What Makes Great Pastors and Churches?
Charles Colson was asked the question on what makes a pastor great. He responded by saying,"They have a love for people in the church. They have a heart for discipleship, and that's what makes them great pastors." When asked what he tells inmates in his ministry to look for in churches his response was,"Number one is a church that believes in and preaches the Bible...Second, it should be a place where disciples are made...and number three, discipline. Discipline in terms of both holding people accountable and teaching."
I agree with what Colson shared and believe that more than any time of our history we are in need of great pastors and great churches. If I were to ask the same question to a Christian in their twenties they might say it differently but would likely agree with him. In fact, I do ask these questions of young believers and I know they would agree with him. There is a reason authors like Piper and Driscoll are popular among young evangelicals or that Puritan writers such as Baxter or Edwards are in demand on many evangelical college campuses (I was in a bookstore of one of these campuses and over heard two students talking about where they could find books by John Owens).
What are you teaching your young people in church? Don't be afraid of challenging them (and yourself) with deep and difficult teachings. Theology is not dead teaching (unless you teach like your dead). One of the most influential college age conference in America is called Passion. Some of the biggest names in modern worship lead thousands of young people at this conference, but it's not only the worship they come for, they also come to be taught in the Word. One of their favorite teachers at Passion is John Piper, a preacher in his fifties that looks more like an professor than an icon for young evangelicals. He not only preaches with heat but loves those that he teaches, and they can sense that from him. Great pastors love their church. Great churches love to teach. A winning combination for making great disciples. Nothing new here that can't be found in Scripture.
I agree with what Colson shared and believe that more than any time of our history we are in need of great pastors and great churches. If I were to ask the same question to a Christian in their twenties they might say it differently but would likely agree with him. In fact, I do ask these questions of young believers and I know they would agree with him. There is a reason authors like Piper and Driscoll are popular among young evangelicals or that Puritan writers such as Baxter or Edwards are in demand on many evangelical college campuses (I was in a bookstore of one of these campuses and over heard two students talking about where they could find books by John Owens).
What are you teaching your young people in church? Don't be afraid of challenging them (and yourself) with deep and difficult teachings. Theology is not dead teaching (unless you teach like your dead). One of the most influential college age conference in America is called Passion. Some of the biggest names in modern worship lead thousands of young people at this conference, but it's not only the worship they come for, they also come to be taught in the Word. One of their favorite teachers at Passion is John Piper, a preacher in his fifties that looks more like an professor than an icon for young evangelicals. He not only preaches with heat but loves those that he teaches, and they can sense that from him. Great pastors love their church. Great churches love to teach. A winning combination for making great disciples. Nothing new here that can't be found in Scripture.
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