03/02/2018
Saturday, February 3
SLAUGHTERED PREACHER
Food for Thought
PASTORS WHO PREACH GOD’S WORD NEED A GOOD WORD FROM GOD’S PEOPLE
The Day’s Reading: Psalm 102- 104
The Day’s Devotional Text:
Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. (Heb 13:17).
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People who slaughter their preacher for Sunday dinner need a change of diet. And a pastor who verbally chews up his congregation needs to look again at his mission. A caring preacher will build up his church, and a caring church will build up its preacher.
In Hebrews 13:17, church leaders are called to watch over their flock as those who must give account before God. That’s a tall order, but it’s what God appoints them to do. And in the same verse, members of the congregation are reminded of their responsibility. They are told to let their leaders be leaders. They are to be submissive to them and open to their correction, so that their leaders will have joy rather than grief as they seek to be faithful in carrying out their God-appointed duties.
How tragic that many congregations have never learned this! Six days a week they may criticize their pastor and on the seventh day listen negatively as he preaches his heart out. Then they go home and have their favorite Sunday dinner not slaughtered chicken, but slaughtered preacher.
Instead of devouring one another, we should find joy in seeing pastor and their people being nourished and fed by one another.