Welcome to the World of a Pastor

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Pastoral Theology Course Notes
Lesson Nineteen

Lesson One
Lesson Two
Lesson Three
Lesson Four
Lesson Five
Lesson Six
Lesson Seven
Lesson Eight
Lesson Nine
Lesson Ten
Lesson Eleven
Lesson Twelve
Lesson Thirteen
Lesson Fourteen
Lesson Fifteen
Lesson Sixteen
Lesson Seventeen
Lesson Eighteen
Lesson Nineteen
Lesson Twenty
Lesson Twenty-one
Lesson Twenty-two
Lesson Twenty-three
Lesson Twenty-four
Lesson Twenty-five
Lesson Twenty-six
Lesson Twenty-seven

Whatever Happened to Being "Blameless"

This week I received word about Pornography from the internet being found on Pastor ______'s (an Independent Baptist Church) computer by his youth pastor. The Pastor said he was just doing research to see how easy it is for children to get into pornography (Romans 16:19, "but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil."). By the time the whole situation had shook itself out, the youth Pastor of the Church, the song leader of the Church, and a few families were no longer in that Church. It's sad but stories like this are commonplace today. Whatever happened to the idea of being "blameless"? What about personal holiness and separation in the leadership of our churches and ministries? Dr. Mike Allison lamented recently, "the problems in Washington would not exist if The Pulpits of America were doing their job." But they are not! Could it be that our weak, nominal living has produced weak nominal preaching, that has then produced weak nominal churches? D. L. Moody said, "A holy life will produce the deepest impression. Lighthouses blow no horns; they only shine." Let's take a closer look at blamelessness:

( I ) The Affect of Preachers who aren't Blameless

When the men of God are not blameless they won't cry aloud and spare not. No doubt the pulpits of America are cooler today than they have ever been because we can't preach on what we are guilty of. The call to preach is a call to be pure, to be blameless. The pulpit has no influence because our conscious will not allow us to preach what we don't live. Matthew 5:13 says, "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men."

( II ) The Affections of People who aren't Blameless

A tree always falls the way it's leaning. The scripture says to; "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. - Colossians 3:2" If there ever was an hour when this needed to be practiced it is right now. What a sad hour when "the level" has been lowered to place where the average preacher lives no differently than the average member. Blamelessness is not an option we choose, it is a command. I Timothy 3:2 says, "A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach."

( III ) The Afterthoughts of Preparation for staying Blameless

I realize I am no better than anyone else. "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." -- Proverbs 16:18. I'm sure most men who fell by the wayside never thought it would be them. Little things slipped -- Devotions, Private Prayer, Staying under Preaching, and Recognition of our limitations. The standard of Blamelessness can't be lowered it must be raised. America needs Holy Men of God, not more excuses and blame. Take the time to walk with God. Don't be causality. God often brings humiliation upon us to rebuke us for our sinful pride. When confronted with "thou art the man", we are given the choice of confessing our condition or having the Lord deal with us after our sin.