Ministry News

Following the Script

Details: Tuesday, 29 September 2009 11:16

QUOTE: "A minister should ascend into the pulpit in order to declare what would have been true had he never been born. He is there to preach what was written in the Word before all ages and is utterly disconnected from his personal dreams, hopes and aspirations. A minister is not up there to develop a relationship with everybody individually. … He is there to declare something that is outside of his control. What God has revealed to us in the Bible is the message. That's the script." —Doug Wilson, pastor of Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho, speaking at the Desiring God Ministries' national conference in Minneapolis last Saturday [christianpost.com, 9/28/09]

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Comments

+1 #9 Rev Earl Jackson 2009-09-30 02:10

I am in 100% agreement with this statement. Those of you who disagree are taking this statement to refer to "leadership style" and not to "message content", which is clearly what Doug Wilson is talking about. He is not saying that preachers, pastors, teachers or ministers, do not have personal dreams, hopes or aspirations. Nor is he saying that preachers, pastors, teachers and ministers do not develope relationships with the people who hear the message. These things relate to leadership style, and not to the content of the message. Doug is here giving a clear, simple, pointed and correct statement that our message is never to be about us, or about the people who are listening. Our message is to be about Christ and Him crucified. It is a message which is timeless. It is something which exists out side of us. It is not about us. It is about Him. Doug is calling all of us to humble ourselves before the centrality of an eternal message.

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0 #8 A Koch 2009-09-30 00:49

Sounds to me like "pastor" from the Greek word for "shepherding" and the Jewish notion of the role of prophet are being confused, here. While I agree that pastors oftentime mingle too much of their own ideas into their sermons, this does not mean that they should disembody themselves from the message of the Gospel they preach, nor from the people they are there to "shephard"; a prophet, however, is often described as fulfilling the more "lonely" role of preaching God's direct revelation to God's people without worrying about the response of the people. I think your quote better defines a prophet than a pastor/minister.

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+1 #7 Jack Rawlins 2009-09-29 14:56

Let's distinguish between pastor, minister and preacher. They are actually separate skill sets or gifts if you will. But all three put their pants on one leg at a time. And the person that fills the pulpit may or may not have all three. The notion that the preacher has somehow a special gift or message, not accessible by others, I think is elevating a position that has no basis in scripture. A good preacher spends much time in preparation for a sermon. Some can deliver it with flair and others not. Paul tells us that any in the congregation may have a message and they are to speak in turn. That we have evolved to where we are with a dedicated "sermon" time and a professional speaker may help the worship service or it may not.

My point is this. We should not follow blindly today the words spoken from the pulpit. They should always be checked against scripture. Our evaluation of that may or may not be biased. But we pray God will lead us in searching and determining the truth.

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+1 #6 Jojo Bive Jr. 2009-09-29 10:35

The point there is that, we have to make preaching as close to the Bible as possible by allowing the Bible to preach to the Bible and not the pastor's own ideas. That's what the reformers thought and taught when they speak about the integrity of Biblical preaching. However, a preacher can not help but be connected with the people when he declares the counsel of God. There is a form of relationship shaped by the faithful preaching of God's word between the preacher and his listeners. Such is the nature of the Gospel. It builds bridges, not separates; it reconciles man with God and thefore forms relationships that cannot be otherwise achieved by casual chat.

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+3 #5 Dale S. 2009-09-29 09:29

Not to be contrary, but I think you are missing the point. He is not saying that pastors shouldn't have relationships with their people. He is saying that when you are in the pulpit, your sole agenda is the Word of God. You are not there to please man, or to build relationship with them, you are there to declare the Truth of God's Word. Neither are you there to fulfill your own dreams or agenda for the church or your flock. It doesn't mean you don't have a vision and a burden for the people and the direction God is leading your church. It doesn't mean your sermons aren't shaped by your personal experiences with God, and your own personal calling. But I believe it does mean that when we are in the pulpit, we are there to declare something that is totally not of our doing. We are there to declare the Truth of God's Word, and everything else that is a part of doing ministry is secondary to the Word of God being declared,

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0 #4 Jaime 2009-09-29 08:28

I would also disagree. Does he suggest that Jesus was disconnected from his audience when he preached? I don't think so. The sermons and parables of Jesus are literally grounded in the very dirt that his followers were walking in. And were completely connected with His dreams and aspirations, which were to please His Father. We need to develop the proper dreams and aspirations, not try to be dispassionate robots. And the true minister is not just there to declare, but to live out that message. Which can only be done in community. I think we have elevated the task of preaching too high, while not developing disciplined lives that agree with their message. As someone who preaches, I think that is very dangerous.

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0 #3 J. Norwood 2009-09-29 08:19

While I agree with the principle he is expressing; I don't agree with his methods. I am green, only been serving as a pastor for 3 years; but I have been in the Kingdom of God a lot longer. A personal relationship from pulpit to pew and pew to pulpit are necessary and good. People can turn on the TV or radio and get a good sermon from someone they don't know. Why come to church to get it?

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+2 #2 John Adams 2009-09-29 07:49

I don't totally agree with this after having pastored for over 25 yrs. Yes, the Word/Jesus should be the in the "crosshairs" of ministry. But I'm not even sure it's possible to be disconnected from personal dreams, hopes and aspirations. Those I preach to have them and I think they need to know that even I have them...hopefully they are of Divine origin. I also desperately need a relationship with everyone, even to a small degree, because the message is so important. Relationships are great bridges for truth to transverse. Not sure you can divorce the message from the messenger totally. His premise sounds more ideal than real.

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+1 #1 Dave Jones 2009-09-29 07:37

I think I understand where he is coming from but I would have to disagree. That sounds like a "teacher's" perspective and not a "pastor's". I believe that a pastor or leader must also lead by example and should be able to take stories from their own lives that illustrate the things they are teaching from the Scriptures. Paul said, "Be followers of me, even as I also am of Christ" 1 Cor 11:1.
I am not advocating for anyone to take their eyes off off Christ and follow me, but my preaching and teaching needs to have a personal element in it to illustrate that the Scripture I am expounding on has impacted my life and the Holy Spirit has shown me how to apply it to the situations and circumstances I am walking though.

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