Saturday, October 04, 2025
First Last
Matthew 19 and 20 The Last First, The First Last
ἐγόγγυζον Gonzo the Great!
Did you notice the order is reversed? : Matt 19:30 "But many who are first will be last, and the last first."
Matt 20:1,16 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard…. So the last will be first, and the first last."
Matt 20:1,16 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard…. So the last will be first, and the first last."
The parable is not about salvation but service. The denarius does not stand for salvation or eternal life, because salvation is not by good works (Eph. 2:8–9; Titus 3:5–6).
Christ is not talking about rewards for service. God will reward His own differently according to their service (1 Cor. 3:8; John 4:36). If the denarius stands for rewards, then God is not fair, for every worker got the same reward!
No this parable is about the motives of people's hearts. In fact it is about the response Peter asked after the Lord met the rich young ruler.
The rich young man who came to Jesus refused to give Him His all and follow the Lord Jesus. And he went away very disappointed. The rich young man had not forsaken everything to follow Jesus.
Then Peter said in reply, "See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?"
"when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."
"when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."
But the Lord detected in Peter's question a problem: There was some heart disease there. He was serving Christ for what he Peter would get out of it!
So the Lord Jesus gave a warning: Matt 19:30 "But many who are first will be last, and the last first."
Then He tells a parable, and ends with the same statement, but in reverse so you notice it!
Then He tells a parable, and ends with the same statement, but in reverse so you notice it!
This parable is dealing with Peter's heart problem.
Matt 20:1,16 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard…. So the last will be first, and the first last."
It is dealing with yours and my heart problems.
It is dealing with yours and my heart problems.
10 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house,"
Are you humbly grateful or grumbly hateful?
Grumbling often indicates heart problems.
It did with the Psalmist in Psalm 73. He had a problem.
This parable has nothing to do with salvation. The denarius (a day's wages in that time) does not represent salvation, for nobody works for his salvation. Nor is the parable talking about rewards, for we are not all going to receive the same reward. "And every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour" (1 Cor. 3:8).
The parable is emphasizing a right attitude in service.
DO YOU HAVE A RIGHT ATTITUDE ABOUT SERVING THE LORD?
Don't Bargain With God!
It is important to note that there were actually two kinds of workers hired that day: those who wanted a contract and agreed to work for a denarius a day, and those who had no contract and agreed to take whatever the owner thought was right. The first laborers that he hired insisted on a contract. But the other workers all trusted that the owner to give them what was right.
This explains why the householder paid the workers as he did: He wanted those who were hired first (who insisted on a contract) to see how much he paid the workers who were hired later. It was one way the owner could show those workers how really generous he was.
Put yourself in the place of those workers who were hired first but paid last. They each expected to get a denarius, because that was what they agreed to accept. But imagine their surprise when they saw the laborers who were hired last each receiving a denarius! This meant their own wages should have been twelve denarii each!
But the three o'clock workers also received a denarius—for only three hours of work. The men last in line quickly recalculated their wages: four denarii for the day's work. When the men hired at noon also were paid a denarius, this cut the salary of the contract workers considerably, for now they would earn only two denarii.
But the owner gave them one denarius each. Of course, they complained! But they had no argument, because they had agreed to work for a denarius. They received what they asked for. Had they trusted the goodness of the owner, they would have received far more. But they insisted on a contract.
The lesson for you and I as Christ's disciples is that we should not serve Him because we want to receive an expected reward, and we should not insist on knowing what we will get. God is infinitely generous and gracious and will always give us better than we deserve. What the Lord wants is that we should trust in Him. We should trust His generosity. We should trust His Grace.
Do you remember the old prayer we used to say before eating. Have you said grace?
"God is gracious, God is good and we thank Him for our food Amen!"
We must trust Him for who He is. God is gracious! God is good! Trust Him for who He is, trust Him unreservedly and believe that He will always give what is best. That is the link back to Psalm 73 which we read earlier this morning. The Psalmist tripped up when he was looking for comfort and rewards now! Respect now! What he should have looked at was God. He should have recognized that all He needed was really God Himself.
I am continually with thee, Thou hast hold of me by thy right hand!
The nearness of God is my good! This is better than current rewards of blessings.
He wants us to trust Him and not ourselves!
He calls us to trust Him. He calls us personally to trust Him without a contract!
There is the danger of pride. "What shall we have?" asked Peter. This parable warned him, "How do you know you will have anything?" Beware of overconfidence when it comes to the rewards God will give, for those first in their own eyes (and in the eyes of others) may end up last! Likewise, do not get discouraged, for those who consider themselves "unprofitable servants" may end up first.
BEWARE OF WATCHING OTHER WORKERS
Beware of the danger of watching other workers and measuring yourself by them. "Judge nothing before the time," Paul warns in 1 Corinthians 4:5. We see the worker and the work, but God sees the heart.
John 21:21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?"22 Jesus said to him, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!"
When we get our eyes off the Lord and start watching other believers there will be symptoms. We will get an "evil eye" vs 15. Or is your eye envious because I am generous? NASB Or is your eye evil because I am good? NKJV
We will look at them and not see anything good about them!
When we start comparing, we start coveting and we start complaining. We will never be satisfied with what God gives but we will always want what someone else has.
I want his popularity! I want his powers! I want his prestige!
All of this leads to a bitter attitude towards God..We get the feeling that God has given us a raw deal!
It is a sin for Christians to watch one another and judge one another for the sake of feeling better abut ourselves.
BEWARE OF THINKING GOD IS UNJUST
Finally, we must beware of criticizing God and feeling that we have been left out. Had the early morning workers trusted the owner and not asked for an agreement, the owner would have given them much more. He was generous, but they would not trust him. They did not rejoice that others received more; instead, they were jealous and complained. The goodness of the owner did not lead them to repentance (Rom. 2:4). It revealed the true character of their hearts: They were selfish! Whenever we find a complaining servant, we know he has not fully yielded to the master's will.
We must watch our motives for Christian service. The right work done with the wrong motive dishonours God and robs us of the blessing. It is a solemn thing to realize that Christians whom we may admire today will be ―last at the final reckoning at the Judgment Seat of Christ because their motives were wrong. We cannot judge motives (7:1–3), but we can judge our own hearts. Let's do all for the glory of God because we love Him.
Remember God is Good
Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?14 Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you.15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?'
Matt 19:28 You who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.
There is No Competition Competing for $'s Competing for Position Competing for Power
Competing to Prove one's self
Why Do You Serve God? For a denarii? The Search For Significance? Gee
The Performance Trap The Fear of Failure. God's answer is justification.
The Approval Trap From a wrong view of others, the fear of rejection. God's Answer – Reconciliation
Why Do You Serve God?
Romans 12: 1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Remember God is Good
Remember God is Great
I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me?
Remember God is Gracious
"Or do you begrudge my generosity?" I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, Rom 12:1
If Christians tend to grumble, commiserate, and feel sorry for themselves, is it because they've forgotten grace? Murmuring stems from a belief that one deserves something more. As a result, they're never happy and become a complaining people. In this parable of the workers in the vineyard from Matthew 20:1–16, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains that the murmuring person has forgotten that everything is grace. To illustrate this point, Jesus gives us the parable of the laborers in the vineyard. This sermon highlights the grumbling of those who have been in the faith for a long time. They are complainers; they feel they deserve more than the others. They started out well, but got into trouble later on. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones applies this parable to the human condition today. Christians have the gospel of Jesus Christ, but if they do not continue in it, they get into the same trouble. They become entitled and believe they deserve more. What they forget is this: it's all grace. It's always been grace. In the Christian life, all is grace, from the beginning to the end. Christians are called to do all things without murmuring. What a tragedy when Christian people become miserable. What a tragedy when they murmur. The same grace that saved them keeps them. Listen and rejoice––it is all of grace.
The parable of the laborers in the vineyard illustrates the principle that everything in the Christian life is by grace from beginning to end.
How not to be great in God's sight (20-25)i
Sometimes we can profit as much by learning what not to do as what to do, and the disciples here reveal plenty not to do. If a person wants to be great in God's sight (which, by the way, is a very noble goal to achieve), he must not employ self-serving ambition.
Self-serving ambition (20-22a).
Self-confidence (22b-23), You don't know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?" And their immediate answer is: "We can,"
Phony indignation (24). "When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers."
Raw power (25) "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them."
I would say this has a slightly different nuance from the rulers who lord it over their subjects, so I refer to it as "charismatic influence."
Charismatic influence (25) "and their high officials exercise authority over them." the powers of popularity and personality to wield personal influence. Christian leadership has to a large extent become a cult of personality.
How to truly be great in God's sight (26-28)
Serve others. (26-27) Jesus turns things completely upside down in respect to greatness. He says, "Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave."
The first last, the last first.
"What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe."
The last will be first and the first, last.
The way up is down.
The one who wants to become a leader must become a servant.
Romans 3 the greatest paragraph by HB Charles
Thursday, October 02, 2025
Matthew 19 and 20 The Last First, The First Last
ἐγόγγυζον Gonzo the Great!
Then Peter said in reply, "See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?"
"when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."
"when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."
Matt 19:30 "But many who are first will be last, and the last first."
Matt 20:1,16 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard…. So the last will be first, and the first last."
10 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house,"
Matt 20:1,16 "For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard…. So the last will be first, and the first last."
10 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house,"
Remember God is Good
Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?14 Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you.15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?'
Matt 19:28 You who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.
There is No Competition Did you notice
Competing for $'s
Competing for Position
Competing for Power
Competing to Prove one's self
Why Do You Serve God? For a denarii?
The Search For Significance? Gee
The Performance Trap
The Approval Trap
The Fear of Punishment Trap
The Shame and Hopeless Game
The Performance Trap The Fear of Failure. God's answer is justification.
The Approval Trap From a wrong view of others, the fear of rejection. God's Answer – Reconciliation
The Fear of Punishment Trap The fear of punishment; punishing others; blaming others for personal failures God's Answer – Propitiation
The Shame and Hopeless Game Fear of being useless. My past experiences have ruined my future. God's Answer - Regeneration
Why Do You Serve God?
Romans 12: 1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Remember God is Good
Remember God is Great
I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me?
Remember God is Gracious
"Or do you begrudge my generosity?"
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, Rom 12:1
If Christians tend to grumble, commiserate, and feel sorry for themselves, is it because they've forgotten grace? Murmuring stems from a belief that one deserves something more. As a result, they're never happy and become a complaining people. In this parable of the workers in the vineyard from Matthew 20:1–16, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains that the murmuring person has forgotten that everything is grace. To illustrate this point, Jesus gives us the parable of the laborers in the vineyard. This sermon highlights the grumbling of those who have been in the faith for a long time. They are complainers; they feel they deserve more than the others. They started out well, but got into trouble later on. Listen as Dr. Lloyd-Jones applies this parable to the human condition today. Christians have the gospel of Jesus Christ, but if they do not continue in it, they get into the same trouble. They become entitled and believe they deserve more. What they forget is this: it's all grace. It's always been grace. In the Christian life, all is grace, from the beginning to the end. Christians are called to do all things without murmuring. What a tragedy when Christian people become miserable. What a tragedy when they murmur. The same grace that saved them keeps them. Listen and rejoice––it is all of grace.
The parable of the laborers in the vineyard illustrates the principle that everything in the Christian life is by grace from beginning to end.
Evolution
Scientists Who Reject the Theory of Evolution :
Many scientists have opposed evolution, responding that it is a false theory without evidence. Among them are:
1-David Berlinski, a mathematician, molecular biologist, and philosopher, is one of the most famous critics of evolution. He sees it as something promoted among people under the name of science and fact, while in reality, his doubts about it only grew as science advanced. He publicly declared this skepticism in Commentary magazine in 1996 in an article titled The Deniable Darwin. In recent years, he published his famous book The Devil's Delusion (2008), and his interviews are filled with remarks about how real scientists mock evolution. They also contain biting scientific sarcasm directed at the imaginary assumptions of evolution and its fatal weaknesses.
Likewise, Michael Denton, a biochemist, once believed in evolution, but as he discovered dozens of fatal flaws with the progress of molecular biology, he authored his famous book Evolution: A Theory in Crisis (1985). This was one of the first books in the modern era to turn the theory of evolution upside down. He also contributed to many scientific documentaries about the exquisite precision and signs of intelligent design in life, Earth, and the universe, all the way to humankind. His work Nature's Destiny (1998) was later translated as well.
2-Michael Behe, a biochemist and professor at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, also began doubting evolution as his scientific specialization deepened and new discoveries emerged—especially after reading Denton's Evolution: A Theory in Crisis. He found that all the points Denton raised indeed refuted random, chance-based evolution. Behe then authored his famous book Darwin's Black Box (1996). He became one of the most prominent founders of the academic framework of Intelligent Design, particularly through his concept of irreducible complexity, which he argued demonstrates the impossibility of gradual, random evolution over time and instead points toward teleology in the sudden appearance of complex organs by some designer.
3-William Dembski, an American mathematician and philosopher, is also a strong opponent of Darwin's theory of natural selection. Dembski argues that the details of living organisms can be described in similar terms, particularly molecular sequence patterns in functional biological molecules such as DNA. His discussion of specified complexity has been highly controversial in the scientific community. Supporters of Intelligent Design consider it a legitimate research program investigating the effects of an intelligent cause—studying its effects but not the cause itself. Accordingly, since the identity of causes outside a closed system cannot be tested from within it, questions regarding the identity of the designer fall outside the concept's boundaries. He co-authored The Design of Life with Jonathan Wells, a book considered one of the strongest scientific critiques of evolutionary theory.
4-Jonathan Wells, an American molecular biologist, studied molecular biology and, with the advent of discoveries pointing to teleology and creation, abandoned atheism for Christianity and became an enemy of evolutionary theory. He authored the famous book Icons of Evolution (2002), as well as The Design of Life with Dembski.
5-Jerry Fodor and Massimo Piattelli-Palmarini—the former a professor of philosophy and cognitive science at Rutgers University, the latter a professor of philosophy and cognitive science at the University of Arizona—also raised doubts. Fodor first began questioning natural selection in his book Why Pigs Don't Have Wings (2007), then co-authored the shocking book What Darwin Got Wrong (2010). In its introduction, they stressed that their critique was scientific, not religious: "This is not a book about God, or about Intelligent Design, or about creationism. Neither of us is involved in any of that. We simply believe it is wise to state this upfront, because our basic view is that there is something wrong—perhaps fatally wrong—with the theory of natural selection."
Phillip Johnson, a legal scholar, was once an evolutionist. But after reading Denton's Evolution: A Theory in Crisis and continuing to study the latest scientific findings, he became fully convinced of evolution's errors, which he saw as mere fabrications and imaginative speculations unsupported by reason or experimental science. He went on to become one of the most famous critics of evolution in the U.S., authoring several books such as Darwin on Trial, Defeating Darwinism, and The Wedge of Truth.
6-Duane T. Gish, a biochemist, also participated in many university lectures and international conferences to scientifically and respectfully rebut the theory of evolution. He published numerous studies showing its flaws, and collected many of his lectures in his book Have You Been Brainwashed?, as well as Evolution: The Fossils Still Say No!
Some claim that evolution is collapsing as science advances, and that its errors have become far more evident in recent years than before. Thousands of specialists now reject it. This has led to research and scientific books exposing its invalidity, showing that Darwin was wrong about the "tree of life." Many scientists now assert that the evolutionary tree is false and misleading. Public objections took their first major step with the Discovery Institute's 2001 list of 100 scientists and specialists in America who rejected Darwinism, where they stated their names and academic credentials. The initiative expanded into a website allowing scientists in the U.S. and abroad to register their objections. When the news spread, Canadian media reported nearly 1,000 scientists opposing Darwinism. Over time, the number of opponents in the U.S. alone reached around 3,000, with more remaining silent out of fear for their positions and reputations. Opposition is not limited to biologists, since evolution also touches on statistics, probability, physics, chemistry, and more—hence physicists, surgeons, and others have also rejected Darwinism.
Many scientists have opposed evolution, responding that it is a false theory without evidence. Among them are:
1-David Berlinski, a mathematician, molecular biologist, and philosopher, is one of the most famous critics of evolution. He sees it as something promoted among people under the name of science and fact, while in reality, his doubts about it only grew as science advanced. He publicly declared this skepticism in Commentary magazine in 1996 in an article titled The Deniable Darwin. In recent years, he published his famous book The Devil's Delusion (2008), and his interviews are filled with remarks about how real scientists mock evolution. They also contain biting scientific sarcasm directed at the imaginary assumptions of evolution and its fatal weaknesses.
Likewise, Michael Denton, a biochemist, once believed in evolution, but as he discovered dozens of fatal flaws with the progress of molecular biology, he authored his famous book Evolution: A Theory in Crisis (1985). This was one of the first books in the modern era to turn the theory of evolution upside down. He also contributed to many scientific documentaries about the exquisite precision and signs of intelligent design in life, Earth, and the universe, all the way to humankind. His work Nature's Destiny (1998) was later translated as well.
2-Michael Behe, a biochemist and professor at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, also began doubting evolution as his scientific specialization deepened and new discoveries emerged—especially after reading Denton's Evolution: A Theory in Crisis. He found that all the points Denton raised indeed refuted random, chance-based evolution. Behe then authored his famous book Darwin's Black Box (1996). He became one of the most prominent founders of the academic framework of Intelligent Design, particularly through his concept of irreducible complexity, which he argued demonstrates the impossibility of gradual, random evolution over time and instead points toward teleology in the sudden appearance of complex organs by some designer.
3-William Dembski, an American mathematician and philosopher, is also a strong opponent of Darwin's theory of natural selection. Dembski argues that the details of living organisms can be described in similar terms, particularly molecular sequence patterns in functional biological molecules such as DNA. His discussion of specified complexity has been highly controversial in the scientific community. Supporters of Intelligent Design consider it a legitimate research program investigating the effects of an intelligent cause—studying its effects but not the cause itself. Accordingly, since the identity of causes outside a closed system cannot be tested from within it, questions regarding the identity of the designer fall outside the concept's boundaries. He co-authored The Design of Life with Jonathan Wells, a book considered one of the strongest scientific critiques of evolutionary theory.
4-Jonathan Wells, an American molecular biologist, studied molecular biology and, with the advent of discoveries pointing to teleology and creation, abandoned atheism for Christianity and became an enemy of evolutionary theory. He authored the famous book Icons of Evolution (2002), as well as The Design of Life with Dembski.
5-Jerry Fodor and Massimo Piattelli-Palmarini—the former a professor of philosophy and cognitive science at Rutgers University, the latter a professor of philosophy and cognitive science at the University of Arizona—also raised doubts. Fodor first began questioning natural selection in his book Why Pigs Don't Have Wings (2007), then co-authored the shocking book What Darwin Got Wrong (2010). In its introduction, they stressed that their critique was scientific, not religious: "This is not a book about God, or about Intelligent Design, or about creationism. Neither of us is involved in any of that. We simply believe it is wise to state this upfront, because our basic view is that there is something wrong—perhaps fatally wrong—with the theory of natural selection."
Phillip Johnson, a legal scholar, was once an evolutionist. But after reading Denton's Evolution: A Theory in Crisis and continuing to study the latest scientific findings, he became fully convinced of evolution's errors, which he saw as mere fabrications and imaginative speculations unsupported by reason or experimental science. He went on to become one of the most famous critics of evolution in the U.S., authoring several books such as Darwin on Trial, Defeating Darwinism, and The Wedge of Truth.
6-Duane T. Gish, a biochemist, also participated in many university lectures and international conferences to scientifically and respectfully rebut the theory of evolution. He published numerous studies showing its flaws, and collected many of his lectures in his book Have You Been Brainwashed?, as well as Evolution: The Fossils Still Say No!
Some claim that evolution is collapsing as science advances, and that its errors have become far more evident in recent years than before. Thousands of specialists now reject it. This has led to research and scientific books exposing its invalidity, showing that Darwin was wrong about the "tree of life." Many scientists now assert that the evolutionary tree is false and misleading. Public objections took their first major step with the Discovery Institute's 2001 list of 100 scientists and specialists in America who rejected Darwinism, where they stated their names and academic credentials. The initiative expanded into a website allowing scientists in the U.S. and abroad to register their objections. When the news spread, Canadian media reported nearly 1,000 scientists opposing Darwinism. Over time, the number of opponents in the U.S. alone reached around 3,000, with more remaining silent out of fear for their positions and reputations. Opposition is not limited to biologists, since evolution also touches on statistics, probability, physics, chemistry, and more—hence physicists, surgeons, and others have also rejected Darwinism.
Wednesday, October 01, 2025
Weak leadership
12 Characteristics of Spiritually Weak Christian Leaders
By Chuck Lawless on Oct 01, 2025 01:00 amI'm hesitant to write this post because I know I probably exhibit some of these characteristics. Nevertheless, here are some of the primary issues I see in this group of leaders:
- They lead in their own power rather than God's power. They may use the language of "God's power," but honesty would require them to say that they're living in their own strength.
- They manage rather than lead. They're not casting vision. They cannot talk with specificity about what they believe the church should be 3-5 years from now. Most of their work relates only to managing what's already happening–and that doesn't require God's help.
- They pray reactively, not proactively. In fact, most of them are not prayer warriors. Their tendency is to plan first and then ask God to bless their plans. Seldom do they genuinely seek God first and then follow His lead.
- They lead an organization, but not their family. They might even appear to be great leaders of their church, but they're losing their family in the process. Externally, they get good publicity. In their home, everything is in shambles.
- They firefight rather than ignite fires. Much of their ministry is responding to fires, often because they believe that putting out little fires saves the church from facing bigger fires. They're always watching for the fires of conflict, and they give no attention to igniting God-focused fires of worship and evangelism among their church members.
- They lead out of charisma rather than crucifixion. On the stage, they excel. Any thought of "dying to self," though, is more a matter of saying the right words than living the life. Leaders who love being on the platform seldom think about being on the altar.
- They speak the gospel on Sunday, but "foolish talking and crude joking" (Eph 5:4) the rest of the week. For some reason, they give themselves permission to talk privately in ways they would never talk from the pulpit. That's not imitating God (Eph 5:1).
- They tell others to evangelize but expect the lost to come to them. Others must reach out to their friends and neighbors; these leaders, though, evangelize only from the pulpit and within their office. Any initiative belongs only to the non-believer seeking help.
- They're aware of everyone else's sin, but not so aware of their own. Apparently, their discernment stops with their own lives, and they genuinely miss what others see so obviously in them. Hence, they can be both arrogant and unaware—a dangerous combination.
- The Bible is their source for sermons, not their source for life. Beyond sermon preparation, their spiritual habits suggest that the Word means little to them.
- They have few Christian friends, and none of those friends holds them accountable for godly living. They may have folks they call "friends," but they're just acquaintances. These leaders lead out of isolation and aloneness that lack accountability–and that's a problem.
- They push back if anyone does confront them. Their immediate response to critique is to "bow up." My guess, in fact, is that some of the readers of this post are bowing up a bit right now. If you're among that number, I encourage you to be honest in your own self-evaluation. All of us–beginning with me–have much room to grow as leaders.
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Pastors, do you find yourself in any of these descriptions? If so, spend some time with the Lord.