The preacher and his work. Billy Bland.

The textbook is a series of lectures in the Oklahoma Christian University by Jack Meyers:
practical warnings for preachers, what pitfalls are to be avoided.
A practical course: speak so that common people can understand.
What is my place in the congregation?
Preachers go from their education to local congregations: know your place in the
congregation, not everything depends on the preacher: the major responsibility is to preach.
You are not there to please the members: your job is not to make the members obey, but to
exhort them to do so.
A paid evangelist: a profession in which you need to spend time: people observe what you
do.
The job of the preacher was to change the hearts and minds of the society: a critical
political time. Preach against the mainstream.

A form of antiism: anti-located preacher: the refusal to have a paid local preacher: it is not a
sin not to have a paid preacher.
- Different forms of ministry: a paid preacher is an expedient.
- The church has the right to hire and fire a preacher.
You are a part of the work of the congregation.
Does the church have the Scriptural right to have a paid preacher?
1 Cor. 9:14 Paul had the Scriptural right to be paid for his work.
Elders that take the oversee of the congregation: the final decision is theirs to hire a located
preacher.
Objections: No NT example of a preacher located in a congregation: however, Paul in
Ephesus and Corinth stayed for a long time.
- Leave the judgement on the church and the preacher on how much time a preacher
should stay in a congregation.
As practiced today the preacher takes charge: that is an abuse of his work and that is not the
case for all preachers.
- The preacher is a leader but not the leader.
- Titus 1:5; 1 Tin 1:3: there is some leadership taken by the preacher: Set in order the
things in order to have elders at some point.

There is a form of antiism in which the preacher does not preach the gospel to the church
but only to the world, however, 1 Cor. 15:1-4; Rom. 6:17-18
The Gospel:
- Contains facts to believe.
- Contains commands to be obeyed Rom. 6:17-18
- Promises to be enjoyed.
Obedience is not legalism, since the heart is needed in the obedience, a legalist believes that
the mere doing of the law will suffice. Extremism is the problem: a person bound in antiism
when he leaves that position usually goes to the extremism of the liberal side.
Teach what is right to the congregation before judging them as antis or liberals.
Rom. 6:17: they obeyed a form of doctrine which was preached to them. The doctrine is
preached also to the world.
Preacher’s salary
Some would argue against a preacher having a settled salary or that the preacher becomes a
denominational pastor when he perceives a salary.
The work of the preacher and the work of the elder will overlap.

- Read continually the pastoral epistles: written for preachers.

The primary work of the preacher is with the word of God: 2 Tim. 4:1-2: the
seriousness of this charge, our preaching is first before God, it is in view of the judgement,
and before his kingdom.
Before all of this: preach the Word.
- The pulpit is not the place for opinions.
- It is not a place for uncertainties.
o Lack of knowledge
o Lack of conviction
- There is more in the Bible than one subject: do not get on a hobby.
- To preach the word we have to know the word: there has to be a time for study.
o Balance studying with other activities of the work.
There are other responsibilities but those should not drag us out of the word. There is a
precedent with the apostles and the widows at Jerusalem. Does not mean that it is
unimportant but there are other people that can do that.
Your concern is that the congregation is growing spiritually: not just the technical aspects
of the preaching, but the message itself is what is important.
Help developing work and leadership.
The preacher complements the work of the elders: These should not be rival roles. Make
them know that you are under their oversight.
Help coordinate the work of the church: Be proactive but make sure to be under the sight of
the elders. Do not try to go beyond their authority.
People will look for you: You are the most accessible person for the members of the
church. These are ways in which the church may grow. Make the elders know the work that
you are doing. Involve them and the deacons in the work: this can unite the church in work
and keep it from inner struggles.
Help to stimulate and promote the works of the congregation.

The preacher is a “specialist” and is full time devoted to the work of the church.
The preacher needs to be reminded that you are under the discipline and oversight of the
elders, if there are no elders do not think that you are the elder.

How to train and appoint elders:

- Make a special class for training leaders: people will say: “I can’t”, your job is to
make them try.
o Christian Leadership handbook. J. J. Turner.
o A study of Bible leaders – J. J. Turner.
o Leadership in church growth.
o Congregational development. Wilson.
- Select men that are the ones that take the decisions in the congregation.
- Make the congregation interested in the appoint the elders: some men will be
already working as elders without the name.
- Let the congregation “nominate” the qualified men, and make a committee that
review those selections.
- Ask them if they are willing to serve
- Tell the congregation to give Scriptural objections if they think the men are not
qualified. Make sure that those are completely scriptural.
- Appoint them.

What makes you decide for a congregation?

- Where can I be the most help.
- You can’t decide based on salary, but you must think on your family. Some
congregations will pay more but the truth is compromised.
o We can live within a budget.
- The number one criteria should be to be in a congregation fit the best for what you
can do.
- Battleground between professionalism and consecration.

The preacher and the family: it is important to stay in a congregation. Unruly children or a
bad marriage can “ruin” a preacher’s work.
The family should be an example: the family will be in the sight of the congregation.
A preacher’s family will be in the same problems as any other family but the preacher
should lead an example on how to deal with those problems. Live that which is preached.
The people will not hear a message from someone who does not practice what he says: the
actions can be louder than the words.

The “wife” of the preacher:

- She should be a Christian.
- She should be in sympathy with your work.
- Should not be domineering.
-
*** Five calls that one must answer:
- To life
- To death
- Resurrection
- Judgement
- The last you can answer it or not: the gospel

God’s calling:
- Imperatives plus promises
- Ultimate fulfillment
Abraham’s response
- His obedience is far greater than we usually think.
- He became a blessing to many.
Application
- 1 John 5:3 how many blessings come from obedience to just one command?
- Abraham’s faith: God was already in the land.
- Let God make your name great: worry about your name being great in the eyes of
God.

Child education:
- Teach them respect and direction.
- They will have friends but he needs parents.
Overlooked points:
- Attend all the services and be on time
 - Be careful in the treatment of the family in public.
Preacher’s obligations to the family:
- Avoid the extremes: not being there at all, not being able to be separate.

The preacher and his library:

- These are the tools that will help you and your preaching.
- Not necessary a large one but a good one.
- Great preachers of the past were known for their dedication to his personal studies.
- Through the reading of his books, we can converse with preachers of the past.
- Keep a fund for books in the budget
- Make a want list.
- SIL: Exegetical summary series.
- Seek guidance for those who know about books.
Content of the library:
- It will be determined by your interest.
- Materials that will help you to exegete the text.
- Reference books, commentaries, old standby; debate books, Wallace –
Loaning books has to be carefully.
Where to have your library? This is where you will pass much time. It has to be a place
where you will be productive. It is usually preferred to have it on the church building: more
productivity and accessibility; the church prepares a place for you.
A pro of having the library at home is that it gives you more access to your books any time.
But that is also your working place.
The work of studying:
- Study is indeed a work
- It is your number one work along with preaching.
- Preaching is the outgrow of studying.
- Studying does not apply to the lazy man.
- It is a different kind of work: some are hard workers in material stuff but can’t
spend time to study.
- There is a sense of accomplishment for one who is committed to study.
- Studying makes you enthusiastic about your preaching.
- One has to know his material in order to present it in a convincing way.
If you wait until the last moment to prepare your sermons will be shallow.
Organize your time for studying.
Pros of outlines:
- Organizes your thoughts.
- Deliver your sermons in more logical manner
- Helps the audience to grasp the topic.
Strive for simplicity in your outline: you don’t have to put every word but enough to
remember the points.
Do not be completely tied to your outline,
Try not to preach someone else’s outline: make it your own.
Consider your congregation’s needs and preach about them. Care for it and look for
solutions.

Preacher and recreation

- There are good and legitimate forms of recreation that might be helpful for the
preacher.
- Physical exercise is beneficial and necessary for the preacher.
- Do not neglect your health.
- Recreation for your mind: get away from pressures of the work.
- Do not use vacations to do gospel meetings.
- Recreation can help you take out your frustrations and protect the church and your
family.
The extreme is to neglect the work for your hobbies.

Special pitfalls
- False starts
o Being an excessive talker. Mat. 12:36-37.
o Talk about much about yourself.
o Looseness about talking of other people
o Taking sides in a personal conflict. Luke 12:13-14;
o A sarcastic attitude: being a jerk.
- Be humble
- Be appreciative.
We are not CEOs, we do not deserve special treatment.
- The preacher can be used against individuals
- Running with one person or group of people. You can have close friends, but
procure to be around all
o Avoid being with the close friends all the time
o Avoid being close with the people with money or without money.
Do not imitate other preachers.
Be careful in treating “women”. Be respectful and professional. Good common sense is
enough.

Be not tangled in unwise debates: do not provide an audience for false teachers.
Hobby riding or crusading for one issue.
Be around the people to know what the congregation needs to hear in the preaching.
Be negative in the times when you need to be negative. It is possible to run out a topic if
preached incorrectly and unwisely.

Length of the Sermon

25-30 minutes is the ideal: when you are through, quit. Organization is important: use the
material that you need, no more.
If the sermon is too long, make it a series.
Make sure that people are listening to the sermon.
It also depends of the skill of the speaker. Some could preach two or three hours.
Long sermons have some evils:
- Wear out the people
- Hurt the attendance
- Damage the good that other speaker can do.
Avoid catchphrases in the sermons.