Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Ang Gantimpala sa Pagtangkilik
sa Lingkod ng Diyos
1 Hari 17:8-24

Ang mga taong hindi batid ang kaligtasang na kay Kristo ay mangmang din sa benepisyong maaring makamit sa pagtulong sa lingkod ng Diyos. Ito rin ay totoo sa Bagong Tipan. Bakit? Dahil ang tao ay makasalanan at hindi maaalala ang ginawang kabutihan ng Diyos sa kanila hangga’t hindi ipakita ng Diyos sa kanila ang galit Niya. Nakakalungkot na makita ang mga kasapi ng iglesiang ipinapagkait ang kanilang sariling maging pagpapala sa kanilang pastor. Hindi ko makayanan ang ganitong kasamaan kaya’t ganun na lamang ako kasidhing magsermon laban dito. Bakit? Dahil ang Kristiyano ay kumikilos laban sa sarili niya at maaaring magresulta sa pagkawala ng pagpapala ng Diyos.

Ang iba ay ayaw magbigay ng pabor sa Pastor sa takot na ang pastor ay maging abusado at yumaman nang husto. Nakalimutan nila na anumang ibinibigay ng Diyos sa kaniya ay para sa ikasusulong ng gawain ng Diyos. Kaya’t ang ganitong walang basehang takot at pangamba ay nagiging balakid sa pagpapalang maaaring matanggap sa pagtulong at pagtangkilik sa lingkod ng Diyos. Ang ating teksto sa itaas ay tungkol sa nangyari kay Eliseo sa mga liblib na lugar sa Israel. Nagpunta siya sa sapa dahil sinabi ng Diyos sa kaniya ito. Nagtuloy din siya sa isang banyagang lupain dahil sa utos ng Diyos. Makikita natin ang pagiging masunurin ni Eliseo sa pangunguna ng Panginoon. Dapat nating gayahin siya sa aspetong ito. Paano? Anumang kabigatang ibinibigay sa atin ng Diyos ay dapat nating tuparin. Nararanasan natin ito habang nakikinig sa pagtuturo ng Salita ng Diyos. Kailangan tayong tumugon at gawin ang ating napagdesisyunan anuman ang kahinatnan nito. Dapat nating sundin ang ipinapakita sa atin ng Diyos habang tayo ay nagbabasa at nag-aaral ng pansarili ng Bibliya. Ganun din, dapat nating sundin ang anumang ipinapahayag sa atin ng Diyos habang ginagawa natin ang ating pang-araw-araw na gawain hangga’t ito ay hindi labag sa Salita ng Diyos. Huwag kang sumuway kapag itinutulak ka ng iyong Pastor na gawin ang isang maka-Diyos na gawain.

May isang gawain sa ating teksto na karapat-dapat ng ating pansin. Ang ginawa ng balo kahit na hindi niya alam na siya’y pagpapalain pala ng Diyos. Kung tutuusin, hindi mo iisiping magiging katuwang siya ng propeta sa ministeryo sa mga panahong iyon. Tunay na nagtataas ang Panginoon ng mga tao upang matupad ang ninanais Niya. Una, pinakain ng balo ang propeta sa mga talatang 10-13 bilang pagsunod sa mensahe ng propeta na galing sa Diyos. Ang ganitong pagsunod ay isang kabayanihan nuong panahong iyon ng taggutom. Hindi siya nagdamot bagkus ay inuna ang pangangailangan ng propeta kaysa sa pangangailangan nilang mag-ina. Ang ganitong gawain ay nagpapakita ng ating pagbibigay prioridad sa pangangailangan ng gawain ng Diyos anuman ang ating katayuan sa buhay. Mayroong pananampalataya sa ginawang pagsunod na iyon ng balo. Walang pag-aalinlangan sa ginawang pagsunod. Kailangan nating lahat ang ganitong pag-uugali. Ito ay nakakahawa! Nais mo bang maging kagaya niya?

Pangalawa, ang balo ay biniyayaan ng sapat na probisyon sa ganung panahon ng taggutom. Tingnan ang mga talatang 14-16. Habang ipinapahayag ng propeta ang Salita ng Diyos, ang propesiya ay natupad. Siya ay biniyayaan ng sapat na pagkain sa panahon ng taghirap. Ano ang ipinapahayag nito tungkol sa ating buhay? Kaya ng Diyos na ibigay ang ating pangangailangan kagaya ng ipinangako Niya. Hindi Niya maaaring sirain ang salita Niya. Lagi Niya itong tutuparin! Huwag nating kalimutan ang itinuturo ng Mateo 24:35. Ngayon, takot tayong sundan ang ginawa ng balo dahil sa pangambang tayo ay magugutom! Mas pinagkakatiwalaan pa natin ang mga bangkero at ekonomista kaysa sa ating Panginoon. Kayong takot na sundin ang panawagan ng Panginoon ay hindi mararanasan ang pagpapala ng Panginoon hangga’t hindi kayo sumusunod sa tawag Niya!

Pangatlo, ang balo ay pinagpala nang napagaling ang kaniyang anak mula sa karamdaman. Tingnan ang mga talatang 17-24. Nagsumamo ang propeta na pagalingin ng Diyos ang anak ng balo dahil alam niya ang maaaring maging epekto nito sa balo at sa ibang tao. Namatay ang bata hindi dahil sa gutom kung hindi dahil sa karamdaman. May dahilan ang Diyos kung bakit Niya pinayagang mangyari iyon. Itataas ng Diyos ang Kaniyang lingkod sa harapan ng balo. Palalalimin ng Diyos ang pananampalataya ng balo dahil sa pangyayaring ito. Sa huli, ipapahayag ng balo ang katapatan ng Salita ng Diyos na ipinahayag ng propeta (talata 24). Anupa’t ang lahat ng bagay ay kumikilos sa ikabubuti ng mga anak ng Diyos na nagtitiwala sa Kaniya. Ang imposible ay nagiging posible para sa kaluwalhatian ng Diyos. Ang ating reaksyon sa mga panahon ng paghihirap ay nagpapakita kung gaano tayo umaasa at nagtitiwala sa Salita ng Diyos.

Lagi kong itinatangi ang kagalakan ng pagpapastol sa mga kasapi ng Cornerstone dahil sa pagdami ng mga nagiging pagpapala sa Pastor at sa kaniyang pamilya. Ang ibig sabihin lamang nito ay lumalago na ang impluwensiya ng Salita ng Diyos sa kanilang mga buhay. Sa huli ay pagpapalain sila ng Panginoon.

Kayong mga kasapi ng ating mga simbahan sa misyon, hinihimok ko kayong maging pagpapala sa inyong mga misyoneryong pastor o manggagawa. Paano? Pag-isipang bigyan siya ng matutuluyan sa gabi. O di kaya’y tiyakin na siya’y may sapat na makakain dahil hindi niya sasabihin sa inyo kailanman ang ganitong pangangailangan kung sakali man. Sabihin ninyo sa kaniya na siya’y inyong ipinapanalangin at handa kayong siya’y suportahan. Protektahan ninyo siya laban sa mga pagbatikos at atake ng kalaban.

Kailan ang huling panahon na naging pagpapala kayo sa inyong Pastor? Nagiging pagpapala ba kayo sa inyong Pastor? Sa anong mga kaparaanan ninyo binabalak na maging pagpapala sa inyong Pastor? Maaari bang ang inyong pagmumukha, salita, ugali, kabutihan, at pagkalinga ay maging pagpapala sa kaniya? Mga kasapi ng Cornerstone, tingnan ang gagawing pagpapala ng Panginoon dahil sa inyong kabutihan! Namnamin ninyo ito at ipahayag rin sa iba upang sila’y mahimok na gumawa ng mabuti sa Pastor! Siya Nawa.

The Role of Leaders in the Local Church
1 Tim. 1:8-13 and 1 Cor.12:28

Does the local church need deacons? Can women become deacons? What is the role of teachers in the local church? Does this include those teachers in the Bible school, in the Christian school, and in Sunday school? Are those men and women who do other tasks in the church part of leadership, i.e, music, finance, compassion, literature and maintenance?

As the local church increases the number of leaders directly involved in the ministry, it will grow further. As the number of members who are not involved in the ministry decreases then the church becomes spiritually healthier. Is not the pastor sufficient to do the ministry of the local church? If this is so then how can the pastor teach both the nursery and the adult classes? Can he preach the word while maintaining the cleanliness of the comfort rooms? Can he play the piano while leading the congregation in singing? The pastoral leadership’s success is measured by the number of members whom he has trained to serve either with or under him.

Let us identify from the Bible the kind of biblical leaders and modern day church leaders who emanate from biblical principles. First, we have the deacons. Second, we have the teachers at various areas and levels of teaching. Third, we have the musicians. Fourth, we also have the people who help the pastor in financial management. Fifth, we have those behind the maintenance work of the church. Sixth, we also have those engaged in literature and publication ministry. And likewise those devoted to the compassion ministry of the local church. Not all of these leaders could be extensively discussed in this article. But whatever is your position in the local church, you exist to help the pastor do the work of equipping people or aiding someone the pastor has authorized to do something for him. Do not neglect that your authority is delegated by the church pastor. Thus, it can be withdrawn and be given to another! So take care of it and use it well for the advancement of the local church under the pastoral leadership.

Church deacons are men selected by the church leadership and appointed by the pastor. They must comply with minimum qualifications as determined by Paul in 1 Timothy 3:8-13. Various life areas of a deacon candidate are covered in that qualification. Men who desire to serve the Lord in this capacity must start to study and qualify themselves into the details of qualifications. After faithful deacon service such a man is worthy of the degree or title Deacon. They are chosen to serve the church by alleviating the pastor of the non-spiritual tasks he deemed proper to delegate. However, teaching and preaching tasks may not be delegated as they are primary tasks of the pastor, except in extreme cases. Once a man was chosen to serve as deacon, and he did it faithfully. Later he became an evangelist. Our assistant pastor was once a deacon and now he is into full time teaching-preaching ministry. Another man was once a deacon and now he is in missionary work. As church leaders of high honor in the local church they deserve high respect from the membership. Their duty may not be at the frontline. Yet their fulfilled work is not a mean task in the ministry. Thus, we must call them appropriately as Deacon_____. As the local church grows in number and in various ministries, it must increase the number of its deacons. But once appointed as deacon, he will remain in that office until any of the following occurs such as death, disqualification, or resignation from membership or office.

When deacons are godly and supportive to the pastoral leadership the pastor will succeed in leading the church to where God wants him. On the contrary, when the church is beset with problems it is sometimes because of the poor quality of the deacons’ life and ministry. Let us pray to God to increase the number of godly deacons in Cornerstone.

Teachers are carefully selected and appointed by the pastor into the teaching office. Paul discussed this office in 1 Corinthians 12:28. Primarily, this is an office belonging to male teachers. But it may include female church leaders who exhibit teaching gift especially among children. The male teachers may progress into the preaching ministry, but the female teachers can not as the preaching ministry office belongs only to qualified men. As teachers they are the extension of pastoral teaching ministry. Every teacher must be careful in belief and behavior that their words and ways are consistent with the pastoral belief and behavior, else, much harm could be inflicted upon the students of the teachers. The pastor develops and trains them to be apt to teach as well as fit to teach. Every teacher regardless of his or her teaching group must seek to be trained by the pastor and ensure his teaching content and lifestyle is fully recommended by the pastor.

These teachers include those in the music ministry. They also teach through music and hymns. Workers assigned at evangelistic centers and any strategy-based soul winning center area also covered by this teaching duty. Those who are engaged in literature ministry production are likewise in the teaching ministry.

Church members must highly regard teachers as pastoral representatives. This is what Paul taught the Thessalonians in 1 Thess. 5:12-13. Teachers help the pastor in equipping all sectors of the church members so the latter may do the work of ministry (Eph. 4:12-16). Therefore, they must not be neglected in their needs (1 Tim. 5:17b-18).

Teachers who go outside the realm of the local church authority are doing harm to the local churches. This could happen both to those who teach without pastoral scrutiny of their life and teaching material as well as to those who teach outside the local church authority. The latter unconsciously develop dependency upon them and indirectly discourage students to rely upon their pastoral authority. So you will hear students seeking counsel from their Bible school professors and not from their local church pastor. Some students regard their professors as more authoritative than their pastors especially in issues where scholarship is highly factored in such as the issue on Bible versions.

As a pastor, I feel bad that some workers do not regard their pastor’s position and arguments on such a crucial issue. They would rather listen to what the scholars say. Recently, one student saw that his pastor loved him much more than the teachers. Missionaries on the field, whom will you trust and seek counsel in such significant issue, your pastor or your Bible school teacher? Why ask them who do not even know what the pastorate is by ignorance in practice? Whom will you trust in teaching ministry and pastoral work, your pastor or your seminary teacher? Beware lest the devil or your heart deceive you as others have been ruined. You will forfeit the wisdom of the man of God who oversees, who cares, who feeds, and who protects you from deceivers and enemies!

Evangelists were divinely given to expand the missionary work of the local church. You will see this office in Ephesians 4:11. Evangelists were tasked by the Lord to engage in evangelistic ministry. Entering into office necessitates similar qualification with the office of the pastor as it also involves teaching and preaching ministry. The difference of evangelism office with the pastorate is in the area of ministry geography. The former starts the work and turns it over to the latter for maintenance and growth. Both are significant in the overall growth of the local church. In the absence of an evangelist the local church pastor must do the work of an evangelist else it will have a hard time growing in number. On the other hand, when pastors linger in evangelism and neglect feeding his people the latter may become spiritually hungry. So, one has to be sure of the true divine calling and leading before entering the office.

In Acts 14:21-28, we have a pattern for evangelistic work exemplified by Apostle Paul. I believe this is more scriptural than the modern day so called evangelists who prey on church members and church goers to start a new local church. True evangelist work is praying and preparing to enter a new land where there is no work of his kind. Second, testing the field and starting to prepare the field for gospel sowing. Third, actually sowing the gospel through various means or strategies. Fourth, winning the open hearted and discipling them to grow in the faith. Fifth, baptizing the disciples into the local church. Sixth, teaching them all the necessary doctrines and practices of the evangelist’s position. Seventh, training and preparing the local trained leader to pastor the newly established local church. Finally, leaving and turning over the work to the new national or local leader to act as the baptized members’ pastor. Thereafter, the evangelist returns to the sending church to report his accomplishment. Then after a while of rest and recovery, he starts again in another location. This he will do until the Lord returns.

As a local church, such is our model in church planting at every province and nation of Asia. As we showed high respect to deacons and teachers, when the pastor finally selects and anoints a man who will engage in full time evangelism, we must also show similar respect to him. Such is also taught in 1 Thess. 5:12-13. Cornerstone members, let us diligently pray that the Lord will grant us a full time evangelist in the above philosophy and practice. To conserve our current gains, we must select and send such a man.

Even though this office is grossly neglected by Christians, let us blaze the trail for others to follow. Let us now prepare, select, and send evangelists who will do the work of the local church. We need to fill every province of this nation with Cornerstone belief and behavior to counter the spread of falsity among fundamentalists and evangelicals. We must reproduce faster than the average rate of local churches. Cornerstone juniors, youth, singles, married and seniors, come and join this wagon of laborers who are continually training to become servants of the Lord that will bring Christ to every province and Asian nation! Amen

The Role of the Pastor in the Local Church
Ephesians 4:11-16

Local churches vary in understanding about the role of the pastor. One view is that a pastor is hired by a church board to perform religious tasks for the people. Another view is that a pastor is a servant of the church who serves the church members and must live in poverty like the Lord Jesus. Still others view the pastor as one who speaks to comfort the people at various times. With these various conceptions of the pastoral ministry, come the different expectations from the pastor.

How should we regard the pastoral office? Does the Bible speak about proper view of the office? How should members relate with him? What are his tasks in the local church? Is he really a hired employee whom the church board can remove at their pleasure? Must the office of the pastor be given a term of service? How should leaders of para-church institutions relate with the man of God? Unbiblical answers to these questions will lead to ruin of the local church thus frustrating the man of God.

Occasionally, we hear of stories of young people who were sent to Bible school for ministerial training and who returned to his local church with different doctrines or behavior. Having imbibed the false views of institution teachers, he now questions the validity of his pastor’s teaching being less scholarly in nature. Other returnees quietly distrust the leadership of his pastor in various ministry areas. He is now mesmerized by the glitters of scholarship. He is now a victim of loyalty-hungry teachers who subtlely imbibed their supremacy over the young person’s pastor. This is true in my former alma mater as well as in other schools. Why does this thing happen?

First, the young student is too naïve and untaught with the true biblical role of pastor and also that of the school. Second, the school is either in competition with the local church followership or is plainly unsophisticated with the scriptural role of the school or worst probably desires to supplant the local church view about the pastoral role. Sometimes, this last perception is the dominant reason of conflict.

Some events that had transpired in our local church history and the current events are clear illustrations of above philosophy of pastoral role and authority. Let me discuss with you from the Bible some passages that provide answers to the above troubles.

God has entrusted to the office of pastor (and teacher) the task of qualifying the believers for the work of God in the local church. This is the truth of Ephesians 4:11b-12. The task of teaching is inherent in the pastoral office. The text does not provide separation of the office of teaching from the office of pastorate. This is hard to implement on a universal manner. But rather intended to be carried on in a local church setting. Qualifying task involves equipping work after selecting minimum qualities of people fit for the mold. Consequently, church members must accept the truth that their pastor, being God’s man, is the one to teach and to shepherd them towards becoming fully qualified for the local church ministry fulfillment.

See what is going on among Bible school graduates. Men and women are endorsed to the church for the work because they are degree holders. They are presumed fit for they have finished certain religious academic units. They have been influenced NOT by their pastors but by teachers who did not submit their teachings and practices to local church pastors. At best they only paid lip-service of being church members too as teachers but their belief and behavior were actually independent of their respective pastoral direction. This is plain worldliness among many fundamental schools. This is biblically wrong! Cornerstone people, we must unlearn this evil perpetuated among our generations and friends. We must remain in the belief that God has given us pastor(s) to qualify us into the various areas of local church ministry. We do not need teachers and scholars who refuse to submit their teachings and ways under the authority of local church! Thus, CBMS from inception until the Savior comes must remain under the control of Cornerstone Baptist Church else it has no biblical reason to exist! The former is an extension of the church pastor’s teaching ministry.

God intends that the pastor (and teacher) does the work until church members reach unity of the faith until the coming of the Savior. This is what is taught in verse 13. Christ is the final model of church members’ imitation and it must be sought diligently. However, a human leader is necessary for initial emulation. Paul extensively taught this point in 1 Corinthians 11:1; Galatians 4:12; Philippians 2:20; and 2 Timothy 3:10-14. So, academic graduation is not terminal, as far as qualifying aspect is concerned; but a beginning of a lifelong modeling of your pastor for the ministry’s sake. You will have to start by emulating your local church pastor towards fully imitating the Lord Jesus Christ. When church members look highly to teachers outside the local church then there is violation of God’s word in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13. This will result in frustration either among members or the pastor as well as leaders. Such attitude is inviting conflict and chaos in the local church especially when the pastor is weak. When church members confide to teachers other than their pastor then there is room for local church conflict. Both the pastor and members need to know this truth. The pastor must be worthy of confidentiality and the member must trust the Lord for such a pastor God has given him.

God also designed the local church to be doctrinally stable as a result of pastoral work. Consider verse 14 as the basis for this. The pastoral teaching work either at the local church or at its extension in the Bible school must be geared at stabilizing the doctrinal grasp of the members. As the church increases in stability, it will survive attacks in doctrinal and ministerial areas. The local church must not be carried away by the fad of doctrine that changes in generations. She must not yield to changes in any area of doctrines. For instance, a large educational institution in the USA is changing its doctrine on bibliology. She used to believe that every word is inspired in the autograph. Now she still believes that, but denies the preservation of every word in the apograph. She now affirms that such (the preservation of every word in apograph) is not possible for it is not the original writings. She clearly affirms that God has preserved only the message (the essential doctrines of the faith) and not every word. Hence, there is a very minimal word discrepancy between manuscripts. So the discrepancies in words do not really matter for the essential passages on which the essential doctrines hang are unaffected. This teaching is seen in a book endorsed by the institution president. Beware of such slight departure, Cornerstone people! We must remain in the old fashioned doctrines of the faith and never attempt to change it.

God wants the pastor to speak the truth in love leading the church towards growth. Look at verses 15-16. Speaking in bitterness is never right. Harboring ill feeling towards our critics is ungodly. Exposing falsity is however urgent to warn the ignorant from deception. It is not necessarily being cantankerous. The pastor must lead the local church in growth of love towards one another even to its enemies. But love does not mean tolerating or compromising with errors. Separation is a must when there is unwillingness to correct error. The pastor must also lead the church to increase in number. These last two are both results of dependence upon the ultimate spiritual head of the local church – the Lord Jesus Christ. When the local church diligently follows (Hebrews 13:7,17) the leadership of the pastor, he will succeed in bringing together the local church into greater unity and growth. When members highly respect him as taught in 1 Thess. 5:12-13 he will have greater strength to work for the local church. As long as he remains scripturally qualified, as specified in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-11, he must pastor the local church.

Church members never neglect him and his needs! Consider 1 Timothy 5:17-18! Are you loyal to your church pastor more than to your bible school teacher? Whom do you regard more, your pastor or your teacher? Do you take time to encourage your pastor either personally or ministerially? With whom do you confide in personal and ministerial issues? Cornerstone people, if we favor, follow, and remain loyal to our pastor, then we shall strengthen him to do God’s vision for the local church!