During my doctoral work, I had the incredible privilege of meeting and studying under one of my heroes in ministry, Dr. John Bisagno, Pastor Emeritus of Houston’s First Baptist Church.
Dr. Bisagno had served Houston’s First for exactly thirty years, but God’s calling on his life to vocational ministry began as a young man with a horn, using his gifts and talents to lead music at revivals.
Somewhere along the journey, Dr. Bisagno sensed God doing something different in his life, giving him a greater passion for evangelism and shepherding the local church. Making a similar transition in our lives and ministry, the opportunity to study under him was life-changing.
Before he died, Dr. Bisagno completed a life project entitled the Pastor’s Handbook, 162 (mini-) chapters that have become an invaluable resource for those sensing God’s call to preach and pastor. I wanted to share with you a part of what I read this week, words the Holy Spirit used to challenge and encourage me as I spent time with Him.
Healthy things grow.
Want to grow a church?
Feed the sheep.
Want to enlarge a ministry?
Feed the sheep.
The rich expository exegesis* of God’s Word doesn’t cost anything financially.
The price is blood, sweat, and tears…but the result is a church a mile wide and a mile deep.
And remember, the mile deep comes first.
The Word makes them strong.
Strong makes them healthy.
Healthy sheep reproduce.
Healthy things grow.
If teaching is exegesis*, (still Dr. Bisagno) explaining what Scripture says and means, then preaching is application, how it applies to our lives, with inspiration and encouragement to do it.
Good teaching contains preaching.
Good preaching contains teaching.
The meat of the Word is the depth of Scripture.
Teaching God’s Word is at once our privilege and our responsibility.
I’m still growing, church. I’m still growing.