Who Sets the Table and Why Pastors Make Bad Waiters

 

Who sets the table?
This was one of the first challenges the early church faced. Like us, their needs grew faster than their leaders’ capacity. The apostles could not faithfully study, pray, preach, counsel, and shepherd while also waiting tables, distributing resources, and managing practical needs. They recognized that God had given them a particular role and that He also calls others to complementary roles. By defining their lane, they preserved their calling and created space for new leaders to rise. A leadership decision that multiplies leaders—not a bad idea. We should maybe think about this as a church!

Here’s what they told the church in essence: “We Word people are only human. We cannot lead pastorally and serve tables at the same time. And honestly, we’re not good at what we weren’t called to do.” They understood that if a church asks Word guys to be Waiter guys — they are asking for poor service across the board. In other-words this is a recipe for failure were everyone loses. Good thing we aren’t required to accept this.

Table Waiters are Essential Not Optional
If you’re not called to Word ministry, then you’re called to Service ministry. There’s no biblical category for passivity in the church, especially among men in the church—only for destitute widows, they can be receivers because well, the are both destitute and widows, genuinely marginalized. If you’re a man (or woman) with no responsibility, you’re sitting in a seat that doesn’t belong to you, it belongs to a destitute widow, you don’t qualify. It’s time to move. Move toward the door marked “Service” or toward the one marked “Exit.” Standing still in the middle of our dining room of fellowship only frustrates the Waiters and angers the Words guys. So, with all pastoral courtesy: please make your choice and follow through with it. The Waiters would be glad if you joined their team and the rest of us would appreciate enjoying our fellowship in peace without awkward people standing over our shoulders.

But I forget myself. Read Acts 6:1–7 and judge for yourself if this article is worthy of the issues that concern it. See the pattern: growth, grumbling, and a Spirit-led plan for organized service. It’s written for our instruction. And as we grow—slowly but surely—we feel the same pressures. All of the frustrations I hear in our church, and let me say dear faithful Waiter, are legitimate. And the solution is right here in this article. Non-Waiters, stop looking elsewhere. The Pastor has spoken, it’s your responsibility to respond in a way that makes His oversight of your soul a “joyful” thing. What benefit is there to anyone with any other alternative? Join the team, accept the job, volunteer for service. This attitude has won wars, build great companies, inspired winning teams, so why not also a healthy church? Teach yourself that it is far batter to say yes instinctively, its buying into your future and that of your church. God in the words of obedience to His will and when He speaks there is typically only one word that suffices , ‘yes’, o.k. maybe two “Yes, Lord.”

No More Bad Table Service
Those of you already serving should be encouraged. This means more hands, more help, and fewer people sitting in the wrong seats. Don’t you want more tables added so more people can be cared for? That will require more Waiters. I’m asking you to lean in and join the effort and ask “why is our Pastor waiting tables at all? That’s weird because he’s supposed to be a Word guy.” I couldn’t agree more, and yes it does feel weird, just so you know.

Oh No What Will We Do?

Here is the simple rule guiding all events and activities in 2026: No project leader, no project.


Next year we will either have a healthy rhythm of events, or none at all. The difference will be you—all of you actually because remember we don’t permit passivity, and will probably become less tolerant of that in the future, or so I would guess. So start talking amongst yourselves; the Word guy has just done Acts 6:2, you have been summonsed. What are you supposed to do? Just read Acts 3 and do it. Then lets have a Family Chat where we recognize the leading Waiters among us, while emphasizing a culture were everyone serves. Then lets make some plans, and execute them with excellence.

Bonus Content

Here are some ideas to get the creative juices flowing

1) Do we want our church to have a quality live stream?

2) Do want our church to be clean and hospitable?

3) Do we want an online presence so we are easy to find and updated with relevant content?

4) Do we want personal and family needs being met?

5) Do we want us to host events for our church and community?

6) Do we want door to door evangelism and invites to worship, to go out?

7) Do we want monthly financial reports and budget updates?

8) Do we want individuals to learn new skills, grow in competency, and increase their skill?

9) Do we want volunteering to be frustration free and service to be a joy un-mingled with disappointment?

10) Do we want to demonstrate obedience to the Word as a Church by reforming our culture to more closely align with what we plainly read in Scripture?

 
 

The Hymnal: An Explainer

 

If your family has not yet received a hymnal, make sure you pick one up today. Starting in the New Year the majority of our song selection will come from the hymnal and you are being provided one now to give your time to become familiar with it. Below is an article explaining why we are doing this.

It’s a Fighting Man’s Song Book

I want to speak for a moment about something that is too often overlooked in our churches today: the singing of hymns. In our generation, we are tempted to chase novelty, fresh songs, and catchy choruses. But I want to remind you that there is immense, eternal value in singing the old, rich hymns that have carried the church for centuries. Hymns are not merely sentimental songs; they are vehicles of gospel truth, engines of joy, and instruments of God’s glory. We sing the songs to encourage our own hearts in the walk of faith.

First, consider the content of hymns. Hymns are saturated with Scripture. They are carefully crafted, sometimes over decades, to teach and affirm the truths of God’s Word. When we sing “And can it be that I should gain an interest in the Savior’s blood?” we are not merely singing words; we are confessing the wonder of the gospel, the miracle of our redemption, the stupendous grace of God in saving wretches like us. Hymns are theological, doxological, and catechetical all at once. They shape our minds and our hearts in ways that fleeting modern songs cannot.

Second, hymns bind the church together across time and space. When we lift our voices together in a hymn, we join a chorus that spans generations. From the reformers to the missionaries in foreign lands, from the persecuted saints to the faithful in our own churches, we are connected in worship. Hymns remind us that our faith is not isolated; it is part of the grand story of God’s glory and the triumph of Christ. Singing together is not just an aesthetic pleasure; it is a declaration of our shared hope and a rehearsal of our eternal story.

Third, hymns stir our souls with delight in God. There is something about the beauty of a well-crafted hymn—the meter, the rhyme, the melody—that lifts our affections and directs them toward Christ. Singing hymns cultivates joy, gratitude, and awe. They help us to pray, to lament, to rejoice, and to exult in the greatness of God. In the words of the Puritans, “The chief end of singing in the church is to delight the heart in God.” Hymns are not mere decoration; they are worship, and they delight God as much as they delight us.

Finally, hymns preserve the heritage of the church. They carry the testimony of saints who lived and died for Christ, who wrestled with sin, who clung to God’s promises in suffering. By singing their words today, we remind ourselves that the gospel is not new—it is eternal. We are heirs of a faith that has been proven true through centuries of trial and triumph.

You have every reason to sing them with vigor, with devotion, with joy. Let them teach you, bind you, move you, and root you in the gospel. In them, the glory of God resounds, the joy of Christ is proclaimed, and your soul is nourished for eternity. Sing hymns, for the sake of God’s glory and the delight of your heart.

 

Does Your Pastor Have a Job Description?

 

In any business looking to hire you can be sure that the managers and HR people have spent a good amount of time crafting a job description. After all if you are going to spend good money on an employee it needs to be very clear what they are being paid for.

Churches should operate with an even greater level of clarity in a vocation where eternal souls are involved. Yet looking at many job postings and reading church bylaws, the functional job description for Pastors vary widely. This is important because a man looking at a church might end up taking a job he doesn’t understand, or a church might hire a man of conviction who pursues a Biblical ministry, that offends them.

Fortunately we have an exceptionally clear book on the matter. The Bible, specifically the New Testament points us to the description of a New Testament Church.

Here is a biblical job description for a pastor, grounded in key Scripture passages that describe the character, responsibilities, and spiritual qualifications of a faithful shepherd:

Biblical Job Description: Pastor (Elder/Overseer)

Title: Pastor / Elder / Overseer (Greek: poimēn, presbyteros, episkopos)

Position Summary:

The pastor is a qualified man called by God and affirmed by the local church to shepherd God’s people through the ministry of the Word, prayer, and oversight. He must model Christlike character, faithfully teach sound doctrine, protect the flock from false teaching, and equip the saints for the work of ministry.

Primary Responsibilities:

1. Preach and Teach the Word of God

  • "Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching."
    —2 Timothy 4:2

  • "He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it."
    —Titus 1:9

2. Shepherd the Flock

  • "Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly."
    —1 Peter 5:2

  • "I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding."
    —Jeremiah 3:15

3. Lead by Godly Example

  • "Set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity."
    —1 Timothy 4:12

  • "Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith."
    —Hebrews 13:7

4. Pray for the Church

  • "We will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."
    —Acts 6:4

  • "I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers."
    —Ephesians 1:16

5. Equip the Saints for Ministry

  • "And he gave...the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ."
    —Ephesians 4:11–12

6. Guard the Flock from Error

  • "Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock...I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you...Therefore be alert."
    —Acts 20:28–31

Qualifications:

1 Timothy 3:1–7

  • Above reproach

  • Husband of one wife

  • Sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable

  • Able to teach

  • Not a drunkard or violent but gentle

  • Not quarrelsome or a lover of money

  • Manages his own household well

  • Not a recent convert

  • Well thought of by outsiders

Titus 1:5–9

  • Blameless

  • Not arrogant or quick-tempered

  • Lover of good, upright, holy, disciplined

  • Holds to sound doctrine

Accountability:

  • Accountable to Christ, the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4)

  • Accountable to fellow elders and the congregation (Acts 14:23, Hebrews 13:17)

It’s not enough for a church to use squishy language in it’s job description. Words like “ministry” or “minister at large” are frankly vague enough to be manipulated into whatever shape the prevailing powers in a church want them to mean. By being specific, you can be objective and clear.

So next time someone asks you for a job description of a Pastor I hope you’ll refer back to this article.

 

Serious About Sanctification: The 3 Fold Understanding of Our Sanctification

 

Before we move on, lets reexamine where we’ve been. Holiness isn’t just a command for the people of Israel; it's for all of God’s people. While Leviticus repeatedly calls the Israelites to be holy, the same command is found in the New Testament. In 1 Peter 1:14-16, we read, "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'" God has sent the Holy Spirit to help his people live holy lives, to be separate from the world, and to be sanctified. The word "sanctified" means to be made holy, pure, or separate. It’s about becoming more like Jesus and being transformed to reflect him. Charles Spurgeon understood this well, saying, “If I had my choice of all the blessings I can conceive of, I would choose perfect conformity to the Lord Jesus, or, in one word, holiness.”

God’s goal in saving his people is not just forgiveness, but also transformation—restoring them to reflect his holiness. This change happens through sanctification, which can be understood in three ways: Positional, Perfected, and Progressive sanctification.

Positional Sanctification happens when a person is saved. At that moment, God spiritually separates them from the world and sets them apart for his purposes. Through their union with Christ, believers are separated from the power of sin. Though they might not appear much different at first, the foundation for growth in holiness has been laid. This is the first step in becoming holy. God declares them holy, and though many struggle to accept this, it’s true because of what Christ did on the cross. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross made believers holy, forgiven, and righteous before God. Hebrews 10:10 says, "And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Because of Christ's work, we can be closer to God than even the high priest was on the Day of Atonement, making holiness possible for all believers.

Perfected Sanctification is the final stage, which happens when believers are with God in heaven or when Christ returns. While believers are declared holy at salvation, they won’t experience complete holiness until they see Jesus face-to-face. This is the goal for all believers: to be fully transformed into Christ's likeness. As 1 John 3:2 says, "Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is." In heaven, there will be no sin or unholiness, and believers will be perfectly holy. Hebrews refers to the saints in heaven as "the spirits of the righteous made perfect," and we can be assured that God will complete his work in us when Jesus returns.

Progressive Sanctification is the ongoing process of becoming more like Christ while still on earth. Even after salvation, sin still remains, and believers must deal with it through the Holy Spirit’s work in their lives. This process is described in 2 Corinthians 3:18, which says, "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." As believers focus on God, the Holy Spirit transforms them to be more like Jesus over time. Sanctification is not a passive process; believers are actively involved, working out their salvation with God's help. Philippians 2:12-13 says, "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." This shows that God’s work in believers enables them to work toward holiness. As John Murray puts it, "God works in us and we also work. But the relation is that because God works, we work."

As believers grow in holiness, it shows in their lives. Discipleship is a key part of sanctification, where every part of life is lived for God's glory. In Leviticus, the Israelites were taught that everything in their lives—how they lived, worked, and worshiped—was under God’s control. Paul reminds us of this in 1 Corinthians 10:31: "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." When believers dedicate their lives to God, it shows their commitment to being holy. This is similar to the burnt offering in Leviticus, where the whole animal was sacrificed to show total devotion. In Romans 12:1, Paul calls believers to present their bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. This is true worship and a sign of our dedication to God.

Holiness is a demand from God, and it’s not acceptable for someone to say they are a Christian but live in disobedience. If someone has been saved, they are called to be holy, and this process of sanctification cannot fail. The Day of Atonement foreshadowed Jesus' ultimate sacrifice. Jesus didn’t just forgive sins; he gave believers a new life and purpose, with the promise of complete holiness. If you believe in Jesus’ sacrifice and desire to become more like him, you can be confident that the Holy Spirit will continue transforming you until you are perfectly holy in God's presence.

This is why church exists, it’s a community of the genuinely reforming and transforming. We each have a personal responsibility to pursue our own sanctification. As we do so though we have a community wide influence that creates a culture of mutually edifying transformation. We recognize perfection isn’t possible here on earth, but we acknowledge the command to grow in proficiency as disciples of Jesus.

 

Serious About Sanctification: Leviticus, The Holiness of God, and Your Understanding

 

The book of Leviticus helps us understand what it means to be holy—to live in a way that pleases God. Leviticus was written by Moses, and it explains how God wanted the people of Israel to live, worship, and stay separate from other nations. It includes instructions about sacrifices, laws, and daily life.

Sometimes, people today want to skip over Leviticus because the rules seem old or hard to understand. But when we take time to study it, we see that it teaches us important things about salvation (how God saves us) and sanctification (how God helps us become more holy).

One major theme in Leviticus is holiness. The word “holy” shows up over 150 times! God keeps telling Israel to be holy because He is holy. For example:

  • Leviticus 11:44: “Be holy, for I am holy.”

  • Leviticus 19:2: “You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.”

  • Leviticus 20:7: “Consecrate yourselves… and be holy.”

God gave Israel many laws to help them live in a way that was different from the sinful nations around them. For example, in Leviticus 19:27–28, God told the people not to cut their hair or tattoo their bodies like the pagans did. These laws weren't about haircuts or tattoos being sinful on their own—they were about being different from the world and devoted to God.

In Leviticus 11, God gave rules about food—what was clean and unclean to eat. These food laws weren’t about nutrition; they were about teaching the Israelites to be set apart. Other nations used animals like pigs in sacrifices to false gods. By avoiding these animals, the Israelites showed they worshipped a different, holy God.

So, is it a sin to eat bacon? No. These laws were symbols to teach God’s people a lesson. God used them to say: “Be different, because I am different.”

Some people think Christians today should still follow some of these Old Testament laws. They try to divide them into "moral" laws and "ceremonial" laws. But that’s not exactly how the Bible talks about them. Leviticus often uses the words “clean” and “unclean” rather than “right” and “wrong.” That’s because these laws were a model—a picture of something deeper. They were teaching tools.

For example, in Deuteronomy 18, a false prophet—someone who lies in God’s name—was to be put to death. That seems harsh, but it shows how seriously God takes idolatry, which is worshipping something other than God. Even today, we should take false teaching seriously and remove it from our lives, even though we don’t carry out the old punishments.

Let’s look at an important story in Leviticus 10. Two priests, Nadab and Abihu, offered “strange fire” to God—something He hadn’t asked for. God sent fire to consume them, and they died. Why? Because they didn’t obey God’s instructions exactly. God was showing that holiness isn’t optional. It’s either holy or it’s not.

God also gave the Israelites a system of sacrifices to show different things:

  • Burnt Offering – total devotion to God

  • Grain Offering – thankfulness

  • Peace Offering – fellowship with God

  • Sin Offering – forgiveness for accidental sins

  • Guilt Offering – forgiveness for accidental sins plus making things right with others

Let’s focus on two of these:

  1. Burnt Offering (Leviticus 1): The animal was completely burned to show full devotion to God. It symbolized the worshiper saying, “All of me belongs to you, God.”

  2. Sin Offering: This was for accidental sins. The person would sacrifice an animal, which stood in their place. But this only worked for sins people didn’t mean to commit.

So what about intentional sins? There was no sacrifice for that. That’s why King David said in Psalm 51 that there was no offering he could give for his sin when he purposely had Uriah killed.

But then comes Leviticus 16, the high point: The Day of Atonement. Once a year, the high priest made a special sacrifice for all of Israel. It involved:

  • A bull for the high priest's own sin

  • A goat for the people’s sin

  • A second goat (the scapegoat) that carried away the people’s sins into the wilderness

  • A ram as a burnt offering, showing the people’s devotion after forgiveness

This day pointed forward to what Jesus would do on the cross. Jesus is our perfect high priest who had no sin. His blood cleansed us fully, and His death removed our sins forever—just like the scapegoat being sent away. After that, we’re not just forgiven—we’re supposed to live for God.

The point of the Day of Atonement wasn’t just to get rid of sin—it was to dedicate the people to God. That’s the same with Jesus’ death. He didn’t just forgive us; He gave us a new life.

Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Because He loved us first, we respond by loving Him back through obedience.

Jesus also sent us the Holy Spirit to help us obey. In John 14:16–17, Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would live inside His followers to help them live holy lives. That’s called sanctification—God making us more like Himself over time.

So what does Leviticus teach us today?

It shows us how seriously God takes holiness, and that He wants us to live in a way that reflects who He is. It reminds us that being a Christian isn’t just about being forgiven—it’s about being transformed. God calls His people to be holy, just like He is holy.

In the next article we will learn how holiness ties into sanctification as the fuel for discipleship.