Shepherding with Spurgeon

Weekly Newsletter for Pastors from SpurgeonBooks

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PASTORS (BY SPURGEON)

“For I passed on to you as most important what I also received…” (1 Corinthians 15:3)

The preacher of Christ must not make new doctrines. He is not to be his own teacher; he is to receive the truth first and then to deliver it. The Christian minister takes the lamp out of the hand of God and then passes it on to the hands of his people. Do not think that any originality is needed in the pulpit. All that is required is that the herald should faithfully deliver his Master’s message just as his Master gives it to him: “I passed on to you as most important what I also received.”

SERMON ILLUSTRATION FROM SPURGEON

Spurgeon was a master illustrator. You can use this illustration in your own preaching to describe spiritual pride.

A young girl was putting a button on her father’s coat. She was sitting with her back to the window, and she said, “Father, I can’t see; I am blocking my own light.”

He said, “My daughter, that is where you have been all your life!”

This is the position of some of you spiritually. You are blocking your own light; you think too much of yourselves. There is plenty of light in the Sun of Righteousness, but you get in the dark by putting self in the way of that Sun.

RESOURCE FOR PASTORS

An overlooked area of discipleship in our churches?*

Scripture explicitly commands us to pray for the persecuted (e.g., Hebrews 13:3). Do the people in your church regularly do so? What are YOU doing to help your flock grow in obedience to this command?

Here’s the thing — while our churches NEED to care about those who are persecuted for Christ today, I don’t want to just put another thing on your to-do list or church calendar. And that’s why, this year I’m partnering with The Voice of the Martyrs to give you some really great (and FREE) resources to help you and your church become more aware and active in caring for our persecuted brothers and sisters.

When you sign up for the VOM Church Leader Network, you’ll get instant access to a huge collection of digital and physical resources for you (free books, anyone?) and your church (including small group video studies, prayer guides, videos to share or watch together, and more).

The Church Leader Network is 100% free to join — sign up today.

ONE MORE REMINDER: PREACH JESUS THIS WEEKEND

“When we preach Christ crucified, we have no reason to stammer, or stutter, or hesitate, or apologize.” — Charles Spurgeon