Christ-Centered Pastoring

There was a small, country church where a middle-aged pastor took charge of the ministry, Pastor Well-loved. He had a few years of experience in ministry and loved his church. The church, a staple in the community, had been there for many years. Most of the members of the congregation had grown up in the church, as did their parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents.

The church loved their pastor. He was a good man, maybe a bit odd at times, but he did not preach too hard or too long. When they left church, they felt lighthearted and safe. He was a good story teller, entertaining, and boy could he tell a joke. He always helped them be better citizens and more moral in their living.

The church especially loved that their pastor was community oriented. He loved showing up to various events, always sporting his church shirt so everyone knew what church he represented. He made every effort to focus on birthdays, anniversaries, and other celebrations.

The pastor also enjoyed popularity in the church and the community because he was very careful about what he preached and what he told people. He shied away from talk about sin and focused more on being loving people.

Years past, and the church continued as it was, a staple in the community pastored by an ever-aging, never-too-preachy, supportive man.

On his grave was written these words, “A man who loved his church.”

Another pastor, just in the next town over, take charge of the ministry of that church about the same time as Pastor Well-loved. His name was Pastor Him-Focused. He also had a few years of experience, and the church he pastored as also a staple of the community, filled with many families who likewise grew up in the church.

The church loved their pastor. He was also a good man, very odd at times, but he did not preach fluff or Mayberry-style sermons. When they left church, they felt in awe at the power, majesty, and grace of God. He was a terrible story teller, not at all entertaining, and more often than not his jokes landed flatter than something very flat.

His weaknesses aside, he always help the church be better Christians as he constantly pointed them back to Christ.

The church especially loved that their pastor was community oriented. He loved encouraging them to reach out to their neighbors with Christ’s Gospel. He made efforts to remind them of Christ’s love, His grace, and His forgiveness, and sought the church to bring that to the community.

The pastor also enjoyed popularity in the church and the community because he was very careful about what he preached and what he told people. He preached Christ, at times warning the church and at times teaching the church, always aiming to seem them become more like Christ.

Years past, and the church continued as it was, a staple in the community pastored by an ever-aging, always Christ-centered, shepherding man.

On his grave was written these words, “A man who loved his Christ.”

This story is, obviously, an fictitious account meant to contrast the good work of one pastor and the pathetic work of the other. And by the way, the first pastor is the pathetic pastor. You see, we learn in our passage today that…

When Jesus is first, pastoring centers on Christ.

Pastors are not called to please people, to make people feel good, or to have everyone love them. Pastors are called to be Christ-centered, that is everything they do stems from a deep and ever growing relationship with Christ, all of their ministry points toward and is sustained by Christ, and their goal is to see people become like Christ.

We will see this very truth in the two verses before us, and consider how you all as a church should apply this truth.

I. CHRIST IS THE SUBJECT OF THEIR PREACHING- 1:28a

“We proclaim Him” are words that could be our motto. We preach, we proclaim, we announce Jesus Christ. He is the Subject of preaching. What does that mean?

A. IT MEANS THE PASTOR PREACHERS THE WHOLE CHRIST FROM THE WHOLE OF SCRIPTURE

Back in 1:26, we read about a mystery that was revealed to Paul. This mystery was the promise of the Gospel, initially given in Genesis 3:15, and typified and shadowed throughout the Old Testament through people, places, and things.

An easy example that we could use is in Numbers 21:6–9. Israel again complains against God, and God judges Israel by sending the fiery serpents. God gave Israel a way to receive healing, by looking at this bronze serpent hanging on a pole.

There are so many pointers to Christ, we could spend months looking at them, Matthew 13:52 “52 And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.””

B. IT MEANS THE PASTOR PREACHES CHRIST’S MESSAGE TO CHRIST’S PEOPLE

“We proclaim Him,” not our own thoughts, our own agendas, or our own interests. Christ-centered pastors preach Christ’s message, given to us in Sacred Scripture. Christ wants to use His Word and the Spirit of God to bring the people of God to the likeness of Christ.

When Jesus is first, pastoring centers on Christ, including their preaching. But it is not just the content of the preaching that Christ affects, it is also their manner of preaching.

II. CHRIST IS THE MANNER OF THEIR PREACHING- 1:28b

The preaching a pastor engages in should reflect the One for whom he is preaching. Christ provides us with a beautiful example of this in His own earthly ministry. In Christ’s preaching, He warned people (admonishing) and He educated people (teaching). Christ-centered pastors should follow their Lord and Savior.

A. CHRIST-CENTERED PREACHING WARNS

One chapter of the Gospel of Matthew serves as an excellent example. In Matthew 23 Jesus blisters the Pharisees for the self-righteousness. He warned them, strongly warned them.

But perhaps that is an extreme example. Christ also warned those who followed Him as well. Consider for example his admonishment to stay faithful in the midst of persecution in Matthew chapter 10.

At times His warning is harsh, at other times it is gentle. He is the perfect Savior, always applying the right amount of sternness with the perfect amount of grace, which should not surprise us in the least, since He is “full of grace and truth,” as John records in John 1:14.

Christ-centered pastors have to warn as well, but as you now by experience, we do not do this perfectly like Christ. So, on behalf of other preachers, when we fail to warn in a Christlike way, remember that we, too, are on our way to Christlikeness.

But do not forgot that Christ commands His pastors to warn His people.

B. CHRIST-CENTERED PREACHING EDUCATES

Christ also taught. In fact, He is often called Teacher and Rabbi, all giving the same connotation of teaching.

That is why both of these actions, admonishing and teaching, are flavored with that phrase “with all wisdom.” It takes great wisdom, God-given wisdom, to know when to admonish and when to teach.

But what is the Christ-centered pastor’s goal?

III. CHRIST IS THE GOAL OF THEIR PREACHING- 1:29

The purpose for Paul’s proclaiming Christ is “that we may present every man complete in Christ.” That is, perfect, like, Romans 8:28–29 type language of conformity toward Christ.

For the Christ-centered pastor, he is not necessarily concerned about your happiness, or your wealth, or even your physical health. All of those things are good and true, but they are all shaded with Christ.

A Christ-centered pastor wants you to find your happiness in Christ.

A Christ-centered pastor wants you to use your wealth, whether little or much, for Christ’s glory.

A Christ-centered pastor wants you to hold on to your physical health loosely, knowing that Christ has a purpose for the good health and the ill.

A Christ-centered pastor works to encourage Christ-centered people.

IV. CHRIST AND THE CHURCH

Three times Paul includes the phrase “every man.” He is laboring mightily, which conveys intense, difficult work requiring all of his might (might which comes through Christ, by the way!).

He is laboring for the Church. But in our last point I want to shift the focus from the Christ-centered pastor to the Christ-centered church. What I want to do is provide specific things you can do to be better Christ-centered individuals. Let me say, all of these are based on a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. If you are not saved, let me know and we can talk about your relationship with Christ.

A. Remember that just as you are a growing saint, so too is your Christ-centered pastor

B. Be teachable and humble during the public preaching and private exhortation of your Christ-centered pastor

C. Actively serve the body of Christ as God has made and equipped you