Attaboy!

October 19, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

October has been designated as Clergy Appreciation Month. Some pastors live from “Attaboy!” to “Attaboy!” from their congregation, so October is like a feast for them!

But the apostle Paul has a slightly different perspective on this. More than getting an “Attaboy!” from a church congregation, he is joyful over the “Attaboy!” he hears from God.

For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when He comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy.

For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20; 3:8-9)

Paul’s goal is seeing people who have been changed because of their relationship with Jesus. And these changed lives are all the reward he desires!

YOU ARE OUR GLORY AND JOY! 

Pastor, it’s nice when you get the “Attaboys!” from your congregation. But what’s even better is to help your congregation enter into a deeper relationship with Christ, and then hear the “Attaboy!” from God Himself!

What an amazing joy that we get to play a small role in helping people stand firm in the Lord!

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Hope For The Despairing

October 16, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

“There are two things that kill the soul: despair and false hope.” —Augustine

Have you ever been around those who are despairing? They only see darkness; they only feel heaviness; they cannot perceive a way out.

How about those with false hope? They may see a light, but they’re not sure it’s real; the relief they feel is only temporary; nothing seems lasting or sure.

Despair and false hope crush the soul to death.

The word encourage means to inspire with courage … to give someone reason to hope … to breathe true life into their soul.

Political unrest doesn’t disturb the one grounded in real Hope. Economic turmoil doesn’t shake the one who knows the Provider. Social instability doesn’t cause anxiety for the one who knows the Prince of Peace. Death doesn’t crush the one who knows the Resurrected Lord.

Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him. … Therefore encourage each other with these words.

…But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. … Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when He returns, we can live with Him forever. So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, 18; 5:8, 10-11)

The good news—the hope-filled news—is Jesus is alive!

A relationship with Him is life!

A life full of hope!

A life full of promise!

A life full of Him that’s unending throughout eternity!

Do you know this hope? Are you sharing this hope with others?

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Worthy Of Imitation

October 12, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

I pray that my life is worthy of imitation. And, pastor, I pray yours is too!

Here’s how to make sure it is an imitable life: I can’t just talk a good life. Paul wrote, “Our gospel came to you not simply with words….” Words are important, but they shouldn’t be a replacement for a life that backs up those words. Paul continues his thought:

Our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction…. (1 Thessalonians 1:5)

Their sermons were backed up by the help of the Holy Spirit, and the deep conviction that Paul, Silas, and Timothy lived by. This was all outwardly focused toward others. Look how Paul concludes this verse, “…you know how we lived among you for your sake.”

They never attempted to use the gospel or their calling to benefit themselves, but always for the benefit of others and for the glory of God.

The result (v. 6):

You became imitators of us and of the Lord. 

I pray that all of us can say this about our congregations!

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More And More

October 10, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.

There’s a popular cliché that many motivators use to challenge people to go beyond where they are. They will cheer them on by saying, “C’mon, let’s raise the bar!” The only problem is, once someone clears the bar’s next height, they usually celebrate and then stop trying to go any higher.

Christians should be especially on guard against this mindset. It’s not a one-time thing. I don’t simply invite Jesus into my life and then set Him on a shelf. If I’m going to live a life that pleases God, I must learn how to do so more and more.

…We instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more (1 Thessalonians 4:1).

The KJV says, “abound more and more.” This means that there is no set level I’m trying to reach, but that the level is always higher—there’s always more, my capacity is always increasing.

More and more is a single word in the Greek language. It means:

  • More willingly
  • More readily
  • Sooner

When the Holy Spirit speaks to me, do I respond and obey more willingly? more readily? sooner? If I do, then I am truly abounding more and more.

The mark of my maturity is a more willing, faster obedience.

This relentless focus on pleasing God more and more then overflows in the way I cheer on and encourage my brothers and sisters. Paul uses the exact same Greek word for more and more when he says a few verses later: “We urge you, brothers, to [express brotherly love] more and more” (vv. 9-10).

My increasing capacity and willingness to love and obey God more and more overflows into my increasing capacity and willingness to love and serve others more and more.

My prayer for you and for me: Holy Spirit, help us to hear Your voice, to abound more and more in our obedience to Your direction, and to express our love more and more to others.

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How To Earn R-E-S-P-E-C-T

October 9, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

Here’s how the apostle Paul said it…

Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. Then people who are not Christians will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others. (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12)

Pretty straightforward, isn’t it? To live a life that those who are not Christians will respect:

  • Live with the right ambition. The Greek word for ambition means hard work that brings honor.
  • Mind your own business.
  • Do your own work to provide for yourself.
  • Repeat it again tomorrow.

I want to live a life that glorifies God and earns the respect of others. This seems like a pretty doable list.

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Why I Didn’t Participate In Pulpit Freedom Sunday

October 7, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

In order to challenge the IRS regulation that non-profit 501(c)3 organizations (such as a church) not endorse a political candidate, a group called Pulpit Freedom encouraged pastors to publicly endorse a candidate in their Sunday sermons.

This is what I shared with my congregation this morning. We are not participating in the “pulpit freedom Sunday” for the following reasons—

  1. The IRS 501(c)3 regulations are not immoral. The Bill of Rights states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” I don’t believe this is happening.
  2. The church should be apolitical. We don’t see any biblical writers endorsing candidates. Individuals serve in political office, and Paul often greets them. He never tells those individuals to leave their political posts, but neither does he instruct Christians on who they should support/endorse for an office.
  3. If I did what this group is asking, I feel I would doing it to make a statement, but not necessarily a statement that pleases or honors God. “For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts” (1 Thessalonians 2:4). My statements must please God and not violate my conscience.
  4. I trust your intelligence. My role as a pastor is to equip people to know and apply biblical principles to every aspect of their lives; including how they make decisions to vote. My role as your pastor is not to tell you who to vote for.
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Thursdays With Oswald—Seeing And Hearing “Holy”

June 14, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

This is a weekly series with things I’m reading and pondering from Oswald Chambers. You can read the original seed thought here, or type “Thursdays With Oswald” in the search box to read more entries.

Seeing And Hearing “Holy” 

     The Bible places in the heart everything that the modern psychologist places in the head. … 

     God does alter the desire to look at the things we used to look at; and we find our eyes are guarded because He has altered the disposition of our soul life. …I will always hear what I listen for, and the ruling disposition of the soul determines what I listen for, just as the ruling disposition either keeps the eyes from beholding vanity or makes them behold nothing else. 

From Biblical Psychology

Solomon wrote, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life” (Proverbs 4:23). This is where Chambers gets the thought about our hearts doing what psychologists want our heads to do.

The more I fill my heart with God’s Word (Psalm 119:11), the more the Holy Spirit can remind me of that Word (John 14:26). The more I am tuned in to that sanctifying instruction of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:26), the more holy I will live (Romans 8:4; Galatians 5:16; 1 Thessalonians 4:7).

This “tuning in” in the spiritual realm (the heart) absolutely affects the physical realm (the head). I have written before about the reticular activating system (RAS) in our brains (you can read about this here and here). The combination of the Word and the Spirit reprograms our RAS so that our eyes and ears are looking and listening for what pleases and glorifies God.

Do you want to live a holy life? Start by guarding your heart. You do this by filling your heart with the Word of God.

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Can You Hear Him Now?

January 11, 2012 — Craig T. Owens

Wow, my life is busy! Sometimes I feel like a starter’s pistol goes off first thing in the morning, and I’m on a dead sprint all day long.

<BANG!> Get everyone up … get dressed … make breakfast … feed the pets … pack lunches … get everyone out the door on time … work at the church … meetings … errands … En-Gedi Youth Center … after-school activities … grocery store … make dinner … clean up … more meetings … homework … <WHEW!>

That’s why I have made it a long-standing habit to spend some quality quiet time in the morning. It’s time well-spent reading my Bible, sipping some tea, and just listening for God’s unmistakable Voice.

The apostle Paul advised us to study to be quiet (1 Thessalonians 4:11). Make it a habit to tune out the noise and business.

Francois Fenelon said it this way—

“God does not cease to speak, but the noise of the creatures without, and of our passions within, confines us and prevents our hearing. We must silence every creature, including self, that in the deep stillness of the soul we may perceive the ineffable voice of the Bridegroom. We must lend an attentive ear, for His voice is soft and still, and is only heard of those who hear nothing else.”

I hope you will choose to make some time to hear His Voice today, and everyday.

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Praying For Your Pastor

October 4, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

For the past few years, October has been designated as Pastor Appreciation Month. Honestly, I feel appreciated by the great folks at Calvary Assembly of God every single week! I can only pray that other pastors feel the same love I feel.

Here’s a simple way you can show your pastor appreciation both in October, and all year long: Pray for him or her. Multiple times the Apostle Paul wrote pray for us (Colossians 4:3; 1 Thessalonians 5:25; 2 Thessalonians 3:1). Prayer is SO NEEDED for your pastor!

Here’s what the eminent pastor Charles Spurgeon wrote:

The members of the body of Christ should have a care for one another, but especially should the minister receive the prayers of his flock. I have sometimes heard his duties called arduous, but that word is not expressive enough. The works in which he is occupied lie quite out of the region of human power. The minister is sent to be God’s messenger for the quickening of the dead. What can he do in it? He can do nothing whatever unless the Spirit of God be with him through the prayer of his brethren.

He is sent to bring spiritual food to the multitude, that is to say, he is to take the loaves and fishes, and with them, few as they are, he is to feed the thousands. An impossible commission! He cannot perform it. Apart from divine help, the enterprise of a Christian minister is only worthy of ridicule. Apart from the power of the Eternal Spirit, the things which the preacher has to do are as much beyond him as though he had to weld the sun and moon into one, light up new stars, or turn the Sahara into a garden of flowers. We have a work to do concerning which we often cry, “Who is sufficient for these things?” and if we be put to this work but have not your prayers, and in consequence have not the supply of the Spirit, we are of all men the most miserable.

Show how much you appreciate your pastor by upholding him/her in prayer every day.

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A Pastor’s Work

September 28, 2011 — Craig T. Owens

I have blogged before about how heavy I feel the responsibility of being a pastor. When I think of the awesome responsibility God has given me as His under-shepherd to His precious people, I am humbled.

Humility is a good thing.

Since the pastor is “out in front” at every gathering, speaking to the people, leading the church in a particular direction, people tend to view their pastor as their leader. And without humility, the people’s esteem can “puff up” a pastor. Unfortunately, I’ve been around pastors who have gotten a little too, shall I say, “puffy.”

So this dose of godly wisdom from J.C. Ryle is just the preventative medicine I need:

“We should beware of resting our claim to the people’s attention on our outward [pastoral] call only. It will never do to tell our people, ‘We are your ordained ministers, and therefore you must believe and follow whatever we tell you.’ On the contrary, we must tell them to prove our teaching by Scripture, and not to receive it unless it is scriptural. That man has no right to expect the attention of his people, who does not preach the Gospel and live the Gospel. The rule of Paul is clear on this point. He told the Thessalonians to esteem their ministers very highly ‘for their work’s sake’ (1 Thessalonians 5:13). When there is no ‘work’ done, it is vain to expect the people’s esteem.

Pastors, do the work of humbly working as God’s servant to His people. Use your position to serve, not to presume upon others.

Church attendees, make us pastors “prove our teaching by Scripture.” We don’t get to say, “Because I’m the pastor and I say so!”

UPDATE: This post went into my thinking for my book Shepherd Leadership: The Metrics That Really Matter.

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