ENCOURAGEMENT FOR PASTORS (BY SPURGEON)
I would seriously recommend to you, when settled in the ministry, the celebration of extraordinary seasons of devotion. If your ordinary prayers do not keep up the freshness and vigor of your souls, and you feel that you are flagging, get alone for a week, or even a month if possible. We have occasional holidays, why not frequent holy days? We hear of our richer brethren finding time for a journey to Jerusalem; could we not spare time for the less difficult and far more profitable journey to the heavenly city?
SERMON ILLUSTRATION (BY SPURGEON)
Spurgeon was a master illustrator. You can use this illustration in your own preaching to describe the need for humility as we grow.
If your child should have a rapid growth in its arms but not in its legs, or if its legs should lengthen but not its arms, what a strange being it would be! What a monster! It is the growth of each limb in proportion that brings the man to perfection.
So when our heads grow faster than our hearts, it is an ill sign. Yet how many know a great deal more than they feel, and criticize much more than they believe! It is also an evil thing when a man’s tongue grows bigger than his head; when he has more to say than he knows or does; when, like Mr. Talkative [of Pilgrim’s Progress], he can talk about the road to heaven but makes no progress in it.
RESOURCE FOR PASTORS
Encourage the 18–25 year-olds in your church to live for God.*
CROSS CON24 is an incredible conference for the 18–25 year-olds in your church. The students in your church will hear from trusted teachers (like John Piper, Mark Dever, David Platt, Brooks Buser, Kevin DeYoung, and more) about God’s plan to reach the world. These students will return home with an increased love for God’s Word, the local church, and rich theology.
I know your church will be blessed if you send a group to CROSS CON24. Prices will increase next month — on May 31 — so register now to save.
THANKS FOR READING
Brothers,
As a bi-vocational pastor, advice like today’s letter from Spurgeon can frequently rub me the wrong way. I think that I don’t have the luxury of closing an office door and praying all day.
But I do believe that we would all benefit from setting aside particular days for prayer. We can even do this without stopping any of our current responsibilities by means of fasting.
Question for you (I’ll highlight some answers next week) — What are your best tips for devoting yourself to prayer in the busy-ness of ministry?
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Blessings to your ministry,
Doug H.
Creator of SpurgeonBooks
Preaching Pastor of Pillar Church of Washington DC