As we approach this year’s annual business meeting, I wanted to share some thoughts with you all; doing so with great gratitude for the Lord’s faithful labor of shepherding His church. In Mark 9:33-35 we find a moment in which the disciples’ self-centeredness provided yet another crucial lesson from the Savior. As Jesus and the disciples traveled to Capernaum, the Lord knew that they were discussing amongst themselves which of them was the greatest. When He exposed their narcissistic debate, the Savior responded with this simple yet powerful instruction: “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all” (Mark 9:35).
I would submit to the reader that, without this core lesson, any church will suffer harm and lose its gospel witness. After all, if a spirit of joyful servitude (Psalm 110:3) and love for the Lord and others (Mark 12:28-31) is not at the heart of our ministry within the church, then we become nothing but a noisy gong or clanging cymbal (1 Corinthians 13:1).
Having had the privilege of serving as your pastor at Sovereign Grace Bible Church since April of last year, this core lesson has continued to attain greater prominence in my own soul, especially as we have endured several trials along the way. These trials, which have been appointed by our loving heavenly Father, have been given to us so that we might share His holiness (Hebrews 12:4-13). However, if we ignore the loving pedagogy that these trials supply, then we run the risk of repeating past errors and dishonoring our Lord.
Since I have been here, I have reviewed the content and message of our church’s constitution, checking its stipulations against the foundation of God’s Word. In doing so, I am glad to say that, though it is an imperfect man-made document, it does a good job of heralding this aforementioned principle of servanthood and the fact that the church’s order is rooted in elders who serve by exercising oversight over the church, and deacons who attend to the temporal affairs of the church – being responsible to the elders in their labors (Phil.1:1; Acts 20:17, 28; Titus 1:5, 7; 1 Pet.5:1-2; Acts 6:1–4; 1 Tim.3:1-15, Article 6 – Church Order). These standards are crucial, because when elders and deacons do not serve in conformity with the Scriptures, or are not examples to the flock (in their homes and in the church), then the standards of the church will degrade into churlish and man-centered contests over who is the greatest; or as Jesus warned His disciples regarding the man-centeredness of the Pharisees: “…they do all their deeds to be noticed by men…and they love the place of honor at banquets, and the chief seats in the synagogues…” (Matthew 23:5-6). Had these standards been in place in the past, the conflicts of this past year would have been avoided.
As a church, the Lord has carried us through various challenges along the way, but His kindness towards us been deeply encouraging along the way. As we press forward in the life and ministry of SGBC, may the Lord grant us continued grace to herald and exalt just one person: the Lord Jesus Christ.
Warm greetings in Him,
Pastor Michael John Beasley