2 Passages to Help Guide Sunday Morning Pastoral Ministry

Here are two passages from Corinthians to shape how we ought to think about Sunday morning ministry. These ministered to me this week and I want them to continue to shape how I think about Sunday mornings in the future.

1 BUILDING UP

1 Corinthians 14:3b “…the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation”

Our hope is that the church would be built up. Assuming that “prophesies” here refers to the ministry of preaching God‘s word (even if you don’t think it does, preaching God’s words certainly does have the following application), our task as ministers is to preach for “the upbuilding and encouragement and consolation” of other Christians. We want to see the church built up in sound doctrine and love. We desire to see other Christians encouraged and comforted by the promises of the gospel. Regardless of how large or small the congregation is, this is what we are aiming at: the local church built up for the glory of God.

2 SIMPLICITY AND GODLY SINCERITY

2 Corinthians 1:12b: “…we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God…”

Here we have what our demeanor and manner ought to look like: simplicity and godly sincerity.  The two phrases “simplicity” and “godly sincerity” provide a trajectory for our interactions on a Sunday morning. Am I speaking with simplicity? Am I acting in godly sincerity? This means there’s no room for pretense, putting on airs or some kind of fake attitude that’s not our own. There’s also no room falseness in our speech or demeanor, or any attempt at manipulation. Rather, we love genuinely as seek to proclaim the gospel, and this is reflected with a simplicity and godly sincerity.

May the Lord, by His grace, enable us to put these into practice this Sunday.