The Proclamation of the Truth

A number of days ago I posted on some the principles that I thought should guide pastoral ministry (again I should note: these are my current best attempts to address such principles). The first point- the preeminence of Christ- I posted more extensively on the other day. Tonight, I thought I'd give a bit of elaboration on my second point: the proclamation of the truth.

The pastor is to proclaim the truth about Christ. As a shepherd, he is to feed the flock of God with God's own Word. As an evangelist, he is to herald forth the only message that can bring life and immortality to light. Though everyone and everything should conspire against him in this task to make him quit it, he knows he is under divine mandate to persevere in this proclamation.

Two aspects make up this proclamation. The first is this: pastors are to preach the Word. That is, the pastor is to make it his aim to steadily, accurately, and courageously speak forth God's most excellent Word. It is through the Word preached that the Spirit gives new life. It is through this same Word that the Spirit causes this life to grow up into maturity, sanctifying and sustaining the believer until glory. Therefore, the pastor who would leave off teaching and proclaiming this Word cuts himself off from the very means God would have him employ to bring about these ends.

The second aspect related to the proclamation of the truth is this: the pedagogy of the saints. Pedagogy simply means teaching. Pastors should do what they can, not only to speak forth the Word, but also to educate the saints in all things relevant to the faith. Though above all else his ministry is that of the pure Word, still there is plentiful room in our churches for pastors who will teach the saints in a more didactic manner on such things as theology, interpretation of the Bible, and the history of the church, to name just a few possible areas of instruction. These things, too, fall under the heading of "truth" and assist in "renewing the mind" of the saints that they might more fully devote themselves as living sacrifices to their God.