments on humanity and not on divinity.  

Pastors have an imperative from Christ to feed and protect the sheep by teaching the Word and keeping the focus on the glory of God.

The Commitment of the Pastor

The second aspect of the life and work of a pastor as exemplified by Paul in Acts 20.17-38 is the commitment of a pastor.  In verse 24 Paul writes, “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” (NIV)

Paul was willing to make any sacrifice necessary for the sake of the Kingdom of God and the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Paul is journeying towards Jerusalem to carry a love offering from the Gentile churches for the troubled church in Jerusalem.  He is repeatedly warned that his freedom and his life will be in danger in Jerusalem.

Paul’s commitment to the work of Christ is so strong that the risks involved do not deter him.  He will do what needs to be done in order to be obedient to God regardless of the personal risk.  This is a commitment demonstrated by Paul repeatedly as he faced persecution.

This commitment included other sacrifices.  In verses 33-35, Paul describes how he labored to provide financial support for himself and for his team of assistants in order to avoid being a burdened to the new Christian churches he founded.

A biblical pastor must be totally committed to the work of Christ.  A commitment that is willing to accept any sacrifice necessary for the work.  Around the world today, many of our Christian brothers and sisters experience persecution of varying degrees on a regular basis.  This is not widely reported in the mass media.  For those of us who are spared this, we should pray regularly for those suffering.  We should also learn from the example of their faith.

The church in America is in need of pastors who are willing to make any sacrifice, take any risk necessary for the sake of the Gospel.  We must not be concerned about cost in popularity or what people say about us.  When we take a stand for Christ and the teachings of God’s word, those who are still in spiritual darkness will be offended and will criticize.

The desire to be popular or to be successful has led some to neglect the preaching of the cross or taking stands on moral issues.  On a local scale, pastors struggle with the tension between saying what needs to be said and job security.  After all, they do have families to provide for.

A pastor must understand that the church might write the paycheck but they do not work for the church, they work for God.  Churches must also realize this.  This is not to say that pastors are always right (they are human so they cannot be).  This is not to say that they should be autocratic dictators over their churches (only Christ can be the Lord of the church).  Rather, we must all remember that we are citizens of the Kingdom of God and must obey the King, no matter the personal or professional cost.

Paul was willing to risk it all, to make whatever sacrifices called for, to fulfill the calling of the Lord.  How many of us have the same level of commitment?  We need pastors who have the same level of commitment and church members who are willing to support them in that commitment—come what may