THE SCRIPTURAL WORK OF A PREACHER

Introduction:
	A. 1Tim. 4:6, 9-16
	B. Series on preaching.
		1. Things that are not qualifications for preachers.
		2. Scriptural qualifications for preachers.
		3. Things that are not part of the preacher’s work.
		4. Things that are the preacher’s scriptural work.
	C. A call to arms for potential preachers here.
		1. The harvest indeed is great, but the laborers are few.
		2. It is not hard to get started.
			a. Begin incorporating lesson preparation into your daily Bible studies.
				1) Dad
			b. Begin with extending an invitation and teaching a class.
			c. Stick with it.
				1) TR producing preachers. Used to be one of the works that 					    elders in every congregation would encourage.
	D. What on earth in heaven’s name is a preacher?
		1. Isaiah 6:5-11
	E. He is:
		1. An earthly man answering a heavenly duty.
		2. He is an earthly man proclaiming what heaven has authorized.
		3. He is on earth proclaiming heaven’s will by God’s grace.
	F. Some are unwilling to accept this definition.
		1. Hang titles, roles, and responsibilities on him that God never intended.
		2. Lets examine this question from a negative and then a positive approach.
		3. Let’s expose the error and expound the truth.

Man’s Concept of the Preacher’s Work:

I. THE CHURCH’S “GO-FER”
	A. A gofer to do all of the:
		1. Personal work.
		2. Visit the straying sheep of the congregation.
		3. Drop everything to run church errands.
		4. Maintain the church property.
		5. He is the Lord’s servant, not the church’s errand boy.
	B. I’m not saying that the evangelist does not have any responsibility along these lines
  	     AS A CHRISTIAN, but they are not his job as the preacher. If you think they are his
 	     jobs, where is the NT authority?
		1. Some of these would qualify as the specific work of elders, or deacons, but not
 		    the preacher.
		2. “But if we don’t have elders, shouldn’t the preacher do them?”
		3. No more than he should do the other work of the elders in overseeing the local
 		    congregation - Acts 20:28.
		4. In cases of congregations without elders, ALL members including the preacher
 		    should shoulder the load together.
		5. Occasionally, the preacher has greater opportunity to do these; however, he
		    does so as a member, not as the preacher.
		6. Need to shake loose some of the denominational influence we have absorbed
		    in wanting an official clergy.
		7. Those who want a clergyman, often want someone to do their own work.
	C. Consider Acts 6:2-4; Hosea 4:6.

II. THE CHURCH’ S SOCIAL ORGANIZER
	A. All Christians are to be sociable - 1Cor. 5:10; Heb. 13:1-3.
	B. Often a schedule of continuous social visits invited or not, takes time away from what
	     God has commanded that the evangelist do.
		1. A good evangelist will not hesitate to visit a home for a Bible study or to
		    discuss a spiritual solution to a problem one may have.
		2. Yet to expect him to visit just because he is the preacher is an unscriptural
		    expectation. Shatters illusions, but we walk by the word not by our wants.

IV. THE CHURCH NURSE
	A. Some may choke me for saying this but, the NT does not teach that visiting the sick is
 	     the responsibility of the evangelist.
		1. Visiting the sick is the duty of every Christian.
			a. Matt. 25:34-40; Gal. 6:10
		2. If anyone has a special responsibility to visit the sick it is the elders.
			a. James 5:14
		3. Preachers must visit the sick as Christians, not as clergy.
		4. Preachers should be happy to visit the sick just like any other Christian should,
		    but his prayers have no more special power than that of any other Christian.

V. THE CHURCH YOUTH LEADER	
	A. Some feel the church needs a special program for the young, and that the preacher
  	     needs to head it up.
		1. Tryout requirements: “Good with young people.”
		2. I’ve got the same program for the young that the Lord has....
		3. 1Tim. 5:21; Rom. 1:16; Ecc. 12:1
	B. This program works with the young, old, and in between.
		1. Anything more is the duty of parents.

VI. THE CHURCH OVERSEER
	A. Some preachers want to take charge, and some congregations let them.
		1. Such is the work of Jesus Christ, working through the word and scripturally 
		    ordained elders.
	B. Leads to the pastor system.
		1. The preacher has no more personal authority than any other member.
		2. That is when he speaks his own words; when he speaks as the messenger of
		    God, faithfully declaring the truth, that’s another matter.
	C. If preachers focused on the duties God gives them in the Bible, no time would be left
  	     for these other man made tasks.
	D. The only source of authority for the qualifications and work of an evangelist is the
	     word of God.
		1. Not your personal preferences, or local traditions, or carry-overs from
		    denominations. 
		2. You have no more authority to add to the list of qualifications and works of a
		    preacher than you have for a piano or fellowship hall. So stop doing it.

What Does God Say About the Work of a Preacher?

I. HE IS A STUDENT OF THE WORD
	A. 1Tim. 4:6, 12-16	

II. HE IS AN EVANGELIST
	A. A messenger of good - 2Tim. 4:5; Eph. 4:11.
	B. Put these two terms together and you get a good job description.
		1. A herald of good news - Rom. 10:15.
	C. He is a preacher; He forth-tells - 2Tim. 1:10-11; Rom. 10:13-14; 1Tim. 2:5-7.
	D. He is a prompter - 1Tim. 4:6; 2Tim. 2:2; Titus 3:8, 14

III. HE IS THE LORD’S BOND SERVANT
	A. The term applies to all Christians - 1Cor. 6:20; 7:22-23; Rom. 6:17.
	B. Sometimes specifically applied to those who preach.
		1. Gal. 1:10; Phil 1:1; 2Tim. 2:23-25
	C. As Christ’s slave, he does not have the option of pleasing men or obeying 
	     any other master.
		1. He works for Jesus Christ, not magazines, editors, big name preacher fan
		    clubs, rich, educated, poor, blue collar, conservative, or modernist factions.

IV. HE IS A MINISTER
	A. Servant - all Christians are God’s workmen - Eph. 2:10.
		1. All have a place of service, a ministry, and therefore are ministers.
	B. The area of service for a preacher is the gospel.
		1. Eph. 3:6-8; 1Cor. 3:5-6
		2. Ministers to spiritual things - 1Cor. 9:1
		3. Point of definition that the religious world stumbles.

V. HE IS A MAN OF GOD
	A. 1Tim. 6:11
		1. Used in Old Testament to describe spokesmen of the will of God.
	B. Links Timothy and other evangelists with prophets of old.
		1. God’s man with God’s plan for God’s people.

VI. HE IS COMMISSIONED
	A. Four usages of the term apostle:
		1. Witnesses and representatives of Jesus - Acts 1:21-22.
		2. One who received a personal commission from Christ (Paul) - 1Cor. 15:8-10.
		3. One who was sent out to preach (also the definition of apostle).
			a. Acts 14:4, 14; 13:4; 1Thes. 1:1, 2:6
		4. Anyone sent out - Phil. 2:25; 1Cor. 8:23.
			a. Jesus Christ was called an apostle in Heb. 3:1.
	B. No faithful Bible student would call anyone an apostle in the first two senses.
		1. Wisdom would dictate that a preacher should not use this title in order that 
		    there will be no confusion.
	C. BUT, I have been sent out on business for my King.
		1. As His ambassador, it behooves me to keep my life above reproach to the 
		    best of my ability.

	D. Please note: These are not titles; they are descriptions.
		1. To use them as titles violates Matt. 23:8-12.
		2. (Clipped from the Beaver County Times, August 1995)
		    “Q. Who was the first minister to be addressed as "Reverend"?
		    A. One Thomas Blake.  So titled by his flock on June 11, 1657, according to 
		    records left by his descendants. Of whom there are many, one might add.
		    Numerous Blakes trace back to the original Reverend.”
		3. A preacher is not titled, period. Especially with a name that belongs to
		    God - Psalm 111:9.
	E. Scriptural patterns and examples
		1. Acts 11:19-26, 13:1-3, 15:1-4, 22, 35; 1Cor. 16:10; 1Thes. 3:1-3

Conclusion:
	A. As the Lord’s Church, we will do Bible things in Bible ways and call them by Bible names. We will provide book, chapter, and verse for every aspect of the work, worship, and organization of the church. We will not add to nor diminish ought from what is written. That includes the qualifications and work of an evangelist. To do otherwise would make this congregation unsound.