Dustin Ordination Sermon

INTRODUCTION:

Dustin - much of your mentoring happened with Pastor David over the last many months.

I wish he was able to be here tonight to offer this charge as he has many more years of pastoral wisdom to offer and some things he’s uniquely positioned to say that I’m less positioned to do.

However, from the day we first met and discussed your call to ministry I knew without a shadow of a doubt that you were the real deal and that God’s call on your life was genuine and your passion for ministry the same.

During my ordination service my pastor said something along the lines of “We have too many ‘momma called, poppa sent’ preachers out there and it’s been a harm not a help to the local church.

I think I know what he was trying to say by that but the larger point is pastoral ministry isn’t something you can do FOR someone else. It has to be something you in obedience to GOD’S CALL and nobody else’s.

Why Titus

As I thought about what I should share with you tonight I struggled to identify one singular passage. There are so many good passages about the role of pastoral ministry and the uniqueness of the burden you are about to embrace.

But after some consideration I landed on the book of Titus chapter 1. Listen to Paul’s words to this young pastor.

Titus 1:5–9 (ESV)

5 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— 6 if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. 7 For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, 8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. 9 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

The reason I selected Titus for this charge - even though it’s not as comprehensive as the other passages or as specific to ordination as some others - it’s lays out in a very practical way the ESSENCE of pastoral ministry.

There are many things you’ll end up doing as a pastor. But there’s only ONE thing central to pastoral ministry.

I heard a message by John Piper one time that summed it up in three words: Leading Through Feeding.

The central work of the pastor is leading by feeding.

Leading Through Feeding

When you read this passage in Titus, it opens and closes with those two basic ideas.

First, we see leadership.

He tells Titus that the reason he left him in Crete was so that HE as a leader could raise up and appoint other elders to serve as leaders in the church. As a leader Titus was to “set things right.”

He was to take the chaos and bring it into order. To take that which was deviating from God’s design and bring it back into alignment with God’s design.

But pastoral ministry isn’t just leadership. It’s a particular TYPE of leadership inextricably linked with a particular TOOL for how to exercise it in the local church: teaching the Word of God.

Ergo the three words: leading through feeding.

Jesus & Peter

You can take this all the way back to the Gospels in the conversation between Peter and Jesus post-resurrection. Peter reeling from his moral failure in denying Christ.

Do you remember the question Jesus asks and the three directives Jesus gives?

John 21:15–17 (CSB)

15 When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.”

“Feed my lambs,” he told him.

16 A second time he asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.”

“Shepherd my sheep,” he told him.

17 He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was grieved that he asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.”

“Feed my sheep,” Jesus said.

Jesus uses two words to describe the restoration of Peter’s ministry. Feed and Shepherd.

Bosko - means to graze or feed the sheep. It can be taken as “tend to” in a general sense but it’s specifically about feeding.

Poimen - means to shepherd or pastor. Sometimes it’s translated “to rule” because it’s focused on the leadership responsibility of the shepherd in tending for his sheep.

In other words, “leading through feeding.”

Paul & Titus

If you look back in Titus, this idea is what’s behind the qualifications for pastoral leadership. Paul lists off a variety of character qualifications.

Blameless

Not arrogant

Not hot-tempered

Not an excessive drinker

Not a bully

Not greedy for money

Hospitable

Loving the good

Sensible

Righteous

Holy

Self-Controlled

Then, in verse 9 he gives the purpose statement for why pastors need to be these kind men.

They must be men “holding to the faithful message as taught so that....”

They might encourage people with sound teaching and

Refute those who contradict it.

Again - the core responsibility of pastoral ministry is inextricably linked with the Word of God: teach it, encourage people with it and rebuke those who contradict it.

The reason for these character qualifications is because a pastor who doesn’t have a life that is shaped by the Word doesn’t have the credibility to teach that Word to others.

He doesn’t have the moral authority to rebuke those who contradict it when his character is a living contradiction of the same.

So I’m not going to spend time going through each of these character qualifications other than to say, “keep a close eye on your LIFE and your DOCTRINE” because your primary responsibility as a pastor is to lead God’s people through feeding God’s people. (1 Timothy 4:16)

Pastors & Deacons: Acts 6

The last thing I’ll point in establishing this main point is the early church in the book of Acts.

Acts 6 describes how the early church instituted deacons to come alongside the pastors in ministering to the church.

Those who serve as deacons in Acts 6 require the same moral character as the pastors and/or apostles. They needed to be full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom and have a good reputation with those inside and outside of the church.

But their primary purpose was in “waiting tables” and helping to meet the “practical needs” of the local church SO THAT the apostles could more fully devote themselves to “prayer and the ministry of the Word.” (Acts 6:4)

This doesn’t mean that Pastors don’t take care of people’s practical needs in the local church.

Like I said earlier - there are SO MANY things you will do as a pastor and SO MANY ways that you’ll minister to people’s needs.

It can be many MORE things than leading through feeding - but IT MUST NOT BE LESS.

Pastoral Epistles

When you look at the qualifications for Pastors and Deacons in 1 Timothy 3 the moral qualifications are almost exactly the same.

Above reproach/blameless

Faithful in marriage (husband of one wife)

Effective in managing his home (dignified children)

Respected (inside & outside the church)

Self-controlled, Sensible & Wise

Knows and lives the Word (no hypocrisy)

Not greedy or an excessive drinker

Has a tested and proven faith in Christ

The difference isn’t on the kind of men that they are but the kind of task they are to carry out.

Those who aspire the office of pastor must be “able to teach.” (1 Timothy 3:2)

The must be able to “encourage with sound teaching and rebuke those who contradict it.” (Titus 1:9)

When Paul described his Pastoral Ministry to the church in Ephesus his summary statement was Acts 20:25-27

Acts 20:25–27 (ESV)

25 And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. 26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, 27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

Leading through feeding.

Then his final exhortation to the pastors who were going to step up in his absence was to be on guard against FALSE teachers who were going to come in like wolves and attempt to destroy the church by distorting the truth.

Shepherds & Under-shepherds

Here’s the way I like to think about it. The senior pastor is not the “senior leader” or “chief officer” in the church. That title belongs to Christ and Christ alone.

Jesus is the head of the local church because Jesus is the head of everything. He’s the center.

But Jesus is in heaven. So he has given the keys of his kingdom authority to the local church and the church is to exercise that authority under his Lordship and will.

In the design of God, local church continue the ministry of Christ and are entrusted with the authority of Christ. That’s an AWESOME trust and responsibility.

So how will we know what Jesus does and does not want? How will we discern whether we are walking in his will?

Through his Word.

That’s why the Lord Jesus gives every local church a local church PASTOR who’s main responsibility is to get into this Word and represent it’s truth to God’s people so they can continue Christ’s ministry and exercise his Kingdom authority.

Practical Considerations

So with this in mind, I want to offer some friendly advice on how to make what’s central to your pastoral calling central to your pastoral ministry.

Engage God’s Word Personally

If it doesn’t start there it won’t go anywhere else with power and affect.

Learn to pray the Word of God on a regular basis. Learn to meditate on and memorize the Word of God. Let it become an extension of your personality and character. When people cut you - bleed Christ and his Gospel.

If it doesn’t transform your life then you won’t be able to lead your family and that’s the beginning of a loss of pastoral credibility.

Live out God’s Word with Integrity

We’ve already addressed this some. But truly embrace God’s Word as a lamp unto your feet and light unto your path.

We will never be a perfect example of Christlikeness but we can be a living example of humility and dependance on Christ and a life that is lived in complete surrender to his purpose and will for our life.

Preach God’s Word Expositionally

If you really believe God speaks through his Word then let it shape the way you preach your sermons.

Don’t preach yourself. Preach Christ and the Cross through every page of Scripture. Your authority is his authority when you establish it in the Word.

Prioritize God’s Word Ecclesiastically

Let the Word craft your approach to Christian Counseling. There are all sorts of philosophies out there. There will be those who say the Bible isn’t “sufficient” for certain needs. They’re wrong. It is. Don’t add the Bible to a secular counseling philosophy. Build it from the Word up.

Let the Word create genuine Christian Community. Nothing builds, sustains and replicates true Christian community better than the Word of God being at the center of that community.

The the Word shape the songs and prayers of the congregation. There are a host of options for church music out there and not all are created equal. If you want “Spirit-filled” worship through music then you needs Word-centered songs and prayers.

Let the Word be the filter and the power behind your missions and evangelism. (not just good deeds but a “better word) There is a LOT of need in the world but solutions that don’t established local churches that are centered on the Word are at best a band-aid. When you put the Word center then Jesus will continue to ministry long after your mission teams leave.

Defend God’s Word Courageously

Word is a Lion - Let it’s out of it’s cage.

Don’t misunderstand the quote. Too often we water down the Word, apologize about the Word, put ourselves in judgment over the word.

Those who believe and defend God’s Word in this culture are going to be a minority and invite persecution and hardship. Stand strong! Don’t shrink back. Defend God’s Word.

2 Timothy 3:12–17 (ESV) 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it...

Envision God’s Word Christologically

I once had a professor who said, “We must never speak about the written Word of God without also envisioning the Living Word of God. And we must never speak about the living Word of God (Jesus) without also envisioning the written Word of God.”

The unreligious and Christian liberals often promote Christ but not as he’s presented in the Scripture. That kind of preaching has no power. On the other end you have the legalistic and super religious who preach Scripture more than they preach the person and work of Christ. (Father, Son & Holy Bible)

They must never be divorced. The Word is given to reveal CHRIST and Christ was sent to reveal the Father. The Word of God is a living Word because it is inextricably linked with it’s author (the Holy Spirit) and its supreme end (The Lord Jesus Christ).

When you envision God’s Word in that way it changes the way you read it, it changes the way you preach it, it changes your reasons for unleashing it and defending it and it’ll more likely change your life and the lives of those you lead.

Abide in God’s Word Continually

John 15:7–8 ESV

7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.