Missionary Training Seminar

Study 7

By John Thiel

mp3

When we talk of pastor, we are talking of shepherd as that what a pastor is; a shepherd. In the previous subjects that we have covered, we saw that when a person commences as a servant of God, he must have something to give. We learnt that the only way to give is to receive it and to receive it I must be aware of my undone and hopeless condition. In that humiliated condition the Lord can use me. Of this kind of initiation in the Lord’s work, Apostle Peter is a prime example. What does it mean to be a pastor? Peter identifies himself as an elder as well as those that he is speaking to.

1 Peter 5:1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:

5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight [thereof], not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

5:3 Neither as being lords over [God's] heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.

5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Apostle Peter is speaking as a pastor over the pastors telling them how to be pastors. Why could he do that so well? He is a wonderful representation of a true pastor and shepherd.

It was after Peter had been led to self-renunciation and entire reliance upon divine power, that he received his call to act as an undershepherd. Christ had said to Peter, before his denial of Him, “When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” Luke 22:32. These words were significant of the wide and effectual work which this apostle was to do in the future for those who should come to the faith. For this work, Peter’s own experience of sin and suffering and repentance had prepared him. Not until he had learned his weakness, could he know the believer’s need of dependence on Christ. {AA 515.1}

When could he be a pastor? When he realised his own sin. The Spirit of Prophecy writes that the sin Peter committed was worse than Judas but it was that sin in denying his Lord and repentance of it which prepared him to be a true pastor.

Amid the storm of temptation he had come to understand that man can walk safely only as in utter self-distrust he relies upon the Saviour. {AA 515.1}

When it says utter self-distrust, what does that mean? When you feel utterly self-distrustful, you are a fit instrument to be a pastor because they have to help others comes to that experience.

At the last meeting of Christ with His disciples by the sea, Peter, tested by the thrice-repeated question, “Lovest thou Me?” (John 21:15-17)

He had denied Christ three times. Then he went to the place where Jesus was weeping in Gethsemane and he wept there too. Then Jesus apparently rubs salt into his wound, three times. Can you imagine his suffering? This is the way that God prepares his servants. Once he had been tested, he was restored. This was the way Peter was restored.

…had been restored to his place among the Twelve. His work had been appointed him; he was to feed the Lord’s flock. Now, converted and accepted, he was not only to seek to save those without the fold, but was to be a shepherd of the sheep. {AA 515.2}

Christ mentioned to Peter only one condition of service–”Lovest thou Me?” This is the essential qualification. Though Peter might possess every other, yet without the love of Christ he could not be a faithful shepherd over the flock of God. Knowledge, benevolence, eloquence, zeal–all are essential in the good work; but without the love of Christ in the heart, the work of the Christian minister is a failure. {AA 515.3}

All those other capabilities may be in place and if the love of the Lord is ignited through the experience of recognising our depravity, Peter was then given the work as head under-shepherd. This is the blue print of an under-shepherd.

When souls have been brought to baptism and membership, what have they just been going through? They were brought through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Now the shepherd needs to deal with the new born soul. When someone is born again, what is that person’s reality? Peter is speaking to people that are new-born babes in the faith.

1 Peter 2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,

2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

2:3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord [is] gracious.

What did he say in the verse 3? How do we taste that the Lord is gracious? When we discover our utter wretchedness and the Lord restores you. Only those who have experienced that wretchedness can bring other people to that same experience. What are they? Babes in the faith. This is a very humiliating thought to an intelligent person. The only way you can accept that fact is when you have seen what wretch you are and when you are born again you are happy to accept that. Here is what the flock of God is identified by;

Isaiah 66:9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut [the womb]? saith thy God.

66:10 Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:

66:11 That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.

66:12 For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon [her] sides, and be dandled upon [her] knees.

66:13 As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

This was the Old Testament church. When the apostles launched out to raise the church, the New Testament church, they became the mother that the newborn babes were dandled upon her lap and sucking upon her breasts.

Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

What for?

The Work of the Mother Suckling Her Babies

Ephesians 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, [even] Christ:

Jesus became a little baby. He grew up and He now is our older brother and through the ministry of the under shepherds every person brought to those Bible studies by new birth by dying and rising again, those people are babes and are cared for to nourish and grow thereby by the milk and later on the meat. These people are babes.

However wise they might be in worldly knowledge, they were but babes in the knowledge of Christ. {AA 271.1}

You may have come into the church as a very well educated person, you might have lots of experience, it doesn’t matter how old you are, you become a babe. We are all at different stages of growth in Christ. Hence, Apostle Peter and Paul and all the others who have become shepherds can say something. What can they say? Apostle Paul could say this. Why? Because he had been through it. Remember when he met j on the road to Damascus? So bright he got knocked down and he was completely humiliated.

1 Corinthians 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also [am] of Christ.

11:2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered [them] to you.

Can you see something here which is very hard for a proud worldly minded intelligence to accept? Who is he that I need to follow him? I hear this from people who say I should only hear Jesus I shouldn’t have to hear any other man. Is this a paradox? It’s a possible paradox but we need to get it straight. What did he say? Follow me as I follow Christ. In other words, like Peter in 1 Peter 5:3. He was in a position where he was somebody that could be followed.

1 Peter 5:3 Neither as being lords over Gods heritage but being ensamples to the flock.

What do you do with an example? You copy it.

The minister of Christ should be a man who has sought and found the Lord, who has been brought into holy alliance with unfailing, divine resources. He should be able to say to his flock, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” {RH, October 28, 1890 par. 1}

Why is it that a shepherd should be able to say such a thing? He’s been through it before you, that is why. You are following someone in front of you who is following Jesus. Just like the game, follow the leader. The under-shepherd is to be very close to Jesus.

Ministers of age and experience should feel it their duty, as God’s hired servants, to go forward, progressing every day, continually becoming more efficient in their work and constantly gathering fresh matter to set before the people. Each effort to expound the gospel should be an improvement upon that which preceded it. Each year they should develop a deeper piety, a tenderer spirit, a greater spirituality, and a more thorough knowledge of Bible truth. The greater their age and experience, the nearer should they be able to approach the hearts of the people, having a more perfect knowledge of them. {CH 194.3}

Of them as they are of longer years of experience in the following of Jesus. The others are babes and as babes are following them they continue to lead on ahead. They need to continue to expand their experience so all the way along they can say come along, follow me, I’m still progressing. That is the shepherd. That is the one who goes on ahead the rest of the flock. It is not a pride situation of follow me, it is the exact opposite, I am learning myself it’s just that I’ve started a bit earlier. Why can this be said?

It was after Peter had been led to self-renunciation and entire reliance upon divine power, that he received his call to act as an undershepherd. {AA 515.1}

You can be a shepherd and you can be followed because that person you are following you must be sure he has been down the drain himself. If you know he has, then he has been called of God as he has continued to survive as Peter did. There lies the principle and as we are in a missionary training seminar, we must make sure we know where we stand whether we are followers or leaders.

The Saviour’s manner of dealing with Peter had a lesson for him and his brethren. Although Peter had denied his Lord, the love which Jesus bore him had never faltered. And as the apostle should take up the work of ministering the word to others, he was to meet the transgressor with patience, sympathy, and forgiving love. Remembering his own weakness and failure, he was to deal with the sheep and lambs committed to his care as tenderly as Christ had dealt with him. {AA 516.2}

When you meet somebody who has been treating evilly his fellow man, you are to love them. How can you do it? Because you have done the same. That is exactly why Peter was able to minister as he could meet the transgressor with patience, sympathy and love. This is true Pastoring.

A Pastors Work

This is now pastoring, it is not merely administering. Tender care for the sheep as Jesus cared. The instruction for the pastor is impossible to pick up unless he has gone through his own shocking experience.

There is tactful work for the undershepherd to do as he is called to meet alienation, bitterness, envy, and jealousy in the church. {AA 526.2}

In the church? The church isn’t meant to have that. It will and it does. Instead of saying wake up you lot, with tact he works.

…and he will need to labor in the spirit of Christ to set things in order. {AA 526.2}

Those things can’t continue in the church and it’s the shepherd’s job to set things in order. It’s only the shepherd’s that can do it as the others will continue gravelling and grovelling around with each other. I’m speaking from experience.

Faithful warnings are to be given, sins rebuked, wrongs made right, not only by the minister’s work in the pulpit, but by personal labor. The wayward heart may take exception to the message, and the servant of God may be misjudged and criticized. Let him then remember that “the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” James 3:17, 18. {AA 526.2}

So contrary to human nature isn’t it. If you can’t do it, you can’t be a shepherd as you first have to go down before you can do it as you have to know the tenderness of the chief shepherd as then you can copy it as you’ve been through it yourself.

Tact Needed

Human beings, themselves given to evil, are prone to deal untenderly with the tempted and the erring. They cannot read the heart; they know not its struggle and its pain. Of the rebuke that is love, of the blow that wounds to heal, of the warning that speaks hope, they have need to learn. {AA 516.3}

Throughout his ministry, Peter faithfully watched over the flock entrusted to his care, and thus proved himself worthy of the charge and responsibility given him by the Saviour. Ever he exalted Jesus of Nazareth as the Hope of Israel, the Saviour of mankind. He brought his own life under the discipline of the Master Worker. By every means within his power he sought to educate the believers for active service. His godly example and untiring activity inspired many young men of promise to give themselves wholly to the work of the ministry. {AA 516.4}

He became an educator of the younger. Did you notice a precious thing? It was that human beings who themselves are given to evil are given to dealing untenderly with the unerring. They could have no clue of a rebuke, they can’t read the heart but could the shepherd? He knows the pain of his own experience. To rebuke, a rebuke that is love, a blow that wounds to heal. Have you known what that is like? You get a blow but it wasn’t so bad after all. It is the under-shepherd that must do this in a way that he only knows from his Lord. That’s why I said to others who had a go at others saying that you shouldn’t be doing this and that, they are destroying each other. If you haven’t been given the job of the shepherd don’t do it. It’s only for those who are called to do that. It’s especially where reformers get into trouble, it tears the church to painful shreds.

By every means with his power he sought to educate the believers for active service. His godly example and untiring activity inspired many young men of promise to give themselves wholly to the work of the ministry. As time went on the apostles influence as educator and leader increased. While he never lost his burden to labour especially for the Jews, yet he bore his testimony in many lands and strengthened the faith of multitudes in the gospel. AA 516

When Peter came to his death he was such a person that he wouldn’t permit himself to be crucified upright. Jesus had said to him you are going to be crucified. He had warned him. When it came he said I’m not worthy to be crucified like Christ. Crucify me upside down. What a shepherd. The work of the shepherd is to deal with conflicts in the church without ever losing his composure of tenderness, kindness, patience and tolerance with all the things that are going on that they will even turn up on him and he has to take that sweetly. This is his work.

A pastor should mingle freely with the people for whom he labors, that by becoming acquainted with them he may know how to adapt his teaching to their needs. {AA 363.2}

If you are going to supply somebody’s need, you realise from your own experience it doesn’t work by just giving it to them. He must associate closely by mingling upon the people and only supply the need by the tact and adaptation that comes from his experience with Jesus.

When a minister has preached a sermon, his work has but just begun. {AA 363.2}

There are many preachers that preach sermons and then go home. They haven’t worked. They might have preached a sermon, but they haven’t worked. His work has only just begun.

There is personal work for him to do. He should visit the people in their homes, talking and praying with them in earnestness and humility. There are families who will never be reached by the truths of God’s word unless the stewards of His grace enter their homes and point them to the higher way. But the hearts of those who do this work must throb in unison with the heart of Christ. {AA 363.2}

This is the work of the shepherd. He must come close to the people and deal with perfect trust. What am I saying? There are people who are going through corrupt and evil experiences. The shepherd is the only one privy to that besides God. I was talking to a man in New Zealand just recently and he was one of those men as he was a preacher and a minster. He was called by a man who had committed a crime and nobody knew about it. The police were still looking for the criminal and the criminal had told him what he had done. He said, what are you going to do about it? The criminal said nothing, I just wanted to get it off my chest. You know what that minister didn’t do? He didn’t report him to the police. He waited to see whether eventually this man through recognising he wouldn’t report him would be softened. That is the kind of work the shepherd has to do. I know things privy in peoples lives that afterwards the people opened up to me their private realities that I had to help them through, they finally turned against me and I could have turned them to shreds with what I knew. Say nothing. That is what I learnt from my lord.

There is counsel in the Spirit of Prophecy where Ellen White was writing to a member in the church who was a harlot. Sr White wrote to her and said I will not expose you, but here is the counsel of the Lord for you. She was behaving as a proper shepherd. We have a different mentality, if there was open sin, but it wasn’t open sin, it was secret. She was trying to save this woman. After we have been trying to save these people and they become antagonistic it becomes open sin and it has to be dealt with in another way but we are trying to save the sinner. That seems paradoxical to not bring them to the forefront, but it is exactly what a shepherd needs to do to save the sinner. He must not be exposed, just as Jesus did not expose Judas. He was the treasurer, well trusted and a very capable man, yet Jesus did not expose him to the disciples. He trusted him implicitly, the disciples liked and wanted him. Jesus did not expose him and his evil to the disciples, the true shepherd. The shepherd is to care for the flock, come close to the people and lead them through. He is to work with and train them and bring them to the point where they can carry their own weight. They are to grow to perfection. There is a balance in this work. You can sometimes think that you need to keep caring for the flock as a shepherd and you get bogged down in the church problems and you come to a point where what do we do Lord? Here is the balance.

God has given all something to do. Those who are willing to work in self-denial and self-sacrifice will find their place. But those who seek only a safe and easy place need to be converted. Until their hearts are renewed, their purposes changed, God has no use for them in His work. By an unreserved consecration we are to prepare ourselves for His service. Our ministers are not to hover over the churches, regarding the churches in some particular place as their special care. And our churches should not feel jealous and neglected if they do not receive ministerial labor. They should themselves take up the burden, and labor most earnestly for souls. Believers are to have root in themselves, striking firm root in Christ, that they may bear fruit to His glory. As one man, they are to strive to attain one object,–the saving of souls. {AUCR, August 1, 1902 par. 7}

While the instruction is there that this is the work of a shepherd, there is balance. Young men will watch this happening and will follow his example. The shepherd is not to keep sorting out other people’s problems one after another, but bring them to the same point that he is in by taking them through to a successful minister themselves in a caring person over others. He can then move on to find other souls. There is no such thing as saying I must keep hovering over this church if there are others that can take care as he has carefully helped them to discover their terrible condition and they can follow in his footsteps so he can help others new to the faith. Many times there are churches that have developed as certain people come in that he can bring them in and leave them with the elders and he can find more. We see this careful work of shepherding that needs to be learnt and understood.

When we have won souls, we must make sure not to lose them. Where can we lose them? Where the natural man plays havoc. You can bring them into the church and lose them just like that. You have to make sure to keep them. To train them in the shepherd like manner with tact and patience until they have gone through the school with him in helping them to stay there and not to lose them by progressive skilful labour he can render them as workers as one with the minister. The membership can become one with the minister.

Amen.