Shepherding with Spurgeon

Weekly Newsletter for Pastors from SpurgeonBooks

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PASTORS (BY SPURGEON)

Paul prayed that the Thessalonians would be “strengthened in every good work” (2 Thessalonians 2:17). Sometimes, an attack of this kind is made upon us: “It is no use trying to teach the gospel to children; we cannot suppose that they can understand its deep mysteries.” I heard that said only the other day. Well, I can say that we have tried it, and we have found that, whether you choose to call them great mysteries or not, children do understand the gospel, and seem sometimes to comprehend it better than their fathers do, just because they are so childlike. The qualification for entering the kingdom of heaven is not fully-developed manhood, but rather that we should become as little children; and unless we do become childlike, we cannot enter the kingdom.

Dear friend, do not be turned aside from your work by anything that is said about it. If people say that it is no use to go down to the shelters and talking to the poorest of the poor, be faithful in doing it because your Master did it, and because the everlasting consolation which comes to you through the grace of God makes you feel that the most unworthy are the most fit objects for the gospel of Jesus. Since you received consolation from God’s mercy, you may well be established in the belief that there is consolation in the mercy of God for the vilest of the vile.

SERMON ILLUSTRATION FROM SPURGEON

Spurgeon was a master illustrator. You can use this illustration in your own preaching to describe salvation by grace.

Invited guests bring no provisions with them.

Why, then, should sinners hesitate to come to Christ, because they are empty-handed? One who was invited to tea by a poor woman carried two cakes with him, but the good creature was so wounded thereby that he deeply regretted it. Will we insult our savior by such an act as even a poor woman might resent?

RESOURCE FOR PASTORS

Men in your church ARE using porn. Do you know how to help them?*

64% of Christian men regularly use pornography. And that means that men YOU know are struggling — stuck in sin, filled with guilt, and not knowing how to move forward.

Are you ready to help these men?

HarvestUSA is a really great, faithful ministry that focuses on equipping YOU to minister to people struggling with their own sexual sin.

Harvest has put together a really incredible Bible study resource that you could start using right away to help men in your church.

“Discovery” is a Bible study for men stuck in sexual sin. It is gospel-centered and will help you see and address the root of your sin.

These great resources are available for FREE and they even come with a Leader’s Guide, so that you can start a small group study in your own church or home right now.

I believe that God wants to use his Word THROUGH YOU to help men and women in your life. And I know that these studies will help you along the way.

Download DISCOVERY curriculum for free from Harvest USA.

ONE MORE REMINDER: PREACH JESUS THIS WEEKEND

“Christless sermons make merriment for hell.” — Charles Spurgeon