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7 Things the Pastor CANT Do

From the Pulpit


You cant chew gum in the pulpit or bring your coffee in with you. You cant preach in
your pajamas or lead a worship service in your swimsuit.
But you knew that.
However, some pastors do things every bit as silly as this, and as counterproductive,
we must say.
Now, in one sense, a pastor can do anything from the pulpit. Once.
But were talking about things no right-thinking, godly pastor should attempt
to do from the Lords sacred place of leadership in His church.
1. He cannot recommend a book which has questionable
material in it.
Nor condemn a book he has not read.
2. Ditto a movie.
Some movies have much to be commended, but by their horrible language and their
using Christs name blasphemously, destroy all the good. The pastor will not want to
endorse such a movie, even though it has some positive aspects.
3. He cannot bring someone into the pulpit, even for an
interview, whose life is a contradiction to the way of Jesus
Christ.
There may be a forum for the church to host the mayor who has atheistic beliefs, or a
prominent author of a questionable piece, that would not give the impression of
endorsing the persons lifestyle, if that is thought necessary. But a worship service is
not the place.
4. He cannot preach that he disbelieves certain scriptures.
Imagine a NASA engineer addressing the astronauts just before their blastoff to inform
them that he has no confidence in the integrity of the spaceship, that the onboard
computers are untrustworthy, or that there are flaws in the design. He ends with,
Nevertheless, you have a good flight.
If the preacher disbelieves the Bible, let him resign and find an honest way to make a
living.
(Note: In the past, when I have said something similar, people will write to argue that
they appreciate the transparency of such a minister who would admit to having the
same struggles as they. Far from agreeing with them, I find their point of view
amazing. I wonder if they would be willing to undergo surgery when the physician
doubts his abilities and questions the procedures.)
5. He cannot share with the congregation the personal doubts
he struggles with concerning the Lord or important doctrines.
Such as salvation, the Incarnation, the Trinity, the Virgin Birth and the Atonement.
If he has such issues, let him read Psalm 73 a dozen times and take its message to
heart, then work out his doubts in private.
6. He cannot tell the congregation that he struggles with porn
or lust.
Some things are better dealt with privatelyor at least between himself, his spouse
and a faithful counselorbut never in public.
The pastor who tells his people that he has a lust problem is creating more problems for
himself than he can imagine. Every woman in the church will think hes undressing her
when he shakes her hand. When that happens, his ministry has come to an end.
7. A minister cannot rebuke anyone publicly from the pulpit.
He cannot call names and slander someone, no matter how strongly he feels.
Again, he may do it, but not and retain the respect of Christians who know the word
and reverence His name. Mean-spirited preachers will always have their defenders, but
this does not make it wise or right.
Let the preacher honor His Lord, reverence His calling and bless His people.
Let the preacher never forget he has not been called to share his heart with his
people but to preach the Word (II Timothy 4:2).
Let the preacher not fall prey to the temptation to be transparent to the point that he
lays stumblingblocks in the paths of his people.
Let the preacher say to himself a hundred times a day, This is not about me; this is
about Jesus Christ (see 2 Corinthians 4:5).
Let the preacher with overwhelming doubts have enough integrity to a) get help, b)
stay on his knees, c) not preach his doubts, and d) get out of the ministry if the doubts
and questions remain unresolved.
We will all stand before the Lord and give account.
Let none of us have to account for having caused Gods people to stumble.

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