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 Pastoral Malpractice

I would consider pastoral malpractice among the greatest treasons a minister can commit against the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, it is practiced weekly without inhibition.

What do I mean by pastoral malpractice? I mean ministers who stand and preach a gospel other than God's rightful need for punitive justice against our sin and His wrath being appeased by pouring out upon Christ judgment intended for us. He in turn sets us in right legal standing before Himself, through faith in what Jesus has done, while simultaneously giving to us His holy righteousness.

Regrettably, too many evangelical churches have become centers for motivational speaking where congregants learn that "God helps those who help themselves;" that sin is something that keeps us from reaching our full potential, not an infinite offense against the Creator who demands from His creation unblemished righteousness.

The Apostle Paul tells us that humans inherently know we are separated from God by our sin and we try to suppress that truth through drugs, sex, greed, power, alcohol, etc. Sadly, too often when desperate individuals arrive in our churches looking for a solution they get messages about how to improve their lives or their relationships, but the Gospel is absent in the remedy. J.I. Packer, in his quintessential work, "Knowing God," correctly writes:

"We have all heard the Gospel presented as God's triumphant answer to human problems –- problems of our relation with ourselves and our fellow humans and our environment. Well, there is no doubt that the Gospel does bring us solutions to these problems, but it does so by first solving a deeper problem -– the deepest of all human problems, the problem of man's relation with His Maker. And unless we make it plain that the solution to the former problems depends on the settling of this latter, we are misrepresenting the message and becoming false witnesses of God."

The reality is that fewer people are showing up in our churches to get even a watered-down Gospel because the age of attractional evangelism is rapidly dying, as recent research shows. It is not enough to throw the doors open and shout at the culture, "Come in." Gospel malpractice goes beyond the pulpit and is a trait of a complacent church that limits the mandate of the Great
Commission to an invitation to come when we are clearly told to "Go!"

How contemporary is Paul's letter to Timothy?

"But know this: difficult times will come in the last days. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to the form of religion but denying its power" (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

I believe with every fiber of my being that the transformation of the church lies within the pages of the Bible. If individuals and churches are going to become effective incarnational witnesses in the culture. we must dig in. Paul, again to Timothy, says: "[Y]ou have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:15-17).

How my heart pleads with God to transform our churches to being training and equipping centers that send people out into culture to be Jesus' ambassadors. I'm not talking pious moralists who point people to their sins, but servants who through humility and loving relationships point people to an all-sufficient Savior.

We must meet people in their context, but we must share the Gospel. Morality does not reconcile people to God; it comes through the Gospel of Christ.

unknown author

 2008/5/6 16:31









 Re: Pastoral Malpractice

I'll agree with this... however, I've sat in churches that did nothing but preach the same salvation message week after week after week... to the same people... week after week... etc.

There are 66 books in the Bible, and ALL are inspired by the Holy Spirit, and profitable for exhortation, etc....

Thats why I like Calvary Chapel's expository way of teaching. Start in Gensis and go line by line. And all of scripture points toward Jesus.

Yes, preach righteousness... yes, remind people that this isnt about us, it's about Him... but teach the WHOLE councel of God. Calvinist like Packer and the author of this piece you posted sometimes get tunnel vision and only harp on their particular doctrine... over and over.

I say... teach it all!

Krispy

 2008/5/6 16:38









 Re:

Amen Krispy, I agree with the whole 66 books being taught and studied as well. There are many examples and guidance for us for now and eternity there. Jesus is all through the Old Testament, it just requires the Holy Spirit (born again) (saved) to see HIM.

 2008/5/6 17:06
Compton
Member



Joined: 2005/2/24
Posts: 2732


 Re:

Quote:
Calvinists like Packer and the author of this piece you posted sometimes get tunnel vision and only harp on their particular doctrine... over and over.



Speaking of tunnel vision and harping.... ;-)

MC


_________________
Mike Compton

 2008/5/6 17:12Profile









 Re:

and the author of this piece you posted sometimes get tunnel vision and only harp on their particular doctrine... over and over.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And how many articles have you read this guy wrote to compare it to? If you have point to make just spit it out brother.

 2008/5/6 17:40
tjservant
Member



Joined: 2006/8/25
Posts: 1658
Indiana USA

 Re:

Quote:
Speaking of tunnel vision and harping....



No doubt.


_________________
TJ

 2008/5/6 17:48Profile









 Re:

Quote:

tjservant wrote:
Quote:
Speaking of tunnel vision and harping....



No doubt.



You've read his articles too.

You know I've noticed when someone disagrees biblically with someone they usually don't confront the one that they disagree with and give scripture references on the particular thread that they disagreed with and on the points of scripture where they did disagree. Why is that? Maybe couldn't find the scriptures to disagree and this is the defense of is it offensive. They usually just makes jabs like them as these last two made. That's ok, I can take it.

 2008/5/6 17:59
tjservant
Member



Joined: 2006/8/25
Posts: 1658
Indiana USA

 Re:

Quote:

moe_mac wrote:
Quote:

tjservant wrote:
Quote:
Speaking of tunnel vision and harping....



No doubt.



You've read his articles too.

You know I've noticed when someone disagrees biblically with someone they usually don't confront the one that they disagree with and give scripture references on the particular thread that they disagreed with and on the points of scripture where they did disagree. Why is that? Maybe couldn't find the scriptures to disagree and this is the defense of is it offensive. They usually just makes jabs like them as these last two made. That's ok, I can take it.



I was referring to Krispy and his continual harping about Calvinism. Note the bold print in MC's response.


_________________
TJ

 2008/5/6 18:07Profile









 Re:

Quote:

tjservant wrote:

I was referring to Krispy and his continual harping about Calvinism. Note the bold print in MC's response.



Sorry I apoligize for pointing the finger the wrong direction. While I'm here though. I have disagreed with Krispy on some issues, not many though, but Krispy always gives scripture references along with his very creative Texas style lingo and I like that. I like you guys too. God Bless
moe_mac

 2008/5/6 18:18
Compton
Member



Joined: 2005/2/24
Posts: 2732


 Re:

I was just ribbing Krispy. ;-) Actually, in all fairness, he hasn't brought up the issue for quite awhile. :-)

MC


_________________
Mike Compton

 2008/5/6 21:30Profile





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