Tag Archives: Pastoral Theology

Speaking for God A Definition and Implications of Preaching that Glorifies God

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1 Peter 4:10-11 God has chosen to use human messengers to deliver divine truth. The activity whereby He does this today is called preaching. Those who preach can and must derive their content from God’s Word, the Bible. Peter emphasized the importance of this in 1 Peter 4:10–11. The stated outcome of following his instruction is that God will be glorified. A close look at this text will lead us to a definition and some implications of preaching that glorifies God.

Do the Work of an Evangelist

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Every Christian understands the importance of evangelism, but sadly it is on the decline in many churches. And the scarcity of evangelism has led to the decline and closure of many churches. In this issue of the Faith Pulpit Dr. Daniel Brown, faculty member of Faith Baptist Theological Seminary, challenges pastors to follow the Biblical command to “do the work of an evangelist.” If pastors will carry out their responsibility, more people will have the opportunity to hear the gospel and our churches will thrive again.

When Is It Time to Quit?

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Every once in a while I do something that feels akin to beating my head against a wall. This article feels like that because my intention is to discuss how long preachers should preach. I have discussed this topic with enough preachers to know that preachers will preach as long as they want to preach. Certainly every preacher needs to be “convinced in his own mind” of what length of sermon is appropriate. I acknowledge this is an area where good men can disagree.

Planning the Ordination Service

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If the Bible gives little information on how formal ordination took place in the early church, it tells even less about what a formal ordination service should contain. However, as previously demonstrated, ordination is a function of the local church. Whatever other elements may be included in an ordination service, at the least it provides an occasion for the church to take official action to ordain one of its members. Further, because this service is part of the normal activities of the gathered church,1 it should include the Biblically mandated elements of church gatherings, such as singing, praying, Scripture reading, and preaching.

The Ordination of Men to the Ministry

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Faith Baptist Theological Seminary is committed to preparing men to serve in the pastoral ministry. Each year churches call FBTS graduates to serve as pastors and assistant pastors. An important step after a man is called to a church is his ordination. In this article, Don Anderson, an ordained minister and adjunct professor at Faith Baptist Theological Seminary, examines the Biblical teaching concerning ordination of men to the gospel ministry. In the accompanying article, Professor Anderson’s son, James, also an ordained minister, gives practical suggestions for planning the ordination service.

The Heart and Hands of Leadership

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Leadership is always a subject of prime importance for the local church. The spiritual success of a church is in direct proportion to the quality of its leaders. In this article Dr. John Hartog III, professor at Faith Baptist Theological Seminary in Ankeny, Iowa, explores Psalm 78 to discover several qualities of leadership from David’s life. Israel’s History from Zoan to Zion Psalm 78 is the first and longest of the Historical psalms (the others are 105, 106, and 135).1 Only Psalm 119 is longer than Psalm 78.

The Call to the Ministry

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Does God call people to the ministry, or is it one of several career paths a Christian can choose? Pastors and church leaders need to be clear about this vital issue. In this article Dr. Douglas Brown of Faith Baptist Theological Seminary addresses this important question with Biblical answers. The gospel ministry is a high and noble calling. In 2 Corinthians 3:7–11 Paul proclaimed that the ministry is glorious. In 1 Timothy 3:1 Paul declared that pastoral ministry is a ”good”, or honorable, work (kalou ergou).

The Preacher and His Library, Part 2

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How to Build a Library As you work toward building a library of your own, consider borrowing books from a fellow pastor or people in your congregation. If you do, be sure to follow the ethics of borrowing: always treat a borrowed book better than your own, and do not mark in a borrowed book unless the lender specifically gives permission to do so. You will also find college or university libraries a helpful resource for borrowed materials. Such libraries do not have to be part of a Bible college or seminary to have theological volumes.

The Preacher and His Library, Part 1

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“And the books, but especially the parchments . . .” II Timothy 4:13 Introduction While no one knows for sure what Paul was requesting when he talked about the books and the parchments, it is probable that he was asking for a copy of the Old Testament, or at least for part of it. Even in his final days of life, Paul was a reader. Since the days of the apostle Paul, reading has been part of the lifestyle of preachers.

Decide to Delegate (It’s the only way to make a disciple)

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Many ministers struggle with stress and the lack of ministerial fulfillment. I would like to suggest that one decision can provide the cure for both of these diseases. You must decide to delegate. D. L. Moody said, “It’s better to get ten men to do the work than to do the work of ten men!” Moody’s sage advice is filled with scriptural wisdom. The Bible is filled with detailed descriptions of delegation. Solomon mastered the fine art of managing through men, and the kingdom was enlarged.