The Dignity of Work: What the Bible Says About Labor, Generosity, and Carrying Each Other's Burdens
Work is not a curse. Laziness is not a virtue. And generosity is not optional. These are not popular ideas in today's culture, but they are deeply rooted in Scripture. Here is what the Bible actually teaches about the dignity of labor and our responsibility to share with those in need.

What Does the Bible Say About Work?
Second Thessalonians 3 lays out a straightforward command. Paul writes to the church and says plainly that if anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. This is not a suggestion. It is a command rooted in the example Paul himself set.

Paul and his companions worked day and night so they would not be a burden to anyone. They modeled what they preached. And what they preached was simple: work is not something to avoid. It is something to embrace.

Is Work a Result of the Fall?
Many people assume work is a consequence of sin, something that came after Adam and Eve fell in the garden. But that is not what Scripture teaches. In Genesis 2, before the fall, before sin entered the world, God placed Adam in the garden to work it. Labor was established from the very beginning as part of God's design for humanity.

Work is not a punishment. It is a calling.

What Is the Doctrine of the Dignity of Labor?
There are two common but mistaken views of work that Christians need to avoid.

Too low a view: Seeing work as a necessary evil, something you endure just to survive.
Too high a view: Making work the source of your identity and significance.
The biblical view sits between these two extremes. Work has dignity not because of how much it pays or how impressive it looks on a resume, but because of who is doing it and who it serves.

As theologian Tim Keller puts it, "Work of all kinds, whether with your hands or your mind, is evidence of our dignity as human beings because it reflects the image of God the Creator in us."

Whether you perform surgeries or bag groceries, your work carries dignity. You are made in the image of God. The people you serve are made in the image of God. That makes every honest job significant.

Does the Bible Undervalue Certain Types of Work?
Our culture tends to overvalue the work of doctors, engineers, and lawyers while undervaluing the work of gardeners, house cleaners, and cashiers. But Scripture makes no such distinction. Colossians 3:23-24 says it clearly:

"Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ." - Colossians 3:23-24

You are not working for a paycheck. You are working for the Lord. That changes everything about how you approach your job.

What Does the Bible Say About Laziness?
Scripture is not gentle on the subject of idleness. Proverbs 10:4 says:

"A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich." - Proverbs 10:4

Paul also warns that idleness leads to becoming a busybody, someone who has so much time on their hands that they spend it meddling in other people's lives. The antidote is simple: get to work.

The six-day work week described in Exodus is not a burden. It is a framework for a productive, purposeful life. Resting on the Sabbath is important, but so is working the other six days. Our culture has slowly convinced people that working hard is something to be ashamed of. Scripture says the opposite.

Are Christians Called to Be Generous?
Hard work and generosity are not opposites. They go hand in hand. Ephesians 4:28 says:

"Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need." - Ephesians 4:28

The goal of honest work is not just personal gain. It is so that you have something to give. Generosity is the natural overflow of a life built on dignified labor.

Who Is Responsible for Helping Those in Need?
James 1:27 describes true religion as caring for widows and orphans in their distress. First John reminds us that if we see a brother or sister in need and do nothing, we cannot claim to love God. James 2:14-17 asks the hard question directly:

"What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,' but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?" - James 2:14-16

Faith without action is empty. Galatians 6:2 and 6:10 call believers to bear one another's burdens and to do good to all people, especially those in the household of faith.

How Should Christians Think About Wealth and Sharing?
It is easy to point fingers at wealthy people and demand they be more generous. But Scripture calls everyone to generosity, regardless of income. The tithe is ten percent whether you make a little or a lot. Sharing is not reserved for the rich.

Perspective matters here. If you have a net worth of just $8,000, you are wealthier than half the people on earth. Globally, middle class means earning between $10 and $20 a day. That context does not erase real financial struggles, but it does challenge the narrative that generosity is someone else's responsibility.

We build theology around our feelings when it is convenient. We want rich people to share but resist sharing ourselves. Scripture calls all of us to something better.

What Does It Look Like to Be the Church in Everyday Life?
Generosity should not only happen in organized church moments. It should be the rhythm of everyday life. When you know someone in your circle who is struggling, the call is to step in. To help carry the load. To share what you have.

Second Thessalonians 1:3 captures what this kind of community looks like:

"We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other." - 2 Thessalonians 1:3

A church where faith is growing and love is abounding is a church where people work hard and share freely. That is the picture Paul paints. That is the community we are called to build.

Life Application
This week, do two things. First, bring dignity to your work. Whatever your job is, do it as if you are doing it for the Lord, because according to Scripture, you are. Second, find one person in your life who is carrying a heavy load and do something tangible to help them. Not a kind word alone, but an action. Cash, a meal, a phone call that leads to real help.

Ask yourself these questions as you go into the week:

Do I view my work as a calling from God, or just a means to an end?
Am I building my theology around what Scripture says, or around what feels comfortable to me?
Who in my life is struggling right now, and what is one concrete thing I can do to help carry their burden?
Am I working diligently and sharing generously, or am I expecting one without practicing the other?
Work hard. Rest well. Share freely. That is the biblical life.

What Does the Bible Say About Church Leadership and Honoring Those Who Serve?
The book of First Timothy offers one of the clearest pictures in all of Scripture of how the church should be ordered, how leaders should live, and how believers should treat those who serve. These are not suggestions. They are standards rooted in God's Word, and they matter deeply for the health of every local church.

Why Did Paul Write First Timothy?
Paul had mentored a young man named Timothy for years, often sending him on missionary journeys to churches he had planted. When false teachers began infiltrating the church in Ephesus, Paul sent Timothy to confront them and restore order.

Paul followed up with a letter. His purpose was clear: encourage Timothy to maintain sound doctrine and instruct those who were teaching otherwise.

"I urge you, when I went to Macedonia, to remain in Ephesus, that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables or endless genealogies which cause disputes, rather than godly edification which is in faith." - 1 Timothy 1:3-4

What Is the Doctrine of Church Order?
As the early church grew rapidly, structure began to take shape. From Acts 2 through Acts 16, we see thousands added to the church, disciples multiplying, and congregations spreading across entire regions. With that growth came the need for organized, qualified leadership.

By the early second century, a three-layer model of church leadership had developed: bishops or overseers, elders or pastors, and deacons or servant leaders. Paul outlines the qualifications for each in First Timothy and in Titus.

What Are the Biblical Qualifications for a Pastor or Elder?
Scripture is specific. A bishop or overseer should be:

Blameless
Faithful to one spouse
Temperate and sober-minded
Hospitable and able to teach
Not given to wine or violence
Not greedy or quarrelsome
One who rules his household well
Not a novice in the faith
Titus adds that an elder should be blameless, not quick-tempered, self-controlled, just, holy, and faithful to sound doctrine, able both to exhort and to correct those who contradict it.

What Does the Bible Say About Deacons and Servant Leaders?
Deacons, those who lead ministries and serve within the local church, are held to a similar standard. They must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy, and holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. They are to be tested first before being placed in leadership.

Paul's reason for writing all of this down is stated plainly:

"These things I write to you so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." - 1 Timothy 3:15

Why Does It Matter How Church Leaders Live?
One of the repeated themes in First Timothy is the tight connection between belief and behavior. Teaching and practice must go hand in hand. A leader who preaches generosity but is not generous, who teaches husbands to love their wives but does not do so himself, or who calls others to self-control while lacking it personally, is not living out the doctrine he proclaims.

Scripture is clear that those who take on leadership roles in the church will be held to a higher standard of accountability. James addresses this directly, warning that teachers will be judged more strictly than others.

This is not unfair. It is the weight of the calling. Anyone who accepts a leadership role in the body of Christ accepts that weight along with it.

Are We Fast-Tracking Leaders Too Quickly?
One of the real dangers in today's church culture is elevating people into leadership roles too quickly, based on talent or gifting rather than on faithful, proven character. Someone can sing beautifully, communicate powerfully, and move people emotionally, and still not be living a life surrendered to Jesus Christ.

Gifts are not the same as qualifications. Scripture's standard for spiritual leadership has far less to do with ability and far more to do with a life that is genuinely surrendered to Christ, day after day.

Spiritual leaders are not expected to be perfect. But there is a difference between imperfection and a lifestyle that consistently contradicts the Word of God. A leader worth following should hate sin, love righteousness, and follow Jesus in every area of life.

What Does the Bible Say About Honoring Church Leaders?
First Timothy chapter five gives clear instruction on how believers should treat different people within the church community. Older men should be honored as fathers. Younger men as brothers. Older women as mothers. Younger women as sisters, with all purity. Widows should be cared for and honored.

Then Paul says something that challenges the way many people think about pastoral leadership:

"Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine." - 1 Timothy 5:17

Paul reinforces this by quoting Jesus directly: "The laborer is worthy of His wages."

Why Is It Hard to Honor Church Leaders?
It is easy to honor a military veteran, a teacher, a nurse, or a widow. We naturally extend gratitude to people whose service benefits us in visible ways. But when it comes to pastors and church leaders, something often gets in the way.

Familiarity is one barrier. When you see someone every week, when you know their quirks and their history, it becomes easy to overlook what God is doing in and through their life.

Hurt is another barrier. Many people have been wounded by a church leader in their past. That pain is real, and it is valid. But allowing one person's failure to define how you view all spiritual leadership is a form of bad theology that Paul was specifically trying to correct.

What If You Have Been Hurt by the Church?
If a pastor or church leader has hurt you, broken your trust, or failed to reflect Jesus well, that pain deserves to be acknowledged. No one should minimize what you have been through.

But do not allow a human being's failure to paint a distorted picture of a perfect God. Jesus has never let you down. He has been with you through every moment, even the ones where you did not feel His presence. He loves you, and He is for you.

Correcting bad theology about spiritual authority begins with returning to the truth that Jesus Christ loves you and gave His life for you. Everything else flows from that foundation.

What Does Good Ministry Actually Look Like?
"If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed." - 1 Timothy 4:6

Good ministry is not about creative illustrations or emotional moments. It is about commanding and teaching people how to live in godliness and follow sound doctrine. It is about living out what you preach, not just saying the right things from a platform.

Those who lead in the church labor, suffer reproach, and accept judgment as part of the calling. They live in a glass house. They are scrutinized. And according to Scripture, that is exactly what they signed up for when they accepted the call.

Life Application
This week, make a deliberate choice to show honor to someone in spiritual leadership in your life. This could be a pastor, a ministry leader, a small group leader, or anyone who has faithfully given their time and life to teaching and serving others in the church. Send a note, say thank you in person, pray for them by name, or simply treat them with the respect Scripture says they are worthy of.

At the same time, examine your own heart. If past hurt has caused you to withhold honor or to view church leadership with suspicion, bring that to God honestly. Ask Him to heal what has been broken and to give you eyes to see His people the way He sees them.

Ask yourself these questions this week:

Have I allowed past hurt from a church leader to shape how I view all spiritual authority, and is that view actually rooted in Scripture?
Am I following leaders in my life because of their gifts and personality, or because their lives genuinely reflect the qualifications outlined in God's Word?
Is there someone in spiritual leadership in my life who deserves honor that I have been withholding, and what would it look like to change that this week?
If I hold a leadership role in the church, does my private life reflect the same values I represent publicly?

Today with Second Timothy. Paul writes this letter to second to the second letter to Timothy during his second imprisonment in Rome shortly before his death.
His imprisonment that was recorded after the imprisonment in Acts 28. Several people had abandoned Paul while he was in prison. Several others are away on assignment. In such a time, Paul's memories of Timothy, his sincerity and devotion are touching. And so Paul thinks he's going to die soon.
He writes this final message to Timothy. Paul urges Timothy to stand firm and ask him to come for one last visit before he's executed. Paul asks Timothy, whenever he comes, to bring his books and his parchment so that he can keep studying and keep writing until the end. Second Timothy is a very personal letter. It is the final letter of a close friend to a and a co worker to each other.
Paul understood that the ministry would only become more difficult for Timothy with his impending death. Paul knew that Timothy's task of keeping the church within the bound of sound doctrine while also encouraging believers to live their lives for the sake of Christ would be an often thankless and very difficult task. So Paul writes to Timothy and establishes the doctrine of scripture in second Timothy chapter three, starting at verse 14. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of knowing who you learned them from. From your childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures and you're able to make wise salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God. It is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, correction and instruction and righteousness that the man of God may be complete and thoroughly equipped for every good work. I charge you, therefore, before God and our Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at his appearing, preach the Word. Be ready in season and out of season to convince, rebuke, exhort, with all long suffering and teaching. For the time will come when when they will not endure sound doctrine but according to their own desires because they have itching ears.
They will heap for themselves up teachers and they'll turn their ears away from the truth and they'll be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things enduring affliction. Do the work of the evangelist. Fulfill your ministry. Continue in the things in which you've learned everything that you read in here.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God. It is profitable for doctrine. Preach the Word, Be ready in season and out of season. Be ready not just because you got a three month window to do a devotion for your Softball team. No, no.
Be ready in season and out of season to declare what God has done in your life. And the time is coming in, shall I say? The time is here, where people don't want to hear sound doctrine. They want their own desires to be coddled. I ask people why they don't read their Bibles, and here goes the answers that I get.
Well, preacher, I just don't have time to read the Bible. It's just so hard to understand. I just don't know where to start. I start reading and then I get bored and then I fall asleep. This older, archaic book, it has no value to my life today.
Continuing in the things in which you've learned. Continuing in the doctrine in which you've learned. What have you learned? Who taught you what you learned, and how are you continuing in that? That's my question for what have you learned?
Who taught you the things that you've learned? And what are you doing in your life to continue in this thing that you've learned? All of this book is profitable. It is all inspired by God, and it is profitable for doctrine. Where are you getting your doctrine from?
Where are you getting sound teaching from? Where are you getting. If I were to ask you what your thoughts are or your understanding or your doctrine was on certain subjects, if I were to say to you, hey, what do you believe about abortion?
Where did you get your doctrine from about said subject matter? Who taught you that doctrine? Where? Where did you get this understanding of what you firmly believe and regurgitate to other people about your stance on abortion? Where did you get that from?
Where did you get your understanding, or we'll call it doctrine, your righteous learning? Where did you get your righteous learning or your doctrine about tithing?
Well, I saw somebody on TikTok said it wasn't in the Bible, and I just ain't gonna believe what you say.
Where are you getting sound doctrine from? When it comes to things like racial tension? Where are you getting sound doctrine from? Where is your righteous teachings coming from on things like immigration? Where's your sound doctrine coming from on things like gender confusion?
Hear me well. Hear me well. I wrote this down so that I didn't misquote it so that you don't misquote me whenever you say it. I know it sounds crazy, but there's more of you in here that could quote Charlie Kirk or Gavin Newsom's talking point about certain subject matters than you could quote scripture on biblical perspectives.
Well, I like this man. I follow him in politics. This woman, I follow her in Politics. And she said, this is how I ought to feel. Well, that sounds great, because they're trying to run a country or govern a country.
What are you trying to do? Except for live inside of Scripture? What is it calling you to? Lord, help us. 49% of Americans, 49% of the people in this room say that The Bible is 100% accurate in its teachings and it is a reliable source of morals.
The other half of the room says that the Bible contains helpful accounts, many myths, but it's likely not completely true.
Did you know fewer than half of you in here can name all four Gospels?
Did you know that less than half of you here can name more than four disciples?
Did you know that 60% of Americans can't even name five of the Ten Commandments? That's crazy. Name them. Who wants to try? No, I'm just kidding.
I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. I bet it'd be a lot less than 60. You put somebody on the spot like that, right? According to the study, 82% of Americans believe Scripture says God helps those who helps themselves.
The majority of adults in America believes that the most important teaching of the Bible is for you to have purpose in taking care of your family.
Some of you like, isn't that what the Bible teaches us? The same Barna study indicated that 12% of adults thought that Joan of Ark was Noah's wife.
Considerable number of the people who took the poll, when asked who taught the Sermon on the Mount, they said it was preached by Billy Graham.
Paul is getting ready to die. He knows he's in his last days. And he says to his son, his spiritual son, Timothy, take care of this doctrine. Take care of this thing that you've been taught. Take care of the doctrine of the Word.
Take care of Scripture. Make sure you know that this is in inspired by God, that every bit of this is important for your life. Take care of this thing. Paul at the end of his life, begging a young Timothy to care and to preserve the word of God. And now we have.
Listen, I don't need your applause here. I need you to hear me. We have fake churches that are being built on heresy, and they are apostate churches, not churches that have theological differences from us. I was researching some churches and some of the heresies that they speak. And there's a lot of people out there that post articles that say, oh, if you believe this way or this way, it's heresy.
I'm not talking about theological differences. That is inaccurate. An apostate is an intentional Abandonment of scripture. Hear me. I don't need you to applaud.
I need you to hear what I'm saying and what scripture declares. Jesus isn't a good guy. God isn't going to be good to everybody in the end. Good people don't go to heaven. Your sexual orientation matters.
It matters how you treat people. Show love to everyone. Christians and Muslims don't worship the same God. The Bible doesn't contradict itself. God's main job in your life isn't making you feel happy and good about yourselves.
Rather, his main job in your life is calling you to repentance and holiness and bearing your cross for Christ. Hear me. Jesus Christ was literally crucified. Jesus Christ literally died. Jesus Christ was literally buried for three days.
And Jesus Christ literally rose from the grave. The people who are like, oh, he was just unconscious for a few days. I hear what you're saying, except for that is not only heresy, that is apostate. Because the word of God says that he was dead. He went down to hell, took the keys, he looked death in the eyes, took the keys, and he said, I was dead.
Now I live forevermore.
Stop listening to somebody stupid on TikTok telling you something that's confusing you and then sending me the video so that I can fix your theology. Just turn it off. Turn it off. If they tell you anything other than Jesus Christ being the slain lamb that is resurrected and the King forevermore, then turn it all.
But the truth is, we're so biblically illiterate that we don't even know if what I said is accurate. Wait, Preacher. Muslims and Christians don't worship the same God. No.
No. Well, gender identity. No, stop it. Wait. God's not gonna be merciful on everybody in the end.
No.
No. Who taught you this? That's what Paul says to Timothy. He says, who taught you this? Stay in the things that I.
Not I. Paul's telling Timothy, stay in the things that I've taught. You know, where you and from whom you got those teachings from and then walk out those teachings. Some of you have no clue where you got some of the stuff that you got. Where did you get that teaching from? Some of us need to go back to Sunday school.
You know, like you need to do Sunday school around here again, Preacher. We've tried, but people don't like sound doctrine, so they don't show up to Sunday school.
We need to go back to opening up our Bibles each morning or each night with our families and reading together. We need to go back to sitting around in circles inside of our friend groups and talking about biblical truths rather than sharing the latest news circulating on social media. Oh, We need to go back to sitting around in circles and talking about the truths of God's Word, talking about how to make it through tough seasons and talking about how to find healing in some areas of your life and talking about how to walk in forgiveness and grace for somebody else that does you wrong. Wheat. We need to go back to those sort of circles rather than talking about the new Netflix documentary and what that should mean to your life.
Oh, okay. Okay. We need to go back to asking questions about the Word. Who do you go to to ask questions about the Word? Continue in the things that you've been taught.
How are you learning about doctrine? Who's teaching you scriptural truths?
The Bible says faith comes by hearing. Right? Who have you opened up your, as my grandfather used to say, your ear hole to? Who have you opened up your ear hole to and allowed them to be a voice in your life of scriptural doctrine and truth? What does discipleship look like to you?
Who's giving accountability to your life and the word of God lived out in your life? Who gives you that accountability? Well, my wife. She gave me accountability. She makes sure I be living right.
It's amazing. That's awesome. She should. But surely there ought to be somebody else in your life that gives you accountability. How are you getting the Word into your life?
How are you growing in your faith? Now, listen, I know what happens. I know what just happened there as soon as I start asking questions like this. Immediately, some of you turn off your spiritual headphones and you wonder what the lunch plans are, and you wonder what the week ahead is going to look like, because you've got it figured out and you're good. And I hear you.
You know, you got it. You got it cheering you on. I'm praying for you as you got it.
The truth is, man, my heart has grieved this week as I was thinking through, like, the state of the church and thinking through the state of our church, the global church, but our church, thinking through what discipleship looks like and should look like. And here goes what happens. I know what's going to happen. Some of you. One of you are going to.
You're going to set up a meeting with me and you're going to say, can I tell you about the way my church did discipleship in Oklahoma? And if you'll implement discipleship this way inside of the church, it'll revolutionize the church. And I hear you.
I Understand what you're saying, but the truth is it's not a program problem.
My heart grieves. If it were a program problem, if the problem was that there's no programs around here for you to be discipled, then I would work really hard to get a program established for you to find discipleship. It's not a program problem.
It's a personal lifestyle problem that you can't carve out time inside of your life to make sure you have sound doctrine established in you. Second Timothy 3. Let's lead into that portion of Scripture that I just read. Here goes how it leads into that portion of Scripture. Know this.
In the last days, perilous times will come. Talking about the last days. Okay. Last days, perilous times will come. Men will be lovers of themselves.
Tell me if you know any of these people. Lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, spiritual slanderers, no self control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure, rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness and denying the power. And from such people, you turn away from them. Don't give those people your ear to allow them to speak into you. From those people that act that way.
I'm sure as we're reading this, you're like, yep, know him. I know her. Yep. I got that. Know them.
They in my family. You know, like you're reading that, you know all of these people. And the Word of God says, don't give those people a route to your soul. From such people turn away. Number 10 says, this.
You have carefully followed my doctrine. This is Paul in his dying days writing to Timothy. You have carefully followed my doctrine and my manner of life, purpose, faith, long suffering, love, perseverance, persecution, afflictions which happened. You saw these things happen to me in Antioch, and you literally watched these things happen. And you watched me endure and you watched the Lord deliver.
All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Verse 13. But evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. People say things to me all the time like, I just don't want to go to church, man. Because man church is so full of hypocrites.
And look at everybody falling. Look at how everybody's preachers are such deceivers. And I would say to you exactly what the scripture said would happen in the end days.
It's so crazy to me that this is what we read in scripture that is going to happen, that there are going to be people that dress up in suits and ties and declare a version of spiritual conversation that are going to be leading people astray. Don't allow that to allow you to be led astray. Right. It says, these evil people, they will be imposters and they'll grow worse and worse and perilous in the end, in perilous times. But you continue in the things which you've learned.
When the church is full of imposters and you don't think you can trust anybody, what is your responsibility? Continue in the things which you've learned and been assured of knowing them from your childhood. All scriptures inspired by God walk out. Discipleship in your life. Yeah, but the church world's going crazy.
But you, what do you do? Yeah, but people are imposters. But you, what do you do? You follow after the things that you've learned and you've been taught. Don't allow them to lead you astray.
You follow after those things.
I don't know that I've ever done this in my history of ministry. I don't know that I've ever done this. Last week we had a groups fair where in the glass room. We had all the. A lot of the groups represented out there and opportunity for you to sign up for one of the groups.
And I think Rachel said we had like over 100 people sign up for groups last week. That's amazing. But, man, there's 2,000 people here.
Like, I'm so thankful for the hundred of you that signed UP and the 700 or 800 that are a part of small groups already. But what about the rest of you? And so we were. I was reading, I thinking it was like, hey, this is the reason why people don't go to small groups because they don't know what they're getting into whenever they get there. They feel like they need to be really smart before they get there.
And so they're afraid to sign up because they don't know what's going to be asked of them. And so I was like, hey, Rachel, can I get the small group question so that I can make sure everybody this cheating. I'm cheating for you, okay? It's the only way I made it through high school. Thank the Lord for his grace and mercy.
Okay, I'm cheating for you. So that when you go to small group this week, you already have the questions and you are already prepared. Here's the Questions that are gonna get talked about inside of small groups this week. Hey, let's celebrate together. Anything good happen in anybody's life?
Anybody got anything going on that we can celebrate, man? Praise the Lord. That's amazing. Anybody got any trials or troubles in their life? Anybody sick?
Anybody? Anything we can pray for this week? Let's pray. This is what small group's gonna look like for you, okay? And then whoever's facilitating, they're gonna say, okay, hey, who's been influential in helping you grow in your understanding of God's Word?
And you're gonna say, man, Uncle Bob, he was so good to me, man. He just, every night make sure that I knew about Jesus. That's awesome, man. Then it's gonna say, hey, read second Timothy 3, 12, 17. The facilitator will do that.
What are some things you do in your life to make sure that you're grounded in Scripture? And everybody will answer? And then we'll go, okay. The facilitator will go, okay, hey, read second Timothy four, five. If you could spotlight one phrase in that verse, what stands out to you?
And they'll say, okay, hey, when you read Scripture, are you primarily looking for information, for encouragement or for direction? What are you looking for whenever you read scripture?
And then finally, is there a subject matter, a story, a book, a topic in the Bible that you've wanted to know more about?
I don't think anybody needs a theology degree to answer any of those or to have conversations about any of those. And some of you spiritually mature people are like, yeah, but gotta ask tougher questions. You gotta make sure you're diving into the deep things of God, and they need to open up the books of Revelation, and you need to. And I hear you, I hear you. I understand, but good Lord, do you see the way the church is trending?
I just want somebody in your life that you can have spiritual conversation with. Who do you have spiritual conversation with in your life? That's what a small group is for. Who do you have in your life that prays for you and the ups and the downs? That's what small groups are for.
Who do you have that knows what's happening inside of your family and encourages you through seasons? That's what a small group is for. Who are the people in your life that you enjoy hanging out with and just being yourself and being able to have spiritual moments with? That's what a small group is for. Who do you call in times of need or you have a life change, or you need some wisdom about a Certain subject matter.
That's what a small group is for. Who are the people in your life that challenge you to grow closer to Christ? That's what a small group is for. And absolutely, as I wrote every single one of these down, absolutely, you're right. What you're saying inside, you're exactly right.
There are a ton of avenues for each one of those individually to be fulfilled field inside of your life in the church. But the best way to get all of those things packaged together is for you to join a small group. So we've tried our best to make it as easy as possible. My heart grieves. We've tried our best to make it as easy as possible for you.
Today. Glass room set back up again. The seat in front of you, there's a QR code. Scan it. It'll take you to all the groups.
You can just see them all. You can just scroll through and it's like a dating app for small groups. And you're like, I like that person. Okay, there'll be no dating happening because. But anyways, anyways, I like that person.
Scan the QR code. Go see all of the groups and who's leading and who's a part of them. You can see all the things, what they teach, what night, where they're at, all those sorts of things. Trying to make it easy for you. Maybe you're like, well, I already have a small group.
We're just a friend group. We just love each other and we're not really connected to the church. That's fine. That's amazing. Incredible.
I would challenge you. Why don't you talk to Rachel and become a church supported small group.
It's fine. We could close it off. We can not allow you to be a part of that dating app. We can allow you not to be a part of it. It's just you and your friends.
That's totally fine. But let us resource you and support you and care for you because eventually in every group setting you will need that.
Listen, for some of you, you're like, I am not going to give up an hour of my week. I'm not going to do that small group thing. No worries. How about this? How about this is so simple.
Every single one of you can do it. How about they're going to throw the Bible app QR code up. Every morning we read a devotion together as a church. I say every morning, every morning there's a new devotion for the church that says, oh, today. And it'll go through Second Timothy or it'll go through sound doctrine.
Or they'll pick something that's in line with the service today. And if you're not a part of these with us, man, I'm just trying to help get sound doctrine into you. I don't ever want you to be asked, who's Joan of Ark? And you say, Noah's wife.
I just want to get sound doctrine into you. And if I can just get you to read the Bible every single day, I know this thing is alive and active and sharper than any two edged sword and it can do way more every morning than I could do every morning for you.
So like, you know, I don't know how many people read it with us every morning right now, but man, I feel like there should, like, this is the easiest thing. I feel like there should be 2000 of you tomorrow reading it. We're just going to leave that up there because I know some of you are still trying to figure out how to do a QR code or you're trying to find your phone. You're scrambling for your phone right now. So we're just going to leave that up there so you can scan it and join our youversion Bible reading plan each week.
Maybe you're like, I'm, I can't read. And I don't like, you know, the small group thing, going over to somebody's house. No worries, man, no worries. Come out on Wednesday night after prayer and we have a Bible study that happens in the auditorium where you can just sit there and listen to wise men and women talk about sound doctrine. And during that same time, Mama, daddy.
During that same time, our youth group meets. Hear me, I celebrate every teenager, middle schooler, high schooler that was crossed this altar this morning. But it also breaks my heart to know every single one of them aren't showing up for youth group each week. It breaks my heart that you have chosen other things. And we've done a bad job of showing you the value of youth group.
And I'm sorry, I'm sorry, we've done a bad job of telling you how valuable that moment can be for our teenagers. So Wednesday night we have a Bible study. Wednesday night we have youth group. We have. You're like, I just want to hang out with people like me.
No worries. We have a men's conference coming up, guys. We have ladies groups. We have young adults. Man, you're a young adult.
Nobody understands me. I just want my feelings to matter. And all the things that young adults say, no worries. We got young adult stuff, man. Single moms, we Got stuff for you.
Like, I just want to. I just want to be with a group of people that want to make a difference in the world. No worries. We got a place for you this week. We're going to Angel Oak Nursing Home and we're having an outreach for local heroes and our active day and our new direction, like we've got so up for you.
The only way you walk away from here today, the only way you walk away from here today without taking a step closer to discipleship, is you deciding here in this moment you don't want this for your life. This is not a program issue.
The problem is not. Palmetto Pointe Church doesn't offer the right programs for you.
I promise you. You want a zoom call, we got one. You want a Bible, said, we got one. What else you want? We got one.
This is not a program issue. This is a you making a decision that you want somebody to help you grow in your faith, being a part of your life consistently. Can you stand with me?
I want to get you around people that push you closer to the cross.
I want to get you around people that push you closer to Christ. And if you walk away from here today. I met somebody after the first service, and she was like, hey, you were speaking to me this morning and if only for one, right? And I was like, yeah, that's great. But I'm hoping It's for 2000.
I'm hoping Rachel is scrambling in the office tomorrow trying to figure out what to do with all of you that signed up. That's what I'm hoping for. And the only reason that doesn't happen, because you make the choice here in this moment, that you don't want that for your life.
Second Timothy 4. Paul's getting to the end of his life. He says to Timothy, I'm already being poured out as a drink offering. The time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight.
I have finished my race. I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day. But this crown is not only for me. This crown is also for all of you who have loved his appearing.
Paul always gives this moment of a call to salvation.
Hey, there's laid up for me this crown of righteousness. But this crown is not just for me. This crown is for anyone who wants to surrender their life to Jesus and long for his coming.
Not just for Paul, not just for Jamie, not just for Pastor Cliff, not just for spiritual giants in the Room. This crown is for you.
Some of you are like, I am so unworthy of a crown. We all are. We all are so unworthy. But this is why sound doctrine matters. There is a God who loves you so much that he was willing to die on a cross for you so that you could come into a moment like this and ask him to forgive you of your sins.
And he will wash away all of your transgressions and he will claim you to be now redeemed in Christ Jesus, justified, stamped not guilty on your eternity according to the word of God. For you to start that process, it's as simple as confessing with your mouth that you need to savior, believing in your heart that Jesus Christ is the only name that is able to save. And then, according to his word, you shall be saved. If that's you here this morning, I'm going to pray. I'm going to ask you to be bold enough and brave enough to pray with me.
Father, if there's somebody here that doesn't know you, that they would be brave enough and bold enough here in this moment to confess with their mouth that they need a savior, believing in their heart that you are the only, only name that is able to save. And then, according to your word, they shall be saved. That's sound doctrine. Thank you for washing away our sins. Thank you for giving us, for storing up for us a crown of righteousness.
Thank you, Lord, for redemption and grace and mercy being poured out upon our lives. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

I watched a video a few days ago on the mega church Pastor and the money hungry prosperity gospel that’s “taking over America.”
At first, my heart was broken at this sweeping trend in the church world. I pondered how could it be? How did we get here? Could this be true? No wonder the profession of “Pastor” is near the bottom of a survey of the most-respected professions, just above “car salesman.”
After you get through the emotions of that video, you then ask “what’s the truth?”

According to DataUSA, there are 458,000 Pastors in the United States, and the average income of those Pastors are $46,000. Wait, what? We are being sold that every Pastor is a con artist who’s trying to weasel you out of your last few dollars so that he can play golf every day, yet the data suggests they are making as much as a machine assembler and a food service manager.

There are a small percentage of Pastors who are living exorbitant lifestyles. Only 2,300 total or 0.5% of Pastors make over $160,000 per year, yet this isn’t the lie we have been told.

The truth is, more than 325,000 Pastors work 55-75 hours a week. Over 400,000 say pastoring has a negative effect on their family. Fifteen hundred Pastors per week leave the ministry and almost 400,000 say they fight burnout daily.

Why would Pastors stay in a job for approximately $15 an hour knowing it has a negative effect on their family, they will fight with burnout daily, and watch all of their peers leave the ministry daily? Why would they continue pressing forward amid a negative view of them in society and the complaints from the congregation?

Why would anyone want to Pastor?

Well, the truth is, as Pastors, we knew what we were getting into. James 3:1 (ESV) says, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” Acts 20:28-29 calls Pastors to “pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.”

We knew this was a part of the calling, yet we press forward. We knew the path wouldn’t be easy, yet we continue. We knew it would be lonely at times, yet we hold on to God’s promises.
To the congregants reading this…
Your Pastor is not perfect. In fact, they are human and struggle with the same struggles you battle with.
Your Pastor needs your accountability, but also your support.
Your Pastor isn’t making millions off of little old ladies. They are most likely taking money out of their own pocket to make ministry happen every week.
Love them, show them grace, keep living out God’s word, and keep praying for them.
To the Pastors reading this…
No one understands, no matter how much you wish they did. You signed up for this, so keep dusting yourself off and keep pressing forward.
Be a good steward of God’s money so you don’t bring reproach against the Kingdom of God.
Don’t get weary in well doing. The United States needs your voice and influence now more than ever. Don’t give up, keep going. Don’t allow the voice of the insignificant to steal the future God has for you.