THE MINISTER AND HIS CALLING
BY ELDER C. E. GEORGE
“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ,who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his
kingdom; Preach the Word; Be Instant in Season, Out of Season, Reprove; Exhort with All Longsuffering and Doctrine” (II Timothy 4:12)
A charge goes beyond a commandment in that it carries with it a personal obligation to follow through in explicit obedience. Paul was giving his son in the Lord, Timothy, his last will and testament before his martyrdom. This text only uses one definite article in the Greek so should have been translated, “before our God and Lord Jesus Christ” (refer to St. John 20:28).
This same charge is to every God called preacher and is witnessed to be so by He who will judge the world at his appearing. It is a
charge of the utmost responsibility. There is no greater office of Importance than the office of the minister. The preacher deals with more than life or death. (He deals with eternal souls).
The Calling of the Minister
There are so many men today who have entered the ministry as a professional vocation. Others have entered the office by self-
motivating wills. But there are a few who are genuinely called by the Lord. The anointing of God will tell the true story.
Some have been called but because of desire for self esteem or monetary gain have abandoned their responsibility to preach truth.
Others have compromised the message simply because they have been worn down by pressure. Few there are who is actually God called and preaching Truth.
In fact there are only two kinds of preachers. There are (Holy Ghost Preachers) and (Somebody’s Preacher). Either they are following the leading of the Holy Ghost in their ministries or they are preaching to tickle the ears of those who own their ministries. (II Timothy 4:3-4). He either belongs to God or men.
God called Jeremiah from the womb of his mother Jeremiah 1:4-5) Timothy’s calling was revealed to him as a youth (I Timothy 4:12). This is true about most God called men in the Bible. It is my belief that a man if called to preach is called from birth although, like Moses, may not realize it until much later.
True God called ministers is responsible to God and not any Church or Deacon Board. I have no idea where this generation ever got the thought that the Deacon Board is for running the preacher. This absolutely is not Bible and not God. This mistake in Church government is why so many Churches are weak and milk fed. They salary and control the pulpit. God should control the pulpit and his messenger or he is not the messenger of God.
The minister is (The Watchman on the Wall), “Son of man, I have made thee a watchman… therefore hear the word from my mouth”, Ezekiel 3:17-21) He was to say what God told him to say to both the wicked and righteous. If he did not speak the very words that God said then that wicked or righteous would he lost and the preacher also would be lost Where are you getting your messages and who is influencing what you preach?
“Obey them that have the rule over you. and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they must give an account” (Hebrews 13:7,17). Preacher you must preach what God tells you. You are going to give an account before God for every soul, you have ever preached or ministered to. This is a tremendous responsibility. How can so many take it so light heartedly?
The Purpose of the Ministry
“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelist; and some pastors and teachers; for the working of the
ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: (Ephesians 4:11, 12). The job of the Church is the “working of the ministry” to save
the lost. The job of the preachers is to “Perfect the saints”.
This scripture didn’t say for the pastor only to perfect the saints. Many pastors have gotten the big of a head when they think that
they alone can perfect their Church, they cannot. The Bible gives the five-fold ministry for ” the perfecting of the saints”. This includes not only Apostles and prophets but also evangelist and teachers. The Bible doesn’t say evangelist is to only preach to sinners In fact, it doesn’t say he is to preach to sinners at all but to saints
The local church pastor is the highest office in that local Church. Even the Apostles, after starting the Churches and appointing
elders (Acts l4: 23: Strongs Greek #4244-presbyters from #4245-Sanhedrin council who were all Levites which were priest and absolutely not laity—elder ministers were the pastors, elders) would not go above their office but through their office to the local Churches (Acts 11:30) All ministries and Church offices are under the authority and supervision of the local pastor but that does not mean that only he is to “perfect the saints”. The fivefold ministry is for “perfecting the saints’.
A Bishop is “overseer and superintendent” (Strongs Greek #1984,1985) also (see pastors-strongs Greek #4165-66-Shepherd,
supervisor. rule) and that this office is over and different from deacon (Strongs Greek #1247-attendent. wait upon, serve, host, be a friend, menially) (1 Timothy 3:2,8) Titus declares an elder and a bishop as one and the same (Titus 1:5-7)
Again scripture says, “Remember them that have the over you, who have spoken unto you the word 13:7,17). The word rule in Revelations 2:27 is taken from the word polmen (#4166-pastor) Nowhere ever in scripture did laity rule Gods messenger. Gods messenger always was authority over the laity ALWAYS (God destroyed Korah for trying to rule the ministy-Numers 16, and God destroyed Tobiah for salaring and ruling the ministry Nehemiah 13).
“How shall they hear without a preacher (Romans 10:14)? God directs his Church through the preacher. When he delivers a message to man he never delivers it directly himself but he goes through a preacher (Acts 9:6, 17, 18; Acts 10:5, 6; 8:29,30). The message that God sent to all seven Churches in Revelations was “to the angel of the Church” (Rev chpts. 2 & 3). That word “angel” is the same- word used when John sent “messengers” to ask if Jesus was the Christ (Luke 7:24; 9:52) (Strongs Greek #32-angel, messenger, PASTOR). God speaks to the Church and to mankind through the preacher. God never bypasses the ministry to tell saints what to do. Saints who say God told them to do something without consulting the ministry has bypassed God given authority and is out of Gods’ will. God speaks through the ministry and always it has been that way.
God has never left saints to pastor themselves. He has always given them a God called leader. Moses, Samuel who pastured Kings.
(Jeremiah 17:14-16), James the pastor of the first Church at Jerusalem who pastured the Apostles (pastor for everyone He who cannot be pastured cannot be saved (Hebrews 12:6-9; II Timothy 4:2).
Peter said to the elders, who he also claimed to be. “Feed the flock which is among you, taking the oversight thereof…neither as
being lord over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory’ (I peter 5:1-4). Again here the elder is a preacher who is to feed the flock and a shepherd taking the oversight under the authority of the Chief Shepherd. He is to feed the flock or, as Paul said, “preach the word’ (11 Timothy 4:2). Some you must feed milk and others strong meat (I Cur. 3:2; Hebrews 5:12,13).
Again elders are seasoned preachers not laity board members. In fact. getting real picky. Deacons are young preachers as Stephen and Phillip were (Acts 6:1-7; 6:8; 7:59; 8:5). Laity does not oversee the Church the preachers do. Laity does not feed the flock but preachers have this responsibility.
It is sad but there are congregations who are several years old in God but are still bottle feed instead of meat feed. This is because
the preacher has become a hireling to some unbiblical Church board instead of God’s messenger and overseer.
The Ministry is before God” to preach the word, perfecting the saints. It is an awesome responsibility. Each preacher will give an
account to God for every message he ever preaches and every counsel he has ever given. It would be wise for him to make sure he is preaching god * message and not tickling ears for self-esteem.
The Message of the Preacher
God told Ezekiel, “all my words that I shall speak unto thee, receive in shine heart…speak unto them, and tell them, thus saith the
Lord God; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear” (Ezekiel 3:10,11). Micaiah said, “as the Lord liveth, even what God
saith, that will I speak” (II Chronicles 18:13). The preacher is to hear from God and preach whatever God tells him whether it be good or bad, whether it be blessing or judgment, or whether it be encouragement or reproof.
“Reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine”(II Timothy 2:4). He is to reprove Strongs Greek #1651-rebuk,
convict, tell a fault, reprove). He is to rebuke (Strongs Greek #2008rebuke, forbid, straightly charge, to tax upon). He is to exhort
(Strongs Greek #3870-to call near, invite. invoke, by imploration or consolation, beseech, call for, entreat, exhort). A true messenger of God reproves’ convicts, tells faults. Rebukes, forbids straightly charges. exhorts, calls near, invites with longsuffering A hireling “tickles ears” (II Timothy 4:3). A false prophet “deceives” (Matthew 24:11, 24) by hiding or not heralding the truth whether judgment or mercy. Enemies “kiss” (Proverbs 27:6).
A preacher rejected my witness of the Oneness doctrine and Acts 2:38 plan of salvation by telling me “my ministry is out of love”. What kind of pervertedness is love that will not tell the love dome the truth about escaping eternal damnation? Love is preaching the word of God directly from the mouth of God like it is and just and just exactly what it is going to take to make it to heaven and escape hell. That is true love. A preacher that does not care anymore for his congregation than to receive their eats on his back while letting them go to hell in error or sin is a hireling and not a god called messenger.
The message from the preacher is to be out of love and longsuffering. He is not to be quick to be harsh in his judgment or ministry. But on the other hand, God, like natural loving fathers, “chastises those he loves” (Hebrews 12:6,9). If they will not take chastisement then the Bible calls them “Bastards and not sons” (Hebrews 12:8).
Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft (I Samuel 15:23). God told Samuel, “they have not rejected you but they have rejected me” (I
Samuel 8:7). The preacher’s obligation is to hear from the mouth of the Lord and preach what God says whether they hear * or wt. (Ezekiel 3:11). If they do not hear it they have rejected God and not his messenger.
Not even the ministry of Jesus was received by the multitudes. Most rejected his ministry. After he began to bare down on exactly
where the rubber meets the road concerning going to heaven from that day forward “they went back and walked with him no more” (John 6:66). He then began to “upbraid” (Strongs Greek #3679-upbraid, defame, taunt, rail at, reproach, revile. cast in teeth) the cities wherein most of his mighty works were “because they resented not” (Matthew 11:20).
Jesus went through the temple, Church, turning over tables and snapping a whip (John 2:15). John while preaching called a bunch of people in his congregation “snakes” (Matthew 3: 7,83. Do you think this was the Christian thing for Jesus and John to do? Do you think their ministry was out of love? ‘When Jesus finished his earthly ministry he only had 120 in his Church (Acts 1:15). He is the “Chief Shepherd” that we are to pattern our ministries.
The Ministry is like a Farmer
“Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? Doth he open and break the clods of his ground? When he hath made plain the face thereof, cloth he not cast abroad the filches, and scatter the cumin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barely and the rye in their place? For his God cloth instruct him to discretion, and cloth teach him. For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument, neither, is a cart wheel turned about upon the cumin: but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cumin with a rod. Bread corn is bruised: because he will not ever be threshing it, nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his horsemen” (Isaiah 28:23-29). There is a time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8).
If you sow before you plow and break up the clods your fruits will not grow depth to grow and cannot endure the weather. If you sow then plow that is just as wrong. If you use a threshing instrument instead of beating out the fitches with a staff or you run over the cumin with a wheel instead of using a rod you ruin your fruits of labor. You must use the right instrument at the right time to grow a healthy crop.
Why do so many ministers water continuously without plowing or sowing? I have been to Churches that have song after song after song the go home because they say they have had Church and no need then to preach. The most important part and the very reason for Church is preaching and teaching the word of God. What are you trying to grow since you have never plowed nor sowed much at all but water continuously? Weeds are all you are going to grow. Tares are all you will have.
You have to first plow up the ground and break up the clods. Haul off the stones and rocks. Then plant the seed and water. At reaping time there will the stones and rocks. Then plant the seed and water. At reaping time there will be times to use certain instruments to beat out the fitches and rods to thresh the cumin. There is a time to preach judgment and reproof. There are times to forbid pointing out faults, convicting and rebuking. Then there are times to exhort by lifting up and a call to draw near. (Compassion and fear Jude, 22,23).
This is to be done with “longsuffering, wisdom, and doctrine, (II Timothy 4:2). If you don’t teach doctrine how are they going to be saved? If you don’t correct or convict how are they going to come to repentance of their sins? If you don’t encourage and lift up how are they going to keep pressing on? Leave out any pan of the ministry and you will not produce fruits unto God. It takes it all and all in due season at the right time. Learn your ministry from the farmer.
God’s Man Is Often A Solitude Place Of Aloneness
“And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge’ and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should turn to destroy it: but I found none” (Ezekiel 22:30). The Lord was referring to the period from about 700 BC up to about 630 BC. There were hundreds, maybe thousands of so-called prophets of the Lord during this period (Ezekiel 22:28), but none that God could use to preach his words. There are thousands, maybe millions, of preachers today but very few that belong to God.
There has never been a time in the entirety of the world’s existence that God had but a few true preachers. Never. There are only
recorded a few dozen throughout the entire Old Testament and about as many in the New Testament. There were 400 prophets of Baal to one Elijah (I kings 18:9). True, God told Elijah that he had 7 000 that were his people (I Kings 19:18) but there were about 2 billion on the face of the earth and only 7,000 living for God.
There were 400 lying prophets before Ahab and only one Micaiah who actually preached the truth (11 Chronicles 18:5,13). A true prophet of God will tell you the truth although you may despise what he tells you and surround yourself with hundreds of sweet preachers who will tell you what you want to hear. But that old hell fire and brimstone preacher will get you to heaven and those real sweet preachers will lead you into hell.
Jeremiah preached nothing but judgment for 63 years. He was the only preacher of his time and area preaching truth. He never had one single convert and everybody hated him. He was rejected, scorn, and persecuted but he was Gods’ messenger and not mans. His ministry was very successful because he obeyed God and did not give into the pressures of man.
We are in the last days. We are the rapture generation. God is looking for true blue preachers who will belong to him and not some Church Board or Organization. There are not very many who will be Gods’ man but they are the only ones who have the “remedy” for this generations problems (II Chronicles 36:15,16). Wont you become Gods’ man? Who does Your ministry belong to God or man? Who called you to preach?
God’s Financial Plan For The Minister
“They which minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple” (I Corinthians 9:13,14). “Doth not the Law say the same?” (I Corinthians 9:8). Tithes are paid to God (Malachi 3:8) and are given to the ministry (Numbers 18:21) not to the Church who salaries and the preacher (Nehemiah 13:4,5, 7-9).
THE ABOVE MATERIAL WAS PUBLISHED BY THE CHRISTIAN NEWSPAPER, JULY-AUGUST 2001, PAGES 8-9.
THIS MATERIAL IS COPYRIGHTED AND MAY BE USED FOR STUDY & RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY.
