Response In being asked to respond to an article where said that whatever is important to the leader is a mega church pastor desires to lead his people what becomes important to the people. If, indeed, to be more mission-minded than business-mind- that is true, and I believe that it is, we must moded, and to be more Christ-centered than success- el that which we want our people to embrace. I driven, I would like to speak into several areas. feel that not only in teaching in such a way that The key words are: intentional, vision-casting, we develop the platform for sound, biblical teaching, but in that very context we lay the foundalongevity, and emulation. When I think about leading a mega church to tional doctrine for the future road upon which have sound, biblical doctrine, I first of all think that ministry desires to live out the Christian life. of the pulpit ministry and being a faithful expos- One of my favorite books in the Bible is the book itor of God’s Word. Having begun my twenty- of James, and the reason is because he is such a sixth year at Woodstock First Baptist Church, I practical theologian. James is challenging us to have learned that you have the unique opportu- not just be hearers of the Word, but doers of the nity of looking into the lives of the people who Word. Again, when the people see us emulating have been with you for over two decades and see- the truth that we are exhorting, they see us, in essence, living out Christ’s life ing the spiritual development and we become mentors and that you feel God has brought in Not only must he their lives over time. faithfully stand as models of the ministry that we trust God will allow the people to It has been my aim through embrace. the years to commit myself to an exhorter and As it pertains to missionpreaching through books of the teach God’s truth, Bible; for instance, in most re- but the pastor must minded as opposed to businessminded, again, as we teach cent days, I preached ninetyalso emulate and through the Scriptures we see, four messages through the book especially in the book of Acts, the of Acts. I was attempting to be model the truth church on mission and we emintentional in dealing with ma- before the people. brace the heart of the gospel in jor doctrines as it appeared in the text, as well as seeing the story of Christ taking our people on this journey. We must be building the church from Pentecost forward. It intentional. I like to ask myself these questions served as a biblical model as to the type of church each day when doing my sermon preparation: “Where do I hope to take the people with this mesJesus established. One thing that is for certain, there is no such sage?”; “What kind of response am I hoping for?”; thing as a great work for our Savior without lon- “What is it that I will teach the people that will gevity. My first challenge to the pastor in the help to develop them in becoming fully-devoted large church, or any church, is to plant his life followers of Jesus Christ?” Many times during there and to be extremely intentional of how he the week when I receive emails regarding the hopes to develop the people. To keep the church message on Sunday, it is encouraging if they reChrist-centered as opposed to being success- gurgitate the words that I sensed to be the most driven will have lots to do with the demeanor and important that I presented. Another key word is vision. We are constantthe message that the pastor presents; not only ly casting the vision before the people. One of the must he faithfully stand as an exhorter and teach God’s truth, but the pastor must also emulate and great leadership statements that I have memomodel the truth before the people. It has been rized through the years is this truth: “If you don’t
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