How to Tell if Your Pastor is Legit

I recently heard a pastor being described with what was one of the strangest things you can say about a pastor. And the same phrase came from several people. I am not bashing the guy. He’s got a thriving ministry and is an excellent speaker. These people describing him were big fans, anyways. I just thought the way he was described was rather... unusual.

He’s not a people person.

He’s not a people person?!

About the third time I heard it, whoever told me elaborated on it a bit. He doesn’t really do the “people” stuff. He is sort of detached from the people. All he really does is speak.

I don’t really know the guy, and I don’t know if any of this is true. But here is what I do know: I never want anyone to describe me that way.

Many pastors in our day seem to care about the polished sermons, popularity, entertaining people, or being revered. But Biblically, there is one thing the pastor should care about more than just about anything: the church, that is, the people. We see this in the heart of Paul throughout our 1 Thessalonians study. Thankful for you, praying for you, love you like a mother, give ourselves for you, love you like a father, couldn’t wait to see you again, you are our crown of boasting, we feel so alive knowing that you are standing strong... (See chapter 1:3-4, 2:7-12, 17, 19, 3:5-10.) You can’t miss the fact that Paul as Pastor loved the Lord, loved the Gospel... and loved the church.

Not just in 1 Thessalonians, either. Look at 2 Corinthians 11:28-29: And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?

This comes on the tail end of Paul describing how he has been shipwrecked, imprisoned, and beaten. And he is saying, “That stuff is the least of my worries! My concern is for the church!”

One chapter later in 2 Corinthians 12:15, he says, I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. Notice Paul isn’t complaining about OT (overtime, not Old Testament) or difficult people or not getting his day off. He was glad to pour himself out, to work to exhaustion – for the sake of their souls. That’s the heart of a legit pastor.

Let’s get real. Sermons may flop. Potlucks may be a let down. The Christmas service may not have been to your liking last year. But if you are looking for real criteria to properly evaluate your pastor, here is a great place to start: Does he love his people?

The Sermon that Took 20 Years to Prepare

Twenty years. Two decades. It represents half of my life. The first half and the second as different as night and day, hot and cold... dead and alive.

When I came to Christ in 1995, I was 20 years old. A stranger led me to Christ. Not a pastor. Not sitting in church. Just a stranger who loved the Lord and shared the Gospel with me.

I don’t know why this “half my life” thing is hitting me so hard, but it is. Maybe it is because of how radically I was changed way back then. Maybe it is because I was expecting to be more mature at this point.

So to commemorate 20 years of walking with Christ, here are 20 things I’ve learned in the last 2 decades being born again. Have I mastered these? No. I’ve learned some things along the way that Christ continues to work on in me. This is in random order.

1. The more I learn, the more I see how much I don’t know. God’s Word is amazing. It’s only “one book," but the more I study this “one book” the more profound it becomes.

2. God calls people that I wouldn’t have picked. Looking at the several billion people on earth in 1995, I should have been the LAST person the Lord called to follow Him.

3. God is faithful even when I am not. I have blown it. I have failed. I have let people down. God is very much opposite of that. Always.

4. People matter. I spent a long time running on “the mission matters, the mission matters”. It does. But it only matters when people matter. And I have wrongly avoided loving people at times because I thought I was doing the mission.

5. Taking care of home must come before taking care of church. 1 Timothy 3:4-5 is pretty clear on that. I’m starting to get it.

6. I have needed to forgive much. But I have needed to be forgiven more. I have managed to fail in my relationships with just about everyone. I have been shown much grace. I wish I could reflect the same.

7. I tend to over-promise and under-deliver. I don’t know 20 things. I’m still learning, though.

BUT this Sunday, I WILL share something very personal I have learned along the way – some things I wish someone had told me 20 years ago. It’s all about the trials of life. Stuff every Christian needs to know... sooner is much better than later. And it’s all in 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:5. Please join us.

p.s. - here’s to learning 7 more things in the next 20 years!

Haggai 101

During the month of May, we are walking through the book of Haggai. This will give you the context of the book to help you better understand the significance of what the prophet wrote. I believe the message in Haggai is the message the church, our church, needs desperately to hear.

Haggai is the next-to-the-next-to last book in the OT. It is a post exilic writing. What does that mean?

After Solomon’s reign, Israel divided into 2 parts, the Northern Kingdom (keeping the name Israel) and the Southern Kingdom (called Judah). Because both parts persisted in sin, God promised judgment in the form of conquest by another nation. This would put the Jews in exile, out of their own land.

In 720 BC, Northern Israel was conquered by the Assyrians.

In 586 BC, Southern Israel, Judah, was conquered by the Babylonians.

But God did not forget His promise to Israel to possess the land, so in 536 BC, the Jews began to return to their land from exile. How? Persia became the new world power (539 BC), and King Cyrus considered a defeated people would be glad to serve if in their own land. So he allowed the Jews to return. About 50,000 did in the first wave, led by a civil leader and a religious leader (Zerubbabel and Joshua the high priest, respectively).

Much rebuilding needed done to their homeland, especially rebuilding the Temple, the Old Testament House of God. In 536 BC, the foundation of the Temple was laid, but the work stopped just 2 years into the project.

What’s the big deal with the Temple being rebuilt? First of all, it is the focal point of Israel’s worship. Neglecting the Temple shows that worship is being neglected. Secondly, this Temple would eventually be a place Jesus would minister, and it carries much significance surrounding the events of His life and work.

In 520 BC, after 14 years of looking at an unfinished Temple, the Lord speaks through the prophet Haggai. The Israelites have put themselves and their comfort ahead of rebuilding the Temple, the place representing God’s presence among them.Their priorities have gotten really off kilter, and that is what the book of Haggai is about.

Is God, and the things of God, a priority? Or have you made yourself, your comfort, your desires, a priority over God?

When you make yourself the priority, everything falls apart, but when God is at the center, He blesses as only He can. God has the answer that turns everything around. Because He Himself is the answer.

So, to summarize:

720 BC - Assyrians conquer Israel (Northern Kingdom)

586 BC - Babylonians conquer Judah (Southern kingdom of Israel)

539 BC - Persians conquer Babylonians

538 BC - Jews allowed to return to their land

536 BC - Foundation of the Temple laid

534 BC - Building of the Temple stops

520 BC - Haggai calls the Jews to rebuild the Temple - the LORD is the priority!

516 BC - The Temple is completed

2014 AD - Harvest Bible Chapel Pittsburgh North reads the book of Haggai and examines her own priorities

p.s. - Make coming to Harvest a priority for this series on priorities.

Jesus On Tour: The Prophecy of Denial (Mark 14:26-31) - Read before 2/15!

1 Corinthians 10:12: Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.

The Apostle Paul wrote this some time after the events of Mark 14:26-31. But I imagine Peter (and the other disciples), looking back, wished that he (they) heard this and took it to heart during this occasion.

And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

And Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away, for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.' But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee."

Peter said to him, "Even though they all fall away, I will not."

And Jesus said to him, "Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times." 

But he said emphatically, "If I must die with you, I will not deny you." And they all said the same. (Mark 14:26-31)

This passage comes right off of Mark’s recounting the behind-the-scenes events of Judas betraying Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. It seems that Judas wasn’t the only one who had loyalty issues. (You know how this passage turns out, right? Jesus was correct.) So what’s the difference between Peter (and co) and Judas?

Jesus gives a prophecy and a word of encouragement in the same sentence. Yes, they will fall away. But the promise of the Galilee rendezvous shows that they will be restored. There is a difference between someone who whole-heartedly rejects Jesus (Judas) and a believer who gets caught up in a moment of weakness. Peter’s denial of Jesus was an emotional response to a potentially dangerous situation. Wrong? Yes. Sinful? Yes. But much different than Judas, who we know was never really on board in the first place.

There is a word of caution here for all of us here. How many times have we denied our own potential for weakness? “Other people may fail God. But not me.” Look at the landscape of tragedy even in the church. Affairs. Theft. Gossip. Hatred. Abuse. “Other people may fall in these areas, but I would never!” Making that statement, or even thinking it… you are now in Peter’s shoes from this passage. And the people who DID fall, who sinned, who you are comparing yourself to… they thought the same thing once upon a time, denying their own weakness.

The key here is humility. Pride says, “I am stronger than the average guy. I cannot be tempted as others are.” Humility says, “I am weak. I can be tempted. I am one bad decision away from seriously hurting myself and those around me.”

Humility. Walking with Christ, trusting His strength, one step at a time.