A Charge to Church Leaders

Last week I had the chance to share a “word from the Word” with our area pastors group, and I decided to comment on Acts 20:17-38.

About the text—Paul is traveling from Greece to Jerusalem, and his ship stops for a few days at Miletus, a port city near Ephesus.  This gives the Apostle a chance to share a “farewell address” with a team of church leaders he’s lovingly discipled for some three years.

The tone of the speech is serious and weighty.  Paul doesn’t expect to see these “loved ones” ever again in this world.  So he gets right to the heart of the matter.  Here are a few key statements:

Paul’s method and message:  I did not shrink from declar­ing to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ (vv 20-21).  His driving passion: I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God (v 24).  Why he can now release them from his oversight:  I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God (vv 26-27).  Paul warns that false teachers would come along:  I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them (vv 29-30).

Please pray that we, as pastors, would embrace these challenges:

• God has commissioned us, like Paul, to speak his gospel message.
• Our message is for all people from all kinds of backgrounds, call­ing them to repent­ance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Caring for our churches involves no higher priority than speaking God’s word.  Lives are on the line; people need to hear from God.
• A relentless focus on Scripture helps us guard against the subtle, insidious temptation to slant / tilt / spin / edit the Christian message to suit our tastes or win the approval of our hearers.
• Make sure you proclaim “the whole counsel of God” (v 27).