A Biblical Philosophy of Pastoral Ministry (Eschatology)

Eschatology

An inadequate soteriology will misguide ecclesiology and distort eschatology. Ultimately, a misguided ecclesiology culminates in a distorted eschatology that believes the end-times will be characterized by unhindered success in ministry, ecumenical unity based on deeds not doctrine, and a sweeping world-wide revival. This is a distortion of biblical eschatology.

First, a distorted eschatology believes that the end-times will be characterized by unhindered success in ministry. This belief manifests itself in the idea that now is the best time to be a minister. Rick Warren promotes this idea in The Purpose Driven Church. He said:

In my opinion, we live in the most exciting time in history for the church. Unparalleled opportunities and powerful technologies are available to our congregations. More importantly, we are experiencing an unprecedented movement of God’s Spirit in many parts of the world today. More people are coming to Christ now than at any other time in history . . . . The largest churches in the history of Christianity are in existence at this very moment. Most of them are not in the United States. While the stories of these churches are exciting to hear, I believe that the greatest churches are yet to be built.[1]

The idea that the last days are going to be characterized by difficulty for those in the ministry, particularly because people will not endure sound doctrine, is not included among those operating out of the church growth philosophy of ministry.[2] Warren said, “I’ve often heard pastors complain that unbelievers are more resistant to the Gospel today than in the past. I don’t think that is true at all. More often than not, resistance is just poor communication.”[3] A distorted eschatology believes that the end-times will be characterized by unhindered success in ministry. 

Second, a distorted eschatology believes that the end-times will be characterized by ecumenical unity based on deeds and not doctrine. This is the logical conclusion of church growth philosophy that engages in doctrinal minimalism and methodological pragmatism. Ecumenical unity is unattainable under a biblical philosophy for pastoral ministry that maintains sound doctrine. Therefore, church growth philosophy seeks to minimize sound doctrine and replace it with methodological pragmatism. Doctrinal differences are set aside for partnerships in common deeds “believed” to be the activities the church is supposed to be doing in the world. The end result will be an ecumenical unity that is deemed a “second reformation.” Rick Warren said, “The first Reformation with Luther and then Calvin was about beliefs. I think a new reformation is going to be about behavior. The first Reformation was about creeds; I think this one will be about deeds. I think the first one was about what the church believes; I think this one will be about what the church does.” [4] Warren’s strategy for a second reformation is to promote deeds as essential and doctrine as non-essential. He said:

The first Reformation actually split Christianity into dozens and then hundreds of different segments. I think this one is actually going to bring them together. Now, you're never going to get Christians, of all their stripes and varieties, to agree on all of the different doctrinal disputes and things like that, but what I am seeing them agree on are the purposes of the church. And I find great uniformity in the fact that I see this happening all the time. Last week I spoke to 4,000 pastors at my church who came from over 100 denominations in over 50 countries. Now, that's wide spread. We had Catholic priests, we had Pentecostal ministers, we had Lutheran bishops, we had Anglican bishops, we had Baptist preachers. They're all there together and you know what? I'd never get them to agree on communion or baptism or a bunch of stuff like that, but I could get them to agree on what the church should be doing in the world.[5]

In this manner the principle, in the essentials unity and in the nonessentials liberty, can serve as a diversion from the doctrinal minimalism of church growth philosophy. Journalist Elsa Walsh asked Warren about her perception of his doctrinal minimalism. She asked, “So are you saying doctrine won't be important or is not important if you bring together all these?” Warren answered, “No, no. I think, though, it's what Augustine said: ‘In the essentials, unity; in the non-essentials, liberty; and in all things, charity.’ And I think that's how evangelicals and Catholics can get together.”[6] The only way evangelicals and Catholics can get together is through unity in deeds (methodological pragmatism) and liberty in doctrine (doctrinal minimalism). There should be no denying that a distorted eschatology believes the end-times will be characterized by ecumenical unity based on deeds and not doctrine. 

Third, a distorted eschatology believes that the end-times will be characterized by a sweeping world-wide revival. Unhindered success and ecumenical unity must logically culminate in a sweeping world-wide revival. Warren believes that the largest churches in Christianity are yet to be built.[7] He also believes that the second reformation of ecumenical unity based on deeds and not doctrine may create a great revival. Warren said, “I am working toward a second Reformation of the church which could create a Third Great Awakening in our nation or world.”[8] For those with an inadequate soteriology, misguided ecclesiology and distorted eschatology, this is “the most exciting time in history for the church.”[9] The foundation of a building determines its structure and the structure determines its apex. For church growth philosophy the apex is a distorted eschatology that believes the end-times will be characterized by a sweeping world-wide revival.

In contrast, an adequate soteriology will properly guide ecclesiology and correctly shape eschatology. Properly guided ecclesiology will culminate in a correctly shaped eschatology that believes the end-times will be characterized by difficulty in ministry, an ecumenical unity that compromises sound doctrine and violates biblical separation, and a sweeping world-wide counterfeit revival.

First, a correctly shaped eschatology believes that the end-times will be characterized by difficulty in ministry. This truth is explicitly taught in the Word of God.[10] The reason the last days will be difficult for true ministers is because of large numbers of unregenerate church members that have the form of Christians without its content and who will not endure sound doctrine but instead heap to themselves doctrinal minimalizing teachers.[11] Resistance to the Gospel will not be the result of poor communication but the overabundance of false teachers offering inoffensive, man-centered entry into the kingdom of God.[12] The difficulty is multiplied when the leaders of church growth philosophy accuse faithful ministers of poor communication skills, unloving attitudes, and prideful arrogance. [13] Faithful ministry in this context can lead to the appearance of failure that in and of itself will make ministry difficult. Jim Elliff succinctly articulated this dilemma. He said:

The disturbing thing about the American church in general is that our mentality about evangelism does not reflect Christ’s. We often correctly lead the unbelievers up to the door of salvation but then reconstruct the door wide enough for them and their rebellion. We cannot stand for the truth to create resistance. We have a hard enough time with our image anyway. (Nobody wants to be a leader in the Church Loss Movement!)[14]

Ministry in these last days will be difficult for faithful ministers who are judged by their lack of success in the face of the unhindered success of the false preachers that compromise the truth to remove its resistance. Speaking of the false preachers, the Word of God says that they will speak as from the world and the world will listen to them.[15] This is the advice Rick Warren gives to remove resistance from the Gospel. He said, “If you want to advertise your church to the unchurched you must learn to think and speak like they do . . . . Churches need to stop saying people are closed to the Gospel and start finding out how to communicate on the unbeliever’s wavelength.”[16] The implication is that if a pastor’s church is not growing it is because of his poor communication skills or some other deficiency. However, a correctly shaped eschatology believes that the end-times will be characterized by difficulty in ministry, not because of poor communication skills or some other deficiency, but because of faithfulness to the Word of God in soteriology and ecclesiology. 

Second, a correctly shaped eschatology believes that the end-times will be characterized by an ecumenical alliance between denominations and religions of opposing beliefs. This ecumenical alliance though will be understood by those with a correctly shaped eschatology as a God-forbidden partnership. This will be an explicit violation of the Word of God that commands separation from unbelieving denominations and religions.[17] A correctly shaped eschatology understands that ecumenical alliances are the logical conclusion of church growth philosophy and that they are the necessary harbingers of the apostasy that must come before the coming of the Lord and the gathering together of His people.[18] This ecumenical unity based on methodological pragmatism and doctrinal minimalism will serve as a deluding influence and judgment of God on those who will not believe the truth.[19] The “second reformation” that is supposed to unite Christianity will be an ecumenical unity that is explicitly forbidden by God.

Third, a correctly shaped eschatology believes that the end-times will be characterized by a sweeping world-wide counterfeit revival. Once again this is the logical result of church growth philosophy that utilizes methodological pragmatism and practices doctrinal minimalism not only to gain “converts” but to also form ecumenical alliances. All of this will culminate in “the” apostasy.[20] The apostasy will have the appearance or form of revival but not the reality of revival. This too is taught in the Word of God. Jesus’ parable of the tares, a parable on eschatology, teaches that the tares, weeds that have the form of wheat, are counterfeit Christians that will be bundled up first before the wheat, true Christians, are gathered to the Lord.[21] The eschatology of the apostle Paul is in perfect harmony with Jesus’ eschatological parable of the tares. Jesus said that the tares would be bundled up first and then the wheat gathered into His barn.[22] Paul said that before the Lord comes and His people are gathered together to Him, the apostasy (bundling of the tares) must come first.[23] The bundling up of counterfeit Christians will have the appearance of revival but will only be a counterfeit revival. A correctly shaped eschatology believes that the end-times will be characterized by a sweeping world-wide counterfeit revival.

Conclusion 

Devising a biblical component model for pastoral ministry requires biblical fidelity in the three theological categories of soteriology, ecclesiology and eschatology. Soteriology is foundational, ecclesiology is structural and eschatology is apical to a pastoral philosophy of ministry. Each theological category gives guiding and guarding principles for a biblical component model of pastoral ministry.

First, an adequate soteriology dictates that a regenerate church membership can only be attained by the means of the unadulterated Gospel. Since the Gospel is the only means that sinners can obtain salvation, pastors are to have complete confidence in its power to bring salvation. Neither methodological pragmatism nor doctrinal minimalism will be effectual in regeneration. This means that seeker-sensitive services and all other Scripture violating church growth philosophies are to be avoided for use in evangelism. Evangelism will primarily be go and tell not come and see.

Second, a properly guided ecclesiology will cause the church to be structured to ensure that the disciple-making process is not oversimplified. Worship will be saint-sensitive rather than seeker-sensitive. This means that expository preaching during the worship service is irreplaceable. Fellowship will be grounded in a biblical understanding of church membership and guarded by biblical church discipline. Discipleship will equip the saints to be sound in doctrine, sure in discernment and strong in defending the faith. This means that teaching sound doctrine will need more avenues than just the worship services on Sundays. Discipleship classes structured toward doctrine, discernment, and defending the faith should be regularly offered. Also catechisms should be utilized with the church’s members. Ministry will be more than discovering spiritual gifts and meeting human needs. Ministry will also include equipped church members actually engaging in spiritual discernment, spiritual loyalty, and spiritual warfare. This means there will be alliances to establish and alliances to avoid. Also both apologetics and polemics will have to be employed.

Third, a correctly shaped eschatology will remind pastors of the reality that their ministry will be characterized by difficulty. Pastors therefore should stand strong in the Lord and become part of a small group or network of like-minded pastors. Also pastors should understand that the counterfeiters who compromise sound doctrine and violate biblical separation will create a strong pull towards an ecumenical unity. This means that they will have to redouble their efforts in equipping the saints to stand against the schemes of the devil and getting the church to be the pillar and support of the truth against the rising tides of apostasy.[24] Finally, pastors should understand that the last days will be characterized by a sweeping world-wide counterfeit revival. This means that they will have to work extra hard in exposing counterfeiters,[25] reminding their people that this is what the Word of God reveals,[26] and contending for the faith so that some can be snatched out of deception.[27]

These three theological categories, soteriology, ecclesiology and eschatology, are invaluable for constructing a philosophy of pastoral ministry. They give guiding and guarding principles to ensure that pastoral ministry is genuine and not a form of pastoral ministry without its biblical content.

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[1] Warren, Purpose, 15.

[2] 2 Timothy 3:1—4:4 explicitly teaches that the last days will be difficult for true ministers of God and that sound doctrine will not be endured. Only doctrinal minimizers will find the last days easy.

[3] Warren, Purpose, 189.

[4] Warren, “Myths” http://www.pewforum.org/Christian/Evangelical-Protestant-Churches/Myths-of-the-Modern-Megachurch.aspx (accessed May 1, 2012).

[5] Warren, “Myths” http://www.pewforum.org/Christian/Evangelical-Protestant-Churches/Myths-of-the-Modern-Megachurch.aspx (accessed May 1, 2012).

[6] Warren, “Myths” http://www.pewforum.org/Christian/Evangelical-Protestant-Churches/Myths-of-the-Modern-Megachurch.aspx (accessed May 1, 2012).

[7] Warren, Purpose, 15.

[8] Warren, “Myths” http://www.pewforum.org/Christian/Evangelical-Protestant-Churches/Myths-of-the-Modern-Megachurch.aspx (accessed May 1, 2012).

[9] Warren, Purpose, 15.

[10] 2 Timothy 3:1.

[11] 2 Timothy 3:1—4:4.

[12] Matthew 7:13 and 1 John 4:1, 5.

[13] Warren, Purpose, 189, 337-338.

[14] Jim Elliff, “The New Gospel: Appealing But not Revealing” at Christian Communicators Worldwide, http://www.ccwonline.org/appeal.html, accessed May 9, 2012.

[15] 1 John 4:5.

[16] Warren, Purpose, 189.

[17] 2 Corinthians 6:14-18.

[18] 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3.

[19] 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12.

[20] 2 Thessalonians 2:3.

[21] Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43.

[22] Matthew 13:30.

[23] 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3.

[24] 1 Timothy 3:15

[25] 2 Corinthians 11:12-15.

[26] 2 Peter 2:1-3; 2; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12.

[27] Jude 3-23.