The vision of Christmas often conjures an idyllic scene: a warmly lit room, a family seated around a beautifully decorated table, children laughing as a toy train circles the Christmas tree, and the enticing aroma of a feast awaiting the gathering. This Hollywood-inspired tableau paints a picture of unity, joy, and tradition. Yet, for many in our fragmented society, this ideal is unattainable, creating a stark contrast between expectation and reality. The modern family has evolved far beyond the traditional nuclear unit, and the church must grapple with the implications of ministering to this diverse and complex landscape.

In a world obsessed with power, influence, and legacy, the role of the pastor has been dangerously reimagined. Instead of focusing on servanthood and spiritual discipleship, many leaders are seduced by worldly metrics of success. Drawing from biblical principles and the wisdom of thinkers like A.W. Tozer, who warned, “The church that marries the spirit of the age will find itself a widow in the next,” this paper challenges pastors to reclaim their divine calling. Discover why true ministry is about building God's Kingdom, not personal empires, and how church leadership must resist cultural pressures to remain faithful to the Gospel.

Christian ministry is not a vocation but a divine calling that demands servanthood, sacrifice, and spiritual authority. The early apostles exemplified a ministry deeply connected to God’s power, a stark contrast to the professionalised practices of many modern clergy. By returning to the apostolic paradigm, ministers and churches can reclaim the transformative essence of their calling, living as agents of God’s grace and truth in a broken world.

#brendonnaicker

Dear Reader,

Embark on this thrilling journey! Allow these letters to speak to your soul, to ignite a fire within you. Be prepared to undergo transformation and embrace a life filled with purpose. Are you ready? Take my hand and immerse yourself in the captivating world of "Heavenly Inbox". Whom having not seen, you love; in whom, though now you see him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory,

Blessings,

Brendon

#brendonnaicker #christianity #heavenlyinbox #evangelism #LettersOfHope #theologyschool #salvation #doctrinesofgrace #ThoughtProvoking

今天，人们仍然通过“包装”弥赛亚来掩盖自己的真实内心状况，就像耶稣时代的宗教领袖一样。因为承认耶稣是弥赛亚，就会显露出他们是谁！正如耶稣在马太福音23章33节所说：“你们这些蛇类，毒蛇之种啊！怎能逃脱地狱的刑罚呢？”正因如此，在我们的文化中，耶稣基督被极度人性化，呈现为一个软弱而温和的人，他的生命和工作似乎无法严肃地影响或改变历史的进程。这种类型的耶稣基督被许多死气沉沉的教会所传讲，因此既无生命，也无冒犯性——人们喜欢这种耶稣，因为他们仍然可以掌控自己的生活。

然而，在马太福音10章22节中，我们读到：“并且你们要为我的名被众人恨恶，惟有忍耐到底的必然得救。”你所分享的信息是否让人恨你？还是你在传讲另一个福音？

If you are offended that I posed the question in the past-tense - you can rest assured that what Jesus Christ was He is, and what He is He was. So here is the logic - Colossians chapter 1 verse 16 states, “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him”. In addition in Hebrews 13:8 it mentions that, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”. Therefore there are no impossibilities of time and space for what Jesus Christ was He is, and what He is, He was. In John chapter 1 verse 1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”.

Therefore, if Jesus Christ is the way, truth and the life then ultimately the fate and destination of every living and those dead all hang upon the answer to this question, “Who was Jesus Christ?”. This question is by no means a new one - for the Old and New Testament provides the truth spoken by the Prophets and the Apostles they all pointed to the paths of the two roads, that being the broad and the narrow. Thus, how we answer the question would also reflects our nature. In John chapter 8 verse 44 it states, “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

“Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name” John chapter 20 verses 30-31. The apostle John wrote his gospel with the expressed intention of convincing his readers to believe in Jesus Christ and that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

People are still answering the question by conveniently “packaging” the Messiah so to conceal their true heart’s condition - trying to bind-up the revelation of the Messiah just like those religious leaders of Jesus’ day. For to acknowledge the Messiah as Jesus - would result in revealing who they are! As in the words of Jesus stated in Matthew chapter 23 verse 33, “You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell?” It is for this very reason that Jesus Christ is so humanised in our culture presenting Him as a weak and mild person whose life and work could never seriously affect, much less change the course of history. This type of Jesus Christ is preached in many a dead church thus it producers no life or nor offence - people like it because they can still be in control of their lives. In Matthew chapter 10 verse 22, we read “and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Is the message that you are sharing causing people to hate you? Or is there another gospel?

So much of what has been called a ministry unto Jesus has now become a career obsession to climbing the corporate ladder in the kingdom of “I’m successful-look at me”. I’m ashamed to say I too fell into this trap of this make-believe world of serving self in the name of Christ.

The hope of leaving a legacy, or the guidance of building a purpose driven church, or maybe how to live my best life now are all too familiar for building a strategic development for worldly success. Therefore it’s not surprising that the question now asked in this generation is “Do you know Jesus?”. Would YOU like to make Him Lord of your life?... Hogwash!... It’s hogwash I warn you!

The real question should be “does Jesus know you?”! This isn’t one of those promiscuous relationships we have, rather it is of God extending His love and His grace upon His beloved. So as long as you act like the world, you are at enmity with God. Yes, you are a hostile creature to His Will and are performing great “ministry” but who will save you? You don’t know God for the very good reason - you are estranged from Him because Adam’s nature of sin is your fabric and the heart of stone hasn’t changed.

So now, you are in God’s work but lost, no feelings and your can’t feel your faith so what do you do? You have to depend on gimmicks and amusements to keep your employers (church board) believing in you, for many of them are using you like Micah from the book of Judges as the mediator for Christ, who is too real to exposing all the leadership sin as He writes on the dirt as now no one talks of Holiness - not even the pastor!

During the darkest period of my life I had no one to say “Brother, how is your faith? Is Christ alive in your life? Are you lawless and doing your own thing? Brendon do you know that if you are carrying on in your sin and ignore God’s will - Jesus will say to you, ‘depart from me you lawless one - I don’t know you!’”.

So Pastors, Elders, Deacons or whatever position you hold in your institution - how is your spiritual life? Is Jesus reigning? Are you reading God’s Word? Are you speaking to God as one who speaks to his heavenly Father or a friend or is it liturgies and repeated phases like the Pharisees?

If things aren’t looking too bright... come back to God! Conquer from the position of bender knees!

For God so loved YOU! Not anyone or for anyone... Just YOU!

我们常常称之为“事奉耶稣”的工作，却变成了追求职业发展的手段----在“看我多成功”的国度中攀登属灵的“事业阶梯”。我羞愧地承认，我也曾掉入过这个陷阱，以事奉基督的名义实则在服侍自己。

遗留下遗产、建立一间“目标导向”的教会，或者追求“活出最好的自己”这些理念，听起来是熟悉的成功之道。但在追求这些目标的过程中，我们却失去了真正的呼召。难怪这一代人常问的一个问题是：“你认识耶稣吗？”

然而，我恳请你停下来思考。这其实是个错误的问题。真正的问题应该是：“耶稣认识你吗？” 这不是一种随意的、表面的关系。这是上帝在向祂所爱的子民展现祂的爱与恩典。但只要我们仍效法这世界的样式，我们就是与神为敌。在罪中，我们与祂疏远，甚至敌对祂的旨意。我们表面上似乎在服侍祂，但实际上却是迷失的。

于是，我们忙于事奉，但在属灵上却失去了方向。心灵麻木、与神隔绝，甚至无法感受到自己的信仰。此时我们该怎么办？许多人转向依赖噱头和娱乐来满足教会董事会和会众的期望。但这难道不像《士师记》中的米迦吗？他为自己创造了与神之间的中保，而不是真正地顺服神。

让我们诚实面对：圣洁已不再是许多事工的核心----甚至连牧师也不例外。如今，几乎没有人敢提出那些尖锐的问题。在我人生最黑暗的时期，我渴望有人对我说：“弟兄，你的信仰如何？基督活在你里面吗？你是否在过圣洁的生活，还是在随心所欲地行事？布伦登，你知道如果你继续犯罪、无视神的旨意，耶稣会对你说，‘离开我吧，你这作恶的人！我不认识你！’”

所以，今天我来问你----无论你是牧师、长老、执事，还是教会中的任何领袖----你的属灵生命如何？ 耶稣是否真正掌权在你心里？你是否常常浸泡在神的话语中？你是否像对天父、朋友那样与祂亲密交谈？还是你的祷告变得空洞，充满了法利赛人式的机械重复？

如果你发现自己的生命光景黯淡，请听从这个呼召：回到神面前！ 真正的得胜始于跪下祷告的时刻。降服于祂，让祂重新掌权在你的生命中。

因为神爱你。祂爱你，不是因为你的事工，不是因为你的表现，而是因为你。

回来吧。认识祂，并被祂所认识。