Rules for Walking in Fellowship- John Owen

Chapter 3- Praying for Your Pastor

Rule 3- Make continual prayer and supplication on his behalf for assistance and success in the work committed to him.

Peruse Proof Texts

Eph 6:18-20 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication or all saints;

Eph. 6:19-20 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

2 Thes. 3:1-2 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.

1 Thes. 5:25 Brethren, pray for us.

Col. 4:3-4 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.

Heb. 13:18 Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things.

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Owen explains that the minister’s job is impossible without prayer, his own prayer and the prayers of the saints. Who is sufficient for such things? Furthermore, the prayers for the pastor are benefits to the people. The pastor’s work is for building up of the body of Christ. If the pastor is successful at his endeavors, preaching, teaching, admonishing, exhorting, encouraging, counseling, planning, writing and a host of other duties, then all of these successes are a benefit to his congregation. So ought the people of God pray for their pastor.

Rules for Walking in Fellowship- John Owen

Chapter 2- Follow Your Pastor’s Example

Rule 2- Observe and diligently follow his way of life as far as he walks in the steps of Jesus Christ.

1 Cor. 4:16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

Heb. 13:7- Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the Word of God; whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.

2 Thes. 3:7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you.

Phil 3:17 Brethren be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example.

1 Tim. 4:12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

1 Peter 5:3 Neither as lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock.

Owen’s rule here is a difficult one for modern churchmen, maybe most difficult for the modern pastor. Who wants to be held to the standard of the way we live? Isn’t it better to be held to the standard of what we say? What did you say, parents?

Owen says an exemplary life is ‘required for those who dispense holy things.’ A pastor is just a man but he should be a fine and just man who desires and is willing for his flock to follow his example in word and deed. In fact, one of his primary roles is teaching the saints how to live by living before and with them. 

Owen also says, “A pastor’s life should be vocal: sermons must be practiced as well as preached.” Pastors need to live out the words they declare from the pulpit. My experience is that whatever you say from the pulpit, the Lord is going to give you a chance to see if you really believe it. So, get ready to live out what you say. What you say should be Bible, so you need to live Bible.

Rules For Walking in Fellowship Rule 1

The first section of Rules for Walking in Fellowship has to do with the relationship to the pastor. This might seem somewhat self-serving on my part. However, I am not attempting to say something more than the good words of Owen. I am very pleased with our church and you as her congregants. Take these rules in the spirit they are given, with the desire to teach you to walk faithfully to Jesus.

Chapter 1- Attending to the Ordinances Dispensed by Your Pastor

Rule 1- Diligently attend and submit to the word and all ordinances committed to his administration and disposed by his ministerial authority, with ready obedience in the Lord.

1 Cor. 4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

2 Cor. 5:18, 20 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation...Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

Gal. 4:14 And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

Heb. 13:, 17 7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. 17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

Owen explains that there is a two-fold power for dispensing the Word of God: 1. Ability 2. Authority

The ability is revealed in the qualifications to the office listed in 1 Timothy and Titus. The authority is recognized as men are set apart to this work in an orderly manner. He describes an orderly manner as 1. Christ's institution of the office. 2. God's providential designation of the person so called. 3. The church's call, election, appointment acceptance and submission. 

He goes on, "these (powers) do not give pastors dominion over the faith of believers nor make them lords over God's heritage but entrust them with a stewarding power in the house of God--that is, the particular flock over which, in particular, they have been made overseers."

He describes motivations to adhere to this rule as 1. the name of God in which minister's speak. 2. the work that God has called them to do. 3. the return that they make 4. the regard the Lord has for them in His employment. 5. The account that hearers must take of the word they dispense.

Rules for Walking in Fellowship- John Owen

John Owen's little book Rules for Walking in Fellowship is excellent. I encourage all of you to read and apply it.

We are doing the book for our Mens Forum group but are encouraging all of our folks age 15 and over to read it.

I will be posting some quotes and thoughts from the book as we make our way through it.

First, Owen sets out four presuppositions to his rules. He says these are obvious to every Christian Church or denomination and therefore do not even need  a serious defense. Some might debate his very presuppositions today.

I have paraphrased them here from Owen's language.

1.     Local Church bodies are divinely instituted

2.     Every believer must be bound to a local Christian Church.

3.     Submission to a local church is through voluntary consent.

4.     Collected believers should remain together in one congregation unless the congregation is too numerous and requires a second congregation.