Page 149 of 161

“Authority for Living: Culture or Scripture?”

I’m preparing a lesson from 2 Timothy 3, and I thought I would share a few introductory thoughts.  This lesson is the first in a series entitled “Authority for Living: Culture or Scripture?”  I think we can all agree that far too many self identified Christians look and act little or no different from the non-believing world around us.

Paul essentially argued the same point in 2 Timothy 3:1-9 when he listed sinful activities by people that we are to avoid.  If you read the list, you would think he’s discussing 21st century America.  Paul indicated that he was discussing so-called believers with two phrases: “having the appearance of godliness” and “avoid such people” (both phrases found in verse 5).  In other words, hypocrisy existed in the first century church as it does today.  And Paul admonishes us to avoid such hypocrites and wicked people.  We know he was speaking about those “in the church” because we are not admonished scripturally to avoid sinners (as in unbelievers), but only those who willfully sin and claim to be Christians.  (Incidentally, how could we avoid unbelieving sinners in general if they have no other recourse but to sin? Furthermore, we could never hope to evangelize unbelieving sinners if we avoided them all.  Paul’s admonishment is to avoid those claiming to be believers but living in the willful sins mentioned in the passage).

Paul concludes his argument in this section with some foundational verses for Christian doctrine and practice, 2 Timothy 3:16-17.  He wrote “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”  Paul argued that the Bible is foundational for Christian doctrine and living because it has been breathed out by God and carries His authority.  In other words, Christians must find their directive for living, thinking, believing, acting, walking, working, etc. from Scripture and not culture.

A Christian whose life finds its authority in contemporary culture will be inconsistent with Scripture.  Likewise a Christian whose life finds its authority in Scripture will be inconsistent in many ways with the surrounding culture.  I’m afraid that our biblical illiteracy and/or our rebellious rejection of biblical mandates are displayed in the many Christians today whose lives reflect culture and not the distinctive of biblical holiness.  In future posts, I plan to address culturally significant themes where I believe biblical truth has at times been rejected in light of cultural trends.  I’ll be dealing with topics that include: “Culture or Scripture? A Woman’s Role in Ministry/Service”; “Culture or Scripture? How do we understand Homosexuality”; “Culture or Scripture? The Stereotypical Man/Father”; “Culture or Scripture? How we understand the use of Alcohol.”

I know well that these topics are controversial.  Please know that I don’t think I’ve exhausted the discussion of these issues or have given the final word in my posts or in my lessons.  However, I do hope that I can relate how a biblical understanding of these topics will differ greatly from that presented in our contemporary culture.

The Pastor and His Followers

Below was an original post I shared through LifeWay’s Pastor’s Today Blogpost. There are quite a few great articles there.

In today’s world defined by and demanding interaction with social media, it is not surprising that a pastor would have followers and friends on social media. Our number of Facebook friends or Twitter followers is some sort of expression of the reach of our voice and influence. I think social media is a viable, helpful, and even necessary arena for pastoral leadership.

But I’m not talking about those who follow from a distance. We sometimes need a reminder that we have been given a mission—a mission to make disciples. And the model for that mission was Jesus himself. He did not choose to accomplish that task by leading people from a distance, but rather by investing in people intentionally, intimately, and relationally. Certainly, he had followers in the masses, but his most influenced followers were no doubt the apostles with whom he spent years of life and ministry.

Maybe we need to recalibrate our perception of ministry into alignment with biblical expectations. As pastors serving others through study, preaching, writing, counseling, care, and other forms of ministry, I know that we don’t really need another thing to do. But ask yourself this, “Who has influenced you more?” The preachers you follow from a distance (through sermons, conferences, books, and social media)? Or the ones (professors, pastors, and mentors) who invested in you by getting to know you and sharing themselves with you?

The greatest of leaders are those who open themselves up to encourage, mentor, lead, and even be accountable to others. Certainly, we can’t possibly invest in everyone under our leadership. Nor should we attempt such an endeavor. But relational investment is a vital part of our ministry. These seven ideas are just a start:

  1. Take time weekly or monthly early morning to meet with a handful of others to discuss a book you are reading.
  2. Bring an intern, staff member, deacon, or church leader with you on a hospital visit.
  3. Adjust your ministry schedule so you are helping shape the life of a volunteer or team member at your church.
  4. Carve out lunches to get to know and encourage deacons or other church leaders.
  5. Create an accountability group.
  6. Let someone in on your study habits or ministry habits as a method of teaching and training.
  7. Rethink how you relate to our spouse and children. Instead of just “being there,” intentionally listen, relate, teach, read to, and lead your family as an investment in their future.

All the outward, visible, glorious (at times), and challenging (most of the time) ministry that people see from a distance doesn’t necessarily help them develop as followers of Jesus Christ. The best way, indeed the biblical way, of making disciples happens when we invest in people relationally.

To invest in people relationally is to open yourself up to messiness and disappointment. Notice throughout the gospels how many times Jesus chided his followers for their lack of faith or spiritual insight. Remember also that one of Jesus’ apostles denied him, one betrayed him, and all of them fled at the moment of his arrest. But also remember that Jesus modeled and taught spiritual disciplines like prayer, fasting, and giving along with ministry practices like teaching, serving, healing, interacting with difficult people, personal and public conversations, and a disciple-making method by spending time with specifically chosen people. Jesus instilled himself in his apostles so that when he left them, they would know what to do, how to do it, and why.

So the next time you think about your following, maybe you should pause before you automatically check your number of readers, Twitter followers, and Facebook friends. Consider initiating or improving or developing those people and groups you can invest in. They’re the ones that will remember you and your influence for the gospel long after your last tweet is read.