Journey with Richard Baxter
We live in an ultra-digital age. That’s just a fact. We have moved way beyond the internet and social media, to AI and all the intricate and essential conversations that go along with that. Now don’t hear me complaining and fighting against it, we have a task before us in every age as disciples of Christ. But one thing I feel strongly about in our day is that we do not relegate discipleship to online “digital disciplers” (YouTube, TikTok, etc). Another one of my hero pastors is Richard Baxter, who served the village of Kidderminster in England during the 17th century. He is most well-known for being a pastor who spent time connecting with his people. He would spend time discussing the Biblical truth he preached on Sunday with families during the week in what he called Family Conferences. He was present and engaged in the life of people as a thoughtful shepherd-discipler.
Two of my favorite books come from the pen of Richard Baxter (The Reformed Pastor, and The Saint’s Everlasting Rest). The Lord has used him to build in me a heart for preaching that goes hand-in-glove with pastoring. These roles were never meant to be separated as the New Testament describes a pastor-teacher. One of his most famous quotes captures the spirit of preaching with urgency and brokenness. He writes, “I preached as never sure to preach again, and as a dying man to dying men”. Preaching was not a show for Baxter, it was a matter of life and death, therefore He was earnest in the pulpit over being entertaining. Here’s the way he described it – “Of all preaching in the world, (that speaks not stark lies,) I hate that preaching which tendeth to make the hearers laugh, or to move their mind with tickling levity, and affect them as stage-players use to do, instead of affecting them with a holy reverence of the name of God.” For Baxter this fit what He believed God called pastors to be as they lovingly shepherd the flock of God. “Every time we look upon our congregations, let us believingly remember that they are the purchase of Christ’s blood, and therefore should be regarded by us with the deepest interest and the most tender affection.” Perhaps this week’s reflection is mostly directed at me as a pastor. So, will you please pray for me to heed the words of Baxter, loving God and His people well.
