American Pastors Network: Churches, Pastors and People in the Pews Must Stand for Life

With October marked as Respect Life Month and Abortion Recovery Awareness Month, the American Pastors Network (APN) is calling on America’s churches, pastors and the people in the pews to acknowledge the great need for pro-life advocates in today’s culture, as well as commit to helping those who have experienced abortion find healing.

“We pray 2020 will be the year that not one tax dollar ever goes toward abortion again,” said APN President Sam Rohrer, “and that the nation’s justices will stand for life, no longer allowing the killing of innocent babies to be stain on the pages of our nation’s history.

“Although life is precious every day of the year,” Rohrer added, “Respect Life Month is a time when pastors and churches can truly focus on protecting life in their communities. We can no longer ignore abortion in our churches. Many may be struggling with the scars of abortion in their own lives, and looking to the church for help, healing and restoration. Additionally, we must equip our people to stand up for the sanctity of life in their own communities, states and across the nation.”

In Pennsylvania, where APN is headquartered, two lawmakers on Monday introduced companion “heartbeat bills,” which would ban abortion after a heartbeat is detected, as early as six weeks after conception. Republicans Sen. Doug Mastriano and Rep. Stephanie Borowicz, whom APN has welcomed as a guest on the “Stand in the Gap Today” radio program, said they hope the bill will help counter and overturn Roe v. Wade, according to PennLive.com.

Pennsylvania Pastors Network (PPN, www.papastors.netExecutive Director and APN board member Gary Dull said pastors shouldn’t make assumptions about abortion.

“In the church, we can’t assume that every person sitting in the pews is passionately and strongly pro-life,” Dull said. “They may be confused about their views on abortion, or they may waver with the culture or even with personal experience. That’s why is crucial that pastors and the church stand up for life and not take for granted that all churchgoers realize that God created every life in His image from the moment of conception. He values these unborn children of God and has placed them in our protection.”

While many pastors may be in denial that abortion is not an issue in their churches, Rohrer says church leaders can still bring this important topic in front of their congregations, through sermons, special speakers and support groups, while also remembering that abortion and the pro-life/pro-choice debate will be critical election issue in 2020 as well as in local elections on Nov. 5.

For Pastors Only – Prayer of a Minor Prophet By A. W Tozer

For Pastors Only – Prayer of a Minor Prophet

By A. W Tozer

This is the prayer of a man called to be a witness to the nations. This is what he said to his Lord on the day of his ordination. After the elders and ministers had prayed and laid their hands on him he withdrew to meet his Saviour in the secret place and in the silence, farther in than his well-meaning brethren could take him. And he said:

O Lord, I have heard Thy voice and was afraid. Thou hast called me to an awesome task in a grave and perilous hour. Thou are about to shake all nations and the earth and also heaven, that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. O Lord, our Lord, Thou has stopped to honor me to be Thy servant. No man takes this honor upon himself save he that is called of God as was Aaron. Thou has ordained me Thy messenger to them that are stubborn of heart and hard of hearing. They have rejected Thee, the Master, and it is not to be expected that they will receive me, the servant.

My God, I shall not waste time deploring my weakness nor my unfittedness for the work. The responsibility is not mine but Thine. Thou hast said, “I knew thee—I ordained thee—I sanctified thee,” and Thou has also said, “Thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.” Who am I to argue with Thee or to call into question Thy sovereign choice? The decision is not mine but Thine. So be it, Lord. Thy will, not mine, be done.

Well do I know, Thou God of the prophets and the apostles, that as long as I honor Thee Thou wilt honor me. Help me therefore to take this solemn vow to honor Thee in all my future life and labors, whether by gain or by loss, by life or by death, and then to keep that vow unbroken while I live.

It is time, O God, for Thee to work, for the enemy has entered into Thy pastures and the sheep are torn and scattered. And false shepherds abound who deny the danger and laugh at the perils which surround Thy flock. The sheep are deceived by these hirelings and follow them with touching loyalty while the wolf closes in to kill and destroy. I beseech Thee, give me sharp eyes to detect the presence of the enemy; give me understanding to distinguish the false friend from the true. Give me vision to see and courage to report what I see faithfully. Make my voice so like Thine own that even the sick sheep will recognize it and follow Thee.

Lord Jesus, I come to Thee for spiritual preparation. Lay Thy hand upon me. Anoint me with the oil of the New Testament prophet. Forbid that I should become a religious scribe and thus lose my prophetic calling. Save me from the curse that lies dark across the face of the modern clergy, the curse of compromise, of imitation, of professionalism. Save me from the error of judging a church by its size, its popularity or the amount of its yearly offering. Help me to remember that I am a prophet; not a promoter, not a religious manager—but a prophet. Let me never become a slave to crowds. Heal my soul of carnal ambitions and deliver me from the itch for publicity. Save me from the bondage to things. Let me not waste my days puttering around the house. Lay Thy terror upon me, O God, and drive me to the place of prayer where I may wrestle with principalities and powers and the rulers of the darkness of this world. Deliver me from overeating and late sleeping. Teach me self-discipline that I may be a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

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I accept hard work and small rewards in this life. I ask for no easy place. I shall try to be blind to the little ways that I could make my life easier. If others seek the smoother path I shall try to take the hard way without judging them too harshly. I shall expect opposition and try to take it quietly when it comes. Or if, as sometimes it falleth out to Thy servants, I shall have grateful gifts pressed upon me by Thy kindly people, stand by me then and save me from the blight that often follows. Teach me to use whatever I receive in such manner that it will not injure my soul nor diminish my spiritual power. And if in Thy permissive providence honor should come to me from Thy church, let me not forget in that hour that I am unworthy of the least of Thy mercies, and that if men knew me as intimately as I know myself they would withhold their honors or bestow them upon others more worthy to receive them.

And now, O Lord of heaven and earth, I consecrate my remaining days to Thee; let them be many or few, as Thou wilt. Let me stand before the great or minister to the poor and lowly; that choice is not mine, and I would not influence it if I could. I am Thy servant to do Thy will, and that will is sweeter to me than position or riches or fame and I choose it above all things on earth or in heaven. Though I am chosen of Thee and honored by a high and holy calling, let me never forget that I am but a man of dust and ashes, a man with all the natural faults and passions that plague the race of men. I pray Thee therefore, my Lord and Redeemer, save me from myself and from all the injuries I may do myself while trying to be a blessing to others. Fill me with thy power by the Holy Spirit, and I will go in Thy strength and tell of Thy righteousness, even Thine only. I will spread abroad the message of redeeming love while my normal powers endure.

Then, dear Lord, when I am old and weary and too tired to go on, have a place ready for me above, and make me to be numbered with Thy saints in glory everlasting. Amen.

-As quoted in A Passion For God: The Spiritual Journey of A. W. Tozer by Lyle Dorsett (Chicago, IL; Moody, 2008), pp. 65-68.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

America, We’ve Been Warned

In a day where false alarms, exaggerated warnings and intentional scare tactics are used by a deceptive culture, it’s sometimes difficult to separate true warnings from deceptive false alarms.

So, asks the American Pastors Network (APN), how can Christians differentiate between the two?

Sam Rohrer, president of APN, the largest national network dedicated to equipping pastors to be a voice for truth in the public square, and host of APN’s “Stand in the Gap” radio and television programming, says that Old Testament woes and warnings directed toward Israel have timely significance for America today.

“In the Bible,” Rohrer says, “the word ‘woe’ or warning is used nearly 100 times—98 to be exact,” he said. “The Old Testament prophets used it. Christ used it many times Himself. The word occurs in the Book of Revelation in final judgment. In nearly every case where a woe is given, the warning of judgment is certain, and God’s punishment imminent.”

As an example, Rohrer said, Noah warned the people for 100 years of a coming flood. The people heard, considered, rejected then died, illustrating that God gives His people warnings that they might live. Then in Isaiah Chapter 5, God’s prophet pronounced six specific warnings of imminent judgment against identified national sins.

“These woes were sobering, the sins specific and God’s judgment certain,” Rohrer said. “The message was to Israel, but the application is for America. When God warns, it’s real, and we’d better sit up and take notice.”

WOE #1: The sin of materialism. After God blessed the nation with security, wealth, houses and productive land, the people turned their back on Him. The result? God withheld His blessings, removed His protection, allowed rebellion within and threats of attack from without. Rohrer asks: Does this sound anything like America today?

WOE #2: The sin of hedonism. Consumed with an intoxicating addiction to alcohol, drugs, entertainment and partying, the nation willfully rejected God and the consequences of evil choices, as depicted in Isaiah 5:11.

WOE #3: The horrible practice of literally promoting sin and evil. As told in Isaiah 5:18, without regard for God or moral truth, the nation dreamed of evil, sinned without remorse and even belittled God by profaning His name and His truth.

WOE #4: The sin of moral relativism. Even more dangerous is when a nation redefines moral truth into moral evil, as outlined in Isaiah 5:20. This is accomplished by discarding the Ten Commandments as dangerous, killing the unborn through abortion, redefining marriage between two men or two women and much more. “Have these redefinitions been made in America?” Rohrer asks. “Yes—all have!”

WOE #5: The sin of arrogance and corruption. God hates pride because it embodies the sin of satanic defiance against God, Rohrer said, pointing to Isaiah 5:21. Through pride, mankind pronounces himself to be God, which results in the rejection of God and eternal life.

WOE #6: The sin of corrupted leadership. The prophet warned: Woe unto the political and military leaders who through addiction become bribed and incapable of sound judgment.

“What is the result of continually ignoring God’s true warnings?” Rohrer said. “Isaiah 5:24 says that God’s love will be turned to anger, His blessings will turn to judgment, murder and death of the people will increase, enemy nations will threaten to attack—suddenly and overwhelmingly—and all trusted defenses will fail. It happened to Israel. It will happen to America if we don’t soon change our ways. It’s past time to look to God, repent and beg His mercy.

“The similarities of the six woes in Isaiah Chapter 5 and how they relate to America today are astounding,” Rohrer concluded. “What will we do to heed God’s warnings? Will we claim ignorance and say we were never warned? While God is full of mercy, His justice will prevail. When God warns, we’d better listen because time eventually runs out. God has been warning America, but America doesn’t seem to care.”

Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash

Showing Appreciation for Your Pastor

By: Dr. Gary Dull

Note: This article was originally posted on the Christian Post website HERE.

The month of October has been designated as “Pastor Appreciation Month,” and many local congregations will make efforts to show their pastors respect and love. In doing so, various acts of kindness will be conducted, such as having a special service to honor them, giving them nice gifts, sending them on a trip, giving them time off and a list of many good things that could go on and on.

Recently, I saw a list of 30 things a church can do to show appreciation to pastors, all of which were all very kind and good. Certainly, every pastor who is a recipient of these things will be appreciative of the gestures made for them, and it is good for local churches to do so. But showing appreciation to your pastor should be more than just honoring him in a special way once a year. Appreciating your pastor should be a continual attitude with regular actions to express that appreciation.

A study of the Bible gives not only suggestions, but also directives on how a church fellowship should show appreciation for its pastor. Those directives are many, but please allow me to share just a few. I would encourage you then to take some time to consider how you can put these directives to practice with the pastor of your church and in doing so you will be obeying God and honoring the Lord Jesus Christ.

1.      KNOW YOUR PASTOR. 1 Thessalonians 5:12 says, “Know them which LABOR among you, and are OVER you in the Lord, and ADMONISH you.” Without a doubt this verse describes the response to pastors who work spiritually to give godly direction to the flock. Biblically speaking, every congregant is to get to KNOW his pastor. That is, build a relationship with him so as to know his likes and dislikes, as well as his weaknesses and strengths in order to be able to pray for him and encourage him in a more effective way. The more you know your pastor the more you will appreciate his ministry and the more effective his ministry will be to you and your congregation.

2.      LOVE YOUR PASTOR. 1 Thessalonians 5:13 says, “Esteem them VERY highly in LOVE for their work’s sake.” Many pastors are lonely due to the weight of the spiritual leadership they bear. Often, that weight is so heavy, they cannot even share it with their spouse and close friends. Many pastors go to bed at night with tears in their eyes and hurts in their heart. By consistently loving your pastor through acts of kindness, you will be more of an encouragement than you can ever imagine, and he will have a greater motivation to serve the congregation to the glory of God.

3.      SUPPORT YOUR PASTOR. 1 Timothy 5:17 says, “Let the elders (pastors) that rule well be counted worthy of DOUBLE HONOR, especially they who labor in the WORD and DOCTRINE.” The phrase “worthy of double honor” literally means “double remuneration.” In other words, pay your pastor well. Many pastors and their families suffer financially because the congregation does not see the need to pay them adequately. Such a situation does not honor God at all. As a member of your church, do what you can to encourage your fellowship to give your pastor a salary and additional benefits that will enable him to live comfortably so as not to be burdened or get distracted from the ministry to which God has called him. God will bless you if you do so.

4.      PRAY FOR YOUR PASTOR. 2 Thessalonians 3:1 says, “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the WORD of the Lord may have FREE COURSE, and be GLORIFIED, even as it is with you, and that we may be DELIVERED from unreasonable and wicked men: for all have not faith.” There are many things for which a congregation can pray for their pastor. But that he may be able to preach the Word of God with power and be protected from them that would harm him is a very significant prayer to consistently take to the throne of grace on his behalf. Doing so will guarantee that your pastor will be much more effective in the pulpit and community ministry.

5.      FOLLOW YOUR PASTOR. Hebrews 13:7 says, “REMEMBER them that have the rule (spiritual) over you, who have SPOKEN unto you the word of God: whose FAITH FOLLOW, considering of their conduct.” Pastors who offer genuine spiritual ministry, who preach the Word of God clearly and who manifest biblical faith are to be followed without resistance or rebellion by each member of the congregation. Those who refuse to do so will answer to the Lord and according to Hebrews 13:17, that will be “unprofitable” for them when they stand before the Lord. Churches do not hire their pastors. It is the Lord Jesus Who places pastors in church pulpits. The congregation simply recognizes God’s call to the local assembly as the under-shepherd of Jesus Christ to equip and lead the church into more effective and fruitful Christian service. The congregant who follows the faith of his pastor will be blessed by God on earth will be rewarded by God in heaven and encouraged by his pastor in the church.

Indeed, there are many things I could add to the list of how to show appreciation to pastors. But perhaps the points I have given will be something for you to consider, not only in October, but all 12 months of the year. Because each of the above principles is truly biblical, those who practice them will be truly blessed by God, and in the long run, their pastor will be a more effective shepherd in the local flock where the Lord places him, resulting in the edification of the believers, the strengthening of the church and glory to Almighty God.

Gary Dull is executive director of the Pennsylvania Pastors Network, board member of the American Pastors Network and co-host of APN’s “Stand in the Gap Today” radio program. He pastors Faith Baptist Church of Altoona.

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash HERE.

What Is the Biblical Duty of Government Leaders?

As politics take over the majority of news headlines, more Americans may be asking themselves: What is the role of our national leaders?

Leaders at the American Pastors Network, the largest national network dedicated to equipping pastors to be a voice for truth in the public square, address this question frequently. In fact, APN president and host Sam Rohrer recently published a new editorial for The Christian Post, where he offers biblical insight to the roles and responsibilities of America’s leaders and elected officials.

“According to the Bible, those who serve in government are ministers of God,” Rohrer said. “Many Americans and even American Christians have never considered that distinction and prefer to oppose or avoid political leaders altogether. However, God desires that we encourage governing leaders to serve Him and the people they lead. Romans 13:4 notes, ‘He is God’s minister—or servant—to you for good.’ Therefore, our leaders and officials are to protect those who do what’s morally right, as well as to bring justice against those who do what’s morally wrong. That’s why the highest duty of governing involves creating and implementing laws to enact justice and to maintain peace throughout the land.”

Because the Bible calls governing leaders “ministers” or “servants,” they are to serve both God and the citizens, Rohrer also noted. But what does this mean in today’s culture? Political leaders are to be, to the people they represent, protectors of righteousness and defenders of truth. The word “minister” in Romans 13:6 literally means to be a leader in worship to God. Like King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon said after being forced by God to his knees in submission, “I do extol and recognize the God of heaven who is able to raise up and bring down those He will.”

“In other words,” Rohrer said, “according to God’s plan, all politicians possess the distinct obligation to live in the fear of God and cause people to look to God who created life, liberty and all natural rights. Our political leaders should sense a duty to protect the people they serve. And those who lead our nation need our support when they work to protect its citizens. Just imagine if those in office today would acknowledge that God is Supreme and would lead our nation to also acknowledge the God of heaven.”

Additionally, how many Christians are aware that the Bible speaks of political leaders as conduits of truth and justice?

“In our culture,” Rohrer continued, “politicians are often rightly viewed with skepticism and criticism at every turn, yet the Bible says they are ‘sent by God’ to punish lawbreakers and encourage righteousness. In 1 Peter 2, governing leaders are defined as people who should enforce laws against criminals and recognize honorable citizens. As believers, we’re commanded to live as law-abiding citizens as part of God’s will for our lives. Despite our ‘resistance’ culture that often seeks to undermine government and oppose authority, God calls us to consciously live out His principles and ‘silence the ignorance of foolish men.’ We are to submit to governing authorities. As Peter notes in 1 Peter 2:17: ‘Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the King.’”

Finally, Rohrer concluded, God has provided American citizens the privilege to be involved in the political process.

“Whether through voting, expressing our values or even running for elected office, our liberty offers many ways to participate,” he said. “How would our nation be different if all believers across our nation prayed daily for our leaders, lived godly values and participated in the process of government in a greater way? We would see the Lord bless our nation and bring times of refreshing to our land.”

Photo by Andre Hunter on Unsplash