Dan Dumas, the Senior Vice President for Institutional Administration of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary once asked John MacArthur over a game of golf, what he as a young pastor should give priority to. He expected perhaps a long discussion through the rest of the game, but MacArthur replied a matter of factly: "Study. Your people are starving for the Word of God. Study to feed and nourish them well."
With that Dumas started his sermon from 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 titled Ministry Manifesto. He drew from the letter and life of Paul to detail four Gospel Ministry Imperatives. They are:
1. Tenacity for the advancement of the Gospel in the midst of opposition (v. 1-2)
- There is a need for fearless proclamation and "thick-skin"; suffering is a part of ministry. Paul demonstrated that there is a personal cost for Gospel Ministry.
2. Commitment to Integrity and Authenticity in your Gospel Proclamation (v.3-4)
- Watch your life, your motives must match what you teach and preach. Paul worked to please God not man.
3. Devotion to gentle and sacrificial care of others (or your congregation) (v.5-8)
- There has to be a balance of grit and grace. Preaching and Pastoral ministry both are important; share your life with the body of Christ. Paul shared his life with the Thessalonians.
4. Zeal for fatiguing and exemplary exhortation (v.9-12)
- It is tough to wield the truth. Work hard to exhort your congregation. Conduct yourself blamelessly. Paul worked night and day coupled with blameless conduct to exhort the Thessalonians.
And the end goal and purpose? So that the body of Christ you are ministering to can walk worthy of God and glorify Christ.
For the full sermon from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Chapel Service dated 19 March 2009 on MP3, it is available here.
________
Grace and Peace
Ollie
March 2009
With that Dumas started his sermon from 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 titled Ministry Manifesto. He drew from the letter and life of Paul to detail four Gospel Ministry Imperatives. They are:
1. Tenacity for the advancement of the Gospel in the midst of opposition (v. 1-2)
- There is a need for fearless proclamation and "thick-skin"; suffering is a part of ministry. Paul demonstrated that there is a personal cost for Gospel Ministry.
2. Commitment to Integrity and Authenticity in your Gospel Proclamation (v.3-4)
- Watch your life, your motives must match what you teach and preach. Paul worked to please God not man.
3. Devotion to gentle and sacrificial care of others (or your congregation) (v.5-8)
- There has to be a balance of grit and grace. Preaching and Pastoral ministry both are important; share your life with the body of Christ. Paul shared his life with the Thessalonians.
4. Zeal for fatiguing and exemplary exhortation (v.9-12)
- It is tough to wield the truth. Work hard to exhort your congregation. Conduct yourself blamelessly. Paul worked night and day coupled with blameless conduct to exhort the Thessalonians.
And the end goal and purpose? So that the body of Christ you are ministering to can walk worthy of God and glorify Christ.
For the full sermon from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Chapel Service dated 19 March 2009 on MP3, it is available here.
________
Grace and Peace
Ollie
March 2009
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