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commentary ministry forthe real world A question of character Johnny Juckes introduces this edition of Commentary, which focuses on the development and encouragement of good character does some theological and pastoral in church leaders and church life thinking about this issue, encouraging churches to respond to loneliness through hospitality and direct ministry initiatives. Dan Strange (page 18) has been When churches come to choose a with us. I’ve written about our thinking thinking about death recently, and new pastor, although they look for fine on this essential preparation for writes for us about death as a teacher, and faithful preaching, and pastoral ministry on page 24. with many modules to cover in the ministry which genuinely connects In this edition of Commentary, curriculum of mortality. He says, with people, above all, they look for developing and encouraging good ‘Our culture continues to redefine good character. ‘Character, including character emerges as a theme. our mortality in a myriad of ways, godliness, family faithfulness, and Michael Williams, for example, writes domesticating it, being terrified by it, temperance, is a widely accepted in praise of teachability (on page denying it. However, the intractability given in ministry,’ says Andrew 34). ‘All of us are carrying bags of death remains.’ Nicholls, in his article on what is truly which might have quietly become an Cynicism is one of the defining important in church ministry (see obstacle to us learning new truths characteristics of our time, says page 4). about God,’ he says. He offers three Lourens Du Plessis (page 31), and This is something we have been practical and thoughtful steps to it has been forcefully challenged thinking about at Oak Hill for a long becoming more teachable. recently by two authors: Michiko time, of course. But in the past year, Loneliness is in the news today, says Kakutani and Jordan Peterson. we’ve been consolidating our earlier Brad Bitner (on page 10), and some Lourens looks through their eyes thinking by developing a graduate commentators say we are suffering at the decline of rational discourse, profile, which sets out the character, an epidemic of loneliness. ‘Even in ‘which hardly started with Donald competencies and skills we are the gathering of Christ’s church for Trump’. seeking, by God’s grace, to grow in worship and fellowship there can Tim Ward continues our new series our students throughout their time be great loneliness,’ he says. Brad where Oak Hill faculty members offer 2 oakhill.ac.uk/commentary oakhill.ac.uk/commentary 3 commentary on biblical passages by opening up the Book of Jonah (see page 22). He says, ‘At root, Jonah is a commentary disturbing and disruptive book, sent to fly under the radar of Christian leaders especially.’ The Handmaid’s Tale was back on Winter 2018/19 our screens in the summer, with its story of a repressive, Orwellian regime What kind of pastor? 4 in which women are valued mostly for Andrew Nicholls their ability to reproduce. Eric Ortlund writes (on page 7) about how the TV A tale of two handmaids show has been shaped differently to 7 Margaret Atwood’s novel, especially in Eric Ortlund its depiction of religion. Kristi Mair has a new book coming A hideous weather of the soul 10 out in the new year, MORE > Truth. Brad Bitner It’s part of an IVP series aimed at non-readers, non-philosophers, non- ‘We serve a God who cares about beauty’ 14 theologians, and non-big thinkers. We asked Kristi (on page 28) why she Ben Clube wrote it, and who she is hoping will read it. The Rolling Stones will stop 18 Ben Clube, who is currently studying Dan Strange at Oak Hill, has a heart for church planting, which grew out of his Angry with God 22 involvement in Trinity West Church Tim Ward in Shepherd’s Bush. He talks to us (on page 14) about his experience Growing in love, truth and joy 24 at college: ‘The course has opened my eyes to the scriptures, exposed Johnny Juckes and strengthened my weak-spots, taught me more of grace, and grown In an age of fake news, what is truth? 28 my affection for God and people Kristi Mair (admittedly with some help from the Holy Spirit).’ How to live in a culture of cynicism 31 Finally, Chris Green reviews two Lourens Du Plessis recent books which repackage Stoic philosophy for modern times Teachability is an ability 34 (page 36). ‘Our serious minded non-Christian friends are looking for Michael Williams answers, and if they’re reading these books, or the podcasts they influence, Books 36 we can do business,’ he says. Chris Green 2 oakhill.ac.uk/commentary oakhill.ac.uk/commentary 3 What kind of pastor? What varieties of word ministry do we expect pastors to be competent in? Public ministry from the front, or personal ministry, one to one? Andrew Nicholls First, it is widely noted these days that being a teacher of explores the connections the word alone is not enough of a person specification. Character, including godliness, family faithfulness, between the two temperance, and so on, is a widely accepted given. We might helpfully ask ourselves whether we really ask the nitty-gritty details of what kind of a husband or father Bill and Mary are chatting about the search for a new this potential leader of God’s family is, what quantity minister. ‘I just think we should get the best preacher we of alcohol he consumes, and so on. Application forms, can find. That’s the really vital thing, isn’t it? Someone to interviews and references can all be rather generic and dig out the treasure for us on a Sunday.’ tend to reinforce the idea that all we really want is a bland ‘We did that last time. But lots of people find sermons reassurance rather than a clear, actual reflection of the too long and impersonal. They need someone they can talk detailed criteria given by Paul in 1 Timothy and Titus. to – someone really pastoral. I think we should be looking Secondly, we have seen increasing stress laid in recent for someone like that.’ years on the importance of an ability to manage the It seems commonplace for churches to feel the need to household of God. Churches rarely if ever manage choose. For some, experience has taught them you can themselves very effectively, even when all the members only have one or the other – a preacher or a pastor, by are Christians, which is why Paul requires elders to be which they mean a public minister or a personal one. The appointed who can lead them in following Jesus. pulpiteer is, perhaps self-evidently to many, a different These two categories – godliness and leadership – are sort of person from the privately patient and personally both of vital importance if we take the Bible seriously. We engaged. do need word ministers who are both godly and able to lead. Bill and Mary will hopefully both have these things Godliness and leadership on their list of necessary qualities. But what about their disagreement? What kinds of word ministry do we expect Before addressing this tension, it’s worth mentioning a minister to be competent in, and for which kinds ought a couple of qualities on which Bill and Mary can agree. the pastor to be trained? 4 oakhill.ac.uk/commentary oakhill.ac.uk/commentary 5 Conversational word ministry which God addresses those he gathers into his church. But Oak Hill is also investing in conversational word It’s hard to imagine a college such as Oak Hill sending out ministry. The two main reasons are these. people without hearing them preach. For sure, we expect First, as every pastor knows, private conversations are people to have demonstrated ability before they arrive seen as a potential source of help for the many challenges here to study, but we also invest a chunk of the curriculum the church family faces: marriage difficulty (including in improving the skills of pulpit communication. domestic abuse), parenting problems, same sex attraction, Homiletics matters greatly to a church. The church must money worries, persistent low mood, worry, anger gather around the word, and when they do, they must management, and so on. hear the Lord speak as his word is proclaimed, with its For those who come to a pastor with these woes, how content accurate, and its contemporary, urgent authority will the pastor respond? ‘Not my field, let me pray for you, to comfort and call clear in the daily lives of God’s people. I’ll send you off to a professional,’ would be typical among Reading and preaching the word is the central means by the more alert, leaving open the question of whether the 4 oakhill.ac.uk/commentary oakhill.ac.uk/commentary 5 same gospel that grows the church really has anything Perhaps we can’t. Some people argue that in a church deeply helpful to say to any of those issues. I’ll argue below where the preaching is most excellent, biblical counselling that it does! is unnecessary. More likely, though, where the preaching is And second, God’s plan is clearly for the church truly most Ephesian, biblical counselling will be happening as a whole to be able to keep each other ‘from sin’s already. Others point out that much counselling happens deceitfulness’ (Hebrews 3:13); or ‘speaking the truth in love’ from the pulpit. Praise God if so, but do we mean to imply to each other as the means of growth from vulnerable that only the pastor’s pulpit words are given the power of infancy to being fully mature in Christ.

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