SERVANTS AND STEWARDS
Maybe you’ve seen a chain letter that’s been going around for a number of years. It says:
“The result of a computerized survey indicates that the perfect preacher:
Preaches 15 minutes
Condemns sin; but never offends anyone
Works from 8 till midnight including janitorial work
Makes $60 per week, wears good clothes, buys good books, drives a good car and gives $50 per week to the poor
Is 28 years old and has been preaching for 30 years
Is wonderfully, perfectly handsome
Has a burning desire to work with teenagers but spends all his time with the older folk
Smiles with a straight face because his sense of humor keeps him seriously dedicated to his work.
He makes 15 calls per day on church family, shut-ins, hospitalized, while evangelizing the lost.
He’s always in his office when needed.
If your preacher does not measure up to this chain letter, send this letter to six other churches who also are tired of their preacher. Bundle up your preacher and send him to the church at the top of the list. In one year you will receive 1,643 preachers One of them should be perfect. WARNING: Keep this letter going. One church broke the chain and got their old preacher back in six months.”
The truth is, we use a lot of criteria to judge preachers. By contrast, here’s God’s view of preachers: “Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.” (4:1)
(1) Preachers are “servants”. There are several Greek words in the New Testament that are translated “servant” and the word that Paul has chosen to use here is an interesting one. The word literally means “under rower”. Have you ever seen one of those old movies where the Roman ship is powered by slaves pulling hundreds of oars? This big guard cracks his whip and all the slaves pull on the oars. That’s what this word “servant” originally meant. The lowest galley slaves, the ones rowing the bottom tier of the ship. They were the most menial, unenvied and despised of slaves. From that meaning the term came to refer to subordinates of any sort, to those under the authority of another. Paul says that ministers of the gospel are first and foremost “servants of Christ”. In everything they do, they are to be subordinate and subject to him.
(2) Preachers are “stewards.” A steward was a servant, but he was a servant with very special responsibilities. Perhaps the best way to express it is with the term “household manager”. A steward was a servant who was placed in complete control of a house or an estate. He supervised the property, the fields and vineyards, the finances, the food, the staff members on behalf of his master. Joseph in the Old Testament is a good example. He was a steward in Potiphar’s house. Paul says that ministers of the gospel are stewards because they are entrusted with proclaiming the mysteries of God — the gospel. As a steward of the gospel, it is the minister’s responsibility to take God’s Word and dispense it to God’s household.
Those of us who are preachers appreciate being encouraged and edified like anyone else. But, when you’re tempted to put your preacher up on a pedestal (or if he insists on climbing up there all by himself!), remember that we are but servants and stewards.
“So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gave the increase.” (I Cor. 3:7). To God be the glory!
Have a great day!
Alan Smith