Did
you ever know a pastor who ran a church school, day care, or other special "ministry"
who spent time in the homes of the people of the church, especially the shut ins
and the
folks in the nursing homes? I never have. These men get to where they
expect the sheep
to finance the goat herd. The sheep are to pray for a great
thriving goat herd. But, the sheep
are lonely. Chasing goats is often an
obsession with hirelings.
When
a pastor would rather visit sinners than saints, he is an hireling. Only a fool
would
do this, for healthy well fed saints will bring in far more sinners
into the kingdom of God
than
the pastor ever could. But, most pastors don't trust sheep to grow and do the
work
of evangelism. So, these hirelings have heart attacks and strokes at
about 55 from driving
themselves into a goat herd frenzy. After that, if
they can still work, they spend more time
with the sheep.
Jesus
speaks about hirelings and the Good Shepherd:
John
10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the
sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 To
him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep
by name, and leadeth them out.
4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep,
he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not
the voice of strangers.
6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood
not what things they were which he spake unto them.
7 Then said Jesus unto
them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
8
All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear
them.
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and
shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10 The thief cometh not, but for to
steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that
they might have it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd
giveth his life for the sheep.
12 But he that is an hireling, and not the
shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the
sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life
for the sheep.
Matthew
9:36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because
they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
37
Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers
are few;
38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send
forth labourers into his harvest.
We
note that any Christian who gives his life to serve goats is hugging the wrong
people.
He is an hireling and a fool.
Matthew
25:32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them
one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And
he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
1
Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for
us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
22 Who did no
sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:
23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled
not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that
judgeth righteously:
24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on
the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose
stripes ye were healed.
25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now
returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
FELLOWSHIP
A Challenge to you Preachers
What
on earth is that, preacher?
Stale
cookies and red punch?
Our
family has looked around Arizona and eastern Tennessee, asked many people in Fundamental
Churches, and we have learned that these sweet people do not care to socialize
with one another between Sundays. The church house real estate is the ONLY place
for alleged fellowship. That consists of standing in the aisle talking, and the
mandatory walkabout, shaking hands before the last hymn. Some churches don't even
want church dinners three times a year.
Who
taught the sheep that fellowship is not to be desired between church house meetings?
Guess:
Hosea
4:9 And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their
ways, and reward them their doings.
You
preachers have taught the sheep well by example. You have no instinct to be with
sheep between Sundays, therefore; the sheep have no instinct to be with each other.
Invite
the preacher over, and he will say he wants to come, and then he will find all
sorts of urgent things that prevent him from coming. Our family has given up.
Is it our family? Maybe we are somehow obnoxious? I don't think so. I have asked
around, and most men of God have not had ten minutes of personal time with their
pastor in twenty years. Now, get into adultery, or get a $ 50,000 inheritance,
and you will have the preacher on your doorstep, either ready to "church"
you or lovingly take a donation to the building fund.
Fundamental
Bible believing pastors, even if they are busy doing things which seem important,
do NOT have any longing to be with the men in their assemblies. They AVOID them.
They run to preacher's camp meetings, but the men in the assembly are dull to
these alleged shepherds. Frankly, I would rather spend a couple hours with some
hick in the woods than a week with some of you self-possessed prigs. Come see
me, and we will head for the Tri-City Cafe. There are REAL sinners and saints
there, and they love to talk and visit. I know, such a waste, right? Like that
wandering carpenter of Nazareth who just spent too much time eating with publicans
and sinner. You would NEVER be seen having a good time with them, right?
I
recall that my Dad, as a missionary pastor, used to walk to the general store
in Briartown, Oklahoma, to sit on the porch and talk to the men there. He visited
farmers regularly, and he helped them shuck corn and butcher hogs. Our family
used to delight in going to drop in on the Lowery family.
When
I pastored in Michigan, all sorts of folks dropped by. Our kitchen table was often
busy. Paul Wheater stopped many times, though he was not from our church. A good
old boy who had never confessed Christ openly loved to stop and visit.
In
California, in the High Desert, the teens from our church and the Baptist church
used to stop by. A Pentecostal kid, though messed up in doctrine, loved my wife's
cookies, and he listened to my Bible deliberations. Several old timers visited
often. Unchurched people, who liked the godly ways, would stop by. Some "stayed
to pray."
I
recall how I used to run to auctions with Larry Knoblock in Michigan Saturday
night. I had to get the sermon ready ahead of time, but the fellowship was good,
so I managed.
What
has happened to Fundamentalism? Forget the Evangelicals and the Emergent Church--
they are dead and lost because they did not start right with a narrow interpretation
of the Gospel. I want to know why those on the narrow way cannot behave like a
flock.
The
average Fundamental pastor today has NO interest in being with sheep unless they
have their neat and tidy fannies on a church pew and a check ready for the offering.
As they way in wrestling promotion, "It is all about nickels and noses and
a butt every eighteen inches."
And,
you will NOT be welcome at these preachers' homes. They may even tell you not
to disturb them.
You,
my dear reader, may now accuse me of generalizing. The problem with this sort
of thing is this-- if I say that there are godly pastors in Fundamentalism who
ARE like Jesus who DO love to be with the sheep, all you jackboot lazy slob preachers
will grab that statement and stuff you lazy backside into it. So, I am using buck
shot in this article. Deal with it!
The
Fundamental Church era has come to an end. When the pastors hug goats instead
of sheep, and when they have no time to visit the cafe with a brother, IT IS OVER.
The Lord's Church needs to come into the hands of other people. Who? I don't know--
I really don't know.
I
am editing this long after I first wrote it, and I will give the answer.
The
question: Who should take up the cause of the New Testament Apostolic Church since
Fundamentalism has gone AWOL from biblical Christianity?
Answer:
The saints in the home. That is where it all started in Antioch, Ephesus, and
Corinth, and that is where it will end. Those who read their Bibles will understand,
and those who listen to blow hard jackboot preachers for their revelation will
not understand and starve while they warm an expensive pew in a big glorious church
house.
Tell
me, preacher, why are you hiding from the sheep?
What
kind of hireling will NOT make time for the people he will have to live with for
eternity?
Do
you, in fact, somehow wish we would all go to hell anyway? Well, at least after
they have paid for the new sanctuary of course.
Do
you give a damn?
Can
I prove that you preachers are dead beats?
Yes--
Here is what a real church does, unless you think the churches in Acts were heretic:
Acts
2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and
in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43 And fear came upon every soul: and
many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
44 And all that believed
were together, and had all things common;
45 And sold their possessions and
goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
46 And they, continuing
daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did
eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
47 Praising God, and
having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such
as should be saved.
You
will tell me that was an Apostolic era, and you are exempt from living that way
because Bob Jones and Jack Hyles told you to do it another way. Try this, sir:
Romans
12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly
love; in honour preferring one another;
11 Not slothful in business; fervent
in spirit; serving the Lord;
12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation;
continuing instant in prayer;
13 Distributing to the necessity of saints;
given to hospitality.
1
Timothy 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant,
sober, of good behaviour,
given to hospitality, apt
to teach;
Titus
1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not
selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to
filthy lucre;
8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover
of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
1
Peter 4:9 Use hospitality one to another without
grudging.
So,
you have no instinct for hospitality? That tells me about 80% of you Fundamental
pastors are NOT "called to preach," for my Jesus would not call you
to be social slobs.
In
fact, if you have no instinct to be with the sheep, with "good men"
in Christ, you are not born again. You are an hireling-- a
bastard son,
that is, if God is not chastening you.
If
you are a pastor and under conviction and need someone to talk to about this,
someone who has learned at least some of the lessons about loving sheep-- that
is, if you want to know how to repent and do the first works again.....
SEND
MAIL
IS
YOUR PASTOR KISSING GOATS?
BLESSED
QUIETNESS IS BEST FOUND IN MUCH ASSURANCE
