PastorBlastor

Grow In Preaching By Pastor Lee Hemen June 30, 2023 One of things that has always frustrated me as a Christian and a pastor is that far too many pastors think they do not have to mature in their preaching skills. They will pound their pulpits to try and get their listeners to mature in their faith practices of prayer, Bible reading, witnessing and biblical knowledge but never address their own shortcoming of truly stagnant preaching. I was shocked when I went to listen to a fellow pastor preach and his style was exactly the same as when he graduated from seminary some thirty years ago! There are few pastors who would desire their congregations to remain spiritually stunted for thirty years, yet find no problem with their own stunted growth in being able to preach the word of God that truly meets the needs of their listeners today. This should not happen. Pastors often preach on what Paul wrote Timothy, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not nee...

The church is to remain strong! – Colossians 3:11-17 By Pastor Lee Hemen February 23, 2020 One of things that many senior adults do not do is to get enough exercise in order to maintain their muscle tone and bone density in order to remain healthy. While the number of senior adults living longer has grown, those who live active and strong lives have not. Keeping oneself strong later in life is extremely important and the same is true for a church. Paul wrote the church at Colossae between 60-62 AD while he was imprisoned in Rome the first time and one purpose was to correct the heresy that had sprung up in Colossae. This false teaching seemed to be the beginning of what later developed into Gnosticism. It contained specific characteristics. (1) It was Jewish stressing the need to observe Old Testament laws and ceremonies. (2) It was philosophical, laying emphasis on some special or deeper knowledge (gnōsis). (3) It involved the worship of angels. (4) It was exclusivistic whereby only ...

Honoring God’s servants! -- 1 Timothy 5:17-25 By Pastor Lee Hemen January 21, 2018 Recently the news has had several truly horrendous examples of pastors gone bad both of which either had or are pastoring mega churches. One had sexual relations with underage girls and the other deliberately misappropriated tens of thousands of dollars of church money and was caught smuggling hundreds of illegal pounds of marijuana in his car. These examples are by no means how the vast majority of pastors humbly serve in their ministries but these ungodly few leave a bad influence and taste with those inside and outside the church. Part of the problem is when too much power is given to an individual who is supposed to be a servant of the Lord and not a sovereign. Paul understood that how a pastor follows through in his ministry reflects on the entire body of Christ. The same is true in how the body of Christ honors their pastors. While respect is earned, honor is to be given to those who serve. For wha...

The Church, Part Four – 1 Timothy 5:17-22 By Pastor Lee Hemen June 22, 2008 AM I have to be honest with you because it is difficult for me, as a pastor, to share with you exactly what Paul was trying to teach Timothy. Why? Because I do not want you to think I am saying our church does not treat me well as your pastor. I believe our church does a fine job. However, not every church does such a good job in making sure their pastor is cared for, and this is a disgrace. Sometimes, churches are run by the pastor and the congregation has no idea what the pastor earns or how he is paid. This too is ungodly and is not taught in Scripture. For the church to be the church, it is supposed to hire and care for its pastor, and if that pastor strays biblically, the church is supposed to discipline him as well. We spent some time talking about what the qualifications are for a pastor, but now Paul delves into some areas that some would rather ignore. However to be the church that God has established ...