The final installment of Mark Dever’s list of 35 points:
29. We must be on guard against the preference many of our own members (perhaps
especially younger ones, or ones with more theological doubts) may have for
doing ministry which is valued by unbelievers. Matt. 5:13-16 and I Peter 2:11-12
that speak of unbelievers seeing our good deeds and praising God must be
understood along with promises of persecution for following Christ, (e.g., Matt.
24:9; II Tim. 3:12) and remembering that Christ Himself was finally rejected by
the crowds and executed. Certainly popularity in our community is a poor guide
to faithfulness in ministry.
30. We must carefully consider the amount of our members’ time, vision, excitement and
prayers we are encouraging to be occupied by actions non-Christians might do,
when non-Christians will never be giving themselves to evangelizing our
community (or beyond).
31. We must beware the popular “share the Gospel, and if necessary use words” mindset.
Similarly, the Gospel is, properly speaking, preached, not done (though our
actions can certainly affirm it, e.g., John 13:34-35 [even here it is interesting to
note that it is our love for one another that is said to point to the Gospel!]).
Social ministry done by the church should be self-consciously engaged in with the
hope, prayer and design of sharing the Gospel. J. Gresham Machen wrote that
“material benefits were never valued in the apostolic age for their own sake, they
were never regarded as substitutes for spiritual things. That lesson needs to be
learned. Social betterment, though important, is insufficient; it must always be
supplemented by God’s unspeakable gift,” (J. Gresham Machen, New Testament,
ed., John Cook, pp. 345-346).
32. We must allow some latitude between pastors on differing judgment calls on the
particulars of some of these secondary issues (e.g., how to oppose abortion; how
much they would cooperate with non-evangelicals in social ministries, etc.)
33. We must be aware of the attraction to join our church certain non-gospel activities
may cause (e.g., music, a school, certain community-help programs) and we
must redouble our carefulness in only taking in members who understand the
Gospel and give evidence of regeneration.
34. In our duties as under-shepherds, we want to protect our flock from the well-meaning
writings and teachings of those who emphasize their role of making a difference
in the culture. Those individuals may be uniquely gifted and called, but it is not a
Biblical model for the local church.
35. We must not be naïve in this. We should realize that the priority of evangelism is
Mark Dever
Sovereign Grace Pastors Conference
The Pastor & Community
www.SovereignGraceMinistries.org
© 2009
6
always one of the most difficult things for the pastor to maintain in his own life
and in the congregation’s ministry.
29. We must be on guard against the preference many of our own members (perhaps especially younger ones, or ones with more theological doubts) may have for doing ministry which is valued by unbelievers. Matt. 5:13-16 and I Peter 2:11-12 that speak of unbelievers seeing our good deeds and praising God must be understood along with promises of persecution for following Christ, (e.g., Matt. 24:9; II Tim. 3:12) and remembering that Christ Himself was finally rejected by the crowds and executed. Certainly popularity in our community is a poor guide to faithfulness in ministry.
30. We must carefully consider the amount of our members’ time, vision, excitement and prayers we are encouraging to be occupied by actions non-Christians might do, when non-Christians will never be giving themselves to evangelizing our community (or beyond).
31. We must beware the popular “share the Gospel, and if necessary use words” mindset. Similarly, the Gospel is, properly speaking, preached, not done (though our actions can certainly affirm it, e.g., John 13:34-35 [even here it is interesting to note that it is our love for one another that is said to point to the Gospel!]). Social ministry done by the church should be self-consciously engaged in with the hope, prayer and design of sharing the Gospel. J. Gresham Machen wrote that “material benefits were never valued in the apostolic age for their own sake, they were never regarded as substitutes for spiritual things. That lesson needs to be learned. Social betterment, though important, is insufficient; it must always be supplemented by God’s unspeakable gift,” (J. Gresham Machen, New Testament, ed., John Cook, pp. 345-346).
32. We must allow some latitude between pastors on differing judgment calls on the particulars of some of these secondary issues (e.g., how to oppose abortion; how much they would cooperate with non-evangelicals in social ministries, etc.)
33. We must be aware of the attraction to join our church certain non-gospel activities may cause (e.g., music, a school, certain community-help programs) and we must redouble our carefulness in only taking in members who understand the Gospel and give evidence of regeneration.
34. In our duties as under-shepherds, we want to protect our flock from the well-meaning writings and teachings of those who emphasize their role of making a difference in the culture. Those individuals may be uniquely gifted and called, but it is not a Biblical model for the local church.
35. We must not be naïve in this. We should realize that the priority of evangelism is always one of the most difficult things for the pastor to maintain in his own life and in the congregation’s ministry.
