QUESTION: I appreciated the discussion on how to respond to someone who says that they "aren't being fed" at church. As a follow up thought, under what circumstances would a pastor or teacher be genuinely guilty of "not feeding" those they minister to?MY RESPONSE:
Teachers:
ReplyDeleteTeachers in the scriptural sense are (or ought to be) gifted by the Holy Spirit, to teach truth as taught to them by the Spirit. As such they are not under human authority, but under the authority of the Lord in their spiritual 'office' of teacher. For this reason, those that desire to be teachers must be careful to be in step with the Spirit in what they teach as they will be judged more strictly by the Lord. If the food in their serving baskets is 'good', they will be guilty of "not feeding" if they withhold or distort what the Spirit has provided for them to teach.
Teachers not 'under the annointing' are usually under human authority, or under their own authority and as such are judged by those that are over them and/or by those that desire to be fed, who may cry out for more or better food.
A hungry soul is sometimes an undernourished soul or a mal-nourished soul, merely seeking instinctively that which is missing from shallow, incorrect, or simply unspiritual teaching.
Pastors:
The designations: 'pastor' (shepherd), elder (older), and bishop (overseer) can be used interchangeably in most cases (see: Acts 20: 17-28). Pastors are not necessarily called to be teachers, but ought to be able to teach as the need arises.
The bottom line is this: Teaching by the Spirit bears much fruit and feeds the hungry, but teaching that is unspiritual or without proper substance brings about loss.
The statement "I'm not being fed" is usually a cover for another issue.
ReplyDeleteWhile I am nearly 10 years removed from full-time ministry, I think I can shed some light here. I love to BarBQ. I not talking the throw burgers on the grill form of BarBQ. No, real BarBQ requires time and preparation. You need the right cut of meat, the right spices for the rub and then several hours to slowly smoke that meat into tasty goodness. I have often invited large crowds to the backyard to help me consume the fruit of my labors. Never once have I "fed" them. I simply do the work of preparation and expect that they know how to feed themselves. In other words, if you're just slapping burgers on the grill you're probably guilty. If you've done the work to prepare the meal, it's their own fault if they aren't eating.See More
ReplyDeleteanswer in Ezekial..when He is busy feeding himself first....check you waistline>>>>
ReplyDeleteRon -- a little help here. What text are you referring to? And, what do you mean by "feeding himself first"? I would think a minister would need to do that before he feeds others...
ReplyDeleteEx. 39:2 talks about the shepherds who only take care of themselves. "Should not shepherds take care of the flock?"
ReplyDeleteIf we preach the effects of redemption in human life instead of the revelation regarding Jesus, the result in those who listen is not new birth, but refined spiritual culture. We (preachers) have to see that we are in such living sympathy with God that as we proclaim His truth He can create in souls the things which He alone can do. Oswald Chambers -
ReplyDeleteThe life of our sermons come from our prayer lives more so than purely from studying the word.
ReplyDeleteMy non Biblical / common sense reference is this...if people only eat once a week they usually starve to death or are suffering from malnutrition. I think as pastors we are responsible to teach people how to feed themselves, and then we provide the dessert on Sunday/ Wednesday :)
ReplyDeleteThe Pharisees knew the Word better than those around them and yet they did not impress Jesus. They knew the word but did not know him. Many preachers study the word but spend very little time in His presence.
ReplyDeletesee Ezk ch 34...probably should have said ...feed "self" and "not" the flock at all.
ReplyDeleteI think that a pastor or teacher would be guilty of this if they are not daily in the word and just passing on things to their congregation that he/she wants them to hear. The pastor/teachers own opinion on things that have not been discussed with God. God needs to be in the mix or to me it is like Dan mentioned. Just slapping burgers on the grill and not real preparation
ReplyDeleteThe letter kills but the Spirit gives life. Nobody goes hungry when the Word is presented and we give opportunity for the Holy Spirit to make the application.
ReplyDeleteWe should all have our hors d'oeuvres before coming to church. Would make the pastor's job much easier!!!!!!!
ReplyDeletePeople are filling up on junk food before coming to church. We have to go seeking or it doesn't matter what the Pastor does. It is all about attitude.
ReplyDeleteI have been in churches where because of lack of maturity in the congregation the pastor had the obligation of feeding the milk of the word and not the meat. That was a frustration that the author of Hebrews had, but within the book of Hebrews we find a lot of meat if we already have had the milk of the Old Testament and basic Gospel and "try to understand".
ReplyDeleteThe frustration was because the intended recipients who already had the teaching of the Old Testament and basic Gospel failed to put to heart the teachings and mature. It was failure on the part of the congregation to "...no longer try to understand...(5:11 - chapter 6)."
So being fed is more a matter of the heart of all involved; the pastor (teacher) who has the obligation to 'rightly divide the word of truth' and the listener who must remain teachable 'try to understand.' But let us always keep in mind that it is always the Lord who brings the gain...some plant, some water, and some are fortunate enough to gather the harvest.... It is GOD'S word that never comes back void.
I guess my additional response to the genuinely guilty of "not feeding" those they minister to would be when they stand before God and give account for their handling of His Word, the motive behind their ministry whether it be in the pulpit - office, home, etc. and/or be through word or action, and ultimately their own relationship with God.
ReplyDeleteAs those who submit ourselves (as directed in Scripture) to our God given leaders in the church we have the obligation to want to hear truth no matter how it makes us feel when we first hear it, study the Word ourselves, and respond to the Holy Spirit who ultimately reveals truth...no teacher can assume ultimate authority on Truth, but Christ - "what I say is the voice of God - I am the mouth piece of God -etc."
Those who are of the Truth hear and obey Christ's voice. Everything that is taught must exalt Christ...The Spirit speaks not of himself but all that is Christ. Any ministry that claims to be the authority on the Word, exalts anything or anyone (including the Holy Spirit)above the Biblical Christ is not Truth. Ephesians 1 is clear that Christ is above all things and must have the supremacy.