Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - May/91

Contributor - Scott Molebean

Title - Tender Tips: Paul is Nothing

Topic - Evangelism

It was the first week after the glorious opening of the brand new church building. The new one seated almost twice as many as the old one. The young minister walked into the building with one of the elders. "Well pastor," said the elder, "You have quite a task ahead of you, now that this building is completed." The young pastor looked at the elder wondering what was meant. The elder continued, "Now it is your job to fill this building with people." This elder was known as a good reformed elder. The pastor did not know what to say. That was because the pastor did not know his Heidelberg Catechism, nor the Scriptures.

"What do you believe concerning the holy catholic church of Christ? I believe that the Son of God, out of the whole human race, from the beginning of the world to its end, gathers, defends, and preserves for Himself, by His Spirit and Word, in the unity of the true faith, a church chosen to everlasting life. And I believe that I am and forever shall remain a living member of it." (Heidelberg Catechism, Q & A #54) And the Lord Jesus Christ declared of the confession by His disciple Peter, "On this rock I will build My church." (Matthew 1618) We confess the same in the Order for the Installation of a Minister: "Holy Scripture teaches us that God, our heavenly Father, gathers to Himself from among the lost children of men a Church to life eternal, and that in this work of grace He is pleased to use the ministry of men."

Today ministers and congregations are bombarded from all sides with information and brochures about conferences which desire to instruct and motivate us to fill churches, to save lost people and to gather the Church. Churches that do not have an evangelism program or who are not training for one are suspect of failing in their calling and failing their Lord. Pastors who do not push their congregations into the community to bring people in are - it is more or less kindly hinted - not doing their job. The future existence of the congregation depends on the leadership of TODAY!

"Who then is Paul and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, AS THE LORD GAVE TO EACH ONE? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants IS ANYTH ING nor he who waters, but GOD who gives the increase." (I Corinthians 3:5-7). This is shocking. Paul is nothing! The Lord God is everything. The only ones who came to faith through the ministry of Paul were those whom the Lord gave to Paul. It did not depend on Paul. He was asked to be faithful in presenting the Gospel. Paul was an apostle. Today he is usually called a church planter, but this is biblically incorrect. From Revelation 1-.12-30 and 2:5 it is clear that the Lord Jesus Christ not only plants churches but also uproots them to let them perish. He is the only church planter.

Apollos was the irrigator. Clearly he nurtured planted churches. He was not a church planter or an evangelist. But there were also people who believed through him, also AS THE LORD ASSIGNED to him. Was Paul more important than Apollos? No, neither one of them was anything. "He who plants and he who waters are equal." These words support the confession of the Reformed Church that all ministers are equal. That does not only mean that they each have only one vote in Classis ... it also means that they are equal as far as their task is concerned. Whether they are planters or nurturers, they are equal, for they all are NOT (a) HING. It is the Lord who gathers, defends, and preserves for Himself a church CHOSEN to everlasting life. In that work He uses people. For that work He calls people. He particularly calls elders and deacons and ministers for that work. He gives gifts to people for that work. OUR task is to be faithful to what He has called us to do, according to the gifts which He has given us. Only the Lord Jesus Christ in oneness with His Father is the Church Planning and Development committee through the Holy Spirit using His Word. The Son of God left the glory which He had with His Father to work for His Bride.

The Church's on Foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord; she is His new creation by water and the word: from heaven He came and sought her to be His Holy Bride; with His own blood He bought her, and for her life He died. (The Hymnbook)

Paul was nothing, for he had no life within himself. He could only plant the seed of the kingdom. Apollos was nothing, for he had no life in himself either. He could only nurture. So they laboured as the Church Planning and Development committee, as the Holy Trinity directed. (Acts 16:6-10: the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus, and God). This we also confess:

"So that people may be brought to faith, God mercifully sends heralds of this most joyful message TO WHOM He will and WHEN He wills. By their ministry people are called to repentance and to faith in Christ crucified." (Canons of Dort 1, 3). All these heralds and all these nurturers are equal in their labour. The only thing in which they can differ is how faithfully they labour in the task given them. What the only King and Head of His church requires of us is that we are faithful in our calling.

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