Be Watchful

An exhortation for us pastors:

Paul commanded Timothy to be watchful in all things (2Tim 4:5). Pastors have a great responsibility to know the affairs of two kingdoms. I am aware that some pastors have not had the time to become aware of certain terms/concepts/movements nor have been able to engage in a global discussion via blogs that has been going on for the last couple of years with pastors, theologians, and church planters. Much of the best information has not been published in books but has been published on the internet. In fact, immediate criticism and critiques are possible because of the nature of the internet medium and thus we pastors have the opportunity to expose heresies much quicker than in the past. On the other hand, pastors are becoming more knowledgeable of spiritual movements within the church, are learning how to communicate the gospel to our immediate context, and are networking together and thereby strengthening one another. There was a day when pastors said to themselves upon reading a certain book or hearing a certain conference speaker, “I wish I had read/heard that five years ago. I would have been a more effective pastor.” That happens less and less today because God has blessed us with a means to read what the great writers are writing before they publish it. We are able to listen to great preachers in conferences we could never attend. We are even able to listen to the preaching of hundreds of local pastors as they expound the Word and preach the gospel to our generation.

The Apostle Paul warned in Second Timothy that evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse (3:13) but God has blessed the Church with the greater and greater access to the Scripture (which is the antidote against the attacks of such evil — see 2 Tim. 3). To help the church combat the heresies of Roman Catholicism God had the church utilize the printed word (thanks to Wycliffe), during the last few hundred years the radio has been an effective tool in our hands, and today it is by far the internet. The simple fact is, because of the readiness of information today one can spend a mere 10 minutes a day reading a few of the most prominent blogs and find yourself more knowledgeable of complex issues facing the church. Think about it: if you watch the news or read a newspaper, you are spending time being aware of things in the kingdom of this world. Such is important but it is only half of our responsibility. With a few more minutes you can be aware of current issues within the Kingdom of God. Our great responsibility is to be watchful in all things that we can “be ready” to preach the word and bring to bear the wisdom of God upon the powers of this world (Eph. 3:10).