Ministry on Miscellanea

Smalltalk is Counsel

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

When I use the word counseling I don’t mean a Ph.D. in psychotherapy in an office. I mean the way the Bible talks about counseling, which is the effect of the tongue, and the effect of our lives on each other. We are changed by relating to each other when we relate wisely. And that may happen in an office. Every pastor is going to make appointments and there will be times that you sit down with someone, or you just say to a wise friend, “Can we get together?” You talk and counsel happens. Or it could be just the most casual kind of conversation.

They must not be double-tongued

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 09:25:00 +0000

[The deacon] is in danger also, perhaps, of promising to the pastor, and not fulfilling. This is justly fatal to character and to usefulness. It prevents confidence and creates contempt.

Tough Times for Evangelical Theology

Sun, 14 Jan 2024 21:07:01 +0000

Evangelical theology faces tough times ahead: the church seems variously determined to prioritise management technique, religious experience, or that nebulous bane of contemporary life, ‘relevance’, over any notion of careful reflection upon and articulation of its irreducibly doctrinal message and experience.

Unmarried in the Church

Sun, 14 Jan 2024 21:04:50 +0000

The church is required to be the body of Christ in which the unmarried may find fulfillment as persons in the fellowship and companionship of the congregation of believers. The church should recognize that being unmarried the single members are free to be ‘anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord’ (1 Corinthians 7:32). Therefore they must be given the opportunity within the fellowship of believers to serve the body of Christ and experience the love and acceptance of the body of the Lord.

Most Influential Pastors

Sun, 14 Jan 2024 21:00:51 +0000

When I ask students who are the most influential pastors in their life, it’s concerning that they rarely mention their local pastors.

On the Loss of a Beloved Pastor

Sat, 13 Jan 2024 22:41:03 +0000

Your beloved pastor has died, but he has only gone a little before you. We expect and hope to follow him soon. It will be a joyful meeting, when we shall part no more. In the mean time, you will do well to consider that he neither did nor could do you any good but as an instrument, and that his Lord and Master who honored him with acceptance and usefulness still lives, and the supply of the Spirit is still with him. What must the first disciples have felt–when their Master was not only taken from them–but crucified before their eyes? Yet He had said to them a little before, “But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.” John 16:7. Surely that Comforter, whose influence was more than a compensation for the lack of the Savior’s visible presence–can fully repair our losses and heal our wounds. And He is as near to his people now, and as willing and able to help them–as He was then.

Retire Like a Plentiful Guest from a Thankful Table

Fri, 19 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

The calendar tells me that if I live until next Monday, I shall enter my seventy-sixth year. I believe you will pray for me on that day. My eyes, ears, and legs likewise admonish me that I grow older. My writing days seem almost over, as I cannot see well to write; but I make an effort to send you one letter more, which may probably be the last you will receive.

Thankful Guest from a Plentiful Table

Sat, 31 Jul 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Pray likewise for me, that no gross imprudence or misconduct may stain the latter part of my life — but that I may be enabled to exemplify in myself what I have labored to inculcate upon others from the pulpit. I have observed in some good men and good ministers, improprieties in their latter days, which I have been willing to ascribe rather to the infirmities of old age, than to a defect in real grace. I pray daily to be preserved from these, and I request your assistance. I have known good men, in advanced life, to be garrulous, peevish, dogmatic, self-important, with some symptoms of jealousy, and perhaps envy, toward those who are upon the increase — while they feel themselves decreasing. Do, my friend, pray earnestly that it may not be so with me — but that I may retire, if laid aside, like a thankful guest from a plentiful table, and may rejoice to see others coming forward to serve the Lord, (I hope better and more successfully,) when I can serve him no longer.

The Design of the Office of Ruling Elder

Tue, 22 Dec 2020 12:04:35 +0000

The design of appointing persons to the office of Ruling Elder is not to pay them a compliment; not to give them an opportunity of figuring as speakers in judicatories; not to create the pageants of ecclesiastical ceremony; but to secure able, faithful and truly devoted counselors and rulers of the Church—to obtain wise and efficient guides, who shall not only go along with the flock in their journey heavenward, but go before them in everything that pertains to Christian duty.

Matthew Henry on 2 Corinthians 12:15

Tue, 22 Dec 2020 11:58:57 +0000

[Paul] did not abate in his love to them, notwithstanding their unkindness and ingratitude to him; and therefore was contented and glad to take pains with them, though the more abundantly he loved them the less he was loved, 2 Cor. 12:15. This is applicable to other relations: if others be wanting in their duty to us it does not follow therefore that we may neglect our duty to them.

Stirring Up Division

Wed, 13 Dec 2017 00:00:00 +0000

As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.

Character of a Deacon

Sun, 19 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Animated by the spirit of his ofﬁce, and acting out the character which the counsels of the Word imply, [a deacon] will not be haughty, or harsh, or suspicions, he will not be cold, and formal, and repulsive, discharging his work as if it were a burden; he will be frank and easy in his intercourse with the poor and take an interest in their avocations, their health, and welfare; kind, and tender, and sympathising, especially when in sickness; but withal ﬁrm, and not easily persuaded to what his judgment does not approve. He will also have a deep conviction of the insufﬁciency of all his efforts to beneﬁt the poor of his charge without the blessing of God, and hence he will not fail to seek the blessing in the exercise of diligent and persevering prayer for the Holy Spirit.

The Deacon Must be Sincere

Sun, 19 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0000

A deacon, to be relieved from the annoyances sometimes connected with the discharge of his duties, is tempted to put the poor off with insincere words—to say one thing to one man, and an opposite to another.

He is in danger also, perhaps, of promising to the pastor, and not fulfilling.

This is justly fatal to character and to usefulness.

It prevents confidence and creates contempt.

The deacon, then, must be sincere.

Temporal Wants

Mon, 17 Jul 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Our blessed Lord does not, like some of his professed followers, make light of temporal wants.

On the benefits of a well functioning diaconate to the minister

Tue, 04 Jul 2017 00:00:00 +0000

He feels, that amid all his own difficulties and discouragements, he is not standing alone—that other are alive to his circumstances, and sympathise with him, and are forward to aid him—and that he can have their advice and cooperation in many matters, which are otherwise fitted to distract and to burden.

The Bible instruction of early youth

Sat, 03 Jun 2017 00:00:00 +0000

The Bible instruction of early youth affect the character all through life. You were the means of making me a preacher…

Calvin on Being an Elder

Sat, 29 Apr 2017 00:00:00 +0000

It is no light matter to be a representative of the Son of God, in discharging an office of such magnitude, the object of which is to erect and extend the kingdom of God, to procure the salvation of souls which the Lord himself hath purchased with his own blood, and to govern the Church, which is God’s inheritance.

Modern Preachers

Sun, 26 Mar 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Modern preachers are trying to bring men into the Church without requiring them to relinquish their pride; they are trying to help men avoid the conviction of sin.

The preacher gets up into the pulpit, opens the Bible, and addresses the congregation somewhat as follows: ‘You people are very good,’ he says; ‘you respond to every appeal that looks toward the welfare of the community. Now we have in the Bible–especially in the life of Jesus–something so good that we believe it is good enough even for you good people.’

Pulpit Bored with God

Sat, 10 Dec 2016 00:00:00 +0000

The institution that has most failed America in our lifetimes is the evangelical pulpit that is bored with God and dares not have the temerity to speak the truth of a holy, sovereign God who commands obedience and offers grace through the atoning blood of His Son.

The Importance of Church Disciplie

Sun, 20 Nov 2016 00:00:00 +0000

It is no doubt true, that the very suggestion of the necessity and importance of discipline in the church is odious to many who bear the Christian name.

The worldly and careless portion of every church consider the interposition of ecclesiastical inspection and authority, in reference to the lives and conversation of its members, as officious and ofiensive meddling with private concerns.

They would much rather retain their external standing as professors of religion, and, at the same time pursue their unhallowed pleasures without control. They never wish to see a minister, as such, but in the pulpit; or any church officers in any other than his seat in the sanctuary.

Idle Bellies

Mon, 19 Sep 2016 00:00:00 +0000

We must observe, however, with what titles of distinction he honors pastors.

In the first place, he says that they labor. From this it follows, that all idle bellies are excluded from the number of pastors.

The Benefits of a Resident Minister

Mon, 15 Aug 2016 00:00:00 +0000

A minister, who lives among his people, who sees and converses with them frequently, and exemplifies his doctrine in their view by his practice, having knowledge of their spiritual states, trials, growth, and dangers—suits himself to their various states, and, by the blessing of God, builds them up, and brings them forward in faith and holiness.

He is instrumental in forming their experience; he leads them to a solid, orderly, Scriptural knowledge of Divine things.

Character and Doctrine

Sun, 03 Jul 2016 00:00:00 +0000

If a man teaches uprightly and walks crookedly, more will fall down in the night of his life than he built in the day of his doctrine.

Mon, 15 Feb 2016 00:00:00 +0000

So long as elders are consumed with temporal matters, the congregation will be temporarily minded. When the diaconate functions as the temporal agents of the church, freeing the elders for their spiritual calling and business, the church will grow in grace and the spiritual attitude and piety of the congregation will rise to new heights.

Church Leaders as a Gift from God

Wed, 10 Feb 2016 00:00:00 +0000

In fact, Jesus gave church leaders as one of the gifts He purchased by His own blood for the good of the church (Ephesians 4:8, 11)

Foolishness of Preaching

Sat, 09 Jan 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Could anything be more impractical than the attempt to influence conduct by rehearsing events concerning the death of a religious teacher? That is what Paul called ’the foolishness of the message.’ It seemed foolish to the ancient world, and it seems foolish to liberal preachers today.

Qualifictions for Deacons

Fri, 25 Dec 2015 00:00:00 +0000

If all there is to being a deacon revolves around flowers and fruit baskets and the quick drop off and pick up of sermon tapes, these characteristics do not have special importance. But if indeed the deacon is going to meet people at their deep levels of need, if he is going to know people who hunger, thirst, who long for friend, who need help of all kinds, then he need special control of his tongue (and his ear) and special sensitivity with regard to money.

We Are Prone to Lean Too Hard on Ministers

Fri, 13 Nov 2015 00:00:00 +0000

The fountain from which your dear pastor obtained the water of life, which he communicated to his congregation—is still full and still flowing; and you are still welcome to come to Him and drink!

But we are prone to lean too hard upon the ministers, by whom the Lord conveys His blessings to us—as if they were necessary. Perhaps to cure us of this mistake, is one reason why He often unexpectedly takes them from us!

Communion with Lepers

Sat, 31 Oct 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Some of the happiest experiences have been in churches where all the members have leprosy… More than once I have served communion to men like this where the bread had to be placed in palm of his hand because he had no fingers with which to pick it up, and where the cup had to be held to his lips for the same reason!

Doesn’t this illustrate what our Saviour has done for a dreadfully sick world, doomed to die, separated by the disease of sin from the presence of the Heavenly father?

Archibald Alexander on the Office of Elder

Thu, 16 Apr 2015 00:00:00 +0000

The truth is, the church should take pains to train men for this very office; and the parents should set a much higher value on it, than they have been accustomed to do; and the office ought to be rendered more respectable, and more desirable than it is at present.

God's Ambassadors

Sun, 15 Mar 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Though you should deeply appreciate your minister’s efforts to faithfully bring the Word of God, pray that you see ’no man, save Jesus only’ (Matt 17:8). Ministers are simply God’s ambassadors, bringing you the Word of God (2 Cor. 5:20, Heb. 13:7).

Richard Baxter on Sermon Notes

Mon, 23 Feb 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Writing is an easy help for memory, to those who can use it. Some question whether they should use it, because it hinders their affection. But that must be differently determined according to the difference of subjects, and of hearers.

Some sermons are all to work upon the affections at present, and the present advantage is to be preferred before the after-perusal: but some must more profit us, in after digestion and review. And some hearers can write much with ease, and little hinder their affection; and some write so little and are hindered so much, that it recompenses not their loss. Some know so fully all that is said, that they need no notes; and some who are ignorant need them for perusal.

A Holy Family

Mon, 16 Feb 2015 00:00:00 +0000

A holy, well-governed family is the preparative to a holy and well-governed church.

If masters of families did their part, and sent such polished materials to the churches, as they ought to do, the work and life of the pastors of the church would be unspeakably more easy and delightful.

It would do one good to preach to such an auditory, to catechize them, and instruct him, and examine them, and watch over them, who are prepared by wise and holy education, and understand and love the doctrine which they hear.

Chew the Cud

Sun, 15 Feb 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Chew the cud, and call up all when you come home in secret, by meditation preach it over yourselves. If it were coldly delivered by the preacher, do you consider the great weight of the matter, and preach it more earnestly over to your own hearts.

Powlison on Discipleship

Wed, 21 Jan 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Discipleship does the hard work of kneading what is true into how we actually live.

Child of the Devil, an Incarnate Villain

Sun, 15 Jun 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Bogardus was ill-suited to adjust to the poor decisions of the colony’s leadership. He and one of New Netherland’s governors, Wouter van Twiller, carried on a heated dispute in which the pastor called the governor a ‘child of the Devil, an incarnate villain,’ and in retaliation the governor drew his sword and chased Bogardus through the streets of New Amsterdam.

When Your Favorite Pastor is Gone

Wed, 04 Jun 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Some persons are so weak, that, if their favorite minister is absent, they hardly think it worth their while to hear another.

Gospel Strength for Preachers

Fri, 24 Jan 2014 14:25:00 +0000

It is, indeed, no small thing to stand between God and the people, to divide the word of truth aright, to give every one their portion, to withstand the counter tides of opposition and popularity, and to press those truths upon others, the power of which, I, at times, feel so little of in my own soul. A cold, corrupt heart is uncomfortable company in the pulpit!

Yet, in the midst of all my fears and unworthiness, I am enabled to cleave to the promise, and to rely on the power of the great Redeemer. I know I am engaged in the cause against which the gates of hell cannot prevail. If He died and rose again, if He ever lives to make intercession — there must be safety under the shadow of his wings: there would I lie. In his name I would lift up my banner; in his strength I would go forth, do what He enables me — then take shame to myself that I can do no better, and put my hand upon my mouth, confessing that I am dust and ashes — less than the least of all his saints.

Scheduling Presbytery by the Moon

Tue, 31 Dec 2013 00:00:00 +0000

I remember that the Stated Clerks of those Presbyteries gave me gave a great deal of trouble. Some of them, particularly of the country Presbyteries would not consult the almanac. They would saw that they Presbytery would convene on the second Monday after full moon, early at candlelight. My father exacted of me that I should find out which Monday that was and calculate the probable hour of early candlelight.

Luther in the Church

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000

At home, in my own house, there is no warmth or vigor in me, but in the church when the multitude is gathered together, a fire is kindled in my heart and it breaks its way through.

Christ Not Raised?

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.

The Trouble with Eschatology

Fri, 01 Oct 2010 00:00:00 +0000

The trouble with eschatology in the experience of the church has frequently been that it was either dead or overmuch pathologically alive.