C

O
U
R
S
E
4

PREACHING BIBLICAL MESSAGES

AND
PASTORAL MINISTRY

COURSE MANUAL
No. 4

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 BTCP Program Summary Manual

(From p. 8 in Manual #4)

Course 4

PREACHING BIBLICAL MESSAGES

AND
PASTORAL MINISTRY

Syllabus

Course Description:
C
O
U The first part of this course, Preaching Biblical Messages, is designed to
R equip and train pastors with the knowledge and skills necessary to prepare
S
E and communicate expository messages from God’s Word. The goal of these
4 messages is that they be biblically accurate and responsive to the needs of people.
Emphasis is placed on practical preparation of the preacher and his message with
numerous examples and practice assignments. The second part of the course,
Pastoral Ministry, is designed to equip pastors with knowledge and practical
skills required for effective ministry in the church which is fruitful from God’s
perspective.

Course Goals:
1) To demonstrate from Scripture the necessity for the expository preaching of
the Word of God and to train pastors to communicate God’s Word.
2) To teach pastors what the Bible says about their qualifications, role, and
responsibilities from God’s perspective as servants of Christ and His church.
3) To underscore the importance of the preacher’s spiritual preparation.
4) To train pastors in the basic skills of preparing accurate biblical messages.
5) To emphasize the need to allow the text of Scripture to determine both the
content and structure of the message.
6) To provide instruction on how to productively and practically carry out
pastoral ministry in the church.
7) To warn pastors about those things which lead to “burn-out” and failure in
the ministry.
8) To show that the goal of preaching is life change—becoming more like
Jesus Christ.
*The pastor who honors Christ is committed to communicating
the Word of God and to ministering to the people
God has entrusted to him.*

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 (From pp. 12–14 in Manual #4)
Course Outline

Preaching Biblical Messages

and
Pastoral Ministry

I. Preaching Biblical Messages

A. Introduction (pp. 15–22)

1. Pastor’s responsibility to preach and teach p. 15 C
2. Expository preaching—a biblical description p. 17 O
U
a. Nature of expository preaching R
S
b. Biblical example from Nehemiah 8 E
c. Need for expository preaching 4
• Negative reasons
• Positive reasons
• Significant truths to remember
3. Other important definitions p. 22
a. Exegesis
b. Hermeneutics
c. Homiletics

B. Preparation of a Biblical Message (pp. 24–54)

1. Preparing the man p. 24
a. Secrets of effective preparation
• Personal character
• Prayer
• Power
• Passion
b. The preacher as seen from God’s perspective p. 27
• As a herald
• As a servant
• As an ambassador
2. Preparing the message p. 29
a. Preliminary matters
b. Determining the main idea p. 31
• Examples
• Assignments

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 BTCP Program Summary Manual

c. Constructing the message p. 42

• The process
Step 1 Determine main idea
Step 2 Outline the content
*Meditate on the message*
Step 3 Add illustrations, examples, application
Step 4 Add introduction
Step 5 Add conclusion
• Suggested form for message outline

C
O C. Examples of Biblical Messages (pp. 55–78)
U 1. Sample messages p. 55
R
S 2. Practice assignments p. 61
E
4
3. Preaching through a book or section
of the Bible p.72
• Philippians
• Life of Elijah
• Colossians
• Gospel of Mark

D. Delivering the Message (pp. 79–85)

1. Things to remember p. 79
2. Hints for effective preaching p. 80
• General principles of effective communication
• Specific guidelines for biblical messages
•  Length of message
• Invitations
•  Appearance and pulpit manner

II. Pastoral Ministry (pp. 85–161)

A. Principles of Pastoral Ministry (pp. 85–104)

1. Biblical portrait of the pastor p. 85
• Set apart to the ministry
• Servant of God
• Steward of the Gospel
• Spokesman for God
• Spiritual example
• Shepherd of God’s people

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 2. Biblical qualifications of the pastor p. 90
3. Biblical priorities of the pastor p. 97
• God
• Family
• Church ministry
• Secular job
• Other people and activities
4. Biblical precautions for the pastor p. 103

B. The Practice of Pastoral Ministry (pp. 105–158)

1. The pastor as preacher p. 106
2. The pastor as teacher p. 109 C
O
3. The pastor as minister p. 112 U
• Specific areas of ministry R
S
– Visitation of members E
– Visitation of sick 4
– Funerals
– Weddings
4. The pastor as counselor p. 130
• Biblical profile of counseling
• Biblical principles of counseling
• Biblical practice of counseling
5. The pastor as leader p. 139
• As a leader generally
• Portrait of a biblical leader
• Precautions for a biblical leader
• Principles of biblical leadership
6. Practicing biblical leadership p. 146
a. The pastor as leader in the home p. 147
– With his wife
– With his children
b. The pastor as leader in the church p. 150
– In worship services
• Generally
• Baptism and the Lord’s Supper
• Special services
– Over and among church members
– Over and among church leaders
• Other pastors
• Elders and deacons
• Denominational officers
c. The pastor as leader in the community p. 157

C. Preventing Pastoral Burn-out (pp. 159–161)

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 BTCP Program Summary Manual
(From pp. 46–47 in Manual #4)
Here is a brief summary of what the outline should look like:

Main Idea : This is my main idea.

I. First Key Point [complete]

A) Supporting
statement
B) Supporting
C statement

E
O
U
R
S II. Second Key Point [complete]

G
E
4
A) Supporting
statement
PA
B) Supporting
statement
E

*If you have trouble making an outline, simply write out the main
PL

idea and list under it what you want to say about it based on what
the text says about it.*

For example: (See Psalm 100)

M

Main idea: God is good because of His love and faithfulness.

SA

How does God show us He is good?

1. God loves us
Support:
• His love never ends [completer]
• God gave us His Son Jesus

2. God is faithful to us
Support:
• God keeps His promises [completer]
• God provides for us

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• Fill in the outline

– Re-read the passage and decide what you want to say about
each key point and supporting statement.

– Write out on the outline beneath each key point and/or supporting
statement a complete thought in the form of a phrase or sentence
that communicates effectively.

For example, in the illustration above, you might say under “God
provides for us.”
C

E
O
God is pictured in this Psalm as a Shepherd who protects and U
cares for His sheep. R
S

G
E
Caution: Don’t try to write out your entire message word for word, but 4
fill in your outline enough so you know basically what you are going to
PA
say. With practice you will be able to use only a brief outline to preach
from and you won’t forget your message because it comes from the passage
in front of you!
E

* Meditate on the message *

PL

Between Steps 2 and 3 meditate on (ponder, think about, consider,

pray over) the passage and ask God to give you understanding, insight
and enable you to construct the message as He wants it done.
Jos. 1:8
M

Ps. 119:15, 16, 24, 97-99

2 Ti. 2:7
SA

Step 3 Add illustrations, examples and application; consider goal

 Illustrations and examples

General rule: Use as few illustrations and examples as

necessary to communicate effectively.

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 BTCP Program Summary Manual

(From pp. 85–86 in Manual #4)

II. Pastoral Ministry
A. Principles of Pastoral Ministry
Note: see pp. 15–28 of this manual and pp. 17–26 of the manual
on Bible Study Methods and Rules of Interpretation for review
of related material.
1. Biblical portrait of the pastor
Scripture paints a very clear portrait of how God views the
pastor and what God expects of him.
C

E
O According to the Bible a pastor is one who is
U
R
S • set-apart by God to the ministry.

G
E Ro. 1:1
4
1 Co. 9:16
Eph. 4:11-12
1 Ti. 2:5-7
PA
Every pastor should have a sense of call or leading
from the Lord to be a minister of the gospel. Men are
appointed by God and set apart for the ministry. It
is the compelling of God that should cause a man to
E

desire to pastor.
*A man who calls himself to the ministry is compelled
PL

only by his own desires.*

• a servant of God.
Php. 1:1
M

1 Co. 4:1
Ro. 15:17-18
The pastor must see himself not so much as a leader
SA

of the church, but as a servant of God to the

church.
A servant
– is not ultimately in charge.
– follows the commands of another.
– is accountable to the one he serves.
– is bound to accomplish his master’s purposes, not
his own. Ro. 14:7-12
*A pastor cannot serve his own interests and those of God
at the same time.*

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 • a steward of the Gospel.
1 Co. 4:1-3
1 Ti. 1:3-5, 11
1 Ti. 6:20-21
2 Ti. 1:13-14
The pastor must see himself as a steward
– to whom God has entrusted the deposit (treasure)
of the Gospel.
C
– who should be found faithfully using the truth

E
O
entrusted to him by God to whom the Gospel belongs. U
R
S

G
E
– who will render an accounting for his stewardship. 4
2 Ti. 4:7-8 PA
*The Gospel belongs to God – it is from and about Jesus Christ.*
• a spokesman for God.
2 Ti. 1:11
1 Co. 2:1-5
E

2 Co. 5:18-20
1 Th. 2:13
PL

The pastor does not speak for himself but for God and
really has no message to deliver but God’s message.
M

The subject of the pastor’s preaching and teaching must

be the Word of God which is communicated:
SA

– with clarity
– with conviction
– with compassion
– with courage
– without compromise.
*Unless a pastor-teacher uses the Word of God,
he speaks not for God, but for himself.*
• a spiritual example for believers.
1 Th. 1:6-8
1 Co. 11:1
Heb. 13:7

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 BTCP Program Summary Manual

(From p. 11 in Manual #4)

Suggestions For Teaching Course 4
PREACHING BIBLICAL MESSAGES AND PASTORAL MINISTRY
Pages:162 Hours required: 60 Class sessions: about 30
Pace and schedule: about 5 pages per 2 hour session adjusted for natural divisions.
Hints and approach
This is another “hands-on” course which requires student involvement and interaction.
For Preaching Biblical Messages, keep the following in mind:
C • the teacher must demonstrate the critical importance of expository preaching.
O • use the examples and work on the text, focusing on developing the skill of
U
R finding the main idea.
S • the teacher may want to work through both the examples and some assignments
E
4 in class using the overhead, leaving other assignments for the students.
• the teacher may allow students to occasionally share with the class the results
of their assignments for evaluation and assessment.
• the teacher should preach through some of the sample messages in class to
allow the students to hear and see a live message.
• use the samples to teach significant biblical truth.
• the teacher may want students to preach their assignment messages in chapel
time or class.
• the critical emphasis must be on the process, encouraging students to use their
Bible Study Methods and Rules of Interpretation.
• reiterate that the text determines content and structure of a message in true
expository preaching.

For Pastoral Ministry, the teacher must see that:

• it is critical for the pastor to view himself from God’s perspective, not
the world’s.
• the area of biblical qualifications may create some tension if some of the men
do not really meet the standards. Be prepared to respond.
• stress must be placed on spiritual priorities not ministry “work”.
• if he is not a pastor or is not familiar with local pastoral ministry customs it
may be wise to consult an experienced local pastor or arrange for one to
be available.
• he should be careful about being too dogmatic concerning practical ministry
issues in places where different practices are observed.
• he should emphasize “function” not titles and positions.
• he should allow for differences in the practice of pastoral ministry.
• church traditions or cultural practices must give way to biblical principles if
there is a conflict.
• there may be several acceptable ways to implement ministry principles.

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