Why a “Local Church?”

 

If our vision is to be a local church truly living for the living God how should we strive for that? 

           

Paul trains Timothy exactly for this.   It may never have occurred to Paul that he could just write up a series of lessons and sermons for Timothy to use.  Then he could be assured that Tim’s teaching would be perfect.  God could have handed down prepared presentations and lessons for us to use for the generations to come.  But, this is not at all what Paul or God did.   Instead God through Paul trains Timothy to spend his time working hard at teaching his people the Word of God.  He tells him, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”  (2 Timothy 2:15)

 

If you take the picture as a whole the Biblical plan for church leadership is to be men who are walking with the Lord in victory and are growing.  They devote themselves to study and understanding of the Word, they are good examples and are involved in the lives of the people.   Then they talk to the people.  They teach, preach and train all using the Word of God that they themselves have been studying.

 

A pastor should be like a good parent feeding his children.  Presenting fresh cooked food out of fresh ingredients.  They need to know what their children need and desire, and try to serve them the appropriate food.   They should not always serve the same thing either.  There needs to be variety.  It is the parent’s responsibility to serve wholesome food as well.   The parents would zealously defend against dangerous food too, and they would not be tolerant of enemies who tried to poison their children.   

 

It seems to me that the Biblical pattern is for local pastors to be feeding local flocks whom they are getting to know, locally prepared food which they have labored to produce. 

 

I wonder if “a worker” who does not work this way needs to be ashamed?