The Church Needs Uncompromising Shepherds

The church cannot survive another generation of weak, fearful, compromising ministers who will continue to foster the weaknesses that could end in her retrogression into another period comparable to the dark ages.  She needs men who not only will preach the truth of the Scriptures and all of the doctrines contained in them (thankfully, there seems to be a resurgence of concern for this), but men who (as fearlessly as they preach) also will apply that truth in the hard concrete situations of life to which it is directed.  It is one thing to win the Lord’s battles verbally from the pulpit; it is another to win them experientially in the everyday affairs of pastoral work.  Sadly, there are all too few who exhibit the courage to exercise church discipline, to say “no” in practical matters of judgment and to evangelize in counseling when they know (all too well) that this is exactly what is needed by the persons to whom they speak.  Instead, there are all too many who rationalize, and in the name of love, sympathy, compassion, etc., compromise God’s truth in actual practice.  There is too much of the fear of men.  The Church needs men who fear God more and, therefore, fear men less.  Only such pastors can remain faithful to Him and effectively minister the Word in love both to the saved and unsaved sinners.

Dr. Jay E. Adams, Shepherding God’s Flock, p.246