The gospel ministry is the most serious responsibility ever assigned to man. As Paul said to his young son in the faith, Timothy: "If a man desires the office of a bishop (episkopos), he desires a good work" (I Timothy 3:1).
The gospel ministry is said to be a good work, one which is to be desired. The goodness of the work stems from the fact that the pastoral office is what the Lord Jesus Christ is using in this dispensation to "perfect the saints for the work of the ministry" (Ephesians 4:11). Therefore, any man who aspires for the ministry must be certain that the Lord is the one calling him.
Each man brings into the gospel ministry his own unique abilities, personality, and vision. Visions are necessary, for without them the "people perish" (Proverbs 29:18). Each man in the ministry has, what he believes, is his own unique vision for his work. These visions vary to some extent as seen below:
- vision for larger church facilities
- vision for increased church budget
- vision for a fully paid (multiple) staff
- vision for the development of a Day Care or Christian School
- vision for world-wide missionary expansion
- vision for an active membership of 100, 500, or 1,000
and the list goes on.
These are wonderful visions and should be contemplated by every man in the gospel ministry. However, when it comes to visions in the true sense of the word, we ought to be interested in what the Founder of the Church has to say. God's Word clearly defines what He desires each local church to be and to do. Regardless of size, location or even denomination, the Word of God becomes the final authority in all matters, and especially as it relates to the true vision of the local church. What I am saying is that Christ's vision for His Church ought to be the pastor's vision for the church. They ought to be one and the same.
Jesus Christ, the founder and sustainer of the Church, which is His Body, envisions His Body carrying out His three-fold commission, as recorded in Matthew 28:19, 20. The events in this passage take place after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, just prior to His ascension into Heaven, where He will sit at the Father's right hand. Having received all power and authority, He speaks to His apostles regarding the Great Commission (see also Acts 1:8; Mark 16:15).
I. Christ's Commission (Vision) for His Church
A careful reading and studying of Matthew 28:19-20 reveals that there are three aspects in Christ's commission (vision) for His Church:
A. Evangelization - "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations." The word teach here is the Greek word, matheteusate, and it literally means 'to make disciples.' In other words, Christ says that the first aspect of His vision for the Church is that they will go throughout the world making disciples of all nations. This, of course, refers to evangelism in the fullest sense.
The local church, under the direction and leadership of the pastor, should make every effort to evangelize the world. Evangelism ought to be an integral part of each local church's ministry. This is the aspect of the vision which gets souls saved. Mankind, according to the Bible, is sinful, separated from God, totally depraved, and unable to do anything or say anything pleasing in the sight of a Holy God. God, because of His love for the world, sent His only begotten Son into the world to die for the sins of mankind. God's Son was crucified, buried, and raised from the grave. This is the gospel message that saves souls (Romans 3:23; 5:8; 6:23; 10:9; I Corinthians 15:1-4).
The local church is to take the message of the gospel to the world in order to "Make disciples of all nations." Christ's vision for His Church is that each local church gets involved in world evangelization. This means each church member should be actively involved in winning others to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. This also means that each pastor and church leader ought to provide training for their local church in the area of evangelism. This further means that the true message of the gospel is to be preached by every gospel minister. As preachers, we must have as the subject of our preaching, "Jesus Saves." Salvation is found only in Jesus Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. It is not in church membership, water baptism, or trying to do the best you can. It is in Someone other than ourselves. We must, as the apostles did, preach "Jesus Christ and Him crucified" (I Corinthians 1:23).
B. Identification - "...baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Ghost)." Water baptism is the second aspect of the commission given to the local church. Notice if you will, that baptism takes place after salvation. This is the way it always has been (Acts 2:41: "Then they that gladly RECEIVED his word were baptized.") The Word of God knows nothing of baptizing unsaved people. Water baptism is for those who have put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as their Saviour.
The word for baptism here is the Greek word, baptizo, and denotes 'to submerge or to immerse.' When a person receives Jesus Christ as his Saviour, he is immersed in water in the name of the triune God. This shows two levels of identification:
1. Identification with the Saviour (Romans 6:1-10). Baptism by immersion identifies the believer with the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a sign to all that the one getting baptized is already saved.2. Identification with the Saints (Acts 2:41, 47). When a believer is baptized, he is not only identifying with Christ, he also is identifying himself with his local church. This is why many Bible scholars refer to baptism as "churching.' Perhaps this is the reason for Christ giving the local church this ordinance. It is under the authority of the local church that believers are to be baptized and added to the church.
C. Indoctrination - "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.." This is where Christian education comes into play. The word for teaching here is the Greek word, didaskolos, and refers to 'giving instructions.'
Christians have been slow to realize the value of what we call Christian Education. The local church has a responsibility to teach the whole counsel of God. Let us ask a few very important questions:
1. Why is Christian Education Necessary?
Christian Education is necessary because man has been marred due to sin. Through the believer's faith in Jesus Christ, the relationship with God is restored. Christians receive a new divine nature. Christians also are spiritual babes, still beset by the old nature of sin. Christian Education is necessary because Christians need to be taught what "thus saith the Lord." Only the teaching of the Bible can bring us from babes to maturity (I Peter 2:1: "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow by it.")
2. Who is Responsible for Christian Education?
While we recognize that the Christian home is directly responsible for teaching members the whole counsel of God (Deuteronomy 6:6-15), we also recognize that the local church has been commissioned to teach its constituents the whole counsel of God. The local church, under the authority and leadership of the pastor, is to provide education from God's Word for its entire membership. This means that the pastor and other church leaders must be knowledgeable regarding the Word of God. No one can teach what he doesn't know.
3. What are the Areas of the Church's Teaching Ministry?
The Christian Education mandate of the local church finds its fulfillment in many areas of ministry: Pulpit Ministry, Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, BTU, Youth Groups, Children's Church Ministries, Home Bible Studies, Camping Programs, etc. What I are saying is that, every time someone stands to address the members of the local church, what he says ought to be from a Christian Education perspective, based on and backed up by the Word of God.
4. What are the Results of Christian Education?
The book that is to be used solely in the Christian Education ministries of the local church is the Bible, God's Word. The Bible is to be the church's final authority in all matters of faith, principle, and practice. When God's Word is read, taught, studied, and applied by His people, several things happen:
- It can produce the new birth (I Peter 1:23)
- It gives assurance of salvation (I John 5:13)
- It enables Christian growth (I Peter 2:2)
- It provides daily cleansing from sin (Psalm 119:9,11)
- It helps believers resist Satan (Ephesians 6:17)
- It gives fruitfulness (Psalm 1:1-3)
- It gives guidance and direction (Psalm 119:105)
- It equips for Christian service (Joshua 1:8; II Timothy 3:17)
- It produces joy (Jeremiah 15:16)
The three-fold vision of Christ for His Church consists of: Evangelization, Identification, and Indoctrination. This is the same vision that the pastor is to have for his local congregation. Anything other than this is not the true vision for the church.
II. The Pastoral Role in Carrying Out the Vision (Commission)
As stated earlier, the pastor is God's man placed as the overseer over a local congregation. Therefore, it would appear that the success of the local church in carrying out Christ's vision rests in the hands of each pastor. According to Ephesians 4:11-16, the pastoral office is the 'Supporting Ministry' of the local church. The pastor is very similar to a pediatrician. The pastor is to be concerned with the growth and development of the "babes in Christ." The pastor, according to Ephesians 4:12, is to "perfect the saints for the work of the ministry..." The word for perfect here is the Greek word, katartismon, and means, 'to equip, to prepare, or to make ready.' The pastor's number one responsibility is to make the saints what they ought to be. This is done by preaching, rebuking, exhorting, with patient teaching (II Timothy 4:1). There are at least four dynamics attached to this responsibility:
A. Biblical Expertise - The pastor's knowledge of the Bible. The pastor must be a man of the Book (God's Word). His success or failure is largely determined by the attention he gives to the Bible and the study of it. The pastor must know the Bible by reading it, studying it, memorizing it, and applying it (II Timothy 2:15).
The pastor, in order to be effective, must spend ample time studying the Bible. Anyone can buy ready-made sermons, but it takes a dedicated man of God to spend countless number of hours in his study preparing his lessons and sermons. A pastor who does not make an attempt to read and study his Bible daily is not fit for the gospel ministry. The pastor is to become an expert on the subject he is talking about: God, the Bible, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, etc .
B. Biblical Example - The pastor's practice of the Bible. This is where the battle is won or lost for many preachers, for it is easy to tell others how to live, and not take the advice for one's self. We are living in a day where the theme of many preachers is: Do as I say, not as I do. It is as if they are saying that there is a double standard for preachers only. According to the Bible, the pastor is to be "an example to the flock" (I Peter 5:3). This necessitates several truths about the man who is a pastor:
1. The pastor must be a regenerated man (John 3:3-7)2. The pastor must love the Lord Jesus (II Corinthians 5:14-15)3. The pastor must be a man of prayer (I John 5:14-15)4. The pastor must be clean in his life (Isaiah 52:11)5. The pastor must be a lover of his wife and family (I Timothy 3:17)
The pastor is to carry himself in such a way that Jesus Christ is seen in every area of his life. This will help to draw men and women to Jesus Christ. This will help to create in men and young boys a craving desire for the gospel ministry. This will also help motivate the membership to fulfill Christ's vision for the church.
C. Biblical Exposition - The pastor's handling of the Bible. It should be the desire of every preacher to preach the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Truth is only contained in the Word of God. Therefore, the pastor must see to it that every lesson taught, and every sermon preached is rooted and grounded in the truth of God's Word. God never promised to bless what the pastor thinks or feels. God said that it was His Word that would never return void.
As the pastor teaches and preaches through the Bible, the saints are prepared to go out and do the word of the ministry. Bible exposition, therefore, becomes one of the most important tasks of the pastor. He has been called upon to "feed, or shepherd" the flock of God (Acts 20:28). This feeding involves giving the flock what they need, and not necessarily what they want. It also involves teaching and preaching the whole counsel of God, and not isolated topics.
Biblical preaching and teaching is the only thing that will bring the saints to spiritual maturity. The reason our churches are filled to capacity with members who have a limited knowledge as to their biblical responsibilities as Christians, is because Bible preaching and teaching has been replaced by "whooping and hollering." Paul told Timothy to "preach the word, be instant in season and out of season" (II Timothy 4:2). The word that gospel ministers ought to be preaching and teaching is a word other than their own. It is to be the complete, inerrant, inspired, unadulterated Word of God.
D. Biblical Enterprise - The pastor's direction by the Bible. According to the Bible, pastors are responsible for the overseeing of the affairs of the local church. This means that it is the duty of the pastor to provide his church with the necessary training it needs to meet the challenges of the vision Christ has given to it.
III. The Congregation's Role in Carrying out the Vision (Commission)
As stated earlier, the pastoral role is a support role. Pastors are responsible for providing the saints with the necessary food and nourishment, in order that they might, "be perfected to do the work of the ministry" (Ephesians 4:12). It is the saints, therefore, who are responsible for doing the work of the ministry.
Many are asking today, "Where is Jesus Christ at work in our world?" The answer is that He is at work exactly as He was at work when He walked this earth. While on earth, He did His work through one solitary, earthly body. He is doing the same today, in a corporate, complex body, which exists around the world. The work of the ministry is to be performed by each member of the Body of Christ.
The Bible clearly states that the saints (local church members), are to be prepared or equipped by the support ministries (pastoral ministries) for the purpose of doing the work of the ministry. What then are the essentials of the work of the ministry?
a. To glorify God (I Corinthians 10:13)b. To edify itself (Ephesians 4:11-16; Jude 20)c. To purify itself (Ephesians 5:26, 27; I John 3:2-3)d. To educate its constituents (Matthew 28:20; II Timothy 2:15; 3:16-17)e. To evangelize the entire world (Acts 1:8)f. To restrain the evil in the world (Matthew 5:13-16; II Thessalonians 2:6)g. To promote all that is good (Galatians 6:10; Acts 10:38-43)
Pastors, let's take or God-given role seriously.
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