The Work of Shepherds (7)

Your words were found, and I ate them,
And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart;
For I am called by Your name,
O LORD God of hosts. Jeremiah 15.16

Christianity and Liberalism
J. Gresham Machen (1881-1937)“Christianity is founded upon the Bible. It bases upon the Bible both its thinking and its life. Liberalism on the other hand is founded upon the shifting emotions of sinful men.”

Experience matters in the life of faith. To know Jesus Christ is to experience Him in us, with us, and through us in the everyday situations and circumstances of our lives. But to know Jesus so that we can experience Him this way, we must resort to the Scripture, which is all about Jesus (Jn. 5.39). We do not seek the experience of Jesus apart from the knowledge of Jesus, and we cannot hope to know Jesus apart from His Word. We are in danger of trying to make God in our own image when we allow the spirit of the age to dictate the terms of the faith. This was the mistake many liberal thinkers made in Machen’s day; it’s the same mistake certain evangelical pastors and thinkers are making in our own. We must not read the Bible with the eyes and passions of the world; quite the opposite. The duty of shepherds is to ensure the Lord’s flock is feeding on the Word, then joyfully living that Word for a changed world.

How would you advise a young preacher to include both knowing Jesus and experiencing Jesus as part of his preaching?

T. M. Moore

Fan into Flame
Our book, Fan into Flame, is a handbook on the work of pastors and shepherds. It explains the context and calling of the shepherd, as well as the tools available to us for this work; and it provides useful tools for assessment and planning to improve in the Lord’s calling. This is an excellent resource for leadership training or personal growth into Christ. Order your copy by clicking here. Or contact me about our Pastoral Hope Initiative, during which series of assessments we walk men through this handbook and various other resources. We have waived the fee for this service, so watch this brief video, then drop me a line at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Fellowship of Ailbe is supported through the generous and faithful gifts of those who benefit from and believe in our work. Does the Lord want to use you in this way? Please look to Him in prayer over this question. You can contribute to The Fellowship of Ailbe by using the Contribute button at our website, or by sending your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452. Thank you.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.All quotations from J. Gresham Machen, Christianity and Liberalism(Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1923, 1974).