Bright Wings

Because the Holy Ghost over the bent World broods with warm breast and with Ah! Bright Wings.

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June 18, 2009

The Preacher and the Singer

...or….“Some Thoughts On The Relationship Between the Senior Pastor and the Worship Leader”

I met last night with Pastor Josh and his crew of worship leader-types (not sure what else to call them). Josh meets weekly through the summer with some men who feel called, gifted, interested, etc. in the dynamics of leading worship in the local church (and a variety of settings therein). They talk about the theological issues, exegetical issues, and practical issues surrounding leading God’s people in worship. Last night we spent some time talking about the crucial issue of the relationship between pastor and worship leader. This discussion falls mainly in the realm of practice and application, and my points carry with them a host of biblical and theological assumptions that I can’t outline and discuss in this post.

As I thought through my points of discussion I was so thankful that I have been blessed with such a great relationship with my worship leader- or in Josh’s case - Pastor. We are able to talk transparently and candidly about these things with a clear conscience and joy. This is rare and wonderful.

I understand that there are many paradigms circulating in the contemporary church with respect to preaching and worship leading. We will assume through this discussion a sort of ‘normative’ paradigm: the preaching/senior pastor as leading the overall service of worship with the worship leader/pastor assisting and aiding with specific regard to what we might call ‘musical worship’. For this paradigm to be healthy and godly it requires an understanding of some key dynamics.

Trust: The pastor/elders need to communicate clearly what is entrusted to the worship leader (or worship pastor) and allow liberty and freedom within those bounds. The worship leader should be careful not to abuse or assume that trust. Often times a worship leader has a misunderstanding of what exactly he is entrusted with. A worship leader, nor a Senior Pastor for that matter, have carte blanche in their leadership and exercise of their gifts. As he assists and leads, the worship leader should be careful to honor and trust the training, wisdom, and authority (with all its burdens) of the Senior Pastor. Trust requires constant communication and clarity of vision/purpose/direction. When this trust (from both sides) breaks down- the wheels come off and it’s back to acapella hymns, Kumbayah, and Aunt Mildred on the piano.

Submission: The worship leader needs to have a healthy understanding of his ‘mission’ as ‘sub’ the Senior Pastor.  The Senior Pastor (SP) needs to exercise leadership with care and love, understanding the difficulty facing a worship leader (WL) in being a corporate yet submitted leader. This is a tremendous duty and burden. There all manner of pressures – congregational expectations and criticism, the constant cry for relevance and excellence, the never ending pursuit of relevance and novelty, etc. Both a SP and WL should always remember that all human submission is predicated upon a general God glorifying order in all of creation.  So, the WL must trust and know that the SP is submitted and accountable to (normally) the Elders of the Church. Otherwise, the leadership of SP becomes tyranny and abusive; and ‘submission’ of a WL becomes oppressive or lapses into subversion.

Humility: Both the SP and WL need to pursue a healthy and humble view of their differing callings and gifts. My Dad would often tell his WL- “I won’t sing if you won’t preach.”  The SP should not intrude upon the gifts and abilities of the WL- musically, instrumentally, etc. I try to keep my concerns as biblical, theological, and corporate as possible. Otherwise I proudly insert myself upon the calling and gifts given to the WL. The WL should be careful to not exalt his status and abilities over and above the SP.  Or exert biblical and theological agendas with his platform as WL.  Don’t use the ‘response song’ to interpret or refine the sermon that came before it.  No pastor, leader, servant, member in a church should ever be deceived that a church’s existence and health is dependant solely upon his particular gifts and talents. As Steve Brown would often say, ‘that is a lie from hell and it smells like smoke.”

Commitment: If a WL cannot be committed to the ministry of the SP- his preaching, his vision, even his ‘leadership style’- he should most likely refrain from such a public and prominent place of leadership; or at least make his concerns abundantly clear and allow the SP to decide if such concerns/differences might keep him from such a role. A WL must also be committed to the church family as a member and never pursue leading and service in worship as mercenary.  A SP needs to demonstrate his commitment to the WL’s function and abilities in the worship service and in his calling and gifting generally. Any concerns or hesitancy in these areas should be expressed graciously and openly.

Corporate and Godward Focus: Leading in musical worship and leading through preaching is the exercise of a gift for the building of the body and the glory of God. There must be a prevailing desire to do what is best in building and caring for the church. The SP and WL must both be wary of using their gifts to promote self, exercise gifts and talents for the gratification of the flesh, create cults of personality, bow to cultural or congregational idols, manipulate with emotion or passion, etc.  The corporate need and God’s design for corporate worship MUST be preeminent.

Tags: Pastors and Preaching

posted by Erik Braun

June 17, 2009

Three Reasons I Stay in the Local Church

Upon inquiring about the recent change in their church’s name and logo, I was told by the pastor of a church here in town that it was all part of an effort in his life and ministry to ‘go global’. I responded in my usual dimwitted fashion, “Four Oaks went global a few years back. You can access our website all over the world.” Hey, I’ve been to Minsk! Talk about global impact.

As we march through Luke’s gospel together I noted this past Sunday how striking it was that Jesus had a ministry that covered only 75-100 square miles over three years. Yet, if ever there was a ministry that went global, it is the ministry of Jesus Christ.  Why? Because of God’s sovereign purpose and Jesus’ faithfulness to His Father’s will. John MacArthur said at the beginning of his pastoral ministry, “I will attend to the depth of my ministry, and God will take care of the breadth of it.”  So many pastors and leaders get this backwards. They spend their time striving for wide impact, broad influence, ocean spanning ministry that touches thousands- millions, even!  It is not hard to see that much of this striving very quickly becomes about personal gain and ego building rather than the cause of Christ and the spread of the gospel.

So, Jesus zeroed in on the cities and villages in Galilee and Palestine and poured his life into twelve men and a small company of disciples. Jesus went deep and God spread the ministry wide.  He went local, God took it global. 
I’ve been asked by folks (often in jest)  when I’m going to write my first book and become a travelling evangelical guru. I’m flattered a bit, but can also hear the longing in such jest. Not necessarily a longing for me to finally leave, but a longing for an important pastor.  This longing is reflected in my vain heart.  “When will I do something meaningful and important?” I wonder as I work on Sunday’s sermon between meetings.  Hmmm. 

Here are three (of many) reasons I became a pastor. These reasons keep me a pastor. These reasons are why most of my heroes are local church preaching pastors (Augustine, Calvin, Edwards, Spurgeon, Piper, MacArthur, Dad).  This is why I will continue to go deep in a local area, deep into the Word, deep into discipleship with a few,  deep week after week, and day after day.

1. The centrality of the local church in the Christian’s life, health, and growth.  I unashamedly uphold the local church as that unique, unrivaled, and unassailable creation of God to build his Kingdom and spread his glory (Matthew 16:18; Matthew 18:15-18; Ephesians 3:10; 1 Timothy 3:15).  A faithful commitment to the health and growth of the believer is a faithful commitment to serving and building the local church.  A faithful commitment to the Kingdom of God and the spread of His glory through Christ is a commitment to preaching and teaching in the local church.

2. The calling of God upon my life.  God has uniquely equipped and resourced me (with all my warts and flaws) for ministry in the local church. He has providentially placed me where I am for the sake of building the church- not for the sake of building my name and influence. It is not my prerogative to manufacture, construct, or change this calling and ordination.  When I was in my last year of seminary one of the common questions between the students was, “Where do you think you’ll get a job?” A natural question in some sense, but entirely out of sync with the ethos of pastoral vocation in the Scriptures. If I wanted ‘a job’- this would not be the course I would have taken. I would have gone to law school, business school, or to the classifieds.  I had been called by God to pastoral ministry. My calling had been tested and affirmed by my pastors and elders. I went to seminary for training and equipping toward the prophetic office of preacher and pastor. This is no ‘job’- it is a burden, a responsibility, and calling.  The ‘professionalization’ of pastoral ministry is robbing the church of godly leadership and turning shepherds into showmen, celebrities, and mercenaries.

3. The normal context of healthy and vibrant Christian ministry is the local church. Many believers have replaced the normal pattern of their pastor’s preaching and the authority of church leaders for their favorite author, conference speaker, or evangelical celebrity.  Many pastors view the local church as an entrée into some other realm of influence or existence. The local church provides the normal biblical pattern of accountability and authority for pastoral teaching and preaching.  The local church is the best context to receive, interpret, and apply the whole counsel of God to the whole of life.  It seems that Christians- including preachers and teachers will go far and wide
seeking surrogate ministry structures in order to circumnavigate the island of refuge and shelter designed by God through the local church.

Tags: Pastors and Preaching

posted by Erik Braun

June 03, 2009

The Ongoing Tragedy

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27

Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man. Genesis 9:6

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God…for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who practices evil.   Romans 13:1, 4

When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong.  Ecclesiastes 8:11

Several of you have asked my thoughts on the latest episode in the ongoing tragedy of a Roe v. Wade America. 

I wholeheartedly concur with the press release from the National Right to Life Committee condemning Scott Roeder’s actions.

Here is a helpful article from Gregg Cunningham at the Center for Bioethical Reform on the immorality and foolishness of such vigilante ‘justice’ in the fight for the lives of the unborn.

As you work through the very real moral and ethical struggle that Scott Roeder’s actions represent I would encourage you to read these two articles: 

William Salatan argues over at Slate argues that Roeder’s actions are the logical conclusion of the pro-life commitment. 

Ramesh Ponurru provides a helpful analysis and critique of Salatan’s (faulty) argument over at National Review Online. 

So, in all this, what do I think?

Scott Roeder will answer to the civil authorities and to God for the murder of George Tiller.
George Tiller will answer to God for the murder of perhaps thousands of unborn human beings.
Our civil authorities will continue to ignore the rights of its unborn children and support the insanity of abortion on demand costing the lives of 1,000,000 human beings yearly.

Mr. Roeder is very wrong.
Dr. Tiller was very wrong.
Our civil authorities are very wrong.
And the American tragedy continues to play out. 

I pray that we do not ‘grow weary in well doing’ as those who champion the rights and lives of the unborn. I pray that we will continue to do so peacefully, with the grace and power of the gospel – not with bullets and violence.  I pray that America will continue to move towards the logical understanding that abortion is murderous, unlawful, and deplorable.  I pray that Christians will continue to fight to provide and care for women in crisis pregnancies. I pray that our leaders would stand for the rights of all of its citizens, born and unborn. And I pray, as always and in everything, that God would make his goodness and glory known through Jesus Christ.

Tags: Abortion

posted by Erik Braun

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