I love reminders. I set them on my computer, my phone, I write notes to myself and I regularly deputize my wife to be my functional external memory system. The reason for all of these checks is because I forget a lot more than I remember. So it is good to be reminded.
The Scriptures are full of reminders. Indeed you could say that the Bible is continual reminder of who God is and what he expects from a forgetful humanity. When we think in terms of gospel ministry we get a fresh and clear reminder in Colossians 1:
Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ /Colossians 1.28
Paul is a guy who is obsessed with maturity. Paul shows us earlier in Colossians 1 (vv.9-14) that he prays for maturity, now in the latter half we see that he also proclaims for maturity.
I just want to point out a few items, by way of reminder, because we sometimes forget.
Paul’s message is exclusively Christological. That is, it is riveted on Jesus. He proclaims his supremacy and sufficiency in everything (cf. vv. 1.15-23). He applies the beauty and grander of Jesus to hearts of every man.
Paul’s message is unceasing. The verb translated proclaim is in the present tense indicating that this megaphone of Christological proclamation is continual.
Paul’s message is universal. Notice his target? It is every man. I love the universal dragnet of Paul’s preaching; every single person is a prospect.
Paul’s message is goal orientated. There is a goal in mind here, notice it is to present every man mature in Christ. Paul desires to see ‘every man’ mature in Christ. This is to say that they are like Jesus. This should be the ever present goal and burden of not only every pastor but every Christian!
Paul’s message is negative. Notice how he proclaims, with admonishment. This is a corrective term. The message of Jesus is a message that confronts; the righteous King raids our idolatrous hearts and kicks over the porcelain figurines of this world that we cling to so tightly. So the proclamation of Jesus is negative.
Paul’s message is positive. While he admonishes he also teaches. This is so good. Not only does the Scripture call us to forsake what is wrong but it shows us what is right. For example, those who steal should stop and get a job so he can honestly share with others (Eph. 4.28).
I love these types of clear reminders. The reiteration of both the goal and the means of reaching the goal serve to refresh and reinvigorate my soul.
In light of such clarity I am amazed at the expressway of divergence that is paved by many contemporary evangelical pastors. I often try to listen to different pastors and hear what they are preaching. It seems today that innovation has replaced proclamation, that humor has replaced homiletics, that pragmatism has replaced passion, and that drawing crowds has replaced making disciples.
I doubt that many pastors would admit that they are trying to make biblically immature, sin-plagued, church attendees (cf. Eph. 4.14). Most guys would say that they are trying to ‘win more people for Jesus’ whatever that means. That they want to ‘further the Kingdom’ or any other number of clichés that tend to be more like slogans than true marching orders. The problem is exposed when we examine the methodology of these ministers. Preaching (proclamation), confrontation of sin (admonishment), and doctrine (teaching) are all minimized, marginalized or otherwise obscured.
So here is my question, what in the world are they doing? They can’t be aiming at maturity, because the recipe for that has been outlined by Paul (Col. 1.28-29); there is no other way. So what are they aiming at?
The goal of ministry is the maturity of believers. This comes through the proclamation of Christ (which makes and matures believers). If we spend our time working on innovative ways to air-brush the cross, sin, repentance and doctrine out of our ministry then we have deflated the cross of its power, prostituted our calling, and heaped shame upon the Savior himself.
Let’s remember the simple and beautiful profundity of gospel ministry; the proclamation of the Savior changes lives. Doing anything else is merely spinning your wheels in the mud.
