The Preacher and His Work
The Preacher and His Work
The textbook is a series of lectures in the Oklahoma Christian University by Jack Meyers:
practical warnings for preachers, what pitfalls are to be avoided.
A practical course: speak so that common people can understand.
What is my place in the congregation?
Preachers go from their education to local congregations: know your place in the
congregation, not everything depends on the preacher: the major responsibility is to preach.
You are not there to please the members: your job is not to make the members obey, but to
exhort them to do so.
A paid evangelist: a profession in which you need to spend time: people observe what you
do.
The job of the preacher was to change the hearts and minds of the society: a critical
political time. Preach against the mainstream.
A form of antiism: anti-located preacher: the refusal to have a paid local preacher: it is not a
sin not to have a paid preacher.
- Different forms of ministry: a paid preacher is an expedient.
- The church has the right to hire and fire a preacher.
You are a part of the work of the congregation.
Does the church have the Scriptural right to have a paid preacher?
1 Cor. 9:14 Paul had the Scriptural right to be paid for his work.
Elders that take the oversee of the congregation: the final decision is theirs to hire a located
preacher.
Objections: No NT example of a preacher located in a congregation: however, Paul in
Ephesus and Corinth stayed for a long time.
- Leave the judgement on the church and the preacher on how much time a preacher
should stay in a congregation.
As practiced today the preacher takes charge: that is an abuse of his work and that is not the
case for all preachers.
- The preacher is a leader but not the leader.
- Titus 1:5; 1 Tin 1:3: there is some leadership taken by the preacher: Set in order the
things in order to have elders at some point.
There is a form of antiism in which the preacher does not preach the gospel to the church
but only to the world, however, 1 Cor. 15:1-4; Rom. 6:17-18
The Gospel:
- Contains facts to believe.
- Contains commands to be obeyed Rom. 6:17-18
- Promises to be enjoyed.
Obedience is not legalism, since the heart is needed in the obedience, a legalist believes that
the mere doing of the law will suffice. Extremism is the problem: a person bound in antiism
when he leaves that position usually goes to the extremism of the liberal side.
Teach what is right to the congregation before judging them as antis or liberals.
Rom. 6:17: they obeyed a form of doctrine which was preached to them. The doctrine is
preached also to the world.
Preacher’s salary
Some would argue against a preacher having a settled salary or that the preacher becomes a
denominational pastor when he perceives a salary.
The work of the preacher and the work of the elder will overlap.
The preacher is a “specialist” and is full time devoted to the work of the church.
The preacher needs to be reminded that you are under the discipline and oversight of the
elders, if there are no elders do not think that you are the elder.
The preacher and the family: it is important to stay in a congregation. Unruly children or a
bad marriage can “ruin” a preacher’s work.
The family should be an example: the family will be in the sight of the congregation.
A preacher’s family will be in the same problems as any other family but the preacher
should lead an example on how to deal with those problems. Live that which is preached.
The people will not hear a message from someone who does not practice what he says: the
actions can be louder than the words.
God’s calling:
- Imperatives plus promises
- Ultimate fulfillment
Abraham’s response
- His obedience is far greater than we usually think.
- He became a blessing to many.
Application
- 1 John 5:3 how many blessings come from obedience to just one command?
- Abraham’s faith: God was already in the land.
- Let God make your name great: worry about your name being great in the eyes of
God.
Child education:
- Teach them respect and direction.
- They will have friends but he needs parents.
Overlooked points:
- Attend all the services and be on time
- Be careful in the treatment of the family in public.
Preacher’s obligations to the family:
- Avoid the extremes: not being there at all, not being able to be separate.
Special pitfalls
- False starts
o Being an excessive talker. Mat. 12:36-37.
o Talk about much about yourself.
o Looseness about talking of other people
o Taking sides in a personal conflict. Luke 12:13-14;
o A sarcastic attitude: being a jerk.
- Be humble
- Be appreciative.
We are not CEOs, we do not deserve special treatment.
- The preacher can be used against individuals
- Running with one person or group of people. You can have close friends, but
procure to be around all
o Avoid being with the close friends all the time
o Avoid being close with the people with money or without money.
Do not imitate other preachers.
Be careful in treating “women”. Be respectful and professional. Good common sense is
enough.
Be not tangled in unwise debates: do not provide an audience for false teachers.
Hobby riding or crusading for one issue.
Be around the people to know what the congregation needs to hear in the preaching.
Be negative in the times when you need to be negative. It is possible to run out a topic if
preached incorrectly and unwisely.