Let’s Read Spurgeon the Pastor: The Church Functioning

Monday, 27th March 2023
Image: lets-read-spurgeon-the-pastor-the-church-functioning

Let’s Read Spurgeon the Pastor: The Church Functioning

By Davy Ellison

Counsel for the Church

According to Chang, Spurgeon offers four pieces of counsel for the congregation in relation to their leaders:

  • Pray for them. Pastors, elders and deacons need the prayers of the people they serve. If any truly effective gospel work is to be done it must be supported through consistent prayer. As the work grows so does the need for prayer.
  • Serve with them. It is not only the pastor, elders and deacons who serve. Nor should the congregation serve their leaders. Rather the aim is to serve together. “Spurgeon also saw the role of members in following their leaders into gospel ministry” (p. 166).
  • Support them with our presence. This is not particularly revolutionary, but by merely turning up Sunday by Sunday and at the midweek prayer meeting members support their leaders. A bustling church service is an encouragement to the deacon who set the room up, the elder who visited an absent member and the pastor who has prepared a message. Being present is a great support.
  • Support them with our finances. If we are committed to a local church and its leaders, we need to put our money where our mouth is. Spurgeon warned that if we cannot trust our spiritual leaders with our money we should not trust them with our souls (p. 167).

The above is simple and straightforward. It is nevertheless a tremendous way to support our church leaders. It is not one way traffic, however.

Counsel for the Leaders

On the flip side, Spurgeon has five pieces of counsel for church leaders:

  • Don’t forget the gospel. Spurgeon was clear on the danger that serving in church leadership can sometimes blind us to our own need of the gospel: “Brother ministers, coworkers, and officials of the church, do not imagine that office can save you” (p. 168). We never outgrow our need for the gospel, it alone saves us.
  • Don’t forget the spiritual nature of the work. Whether it is sitting in an officebearers’ meeting, brushing a floor, crying at a bedside or preaching the word, every activity in church leadership is spiritual. It impacts the spiritual health of the people. None of our tasks are menial.
  • Don’t forget you’re an example. Our people watch us. They measure their lives against ours. Church leaders set the standard. We must always set a good and godly example, even in our failures (i.e., confession and repentance).
  • Find contentment. The grass is always greener on the other side. Whether eldership is viewed as a promotion to diaconal work or one pastor covets another pastor’s setting, there is a deep-seated discontent in the fabric of society and the flesh of sinners. But, the church leader, in light of Scripture, must find contentment in their present station because it is God’s place for them at this time.
  • Depend on Christ. We are simply stewards of God’s people. While we must serve whole-heartedly, we are not the ultimate answer to anyone’s most fundamental problem—sin. Our entire ministry must depend on Christ, for it is he who calls, saves and glorifies his people. We love our people best by pointing continually to Christ.

The church and her leaders should be working in tandem, attempting to outdo each other in showing honour to one another (Rom. 12:10).

Encouragement for Church Meetings

Chang offers this summary of Spurgeon’s thinking on members’ meetings:

Spurgeon saw church meetings as an opportunity for discipleship and edification. Every membership applicant brought a testimony of God’s grace with them, and in so many of these testimonies, Spurgeon played only a small part. Rather, applicants told stories of a praying mother, a persevering neighbour, a stranger who invited them to church, a faithful deacon, and all kinds of other ways the members of the church brought them to Christ. Each story encouraged members to be bold in the work of the gospel.

Spurgeon also sought opportunities to point his people to the wider work that was happening in the church. Whether it was sending out new church plants, appointing missionaries, discussing the work of the Pastors’ College, honouring faithful leaders, telling stories of enduring fruitfulness, these church meetings provided the congregation an opportunity to celebrate all that God was doing through the church. As a result, the church often voiced their praise to God. (p. 192)

Who would not want to sit through a two-hour meeting that testified to God’s saving grace, confirmed his use of ordinary Christians in the spread of the gospel and offered opportunity to learn of all the good God is doing in and through his people?

Reflection

  • For church members, in which one of Spurgeon’s counsels are you weakest? What can you do in the incoming week to begin to correct this?
  • For church leaders, in which one of Spurgeon’s counsels are you weakest? What can you do in the incoming week to begin to correct this?
  • How do you normally view members’ meetings? What needs to change in you for you to find encouragement in them?

    Blog Archive

Let’s Read: Spurgeon the Pastor: Recovering a Biblical and Theological Vision for Ministry Let's Talk: Surviving Ministry Staff & Students Favourite Books of 2022 Let's Read: Spurgeon the Pastor: The Church Gathered BYE Teams Hugh D. Brown Lectures How I spent my sabbatical Let’s Read Spurgeon the Pastor: The Church Identified 1st Year Reflections from Andrew and Debbie Second Year Placement (Josh and Glenn) Final Year Reflection: Chris Banks Let’s Read Spurgeon the Pastor: The Church Functioning New Library Books (April 2023) Easter Reflection 2023 Irish Baptist Historical Society Lecture Report on the Life of Hugh Orr Let's Read: Spurgeon the Pastor: The Church Multiplying Friends of the College May 2023 Let's Read: Reflections on Spurgeon the Pastor by Geoff Chang Student Reflections on Graduation 2023 Where will our students will be serving this summer? Pray Without Ceasing: A Week of Summer Prayer 2023 Reflections on returning to Peru Recognition Service Report 2023 Commencement Service Report 2023 Cross Cultural Report in Ireland Cross Cultural Reports 2023 2 Short Book Reviews Let's Read: Keeping Your Children's Ministry On Mission: Practical Strategies For Discipling The Next Generation by Jared Kennedy Let's Read: When Children Become Brothers And Sisters What's in a name? Evangelism Teams 2023: Coleraine and Keady Evangelism Teams 2023: Castlederg and Tobermore Let's Read: Welcoming and Safeguarding Book Review: Weakness Our Strength A Strange Man from Another World
Let’s Read: The Path to Being a Pastor: A Guide for the Aspiring Graduate Updates Tribute How to Avoid Becoming a Graceless Theological Thug Let's Read: The Path to Being a Pastor Hugh D. Brown Lectures—Understanding and Applying Zephaniah Book Review: Children of Abraham: A Reformed Baptist View of the Covenants by David Kingdon Graduate Updates: Laetitia Let's Read: The Path to Being a Pastor (chapters 5-12) New Books in the Library Friends of the College—March 2022 Graduate Updates: Andrew Let's Read: The Path To Being A Pastor (chapters 13-23) Deacons The Risen Christ Changes Everything Why Four Gospels? Let's Read: The Path to Being a Pastor (Chapters 24–27) The College Graduation MA Missions Module Reflection Student Reflections (first and second year) Book Review: The Crucible of Leadership Let’s Read: Why Should We Love the Local Church? (Introduction) Let’s Read: Why Should We Love the Local Church? (Introduction) Friends of the College: September 2022 Let’s Read: Why Should We Love the Local Church—You’re Beautiful Commencement Report Cross Cultural Placements 1 Cross Cultural Placements 2 Cross Cultural Placements 3 Let’s Read: Why Should We Love the Local Church—Beauty Demonstrated 1st Year Reflection (Ana Rut) Evangelism Teams 2022 (Armagh and Cavan) Evangelism Team 2022 (Ballycrochan & Comber) Let's Read: Living Beautifully Let's Read: Why Should We Love The Local Church “Always winter and never Christmas” Three Kings
Let’s Read Irish Baptist College Conference (Online) From Intern to Undergraduate (Emily Middleton) Let's Read: The Hole in our Holiness — The Reason for Redemption Baptists and Revival in the Long 18th Century Second Year Placements From Intern to Undergraduate (Josh Brown) Let's Read: The Hole in our Holiness — The What and Why of Holiness Final Year During A Pandemic 2nd Year Placement Experience Friends of the College 2021 Update The Art of Reading More Books Let's Read: The Hole in our Holiness — The Real Possibility of Holiness A Basic Easter Fact The Servant King Podcast Let's Read: The Hole in our Holiness — You Are Holy Third Year Reflection Gospel Guardians: Protecting the Purity of the Gospel for Future Generations Graduation 2021 Book Review: Succeeding at Seminary Let's Read: The Hole in Our Holiness — A Work in Progress Why the Irish Baptist College is Vital to the Health of the Association A Good News Story: The Ministry Partnership Scheme Why Study the Biblical Languages? Profit in Toil: A Short Message on A Level Results Day Let's Read: Small Preaching Recognition Service Report 2021 Sin Forgiven: Nourishment for Life and Joy for Living Let’s Read: Small Preaching—The Character of the Preacher Commencement Service Report Placement God Rejoices over His People: A Meditation on Zephaniah 3:17 Let’s Read: Small Preaching—Constructing the Sermon Evangelism Teams: Newcastle and Brannockstown Evangelism Teams: Stonepark and North Belfast Christian Fellowship First Year Reflections (Reuben and Andrew) Some New Books Let’s Read: Small Preaching—The Craft of Preaching Let's Read: Small Preaching—What is God Saying? A Christmas Reflection on John 1 - ‘The coming of the light’ Christmas Reflection on John 1 - ‘Life, Light & Glory’
Time to read Genesis...again Friends of the College - January 2020 Friends of the College - January 2020 Finances Tribute to Marion Craig The Resilient Pastor: Surviving & Thriving in Ministry Just a Blow-in? What is new on the shelves at IBC? Friends of the College - February 2020 Four Reasons to Study Theology Academically From Spain to Moira Testimonial Financial Update Friends of the College – March 2020 Irish Baptist Historical Society: The Mayflower Thomas Patient: the Father of the Irish Baptist Church Testimonials The Pastors’ Conference: An Encouraging Privilege Testimonials (part-time studies) In the worst of times: COVID-19 and the Book of Ruth Friends of the College - April 2020 The Long Wait: Victory Delayed Testimonials - Preparation for Ministry and Evening Classes The Leadership Podcast Testimonials - Ladies Study Fellowship The Leadership Podcast (part 2) Friends of the College - May 2020 Reflections from the Student Chairman Why do we teach the Old Testament? Reflections on first year at IBC Friends of the College - June 2020 Why do we teach Romans? IBC Placement Is Church History a Thing of the Past? Friends of the College - July 2020 Friends of the College – August 2020 Friends of the College September 2020 Recognition and Graduation Service Introducing the Irish Baptist College’s New Logo Commencement Service Friends of the College - October 2020 Filled with the Spirit: Soundings in Luke’s Theology of the Holy Spirit The Famous Five: The Abiding Relevance of the Solas of the Reformation Friends of the College - November 2020 The Importance of Theological Training in Fulfilling the Great Commission First Year Reflections — Tim Houston Singing: The Place of Theology in Corporate Worship New Library Books Friends of the College – Unite to Pray – December Christmas Reflections
Agree and Close notice.

By continuing on our website you agree with our Privacy Policy and to the use of cookies by third party plugins. Find out more here