Pastors, We Are Not Martyrs

I know after reading the title of this post, many are popping their fingers, ready to fire off a correction to my post. But first, give me a chance to explain myself. The title is not implying we could not or should not be martyrs for the faith. If placed in that position, to renounce Jesus or die, I believe pastors and all believers should affirm with Luther, "Here I stand, I can do no other, so help me God." I am emphasizing something entirely different, namely, that the difficulties we face as pastors do not equal martyrdom. We should stop acting like martyrs. This is particularly true for those of us in the United States.

Fake Martyrs

I see a growing trend with pastors and ministry leaders who want to portray being in ministry as if it were a daily burden. We often go from one over-exaggerated crisis to the next. Yes, being a pastor is incredibly difficult, I do not belittle that. I have been a senior pastor for nearly eight years. I get it. I know what it feels like to have a burden for the lost, who think you are foolish. And I know what it feels like to have a burden for the church, who can often assume your incompetent. I have been called names in the community by unbelievers because of my beliefs. I have also been publicly talked about by other pastors in the community because they do not like our church's music style or clothing attire. Regardless of who you are, this is never fun. 

However, as much as these things can hurt and frustrate you, it is not martyrdom. Friends, we are not to desire or seek the pity of others for the difficulties we face. And we should definitely now wallow in self-pity.

Real Martyrs

There are believers and pastors today, around the world, who are truly being persecuted and martyred for their faith. When you look at the plight of believers in places like Egypt, Iran, Turkey, Sudan, North Africa, and parts of Asia, you actually find individuals are dying for their allegiance to Jesus. Seventy-Five Christians were killed a few months ago in a church in Pakistan after two suicide bombers blew the place up. It is reported that nearly eighty people were executed in North Korea in the last few weeks, supposedly for being found owning Bibles. 

Friends, these stories could fill pages and pages. Christians are truly experiencing persecution around the world. Yes, there is some opposition to our beliefs in the United States. Yes, we are becoming a minority on particular cultural hot-topic issues. But brothers, we are not martyrs. 

There are believers and pastors around the world dying for the name of Jesus, not simply being called bad names because of Jesus. We need to keep that in perspective as we talk with others, interact on Twitter/Facebook, write our blog posts, and preach our sermons. Your ability to complain without fear is evidence you are not as persecuted as you think. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts...why do you think so many in ministry today want to portray their life as so incredibly difficult? 

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Living Through Gospel-Shaded Glasses

The gospel message is the foundation of the Christian faith. 

The gospel of Jesus Christ is a message that we know the world needs to hear. We know it is a message that served as the catalyst for our conversion and faith. We know the gospel is something that churches, and those who are a part of them, should proclaim with vigor.

With the gospel message serving such a place of importance and primacy in our faith, we must become skilled in it understanding it, seeing it, and explaining it. 

One of the ways that we can begin to grow in our gospel understanding is to live our lives through gospel-shaded glasses. What does that mean? It means that we begin to view all of life and the day-to-day events of our lives through the context of the gospel message. This will help us to see that the gospel message is always being told through the events and people that we encounter on a daily basis.

Let me give some examples of this. Yesterday my family and I flew to Orlando for a week vacation at Disney. We have been looking forward to this trip for months. There are several things just on a trip here that remind me that the gospel is always being proclaimed. First, the complete beauty and awe-inspiring view from thousands of feet above the ground is amazing. Even though flying is not new to me, I never cease to be captivated. The skies were breath-taking and the little white clouds hovered below us like cotton balls. It is in those moments that I am reminded that there is a majestic God whose beauty surpasses even what my eyes behold. I am struck by the fact that this beauty comes from the hand of the Master Artist who designed all the landscapes that I see below. Even in flying to Disney I am reminded that there is a God who is radiant and lovely. 

Second, the rebelliousness of my daughter. For the sake of being a loving father to my little baby girl, I am going to refrain from giving every example of her struggles yesterday. She was not able to get a nap after church because we went straight to the airport. She was incredibly tired and irritable. She did not enjoy taking off, riding in, or landing in the plane. If you're keeping up, that is the whole flight. She cried, even screamed a couple of times. She rolled around the floor and almost got into the next set of seats because she crawled away from us. She finally fell asleep in the rent-a-car in Orlando. I love my sweet girl, but I was reminded of the rebellious nature of man. My daughter may have been tired, but she did not listen and she was not interested in listening. I wish I could use being tired as an excuse for my own rebellious behavior on a daily basis, but I cannot. It was a snapshot of this reality of sin in our lives.

Lastly, once we got to the hotel and got settled, we finally got some peace. It had been a long day, one that caused us to question our method of travel choices. I was reminded that true and lasting peace only comes through Jesus Christ. Showers and beds may give some relaxation, but only Christ gives rest to the weary soul. He is the one we are to turn to in our weariness and unrest. 

Every day offers moments where the gospel is being told. It is learning to see these moments that will help us to become well-versed in the gospel. It is learning to see these moments that will help us to grow in our faith. We must live our lives through gospel-shaded glasses. 

What kind of moments have you had lately that tell the story of the gospel? What kind of reminders can you give yourself for living with this view? What kind of benefits do you think can come from viewing the world through the lenses?