BLOG #8
PREACH AND TEACH TO CHANGE LIVES
Step 3: PROCLAIM A CLEAR MESSAGE (cont’d)
In our previous blog posting we wrote:
Layer 2 and Layer 3 may roughly be described as focused on discipleship or Christian growth. Please notice that Layer 1 and Layer 2 both cover the whole period of the Christian journey from beginning to end, from spiritual babyhood to spiritual parenthood (please see top half of our diagram). This means that these two emphases are constant and on-going. In contrast, there are seasons and situations when you need to focus on REPROOF or CORRECTION or TRAINING or EQUIPPING as the need arises, but Layer 1 and Layer 2 will always be in view.
LAYER 3: REPROOF, CORRECTION, TRAINING, EQUIPPING
(1) How do we define and differentiate these four components of Layer 3 from each other? Actually, we need to define and differentiate the four in relation to DOCTRINE (TEACHING). Here’s a simple way to do it:
· DOCTRINE (TEACHING) tells the Christian what to be and where to go in his discipleship journey.
· REPROOF tells him to stop when he strays away from the straight and narrow path.
· CORRECTION tells him how to return to the straight and narrow path.
· TRAINING (INSTRUCTION) helps him to obtain the knowledge and to learn the skills, and develop the attitudes, and character qualities that will help him stay on the straight and narrow path.
· EQUIPPING provides him with the know-how and resources needed to serve God effectively.
(2) Let’s talk about REPROOF and CORRECTION. Again, let’s remind ourselves that we are communicating God’s message using two tracks: PREACHING TRACK and TEACHING TRACK.
(a) In delivering the message of REPROOF and CORRECTION the PREACHING TRACK is usually the more flexible vehicle; the pastor can easily decide to preach on a problem topic as the need arises. This is probably why the sermon is usually viewed by many as a tool for REPROOF and CORRECTION. In the Pilipino language we say, “Sinermonan niya ako” (He preached a sermon at me). The need for reproof and correction naturally arises when problems are observed in the lives of certain members or with the Christian congregation. However, we must always distinguish between problems that were already there before the person(s) became Christians and problems that have developed recently. We must also remember that Christ has provided very clear guidelines about how to reprove and correct a sinning brother or sister. We must never use the sermon as a substitute for following these clear guidelines. Let’s read Matthew 18:15-17:
15 “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ 17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.
(b) We know for a fact that every newborn again believer carries a lot of non-Christian baggage into his new Christian life; this is called the old life. Growth in discipleship is the process of learning to put off the old life and to put on the new life. Between the putting off and the putting on, the new Christian needs a lot of REPROOF and CORRECTION. How can this be done effectively and systematically? The TEACHING TRACK provides the reproof and correction as the new Christian goes through the normal course of discipleship studies. The PREACHING TRACK can also do this without being resented as “sermonizing” when the pastor preaches expositorily book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. For example, if a pastor preaches through the Book of 1 Corinthians he will have a lot of opportunity to deal with the many problems that Christians face in their journey of discipleship. When the pastor preaches on any of these problems he will not be accused of intentionally attacking any person because he is dealing with the problem as it happens to occur within the scripture passage under current study.
(c) Another proactive way to do REPROOF and CORRECTION is for the congregation to choose certain relevant topics to be studied by the whole church (or by certain groups within the church) through either the PREACHING TRACK or the TEACHING TRACK. For example, if the church decides to study the topic HOW TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE, this topic itself naturally includes dealing with very specific problems that threaten marriage.
(d) Of course, if a grievous problem occurs, which threatens the spiritual health of the congregation, the pastor must never be afraid to give the needed reproof and correction, albeit with all wisdom and Christian love. He must be wise and bold and zealous for the Lord like prophet Nathan was before the king himself (2 Samuel 12:1-14). Or like Paul with the Galatian Christians.
(3) Next, let’s deal with TRAINING (INSTRUCTION). As messengers we communicate the Word of God that will provide Christians with TRAINING (INSTRUCTION) IN RIGHTEOUSNESS. The original word is PAIDEIA, which literally means the nurturing and rearing and educating of a child for life. Indeed, the goal of Christian preaching and teaching is to change lives, lives which are characterized by righteousness, being right with God and right with people.
(a) To be effective our preaching and teaching must set before the people the WHAT of righteousness. They must have a clear picture of what a righteous life looks like. God Himself provided us with the PERFECT IDEAL, Christ Himself. This brings us back to what we said earlier: the main theme of the Old and New Testament is Christ, who He is, how He lived a perfect human life on earth, what He taught, what He accomplished through His death and burial and resurrection and ascension.
(b) Our preaching and teaching must also show the people the HOW of righteousness. When we tell them that the Christian must overcome temptation and sin, we must also show them how they can overcome temptation and sin and Satan. Christ gives us both the model and the method. We can take a passage like Matthew 4 about the temptation of Jesus, from there preach/teach both about the perfect Person of Jesus as the overcomer and about His sure-fire method of overcoming sin and temptation and Satan. The Bible gives us not only the positive HOW TO; it also gives us the HOW NOT TO. This is why the Holy Spirit inspired much of the Bible to be written in the form of stories, because these stories dramatize for us in very practical ways the HOW TO and HOW NOT TO. We have already talked about the Old Testament as essentially talking about Christ; what about those parts, specially the stories, that do not seem to talk about Christ? A couple of scripture passages give us the key to the practical use of the Old Testament stories:
1 Corinthians 10:6-11: 6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” 8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; 9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; 10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
Romans 15:3-4: 3 For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.” ] 4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
(c) This TRAINING (INSTRUCTION) aspect of preaching/teaching underlines the importance of the fourth component of effective communication in our model HEY! YOU… SEE? SO. Our preaching/teaching must always contain practical, relevant, do-able suggestions about what our hearers can do in order to apply and obey the truth we have just preached/taught them.
(d) What we said above primarily deals with TRAINING in the sense of making the sermon or Bible study relevant and applicable to daily life. But training also involves the impartation of SKILLS. For example, here are some basic skills that a disciple must learn: Quiet Time (Devotional Time); preparing and giving a personal testimony; giving a Gospel presentation (Roman Road, Bridge Illustration, 4 Laws, Gospel Hand); etc. My Navigator mentor shared with me an approach to training, which I will share in a separate blog posting.
(e) But how do you train disciples to develop GODLY CHARACTER QUALITIES? Obviously, you must first preach/teach on these qualities. After that, how does a disciple receive training in these qualities? One way that I learned from the Navigators was getting disciples involved in a project or work training program in which they have the opportunity to practice the qualities in their relationship with each other. For example, one time we got a group of guys to repaint and refurbish the apartment in which one of our Bible study members lived. I can’t remember exactly now but this project lasted probably about two weeks. You can be sure that we had lots of opportunities to practice the qualities of hard work, faithfulness and excellence in the work we did, patience, understanding, cheerfulness, helpfulness, etc. Godly character qualities are learned in real life situations, whether in programmed training programs or in the ordinary course of living.
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