What Does it Mean to Have a Pastor’s Heart? (Part 1) - by Evan Burns

In recent months, I have mediated deeply on what it means to have a pastor's heart. Ultimately, TLI seeks to train biblical leaders, and a synonymous description of leaders in the Bible is "pastor". Of course prophets, priests, kings, sages, and apostles are all leaders in the Bible, but the role of a pastor in the New Testament commonly identifies the ordained biblical leader withing a local church. In this post and subsequent posts, I am seeking to answer the question: "what does it mean to have a pastor's heart?"

Unpacking the biblical meaning of a pastor is the best way to initially answer this question. A pastor is simply a synonymous word in the English Bible for shepherd, and is often identified with the office of elder/overseer/bishop, though not all believers with a pastoral-type gift are to lead in the office of an elder. But all elders are pastors (Acts 20:17-35), and all pastors are shepherds, and all shepherds are teachers (Eph 4:11).

Two primary passions of the biblical shepherd's heart must be to lovingly feed the sheep and lovingly protect the sheep, and all other expressions of a shepherd's heart are derivative of those two all-consuming desires of love. Moreover, feeding and protecting the sheep are chiefly done through the ministry of teaching. Nevertheless, a teaching ministry is not to be relegated only to pulpit time on Sundays, any more than it would suffice to only feed sheep once a week. A pastoral teaching ministry is one of loving, intentional disciple-making in speech, conduct, conversation, confession, illustration, informal opportunities, formal occasions, and essentially in patiently leading sheep to green pastures in which God's flock might find solace and fodder for their souls, away from wolves and barren lands.

True shepherds do not desire to lead the sheep as entertainers, life-coaches, CEOs, comedians, politicians, programmers, motivational speakers, cultural architects, artisans, bosses, butlers, therapists, professionals, professors, psychologists, or actors. The heart of a biblical shepherd should be to lovingly lead the object of his love (Christ's flock) to feed on the source of all love (Christ Himself), away from wolves (false teachers) and stale water and dead ground (love of money, pride of life, lusts of the flesh).


Originally posted on the Training Leaders International Missions 101 Blog. The original post can be found here.

Don’t develop a philosophy of ministry that takes the seasoning out of the salt and puts the light under a basket - by John Piper

What is it about Christians that make then the salt of the earth and the light of the world? It is not wealth. The desire for wealth and the pursuit of wealth tastes and looks just like the world. It does not offer the world anything different from what it already believes in. The great tragedy of prosperity-preaching is that a person does not have to be spiritually awakened in order to embrace it; one needs only be greedy. Getting rich in the name of Jesus is not the salt of the earth or the light of the world. In this, the world simply sees a reflection of itself. And if it works, they will buy it.

The context of Jesus' saying shows us what the salt and light are. They are the joyful willingness to suffer for Christ. Here is what Jesus said, "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heave, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. You are the salt of the earth. . . . You are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:11-14).

What will make the world taste (the salt) and see (the light) of Christ in us is not that we love wealth the same way they do. Rather, it will be the willingness and the ability of Christians to love others through suffering, all the while rejoicing because their reward is in heaven with Jesus. This is inexplicable on human terms. This is supernatural. But to attract people with promises of prosperity is simply natural. It is not the message of Jesus. It is not what he died to achieve.


Taken from Prosperity Preaching: Deceitful and Deadly by John Piper. Originally posted on the Desiring God blog on February 14, 2007.

Pursuing at Her Pace

I am a doer. I like to get things done. I like to check things off my list. I like to accomplish and move to the next thing. Generally when I think of pursuing something, I think of getting what I want. Pursuit is characterized by a goal I have in mind that I'm trying to reach, the sooner the better. If I wanted to buy a car, I would pursue that goal by saving up and going without some things so I could get my desire quicker.

Pursuing a girl is a different kind of pursuit.

Generally my conception of pursuing only involves me and my desires. But pursuing a girl shouldn't be about me or my desires; it should be focused on her and her needs. Sometimes she will need you to pursue slower than you want to pursue. That seems to go against the nature of pursuit in its general conception.

But it comes down the where the emphasis lies. Does it lie in pursuit or in her. Is pursuit about you and what you can get or about what you are pursuing? When the focus becomes too much on pursuing and not enough on her, you can forget what you are pursuing and essentially plow through the very thing you are trying to reach. When you forget what you are pursuing, a precious daughter of God, it's too easy to leave her in your dust while you are running out ahead, "pursuing," but no longer pursuing her because you passed her up and have become self focused, focused on your goals.

Pursuing at her pace can be a challenge. I need to constantly ask myself and her, "How can I bless and encourage you?" Sometimes I need to be reminded just to have fun and enjoy each other's company. Real pursuit is not about me. Real pursuit is about her, at her pace, and in a way that blesses her. That might mean going slower than you are able to go, but that is okay if pursuing is about her needs.

Pursuit that is not self-focused but focused on someone else is honoring to God because it models God's pursuit of us. His patience is incredible with us of little faith, but He gently guides and leads His children in the ways they should go, even though we so often try our best to stray. He does not expect us to be mature Christians the day we believe but rather continues to pursue us by His Holy Spirit through a progressive process of sanctification, ultimately for His glory and our joy. May the godly pursuit of young women accomplish the same ultimate purpose.

When rightly understood, the doctrine of election is fuel for missions.

Cautions Handling the Doctrine of Election from Desiring God on Vimeo.

Self-Righteousness

This morning I was blessed to sit with a few guys at Shoney's talking about the righteousness of Christ, the gospel, and an enemy of it: self-righteousness (yes it was a blessing even at Shoney's). We are going through The Bookends of the Christian Life by Jerry Bridges. Today's chapter was called "Gospel Enemy #1: Self-Righteousness."

The thing that stuck out to me most was this question: "If God were to ask you, 'Why should I answer your prayer?' How would you answer? Would you begin immediately adding up your recent merit and demerit points?" (44-45).

To do so is self-righteousness, whether the conclusion is, "I'm worthy of you answering my prayer because of my recent achievements," or "Nevermind, now that I think about it, I'm not worthy. I'll come back when I've cleaned up and ask again."

Self-righteousness is relying on ourselves for our sense of worth, value, or acceptance before God. The ultimate question is whether God is our rock our something in us is our rock. And for us to rely on ourselves even in the smallest way is to nullify the grace of God, and treat Christ as if He died for no purpose (Galatians 2:21).

Self-righteousness "disregards, devalues, and discredits the gospel provision of the righteousness of Christ--the sinless life He lived for us and the sin-bearing death He died for us" (43). "God can't possibly get all the glory if an essential part of [our] acceptance depends on [us]" (48).

May God get all the glory for our righteousness because it is found solely in His Son and not in us. May we always and only magnify the righteousness that has been given to us freely not because of our worthiness. May we think often of the cross, and by so doing kill the creeping self-righteousness of the flesh. May Jesus Christ be praised.

My First SBC Annual Meeting

I just got back from my first SBC. Overall it wasn't life changing experience But there was one thing that I will never forget, one thing that will stand out in my memory when all the rest of it fades. I got to be there to see Southern Baptists elect their first African American convention president, Fred Luter. It took about 165 years, but it finally happened and I got to be there for it.

In my last year at Union, Dr. Luter came to Union as a chapel speaker. I didn't know anything about him or who he was, but I got to pick him up at the airport in Memphis, take him to dinner, and drive him back to Jackson. He was (and is) one of the nicest guys I've ever been around. As I've learned more about him and his incredible story, I grew to have an new appreciation and respect for him. I am so excited to have him as the head of the SBC and have every confidence in him because he is a man devoted to God, to His gospel, and to His Word.

Later in life when I don't remember anything else about the 2012 convention, I'll remember that Fred Luter was elected president, the first African American president of the SBC. Dr. Luter's election was certainly a historic moment for the SBC, and is a testimony to God's continual work of sanctification in the hearts of His people.

Book Review

Church Membership: How the World Knows who Represents Jesus

Jonathan Leeman

Crossway Books

132 Pages

At the church plant I attend, we are working through the development of church membership. It has been exciting for me to help in that process, because the topic of the church and what it should look like is one that I enjoy discussing and thinking about. This book helped me think about church membership in a richer and deeper way. It helped solidify and emphasize the significance of being united to a local body of believers.

Jonathan Leeman, who is a member of Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington D. C. and part of 9Marks ministries, makes a very good and helpful distinction between membership to a club and membership to a church. In some ways, the cultural understanding of the word membership hinders our understanding of what a Christian's relationship to the local church should be. A huge point Leeman makes is: "Christians don't join churches; they submit to them." The local church is not intended by God to be a take it or leave it, come and go as you please social group. A church is an outpost or embassy of the kingdom of God. As such it is made up of citizens of God's kingdom who represent Him here on earth. All those who identify themselves with Christ must necessarily also identify themselves with a local church. 

The book is very easy to read. The pages are small, so 132 pages is equivalent to about half that many in a normal size book. It is straightforward and will be transformative and shaping in the way you view membership to the local church as perhaps the most significant and distinct way you represent Jesus to the World. 

1 Chronicles 16:41

Today in my quiet time I read 1 Chronicles 16:41 and it almost left me speechless.  It says, "With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and expressly named to give thanks to the Lord, for His steadfast love endures forever." I don't think I have ever considered the significance of this verse before. The enduring and faithful love of God is so great that Israel had people assigned just to give thanks for it. That blew me away as I contrasted that idea with how often I neglect to be thankful for His love.

Further, this was happening before the cross.  Romans 5:8 could not be written yet.  "But God shows His love for us in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us." We have seen the love of God expressed in the sending of His Son. We have seen God's glory in His Son made flesh (John 1:14). We who are Christians have experienced the transformative power of the Gospel by the work of the Holy Spirit. How much more should we, a people not covered by the blood of bulls and goats but covered by the blood of Christ, continually give thanks to God. How much more should each of us consider ourselves as one "expressly named to give thanks to the Lord."

Book Review

God's Sovereignty in the Salvation of Men
Jonathan Edwards
Great Christian Books
48 Pages

There is no one I am aware of who makes the sovereignty of God appear so sweet and glorious as does Jonathan Edwards.  This doctrine is laced through all of his writings and is the focus of God's Sovereignty in the Salvation of Men.

The book is a little hard to read at the start. The older English is hard to understand on occasion and laying the foundation is a little tedious. It is work the work at the front to experience the glories of God's sovereignty explained in the last three chapters the way only Edwards can. Edwards argument is that God cannot do something that would damage any of His attributes. The way God keeps from injuring his attributes in saving men is through the sufferings of Christ.

"It is sufficient testimony of God's abhorrence against event the greatest wickedness that Christ, the eternal Son of God, died for it."

"Let the contempt be ever so great, yet if so honourable a person as Christ undertakes to be a Mediator for the offender, and the mediation suffer in his stead, it fully repairs the injury done to the majesty of heaven by the greatest sinner."

"Justice cannot require any ore for any man's sins, than those sufferings of one of the persons in the Trinity, which Christ suffered. "

The final chapter asks, "Why does God exercise His sovereignty?" The answer is fairly simple: God's design is to manifest to his creation the glory of each of His attributes through the exercise of them. "He glorifies His power in the exercise of power. He glorifies His mercy in the exercise of mercy. So he glorifies his sovereignty in the exercise of sovereignty. In the case of sovereignty, the greater the being it is exercised over, the greater the glory of the sovereignty. "God's sovereignty over men appears glorious, that it extends to everything that concerns them" even the destiny of their souls. Edwards puts it best in saying, "The infinite greatness of God, and His exaltation above us, appears in nothing more, than in His sovereignty."

To some this is a fearful thought. And the truth is that "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10:31). Yet, with David we can say, "Let me fall into the hand of the Lord, for His mercy is very great"           (1 Chronicles 21:13). 

Edwards conclusion is ultimately a hopefully one. "God can bestow mercy upon you without the least prejudice to the honor of His holiness, which you have offended, or to the honour of His majesty, which you have insulted, or of His justice, which you have made your enemy, or of His truth, or of any of His attributes. Let you be what sinner you may, God can, if He pleases, greatly glorify Himself in your salvation." And that should be our joy: God's glory.

Therefore, "Let us with the greatest humility adore the awful and absolute sovereignty of God."

Book Review

The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God
D. A. Carson
Crossway Books
84 Pages

I just finished reading The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God by D. A. Carson. It was incredible, and I recommend you add it to the top of you "must read" list.

The title may catch you off guard, because we often think of the love of God as a doctrine that is easy to grasp. "God is love" (1 John 4:8) seems pretty simple and straightforward. But when you look deeper, the love of God can be difficult to understand. Dr. Carson does a phenomenal job of walking the reader though the five different ways God shows His love in the Bible and the way His love is intimately tied to other elements of His character such as justice, holiness, and sovereignty. Carson also emphasizes that to hold to any one expression of God's love disproportionate to the others will hinder correct thinking about God's character.

The book is only 84 pages but is loaded with truth on every page. I found it extremely helpful in the way I think about God and His love; I think you will also. It is definitely worth reading.

A Poem for Hardship

I wrote this poem for my friend as she went through an incredible hardship related to her mom's health.

God's Light Shines

Where do you turn when you are hit

With something so unexpected?

One moment everything is great

But next come words that you hate

To hear, words that are injected

With this: The world is an obit.

“Something is wrong!” the world screams,

And times like these bring that into

Clearer focus. This reminds one

Of the groanings of creation

Waiting for all to be made new.

Sometimes life seems like our worst dreams.

But in the midst of oppressive

Darkness, there shines forth a light that

Will not fade from the believers

View. Even though he a griever

Be, with emotions that are matte,

God’s light shines, greater joy to give.

That greater joy is found in Christ

And the knowledge that his sovereign

Goodness labors to magnify

His name and cause us to rely

On Him. Only there does our ken

Expand to find joy in any price.