July 2001 chaplain's corner

The Chaplain's Corner is a monthly message for chaplains.

Chaplain's Corner - July 2001

Rev. Rich Hines

This month I'd like you correctional facility and rescue mission chaplains that are truly born again, to consider with me what the Word of God says about the character of godly leaders.

As you seek to represent the true God and only Savior, Jesus Christ, in the midst of a society given over to pagan idolatry, your behavior, your walk, needs to be in line with Christ. In reality, a correctional facility is a pagan city. As truly born again chaplains walk in the power and control of Christ's Spirit, their lives will mimic the early Christian missionaries that brought God's gospel to the pagan city of ancient Thessalonica.

I'm talking about the Apostle Paul and his fellow gospel missionaries, Silas and Timothy.

Acts 17 shows how they were used by the Lord in peoples' lives, for a very brief time (less than one month), and how the gospel came to those people in the midst of civil upheaval and persecution by unbelieving, religious people. In spite of that upheaval, many people were "persuaded" from the Old Testament Scriptures to believe that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the Christ who died and rose again for their sins (Acts 17:2-10).

The conversion of these people was genuine, for we read they "turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God" and learned "to wait for His Son from heaven" (1 Thess.1:9,10).

Wherever the gospel comes with the real power of God actively transforming lives, as it did in ancient Thessalonica, the world and it's Prince (the great Adversary - Satan) oppose and seek to undermine God's work. You can expect the same thing in your ministry. In fact, it is a danger signal if you are not being opposed and hassled.

In the case of the ancient missionaries (Paul, Silas and Timothy), the opposition sought to poison the minds of the new believers against the gospel messengers. Their first tactic was to attack the character of the men that brought them the message of Christ. If doubt can be introduced about the character of men or women in leadership and made to stick, then their message can be undermined. This is what the enemies of the gospel tried to do in Thessalonica. The same kind of thing can happen with the people you are seeking to establish in the faith of Christ.

Paul received a report from Timothy on the bad press they were getting in Thessalonica. He hadn't seen these new believers for four to six months, and he was very concerned about what the attack on their character might do to the new church. So, in 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12, he began to make a defense of their conduct. Here's the inspired text:

1 Thess. 2:1-12

1 For you yourselves know brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain.

2 But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict

3 For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit.

4 But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.

5 For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness - God is witness.

6 Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ.

7 But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children.

8 So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives (AV "souls"), because you had become dear to us.

9 For you remember, brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God.

10 You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe;

11 as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children,

12 that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

From that defense, we can see what the character of a godly Christian chaplain, in the correctional facility or after care facility, should be.

Looking at the whole of this passage, three things immediately stand out. They jump off the page and get our attention. They show us the character of godly leaders.

First, godly leaders trust in and appeal to the conscience of those to whom they have ministered. They have been open and transparent to those they've ministered to.

Note it in verse 1, "you yourselves know" - then in verse 5, "as you know" - then again in verse 9, "you remember"- in verse 10 "You are witnesses" and finally in verse 11, "as you know."

Second, godly leaders love their congregations. Note how full of tenderness, concern and love these words are.

Look again at this text:

6 ...when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ.

7 But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children.

8 So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives (AV "souls"), because you had become dear to us.

9 .... that we might not be a burden to any of you, ...

11 as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children,

Third, they minister with a God-consciousness. They are intensely aware that God is watching, that everything they do is in fact - in the sight of God.

Do you see that in verse 4, "we have been approved by God" and "God who (literally, constantly) tests our hearts" - in verse 5, "God is witness" - and finally in verse 10 "You are witnesses, and God also"?

The inmates and residents you minister to need to see you respect their thinking, that you really love them and that you fear God. That is consistent with what the Bible describes here as godly leaders - one's He approves of and has sent.

Getting into the text in verses 1-8, there are TEN other things that are very important for you to apply in your way of doing ministry. We can also see what some of the detractors attacks were. Maybe your adversaries are even saying the same things about you today.

1 For you yourselves know brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain.

The words "our coming to you" or as some translations read "our entry to you," refers to their whole stay and gospel ministry, which is to say their teaching time with them. The Apostle says this was "NOT IN VAIN." The clear implication is that the detractors of the ministry were telling the new believers that the content, the teaching Paul and his helpers brought - was VAIN, which means a bunch of NOTHINGNESS.

Time and time again I've heard testimony of how parents, or relatives, or friends or professional workers have tried to put out an initial enthusiasm for a new life in Christ, by telling new believers, "It's just a phase you're going through - it will pass." They want to introduce doubt. Unbelievers think Bible believing Christians have attached themselves to a "Pipe dream" or "Pie in the sky religion" that only makes someone feel better for a little while, BUT HAS NOTHING BEHIND IT. They are wrong. The reality of Christ and His truth does change lives. As leaders you must model that. Godly leaders are not simply good actors, playing a role, they are for real, and genuinely know the power of the risen Christ in their own life, and it's obvious to those around them.

1 For you yourselves know brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain. - our teaching was not empty nothingness.

Then, we read in verse 2,

2 But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict

Godly leaders demonstrate courage in the face of powerful and hateful hostility against their message. Think of the biblical history behind this verse. When these missionary leaders came to Thessalonica, their backs (Paul's and Silas') hadn't yet completely healed from the unjustified Roman beating recorded in Acts 16:22-24.

Compare this to what happened on an earlier occasion in Acts 14:19,20 at Lystra. There, at the urging of religious enemies he was stoned. After being left for dead, Paul rose and returned to the same city he was preaching in when the mob dragged him off and stoned him. The clear implication is that he returned to preach some more!

Charlatans shrink away from suffering for their sham. Those who are commissioned and empowered by God to give the gospel don't because there message is not a sham. They are bold in their God to speak the same truth that constantly gets them in trouble with unbelievers. It is interesting to note that in this passage, the gospel is called "the gospel of God," three times (verse 2, verse 8, verse 9)! This gospel is God's good news message of forgiveness from sin ONLY through faith in Christ and His work of redemption. Are you a courageous, bold leader because you know you have the only real answer for the inmates and residents? Are you willing not only to suffer, but to be spurred on by opposition and to boldly keep on stating the truth of the Bible?

Moving along we see in verse 3 -

3 For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit.

Obviously, the enemies had been saying the leaders exhortation, which means their personal ministry to the people had been in error, in uncleanness and with deceit. So here, Paul denied these three charges. Error here means being led astray by another, hence having wrong information. Uncleanness is a word used most frequently in the New Testament in connection with the word for fornication or immorality. Deceit has to do with methods. It means guile, baiting a hook, or a crafty catching of the unwary.

If you are showing the inmates that everything you teach is backed by Bible chapter and verse in context, those that are God's elect (whether saved or as yet, still unsaved) will know you are not someone bringing wrong information.

In ancient Thessalonica, the pagan society was given over to sensuality. The very emblems of the city were pornographic. Paul's detractors suggested he came to those people to get sexual favors from the women. As godly leaders your reputation needs to be totally above reproach. It is a sad, sad fact that accusations against truly godly men are sometimes entertained today, because their has been so much sexual scandal among evangelicals.

Chaplains must never even give the slightest impression that their interests are anything other than God-honoring. You must not even listen to off-color jokes (see Eph. 5:3,4). They also need to be totally non-deceptive. Inmate culture develops deceit to a high level. You need to be a totally straight shooter, rather than a game player. Say what you mean, and mean what you say. Let your yes be yes - and your no, no. Be consistent.

Paul continued in verse 4,

4 But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.

He was saying God has and is testing, or assaying our hearts - and knows we had His truth, that we were sexually pure in thought and action and that we never used trickery or deceit. But note something else here. Godly leaders seek to please God, not man. They do not seek the approval and praise of men. Compare this to Galatians 1:10,11

"For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ. For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man."

I know that pastors and chaplains (it is our position that a correctional chaplain is a pastor) today are under a lot of pressure to cave in and compromise God's word. It's not popular to talk about sin and holiness, or judgment and hell. It is no longer acceptable in many of your institutions to say the word of God says there is only one way to be saved - through faith in Christ plus nothing. The pressure everywhere in Christian ministry today is to make God people's friend, or should I say their "good buddy." We are urged to give people a man-centered gospel rather than one centered on an all-holy, all-righteous, completely Sovereign judge; who is the True God.

Even God's incredible love has often been perverted into an acceptance of sin. We live in a society that has accepted, and in many cases even promoted the most destructive and heinous sins. Pray with us that God would raise up godly men and women, persons like Paul, Silas and Timothy to serve as chaplains in America's correctional facilities - persons who put Him first, above pleasing men.

Moving along - notice in the next four verses what godly leaders (chaplains) do not do, and then, what they do.

5 For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness - God is witness.

6 Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ.

7 But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children.

8 So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives (AV "souls"), because you had become dear to us.

Godly leaders never resort to flattery, telling people what they want to hear to get an advantage for their own ends.

They never are motivated in their ministry of the word of God by the possibility of monetary gain. They don't get absorbed with self-importance, titles, rank or desiring to be admired by men. That is stressed by the phrase in verse 6, "when we might have made demands as apostles (here the word is non-technical, sent messengers) of Christ" and is best translated "when we might have been OF WEIGHT as apostles of Christ.

What truly godly spiritual leaders do is seen in part in verses 7, 8. They don't drive people, they gently lead them. The gentleness of their disposition is seen in the beautiful word picture of a nursing mother in verse 7, literally "warming with body heat" her infant child as she tenderly nurses and cares for its needs. Metaphorically, do you have a general demeanor of cuddling your inmate disciples as you feed them God's word? Are you gentle? Of course, there are times when you must speak out against their sin and even discipline them, but even then they should sense it is with tender love. As Paul urged Timothy in his final letter - (2 Timothy 2:24-26)

" ... a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition (to God's word) if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will."

Lastly, for this month's Chaplains Corner, notice in verse 8 the absence of the sense of the minister simply being someone that is only "doing a job." You don't just give them the gospel facts, or run a program - without personal emotional investment. The character of a godly chaplain emits a love commitment to the inmate they are seeking to establish in the gospel.

Next month, Lord willing, I will continue opening up this passage. In verses 9 - 12 we will see even more of the characteristics a godly chaplain should have and what he or she should do.

As you consider what's in 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8, ask God to so fill you with His Spirit that you will be a leader that courageously brings the unsearchable riches of Christ, never flinching at the fear of man, always conscious of being seen by Him. Ask Him to give you His love and gentleness, His purity of thought and actions. Seek to know you have been approved of God to present His glorious gospel to the inmates because you have been changed by Him.

I'll end this Chaplains corner with this review -

Three Basics of Godly Leadership

1. Appeal to the conscience of the people you minister to. Let them really know you.

2. Love those God puts in your path and has given you to minister to.

3. Minister with a God consciousness. Realize everything is done before His eyes.

Ten other things true of godly leaders in 1 Thess. 2:1-8

1. They show people the reality and power of Christ in their life (it's not a "vain, nothingness") - verse 1

2. They demonstrate courage and boldness in proclaiming the gospel - verse 2

3. They have the right information - God's eternal truth (they haven't been led astray by human ideas)- verse 3

4. They are not under the control of sexual impurity - in thought or deed - verse 3

5. They are straightforward and truthful in their methods, not deceitful - verse 3

6. They always seek to please God rather than men (they are God-centered) - verse 4

7. They don't play games flattering people (they are not political, seeking to win votes for themselves) - verse 5

8. They are free from the love of money - their motive is to glorify God not get financial gain - verse 5

9. They don't seek the applause of men, they don't want to be considered great, they magnify God - verse 6

10 They are tender and gentle because they give their own hearts to the people they minister to - verses 7,8

Rich Hines - Minister To Chaplains