The Marks of a Safe and Faithful Ministry

After several months absence, we are happy to be back with the Sola Gratia ("all of God's grace") article. We pray that the God who delights in being gracious will bless our meager efforts to the advancement of his kingdom and the prosperity of souls.

Apart from seasons of great national disaster such as war or economic depression, there seems to be more human suffering in our country at this present time than in any preceding period, at least in recent history. People are hurting due to failed marriages and the breakdown of their families, because of harmful personal habits which they seemingly cannot escape, because of dreadful diseases, and because of financial woe and numerous other troubles. There is great need for churches to be strong, especially in their pulpit ministries, to speak real direction and help to the lives of those who are hurting and perhaps disillusioned. Sadly, in terms of the biblical criteria, the church in America has never been weaker and more ill-equipped to deal with human misery than at the present. Many programs and specialized group activities will never suffice for the power and means of grace which God has appointed in the effective ministry of His Word within the church. Every soul desperately requires the safe and faithful ministry of a church laboring to conform to the ideal of God's mind revealed in Scripture.

But how does one go about identifying such a ministry? Here are a few ideas. Take them and compare them with what the Bible actually says and see if there might be some help in them. A safe and faithful ministry should be characterized by the following:

1) substance that is purposely, pervasively, and perseveringly biblical. This stands in stark contrast with that which is essentially emotional in content ,or that which is filled with mere human wisdom ,or that which simply talks aboutthe Bible but is not purposely resolved to give nothing except thoroughly biblical matter. No thought is absolutely safe or reliable unless it is taken from God's inerrant Word.

2) a design to be consistently doctrinal. That is, the approach of ministry must be to equip people to think and to live in the light of the grand and indispensable doctrines of Scripture. Rarely in American history have professing believers been so ignorant of the primary doctrines of God's truth. This produces utter weakness and confusion in facing the great issues of human existence. Faithful ministries are determinedly doctrinal.

3) a spirit that is constantly pastoral. So often modern ministries are marked by a spirit of striving after popularity or largeness or enhancing the reputation of the minister. Consequently there is a considerable emphasis upon reaching more and more people (and who will quarrel with the need to evangelize as many as God will enable us to win to Christ?); yet, in all this the pressing wants of those already "reached" are neglected. Professed conversion does not automatically resolve all the soul's problems. There is a constant need for the evangelical application of the whole counsel of God to the heart and life. All of us need close pastoral ministry in which our personal needs are addressed and we are warmly pressed to go to Christ for grace to do what is needful.

Much more should be said, such as the requirement of aiming supremely at the glory of God in all that is said and done. Nonetheless, hopefully you will think seriously regarding your own need to be served by a ministry that will keep God's unadulterated Word before you, will equip you to fashion all your thoughts according to the infallible doctrinal truths of Scripture, and will constantly deal with the present status and need of your own heart. May God make you desirous of such ministry and lead you to it!