The Master‘s Class, LifeChange Church Wichita

The lesson we have before us today is a marvelous expression of love and compassion by a pastor for his flock.  Paul had just spent the last three years of his life building the church at Ephesus and all of the surrounding churches in that region.  He had labored among the members, he had watched over them, he knew them by name, and he had protected them from the ravages of Satan and his wolves.  But the time had come for him to leave.  Paul knew that the church had two choices before it.  Either to continue to grow in the strength and will of the Lord, or to be deceived into paths that led away from the will of the Lord.

Many churches do continue to grow when they lose their spiritual leader.  Yet, I can also think of several examples of churches, with great, godly pastors, who preached the whole counsel of God, who when that pastor left, failed to continue their growth in the Lord.  It is not that these churches do not have good, god-fearing people, it is that their shepherd no longer declares the whole word of God.  He speaks only of those things that are socially acceptable and unlikely to cause hurt feelings among his flock.  In other cases, their new shepherd allows forces within the church to dictate the path of the church, versus the will of God.  The wolves have risen from within, and they have separated the church from the will of God.  

Click on link below to hear a lesson on the awesome responsibility and burden that all pastors bear for the souls of their flock.  It is a burden far greater than any CEO of a fortune 500 company has.  Pastors bear the burden for making sure they have not failed to provide the entire counsel of God, both in their words and in their witness, before the flock.  And they will be held accountable for this message and witness, not by the people of the church, but by God Himself.   

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.

TO BE A SERVANT OF GOD (Acts 6:1-7)

As a Christ follower we are all servants of our Lord Jesus.  We are all expected to serve to meet the needs of the church, both the local church, and the church that is made up of all true followers of Christ.

I believe that when properly qualified, and Holy Spirit called, people are chosen to perform the duties of a servant, then they can have a powerful affect on the unity of the church. Spiritual service is the major emphasis of the Christian life. Anything we do in obedience to God's Word is service. In that sense we are all in the ministry.  In no sense do we find in the Scriptures that Pastors, church staff, teachers, elders or deacons, serve and everyone else watches. There isn't a leadership level made up of pastors, a service level made up of deacons, and a spectator level made up of all other believers.  There is no audience in the church; we are all in the ministry. We have all been called to submit ourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ. We are all His servants.

We are under orders. Christ is our Lord and master. He has called us into spiritual service. We serve Him by obeying the Word of God, following the promptings of the Spirit of God, coming under the authority of the church, and meeting the needs of those around us. 

It is one thing to say, "I'm proud to be able to serve my country," or "I'm proud to have served this great cause." But that doesn't even come close to being able to say, "I have been called into service by the King of kings and Lord of lords-Jesus Christ Himself."  That is our high and holy calling, it is the vocation to which we are called. 

Click on the link below to hear a message on what it means to be a servant of God.  All hell cannot stop a church that will keep its eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank God for a growing church. I know where there’s life, there’s growth. Where there’s growth, there are problems. Where there are problems, there are solutions. And where there are solutions, there’s greater growth. 

This is a live recording of The Master’s Class Bible Study at LifeChange Church Wichita, KS.

Amen.