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Now, here's today's podcast from Pathway to Victory. Hi, this is Robert Jeffers, and I'm glad to study God's Word with you every day on this Bible teaching program. On today's edition, a Pathway to Victory. We can more effectively be salt and light in this world together in local communities of believers than we can individually on our own. And that's why God created the church, not just to help you in your own spiritual development, but to be salt, a preservative, and to be light in this decaying and darkening world.
Welcome to Pathway to Victory with author and pastor Dr. Robert Jeffress. with each new act of Congress and Supreme Court decision. It seems as if our nation is spiraling deeper and deeper into moral decline. Is there any way to prevent America from falling?
Today on Pathway to Victory, Dr. Robert Jeffers explains why the preservation of our nation depends not on individuals, but on the local church. But first, let's take a moment to hear some important ministry updates. Thanks, David, and welcome again to Pathway to Victory. As you probably know, most of the messages you hear on Pathway to Victory originate at First Baptist Church in Dallas, where I've been privileged to serve as senior pastor since 2007.
But today I'm inviting you to eavesdrop on a message I delivered to an audience of pastors and Bible teachers. I urge them to speak with authority and without fear about America's only hope, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And that's exactly what we do every single day on Pathway to Victory.
So in that spirit, Pathway to Victory has launched the incredible In God We Trust matching challenge in the amount of $1.5 million. Because of this matching challenge, every dollar that you give to Pathway to Victory will automatically be doubled in impact. We will use whatever funds given to Pathway to Victory during this matching challenge for one primary purpose, and that is to restore trust in the one who is worthy. and to push back the forces of evil in our country. At the end of my message, we're going to tell you about several thank you gifts we've set aside for anyone who gives a gift toward the In God We Trust matching challenge.
But right now, I want us to turn our attention to this special presentation. I titled Today's Message for Pastors Only. It was the late comedian Rodney Dangerfield and the local church that both have something in common. Both get no respect. as the late comedian used to lament.
I mean, look at it today. The local church is under vicious attack. And not just from those from without the church, but also from those within the church. In fact, what is so deeply disturbing to me about the most recent attacks from within about the church is they're coming actually from Christian leaders. One pastor who later had to resign his church because of sexual immorality wrote, Sitting down with a friend over coffee is every bit as spiritual as going to church together.
The casual setting provides just as great an opportunity for supernatural influence as being in church does, and often even more.
Now, if there is no more value to going to church than sitting down with a friend for coffee, why in the world would you get up and go through the hassle of coming to church on Sunday morning? And why would you give sacrificially to an organization like the church if it's not doing any more to advance the kingdom of God than the local Starbucks? I mean, the fact is, with leaders disparaging the church like that, no wonder church attendance continues to decline. And futurist George Barna predicts that that attendance in church will continue to decline. Within a few years, Barna says millions of people will never travel physically to a church, but will instead roam the internet in search of meaningful spiritual experiences.
And apparently, that's all right with Barna, since he says the essence of Christianity is the development of people's character. Spiritual transformation or even intimate worship, he says, does not require worship service, but a personal commitment to the spiritual disciplines. How contrary that is to what the Word of God teaches. Hebrews chapter 10, verses 24 and 25, the writer says, Let us consider how to stimulate one another to faith in good deeds, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the habit of some. Spiritual development, even our own spiritual development, doesn't take place just in a vacuum.
We need the stimulation, the encouragement that comes from other believers. But, you know, I have to be the first to admit that local churches do have some serious flaws. I can identify with Mark Buchanan, who writes, I assume you're like me. I can get itchy-skinned and scratchy-throated after an hour or so of church. I can get distracted and cranky when it goes too long.
My feet ache, my backside numbs, my eyes glaze over, my mind fogs, my belly growls, I find myself fighting back yawns. And I'm the pastor. I mean, we all identify with that. But you know, those who would write off the church as an antiquated organization that needs to be replaced by a new paradigm forget one important fact. The church The local church was created by God.
The church is God's idea. It is his way of fulfilling his mission. He is the one who came up with the composition, the organization, the polity, the priority of the church. Why do Christians, especially Christian leaders, feel at liberty to discard and replace what God created at the expense of the death of his own son? The centrality of the church, the local church in fulfilling God's purpose, is seen throughout Scripture.
In Ephesians 3, verses 20 to 21, Paul concludes that section by saying, Now to him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. How is it that God is going to be glorified in this world? It is through the church. And remember, I've said before, the word church, ecclesia, is used 105 times in the New Testament. 95 of those times, it's referring not to the overall church, all Christians everywhere, but it is referring to local congregations.
God's plan to fulfill his mission is through local congregations. The church is the visible representation of the body of Christ. But what is the purpose of the church? Certainly, the spiritual development of individuals and groups, but it goes beyond that as well. God has another purpose for the church besides your individual spiritual growth.
Just as God formed the nation of Israel to be his representatives on earth under the old covenant, God has created the church to proclaim his truth and to reflect his holiness in the world today. Remember Peter's words in 1 Peter 2, 9, he said, but you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Now stay with me on this. God could have created a massive organization called the Church. With one pastor, and everybody is a member of that massive organization called the Church. But that was not his plan. Instead, God's plan was to blanket the landscape.
Throughout the world, with local individual communities of believers, we call the local church. After all, look at the New Testament. Most of the books of the New Testament were written to individual congregations: Corinth, Ephesus, Colossi, all with their own unique opportunities, their own problems, their own challenges. Remember in the book of Revelation we studied a couple of years ago, that book was addressed specifically to seven real specific local churches in Asia Minor. God said these churches were like a lampstand by God.
in the darkness of the world. And that is what the church is. The church is a light in a dark world. You know, in this series, we have said that as Christians, our role, Jesus said, is to be salt and light, salt to preserve our nation. to extend its life.
so that we can be light and share the gospel with as many people as possible. That is our job to be salt and liked. But think about salt for a moment, to be an effective preservative, as it was in Jesus' day, to preserve, to extend the shelf life of meat. What is more effective? One grain of salt?
or a whole clump of salt. Or, what about a light? If you're in the darkness, what would be better to have one little 10-watt lamp? Or a whole cluster of lights. It's the same way with us.
Yes, individually we have an assignment, but salt and light are much more effective in mass rather than acting as individuals. And that's why the church is so effective. As Solomon said, two really are better than one. We can more effectively be salt and light in this world together in local communities of believers than we can individually on our own. And that's why God created the church, not just to help you in your own spiritual development, but to be salt, a preservative, and to be light in this decaying and darkening world.
And that leads to the thesis of what I want to share with you. Do you know what America's last hope is? What America's greatest hope is? It is the local church. And I want to submit to you this thesis.
the preservation of our nation. for the proclamation of the gospel. Depends upon the effectiveness of local churches in fulfilling their mission. Let me say that again. The preservation of our nation for the proclamation of the gospel depends upon the effectiveness of local churches, just like First Baptist Dallas.
fulfilling its mission. And then I want to go one step further. The effectiveness of churches in fulfilling their mission. Depends upon pastors fulfilling their calling. I realize that watching this broadcast, listening by radio or podcast to this series, we have numerous pastors and church leaders who are tuned in to this series.
And I want to talk about specifically the role that the pastor has in helping the church achieve its mission so that our nation can be preserved for the proclamation of the gospel. You know, the fact is, no local church is any more effective in fulfilling its mission than its pastor in fulfilling his calling. Why is that? Why is the church so dependent upon the pastor? John Maxwell explains it in his book, The Law of Leadership, 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.
He calls it the Law of the Lid. And the Law of the Lid is simply this. No organization rises above its leadership. No organization ever rises above the commitment of its leader. I know today it's fashionable to say, well, the pastor's not that important in the church.
He's just one among many. You know, we're all in this together. We don't need to play like the pastor is anything different than anybody else. That's very popular in some churches to say such a thing. And yet, the fact is, in 1 Timothy 3:1, the Bible refers to the pastor as the overseer or the ruler, the leader of the church.
You can debate about church polity as much as you want to, whether it ought to be congregational or whether it ought to be elder rule or this kind of rule or this kind of rule. Really doesn't matter. As my late friend the Adrian Rogers used to say, anything in nature with two heads is a freak, and anything with no head is dead.
Now that is true in marriage, it is true in the company you operate, and it is true in the church. Any organization has to have a leader. And in the church, that leader is the pastor. He is the overseer, the ruler, the leader of the church.
Now, pastor listening to me tonight. Understand what I'm saying. Your leadership of the church, your headship of the church. is not a privilege to be exploited. It is a responsibility to be fulfilled.
Because the Bible says, as the undershepherd, I mean, Jesus Christ is the head of the church, but he's left the building for a while, okay? He's up there in heaven. And he's appointed you, Pastor, as the undershepherd of that congregation. But before you feel all empowered and high and mighty about it, understand this. The Bible says all of us who are pastors are one day going to give an account to God for how we've led our congregations.
Hebrews 13, verse 17, the writer says, Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. And let them do this with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. People who cause their pastors grief and sorrow and heartache. are going down a dangerous path. And it will lead to unproductive results for them as well as the church in which they serve.
If you're a pastor, God has given you the responsibility for your congregation. And specifically, the responsibility is to help mobilize your church to be the salt and light God has commanded us to be.
So, how is it that a pastor fulfills his calling? We're going to look at the three distinct callings of every pastor. And I'm going to take a walk with you down memory lane tonight as well. And first of all, we're going to talk about the pastor as preacher. You know, the pastor's primary responsibility is to preach the Word of God.
In 2 Timothy 4, verses 1 and 2, Paul told his spiritual protege Timothy, I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by the appearing of his kingdom, preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season. Reprove, rebuke, exhort with great patience and instruction. What does it mean to preach the word? That word preach means to herald or to announce.
In Paul's day, an emperor, if he had a message to deliver to a township, he would send his herald to announce the emperor's message. That is what the pastor is to do. He is to preach. He is to announce the word. And the clarifying words reprove, rebuke, and exhort give the sense of urgency with which the pastor is to deliver the ruler's message.
That word reprove means to speak persuasively. To rebuke means to convince of wrongdoing. To exhort means to come along and encourage in a positive way. But Paul's message here is not simply to preach, it is to preach. The word.
No herald in Paul's day was free to formulate his own message. He wasn't free to say, well, I know the emperor said this, but I have something else I want to share with you today.
Now, his job was to faithfully announce the message that had been entrusted to him. And that is the same way with pastors. We are to preach the word of God. And that is one way we help our congregation be the salt and the light that they have been commanded to be. The pastor as preacher.
The second role is the pastor as a prophet. And my experience has told me that the world as a whole is pretty comfortable with pastors preaching. They don't want to listen to it, but they don't mind. They're not threatened by pastors' preaching. Even the most hardened atheist.
Don't mind a pastor standing up in his church and preaching to his people. I mean, If he's got a congregation filled with gullible people listening to these silly stories and myths, and they want to sit there and pay their money to do that, most atheists don't have any problem with that. Let the pastor preach the word.
However, When a pastor Starts criticizing the city council for allowing the topless bar to open. Or when a pastor starts confronting a state board of education about using a textbook that includes creation as well as evolution. Or when a pastor organizes a protest in front of a local abortions clinic. Suddenly, he is accused of forsaking his primary calling and getting involved in the world of politics. And yet, look at the Old Testament prophets.
Think of Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, Micah. They didn't compartmentalize their message. They just didn't speak to the citizens of Israel, to God's people. The fact is, they confronted people with more than just about their personal relationship with God. They confronted their culture as a whole when that culture departed from the teachings of God's Word.
You know, that's what a prophet did in the Old Testament. The prophet was simply a man who confronted his culture with God's Word. The prophet realized that God's interest extended beyond the four walls of the temple or the tabernacle. God was interested in all of his creation. And when government and when people as a whole started forsaking God's commands, the prophet did not hesitate to confront that departure.
Why isn't that happening today? Why are pastors so reticent to confront their culture when it departs from God's commands? I think there are three reasons pastors are hesitant to act as prophets. One reason is a misunderstanding of the Bible. You know, when citing the Old Testament prophets as a model for the pastor's prophetic role today, some will say, well, no, there's a difference between Israel and the church.
Israel was a theocracy. And so that means when the prophets spoke to the ungodly citizens of Israel, or even to ungodly kings, they were still speaking to those who were in a covenant relationship with God.
Well, that's certainly true. But there are also prophets who spoke to other people than Israel. Think about Jonah, Nahum, Daniel, John the Baptist. They all confronted Gentile rulers and people with God's word. And they reminded them of the dire consequences of disobeying God's commands.
Some people like to point out 1 Corinthians chapter 5, where Paul was criticizing the Corinthian church for not disciplining one of its members. And Paul said, don't judge those who are outside the church, but those who are inside the church. God judges those who are outside the church. Yet when you see what Paul was saying, he was simply saying the church cannot. Execute a sentence against sinners who aren't a part of the church.
We can't fine people, we can't put people in jail. We can only discipline those who are part of the church. But he wasn't saying you don't criticize ungodly behavior by unbelievers. Fact is, we are called to be prophets, and that means not only speaking to ourselves. Speaking to God's own people, but speaking to the culture.
It's like a reason pastors many times don't. act as prophets is because of a misunderstanding of the Constitution.
Some pastors and many laymen believe that the separation of church and state prohibits pastors from addressing controversial issues like abortion and same-sex marriages because such issues are, quote, politics rather than spiritual issues.
Now, obviously, any policy, any law that violates God's standard is a spiritual issue.
Furthermore, and you know this from previous messages, the phrase separation of church and state appears nowhere in the Constitution, much less in the Bible. Obviously, it has been twisted and perverted to mean something that it doesn't mean. Groups today, like the American Civil Liberties Union and my favorite group, the Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, they regularly try to intimidate pastors and churches from influencing legislation or elections by threatening their tax-exempt status. You probably saw in the news my good friend Barry Lynn, head of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, announced. He's writing a letter about Pastor Jeffers to the Internal Revenue Service.
Well, he wrote a letter when I was pastor in Wichita Falls. You know what? Anybody can write a letter. A 10-year-old can write a letter to the Internal Revenue Service. It doesn't mean one thing at all.
You cannot afford to allow people like Barry Lynn and others intimidate you and muzzle you from sharing the truth of God's word. It is important that you stand up for your rights as an American. I firmly believe that the only hope for our nation is found within the walls of churches across America. When the church fulfills its mission, our nation can be preserved for the proclamation of the gospel. It's one of the many reasons we're so excited about the In God We Trust matching challenge that's active right now.
With your investment in this opportunity, we're empowered to proclaim the truth about Christ and His Word. And when we do this together, we can shine the beacon of God's hope around our country and the world. When I was a little boy at First Baptist Dallas, our church sang a chorus I've never forgotten. Lord, send a revival, and let it begin with me. That prayer still echoes in my heart, and I believe it echoes in yours.
Your gift to the In God We Trust matching challenge is how that prayer becomes action, strengthening believers and carrying the gospel to millions who are waiting to hear it. Every gift is matched dollar for dollar. The goal is $1.5 million. You can imagine the impact we can make with the funds raised during this matching challenge. July 4th, 2026 marks something extraordinary, America's 250th birthday.
And I can think of no better way to celebrate than with a gift that honors the God who made her great. When you give to the In God We Trust matching challenge, I want to send you our exclusive 250th commemorative edition of America is a Christian Nation, a stunning full-color volume that tells the story of a nation born on its knees, built on God's Word, and sustained by God's name. By the prayers of his people. Here's David with all the details. When you give a generous gift to support the Ministry of Pathway to Victory, you're invited to request the brand new 250th commemorative edition of America is a Christian Nation.
In addition to the book, you'll also receive In God We Trust, a brand new two-disc set featuring music performances by the First Baptist Dallas Choir and Orchestra, and teaching from Dr. Robert Jeffers. To request these resources, call 866-999-2965 or visit ptv.org. You could also text PTV to 78800. and when your gift is $100 or more.
We'll also send you the America and the Bible message series on DVD video and MP3 format audio disc. And remember, because of the In God We Trust matching challenge, your gift to pathway to victory will be matched and therefore doubled in impact.
So be sure to get in touch with us today. One more time, call 866-999-2965 or go online to ptv.org. You could also send your donation by mail right to P.O. Box 223-609, Dallas, Texas, 75222. Again, that's P.O.
Box 220-3609, Dallas, Texas, 75222. I'm David J. Mullins. Wishing you a great weekend. Then join us again next week for the conclusion of the message called For Pastors Only that's coming up Monday on Pathway to Victory.
Pathway to Victory with Dr. Robert Jeffress comes from the pulpit of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas. You made it to the end of today's podcast from Pathway to Victory, and we're so glad you're here. Pathway to Victory relies on the generosity of loyal listeners like you to make this podcast possible. And right now, your ministry gift will be matched and therefore doubled in impact thanks to the In God We Trust $1.5 million matching challenge.
Take advantage of this opportunity to double your impact before the deadline on July 5th. To give toward the matching challenge, go to ptv.org slash donate. or follow the link in our show notes. We hope you've been blessed by today's podcast from Pathway to Victory.
