A Minister Without Light and Heat (or What If Joel Osteen Was My Pastor)

Years ago, you would have found me reading books by Benny Hinn. He was kind of like Joel Osteen of today, except he threw in healings and a bit more of the Holy Spirit. He wore expensive suits and had sparkling white teeth, just like Joel, and the foundational teaching of his ministry was the same...more of ME and less of HIM. 

The flesh tells us those are the kinds of pastors we might like to hear each week. So encouraging. So positive. So "you can do anything." If you just believe more, if you just have more faith, then anything is yours. After all, what part of our flesh wants to hear about sin and brokenness and repentance and the gospel?

But feeding on such nonsense leaves you feeling as sick as a toddler who discovers the sugar bowl when no one is watching. Those first tastes are great, but afterwards he's left with pain and misery and a full stomach that couldn't feel emptier.

I found out on Saturday that my sister had been taken to the hospital the night before. She was found unconscious and was admitted to ICU and put on a ventilator. They diagnosed her with pneumonia, and praise God, she's improved since then and all looks well for now.

That news only intensified the place of mourning I was already in, not just for my sister's being so sick, but mourning for the wickedness that resides in me and for the pain and misery we all suffer and cause others to suffer because we're sinners. Anxiety and worry. Family feuds. Selfish choices. Broken fellowship. Ugly words. Grumbling spirits.

What comfort to know that when I walk through our church doors each Sunday, I'm blessed to hear the gospel truth, literally.

When my heart is overwhelmed, my pastor directs me to the Rock, not to the power of positive thinking. When adversity strikes, my pastor reminds me that this "three minutes underwater," as he calls it, is making me more like Christ and that His grace is sufficient. My troubles aren't the result of not thinking enough good thoughts or doing enough good deeds.

When I'm discouraged by my sin, my pastor doesn't encourage me to forget about it and go to my "happy place." He reminds me to fix my eyes on Christ and keep pressing on, knowing He is faithful to finish this good work in me. When I'm mourning over my sin and the sins of others, my pastor doesn't urge me to stop being so "negative," but instead reminds me that it is good to mourn and that in that mourning, I shall be comforted.

When I have sinned against others, my pastor doesn't indulge my petty and endless excuses but rather he calls me to repent and restore fellowship as far as is possible with me. When I'm tempted to surrender to my feelings, my pastor doesn't tell me to trust what's in my gut, but to hold fast to the Word of God, to train myself in godliness and choose what honors Him even though I don't feel like it.

My pastor doesn't sugarcoat this Christian life. Yes, it's full of JOY because we have Jesus and every day we have HOPE because of who we are in Him, but yes, it's full of pain and adversity and struggle because He is faithfully making us more like Christ, and making us like Christ happens more in our three minutes underwater than it does in our mountain top rejoicings. It happens in the dying to self and living for Christ, not in pursuing my best life now.

"If a minister has light without heat, and entertains his (hearers) with learned discourses, without a savour of the power of godliness, or any appearance of fervency of spirit, and zeal for God and the good of souls, he may gratify itching ears, and fill the heads of his people with empty notions; but it will not be very likely to reach their souls. And if, on the other hand, he be driven on with a fierce and intemperate zeal, and vehement heat, without light, he will be likely to kindle the like unhallowed flame in his people, and to fire their corrupt passions and affections; but will make them never the better, nor lead them a step towards heaven, but drive them apace the other way."
~Jonathan Edwards

Praise God for ministers who tell us what the gospel truth is each week and remind us they're preaching to themselves as well as to us, who have compassion on us and speak His truths in love, who desire to see us grow in godliness instead of self-satisfaction and self-indulgence.

Praise God for the merciful gift of pastors who shepherd us with "light in the mind and heat in the heart."

With love,
Trisha

**Edwards quote taken from Piper's Desiring God, phrase "heat in heat and light in mind" from Piper to describe Edwards' point