Paul's Work of Reproduction in the Spirit

A Spirit-led church is a Spirit-formed church. The church is spiritually formed into Christ-likeness so that she grows into maturity to participate in God’s mission. Spiritual growth is vital for the mission of the church. Immaturity brings disruption and destruction within the life of the church. It hurts the witness of the church in the world. The growth of the church is ultimately the work of the Spirit. We can plant and water, but only God can make it grow (1 Cor. 3:6). How often we focus on the missionary task in the world but neglect the missionary work within the church. Christian nurturing is important for church health. The church must provide a growing context for Christians to experience the work of the Spirit.

 

Pastoral leadership plays a decisive role in this process. Ross Hastings writes, “The leader’s role, then, is not to take control of the chruch’s growth but rather to equip the church (its present reality) to be the church (its future hope). The concern should be to empower people to be who they are—representatives of the kingdom of God.”[1] I often think of Paul’s words on discipleship—“Pass on what you heard from me—the whole congregation saying Amen!—to reliable leaders who are competent to teach others” (2 Tim. 2:2 The Message). A leader’s task is to produce disciples who can reproduce and raise up next generation to carry out the work of the gospel. To be a leader is to find a balance between the work of man and the work of the Spirit. To be a spiritual leader is to rely on the work of the Spirit in the midst of laboring. “That’s what I’m working so hard at day after day, year after year, doing my best with the energy God so generously gives me” (Col. 1:29 The Message).

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[1] Ross Hastings, Missional God, Missional Church: Hope for the Re-Evangelizing the West (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2012), p. 300.

Don't be a Shallow Pastor

A pastor is serious about Colossians 1:28-29—“So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.” On the one hand, Paul labored and struggled to present everyone mature in Jesus Christ. On the other hand, he did it in God’s providential care.

A pastor is serious about Christian growth of others because he is serious about the gospel. He doesn’t just pray. He doesn’t just evangelize. He doesn’t just worship. A good pastor is aware of the 3D ministry: upward (worship), outward (mission), and inward (discipleship).

Regarding the inward ministry, a pastor plans strategically to help Christians grow to be like Christ. No strategy; no growth. Soul work requires slow work. A pastor is serious about stages of Christian growth. He knows where Christians are at in the present and where they should be going in the future. God will powerfully work through pastoral endeavor.

No pastoral endeavor; no solid discipleship.

No solid discipleship; no deep worship.

No deep worship; no sound theology.

No sound theology; no passion for mission

When there is no deep understanding of who the triune God is, there is no deep understanding of His missionary nature toward the world. The triune God toward us is the foundation and source of the nature (being) and mission (doing) of the church.  The inward ministry of the church is to build up the church so that she can carry out the mission of the Son and the Spirit through the Father to the world. In this vein, the 3D ministry is intertwined as one knot. In fact, we can’t talk about one without mentioning the other.

A pastor is called to prepare deep people and present them to a deep God. The God of depth will then prompt deep people to participate in deep mission.

A pastor must not be shallow.