The Equipping Ministry, Student Workbook, SW15

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T H E E Q U I P P I N G M I N I S T R Y

but should be on the pastoral staff. Do you think that it is necessary for the one who is the pastor to be an exciting and stimulating preacher as well, or can the roles be split? Explain your answer carefully.

Rude Guy but a Marvelous Preacher

(Based on a true story). Recently an urban church went through a painful and difficult situation in their church leadership—they had to release their pastor. He was let go not because of any issue regarding morality or heresy, but because of his reported harsh treatment of members of the pastoral staff. Admittedly, the pastor was an introvert; it was a good day to get even a handful of words out of him, and he was neither a good administrator or a people person. What he was, however, was a brilliant preacher, teacher, and expositor of the Word of God. His teaching and preaching ministry had literally transformed the church, deepening members and attracting many new ones. His inability to create a warm, caring environment in the church office was brought to a fever pitch as a result of one of his “blow ups” in the office, which eventually led to a discussion with the elders, a vote at the congregational level, and his resignation. What do you think of such a situation? Must a pastor/preacher be equally gifted at presenting the Word and leading a staff of people warmly? Can you envision a role for preacher who was not a “people-person” and yet given a charge to be the preacher of the Word in a congregation? Explain. In one Midwestern urban church, a preacher of the Word is becoming more and more influential in the city where he shepherds a growing church. One of the main attractions of their friendly and evangelical church is the concise, clear, and simple sermons presented by the pastor. He focuses on themes that relate directly to the lives of the people in the church, expounds the Word in every teaching, and provides many practical applications throughout. If any problem exists, his preaching is predictable and “safe.” He addresses no difficult issues of our day and time, focuses largely on issues of personal and family ethics, and avoids doctrine and theological themes directly, bringing in such material only as it relates to his “real life application” that makes up the heart of his sermonizing. When asked about his preaching, about its quality and the fact that it seldom dealt with anything contemporary or relevant to our immediate time, he said, “in order to ‘preach the My Sermons Are Planned Out for the Next Three Years!?

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