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Pastor to Pastor

Lead People Gradually

You have to lead people to their next steps.

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6.9, 10

1 Clement 34
Clement of Rome (fl. ca. 90-100 AD)
“The good servant receives the bread of his labour with confidence; the lazy and slothful cannot look his employer in the face. It is requisite, therefore, that we be prompt in the practice of well-doing; for of Him are all things…He exhorts us, therefore, with our whole heart to attend to this, that we be not lazy or slothful in any good work. Let our boasting and our confidence be in Him. Let us submit ourselves to His will.”

Over the next several chapters of his letter, Clement will call for a restoration of proper order in the churches at Corinth. That, he understands, will require a readiness to do the right thing. So he begins his ramp-up to that challenge at the atomistic level, calling each member of the churches there to a commitment to good works, to doing those things which conform to God’s revealed will. The mention of boasting only in the Lord – and not in men, against other men – echoes Paul’s admonition in 1 Corinthians 1, and is probably an intentional foreshadowing on Clement’s part. He knows where he’s going with his argument. But he can only lead people gradually, by encouraging them to commit to good works and God’s will, whatever the cost. Leaders lead people to their next steps, not to leaping tall buildings in a single bound. Clement will get to that later. For now, one step at a time. Proper church order begins with each member determined to do the will of the Lord in their daily lives.

For what kinds of good works are you preparing the members of your church in the various disciple-making contexts offered in your church?

T. M. Moore

Men in the Gap for Prayer
The Lord came seeking men who would stand in the gap in prayer, so as to hold back His hand of judgment. He found none, and Nebuchadnezzar was the result. He’s seeking men to stand in the gap today. Are you one of them? What about the men in your church? Download our free PDF, Men of the Church: A Solemn Call, and ask the Lord what you can do to shore up the walls of His City before it’s too late. Watch this brief video explaining our Men at Prayer movement, and the booklet, If Men Will Pray, and how you can use it to enlist and equip men for a more consistent and fruitful life of prayer.

The Writing Pastor
Have you ever thought you might like to learn how to use writing in your ministry? Our course, The Writing Pastor, can set you on a path of developing a ministry of writing to deepen and extend your ministry in the Lord. We currently have three slots available for this course, which lasts around four months, meeting every other week. I teach this individually to help you discover your interests and develop your skills. The course is free, but there is a charge for the workbook. For more information, write to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Your prayers and gifts make this ministry possible. Please seek the Lord in prayer about sharing with us at The Fellowship of Ailbe. You can use the Contribute button at the website, or send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He and his wife, Susie, make their home in the Champlain Valley of Vermont.
Books by T. M. Moore

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