How To Develop Your Teaching Ministry

by Dag Heward-Mills

* * * * *

Copyright 2008 Dag Heward-Mills

Published by Dag Heward-Mills on Smashwords.

E mail Dag Heward-Mills

info@daghewardmillsbooks.org

evangelist@daghewardmills.org

Find out more about Dag Heward-Mills at:

http://www.daghewardmills.org

http://www.daghewardmills.org/healingjesuscrusade/

http://www.daghewardmills.org/lci/

Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

* * * * *

Contents

Chapter 1 - Fifteen Keys to Becoming a Successful Teacher of the Word

Chapter 2 - The Congregation is God’s Garden

Chapter 3 - Seven Reasons Why a Pastor Should Teach in Series

Chapter 4 - Four Keys to Augment Your Teaching Ministry

Chapter 5 - Seven Reasons Why Listening to Tapes Will Transform Your Preaching Ministry

Chapter 6 - How to Establish a Doctrine in the Church

Chapter 7 - Nine Reasons Why Pastors Should Preach the Word of God

Chapter 8 - Seven Reasons Why You Should Teach Your Leaders

Chapter 9 - Why You Must Avoid “Pseudo Word” and Doctrines of Devils

* * * * *

Chapter 1

Fifteen Keys to Becoming a Successful Teacher of the Word

And I will give you pastors according to mine own

heart which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

Jeremiah 3:15

1. Be in a state of constant preparation.

You may be called upon to preach at any time. When you are aware of this reality you will always be in tune.

2. Have your quiet time everyday.

Most of my messages have come from my personal quiet time which I have everyday. If you are a minister and do not have a quiet time everyday, your foundation is weak.

3. Read books all the time.

You must have a book that you are reading. I always have one book or other that I am reading all the time. They are often unrelated to what I am preaching about. This helps me to be in a state of constant preparation.

4. Listen to tapes all the time.

I always have a set of tapes that I am listening to. This is what I mean by a state of constant preparation. Sometimes, people wonder how I am able to cope with several preaching duties at the same time. I am able to do this because I am in a state of constant preparation.

5. Base every sermon on the Scriptures.

Stay with the mainstream of the Gospel. The Bible is your main textbook. Let it be the rock upon which you base your ministry. Do not replace the gold of the Word with the brass of secular teachings.

6. Have a clear purpose for every message.

What are you trying to achieve? Do you want to get people saved or healed? Having a clear purpose will guide you as to what to say.

7. Give the right kind of title to your message.

There are three main types of titles:

Evangelistic titles, Exhortational titles and Teaching titles.

Evangelistic titles are dramatic sounding titles. They are intended to jolt the congregation. They sometimes bring fear into the hearts of sinners.

Examples of these are:

- ”Rain, Rain Go Away”

- ”You Are Entitled to Your Own Opinion”

- ”Silence in Heaven”

- ”Judgement Day 1, 2 and 3”

- ”They Went to Hell”

Exhortational titles are short, catchy phrases.

These are intended to encourage the congregation. Examples of these are:

- ”Daughter, You Can Make It”

- ”Daughter, You Have Tender Eyes”

- ”Woman, Thou Art Loosed”

- ”Can I Wash My Hands?”

Teaching titles give a clear message. They usually show a number of steps, principles or keys. You can convert any exhortational message into a teaching message by giving it the right title.

You can have several different teaching sermons out of one exhortation. Let us do a little exercise and convert an exhortational message

(Woman, thou art loosed) into a teaching message.

- ”Three Steps to Becoming a Woman Who Is loosed”

- ”Seven Principles to Becoming a Woman Who is Loosed”

- ”Four Reasons Why You Should Be a Woman Who Is Loosed”

- ”Ten Benefits of Being a Woman Who Is Loosed”

- ”Six Laws of the Woman Who Is Loosed”

- ”Seven Ways You Can Become a Woman Who Is Loosed”

- ”Five Mistakes of a Woman Who Is Loosed”

- ”Ten Things Every Christian Should Know about the Woman Who Is Loosed”

- ”What It Means to Be a Woman Who Is Loosed”

- ”Twenty-five Keys to Becoming a Woman Who is Loosed”

- ”Four Phases in the Life of a Woman Who is Loosed”

- ”Eighteen Methods by which You Can Become a Woman Who is Loosed”

- ”Twelve Secrets of a Woman Who is Loosed”

- ”Eleven Strategies of a Woman Who is Loosed”

- ”How You Can Become a Woman Who is Loosed”

- ”Seven Signs of a Woman Who is Loosed”

- ”Four Symptoms of a Woman Who Needs to Be Loosed”

You can make this a formula to help you produce more organised teaching messages. You first of all choose any number of points you want. Then pick the right word (whether principles, laws, keys, secrets) to go with it. You will discover that your teaching ministry will jump to another level when you have the right kind of title.

8. There must be order in the sermon.

An easy way to ensure order in your message is to preach in points. You can teach in three, five, seven or as many points as you want. Let people see the progression that you are following. Remember this: if you are preaching a one-off sermon, three points are often adequate. The maximum for a one-off sermon should be seven points. If you try to teach twenty-five points in one sermon, you will certainly run into difficulties.

9. Conclude your sermon on a high note.

10. Do not preach for too long or too short.

11. Never preach without windows (illustrations, stories, parables, etc.).

A message without illustrations and personal examples is like a building without a window. Jesus never taught without illustrations and windows.

The story of the prodigal son, the story of the man who was attacked on the way to Jericho and the story of Lazarus and the rich man are vivid examples of this style of teaching. Children never forget these stories and neither do adults. The greater your teaching ministry the more like Jesus’ it will be.

12. Always do an altar call for salvation.

The main thrust of the kingdom of God is to bring souls to Christ. We do a great disservice to the Gospel when we fail or forget to invite people to Jesus.

13. Stay with revelation.

Preach about things that God has given you a revelation of. If you just preach somebody’s sermon without having a personal revelation of it, you will make no impact! You may actually look foolish! Avoid complex things that you do not understand. There is enough to preach about without getting stuck on difficult terrain!

14. Head for the anointing.

As you preach frequently, you will know when the preaching anointing comes upon you. You will also know what to do to make the anointing flow during the sermon.

Two keys to preaching in the anointing are:

i. You must learn to break icy atmospheres and enter the anointing by openly speaking a few phrases in tongues.

ii. Staying with revelation also releases the anointing for preaching. Move from dryness into anointed preaching by sharing things that you have a personal revelation about.

15. Look for the five signs of the anointing when you are preaching. Preaching with the anointing is characterised by five important signs.

a. It is preaching with authority (Mark 1:22).

b. It is preaching with life-changing effects (Acts 4:4).

c. It is preaching which causes crowds to gather (Mark 1:32).

d. It is direct and cuts to the heart (Acts 2:37).

e. It is relevant (Luke 13:4,5).

Chapter 2

The Congregation Is God’s Garden

For we are labourers together with God: YE ARE GOD’S HUSBANDRY [GARDEN, FARM, FIELD], Ye are God’s building.

1 Corinthians 3:9

Every pastor should see the congregation as God’s garden, God’s field or God’s farm. When you see the congregation as God’s farm, it will help you understand what the ministry of preaching and teaching does.

When you are preaching, you are actually pouring seeds into God’s farm. The type of seeds you pour into the ground determines the type of harvest you are going to get.

Four Reasons Why Every Pastor Must See the Congregation as God’s Garden

1. Every pastor must see himself as a farmer who plants seeds with every sermon.

Once you understand this revelation, you will know that there is no mystery to the type of congregation you have. If you have a congregation of soul winners, it is the harvest you have earned for yourself. Every farmer gets what he plants. If you plant corn, you will get a harvest of corn. If you plant pineapples, you will harvest pineapples.

The pastor is the farmer. The congregation is a garden. Whenever the pastor preaches, he is planting a particular kind of seed. He will have a harvest that corresponds to the type of seeds he has planted. It is no wonder that some churches are full of prosperous successful people. This is because their pastor teaches prosperity and success on a regular basis.

Some churches are full of missionary-minded people. This is because the pastor preaches about missionary work all the time. Some churches preach about miracles. It is no wonder that miracles take place in those churches. Some pastors teach about church growth and they experience it.

Dear pastor, is it a mystery if a farmer reaps a harvest of tomatoes? Certainly not! He must have planted tomatoes!

What are you planting in God’s garden? Are you preaching poverty, fear and failure? Or are you preaching victory, prosperity and faith?

2. There are short-term harvests of the Word.

What do I mean by short-term harvests? During each service, whatever you preach is a seed for a short-term harvest.

If you preach a sermon of doubt and fear, you will not reap a harvest of miracles. If you preach about salvation, you will get people saved.

I Saw the Harvest

I remember preaching at a crusade. As I taught about salvation, there was a calm response from the audience. They listened earnestly to the message of salvation. At a point, I began to speak about healing. I told the crowd that God would heal them.

There was an almost immediate response from the congregation! Cripples came out of wheelchairs and the sick began to get healed as I spoke about healing. At that moment, I was reaping a short-term harvest. I had spoken about miracles and I was reaping a harvest of miracles.

I used to think that if God was God, He should move in the same way after every sermon. However, as I have grown in the ministry, I have realized that it is not so. The reality that we are God’s garden has dawned on me. If I want to have a miracle service, then I must teach about miracles and healing. I know that the congregations listening to me are God’s field.

If you are not surprised when the farmer next door reaps a harvest of wheat, then do not be surprised if Benny Hinn reaps a harvest of miracles in his ministry. He preaches about miracles all the time. It is only in order that he should reap a harvest of healing from God’s garden.

3. There are long-term harvests of the Word.

Without knowing what I was doing, I sowed certain seeds in God’s garden. I have taught about loyalty and I have reaped a harvest of loyal people from the garden! I have preached about the ministry and missionary work. As the years have gone by, God has blessed me with many workers and missionaries.

4. You must believe in the principle of God’s garden.

This principle will guide you into preaching the right things. Do not be in a hurry to reap a harvest. There is always a period of time between sowing and reaping. From this time onwards, carefully select what you will speak about in your church. Preach about what you want and not about what you have! As the years go by, you will realise that you have a congregation of people that are exact products of your teaching.

Chapter 3

Seven Reasons Why a Pastor Should Teach in Series

Some pastors have a new sermon every Sunday. They come up with an inspiring, exhortation every week. This is commendable. However, the sheep cannot live on inspiration!

They need regular, sustained and balanced teaching. If your church is to grow, you will have people staying in your church for many years. You have to have something to give them on a regular basis. This is why I believe that you must teach in series. Of course, there are times that you must give inspirational messages that are not in series.

Here are seven reasons why you must learn to teach in series.

1. Preaching in series is the best way to sustain a congregation of regular attendees.

Since you will have the same people listening to you every week, you need to have an appropriate message.

2. Preaching in series is easier for the pastor than preaching a different message every week.

This is because a series is actually one message that has been broken down into little sermons. The preparation for one long sermon lasts for a long time and can be released to the sheep in stages.

3. Preaching in series makes the members have something to look forward to the following week.

It creates an air of expectation.

4. Preaching in series makes the members come back week after week because they want to hear the conclusion of the series.

This improves the attendance in church.

5. Preaching in series is the only way to cover lengthy but important topics that must be taught in the church.

For instance, it is not possible to cover all that must be taught about marriage in forty-five minutes.

6. Preaching in series enables the pastor to shorten the services to a reasonable length of time.

The pastor is not under so much stress to say everything in one week. He knows that he will have the opportunity to complete his message the next week.

7. Preaching in series establishes a bond between the pastor and his congregation.

They depend on him for a regular meal. You are always attached to the people who feed you regularly!

Chapter 4

Four Keys to Augment Your Teaching Ministry

Perhaps your teaching ministry needs a boost. You can go higher. Let me share with you four steps that will move you on to the next level.

1. Preach without notes.

It is much more impressive to preach extemporaneously than to be seen reading out of notes. Even if you have notes (like I do), do not appear to depend on them for every sentence you say.

2. Practise teaching without notes by memorizing three cardinal points with three cardinal Scriptures and three cardinal “windows”.

Windows are life’s examples, illustrations and stories. It is easier to remember three main points rather than ten main points, when you are preaching extemporaneously. These three points will naturally link themselves up to three Scriptures and three “windows”.

3. Constantly soak in teaching tapes that are unrelated to your Sunday sermons.

Start preparing for preaching opportunities a year in advance.

4. Teach regularly.

You must have a weekly opportunity to minister the Word. Anyone who preaches regularly is bound to improve.

If you preach only once in a while, your preaching ministry will always remain at a low level.

Chapter 5

Seven Reasons Why Listening to Tapes Will Transform Your Preaching Ministry

So then faith cometh by HEARING AND HEARING by the word of God.

Romans 10:17

1. Listening to tapes will help you to know the Word of God.

Every minister needs to have an in-depth knowledge of the Word of God.

An easy way to memorize the Word of God is by listening to tapes. You will hear the preacher quoting Scriptures and this will help you remember the Word.

2. Listening to tapes will help you to soak in the voice of God.

As you soak in tapes you will receive direction for your ministry. There are always several messages within a message.

As a pastor, you will hear God speaking to you about different things concerning your ministry.

3. Listening to tapes will help you to stay in the presence of God.

Once the Word of God is being preached, an anointed atmosphere is created.

Every pastor must endeavour to remain in such an atmosphere because he may be called upon to minister at any time.

Preach the word; be instant in season out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

2 Timothy 4:2

4. Listening to tapes will help you to catch the anointing.

As Peter preached, the Spirit fell on the congregation (Acts 10:44). Most definitely, as the Word of God is coming forth, the anointing is falling. The more you listen to tapes, the more you will be anointed (See my book, Catch the Anointing).

5. Listening to tapes will help you to develop a unique style of preaching.

As you listen to tapes, you will develop a unique style of preaching. It is important for you to develop a distinctive style of preaching as this will appeal to the people God has called you to.

As the saying goes, “Different strokes for different folks.” Not everyone will be attractedto your ministry. But God has definitely raised you up for a people.

6. Listening to tapes will help you to acquire general information that a minister needs.

There are many side-benefits to listening to tapes. You will always glean a lot of useful information as you soak in tapes. It is nicer to listen to a preacher who is knowledgeable about many areas of life. For instance, a good knowledge of history, politics, science, medicine, law, geography, literature and economics greatly enhance the delivery of a message.

7. Listening to tapes will help you to have a constant, unintentional training for the ministry.

The training of a minister revolves around the Word of God. As you soak in the Word, you constantly receive some counsel. What a blessing to receive counsel without even asking for it.

Chapter 6

How to Establish a Doctrine in the Church

When the sower went out to sow, only one out of four seeds flourished in good ground. The Bible teaches us that the Word of God was that seed (Mark 4:14). If only a quarter of the congregation responds properly to a message, it means that you have to preach that message several times before it becomes established.

When a subject is occasionally preached in a church, it does not lead to that doctrine being established in the congregation. It is important to establish certain truths in the congregation so that the church can be perfected.

Perfection will not come if the principles and doctrines are not established.

Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection…

Hebrews 6:1

If your congregation is still struggling with the concept of church leadership, you have a problem. If your congregation still struggles with the concept of tithing, your income will be skimpy. Dear friend, how can you move on to greater things if the foundational doctrines are not established?

Let me share with you six steps that will establish a doctrine in your church. These steps are based on a simple Scripture.

That in the mouth of two or three witnesses EVERY WORD [DOCTRINE] MAY BE ESTABLISHED.

Matthew 18:16

Where there are two or more preachers saying the same thing, a doctrine will be established. Any church, which has all the ministers saying the same thing, is blessed! The Word of God will go forth with strength when it is taught over and over again.

Six Steps That Will Establish a Doctrine in Your Church

1. Teach a series about the subject in question.

2. Teach another series on a sister topic.

For instance, if you teach about prayer you could also teach about fasting.

3. Teach the same subject a second time.

4. Later on, get your assistants to teach on the same topic.

5. Yet again, instruct your cell leaders or shepherds to teach the same thing on another occasion.

6. Get visiting ministers to teach the same topic to your congregation.

When the senior pastor, his associates, other leaders and even visiting ministers teach a doctrine, that doctrine is bound to be established. Sometimes, I am invited to teach on loyalty but I know that one sermon is not going to change a culture of disloyalty into one of loyalty.

The message must be preached over and over until it is established. The mouth of two or more messages will establish the doctrine!

Some things will need more than a year of constant teaching before they will be established.

Chapter 7

Nine Reasons Why Pastors Should Preach the Word of God

1. When you preach the Word of God, your church members will have direction for their lives.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

2 Timothy 3:16,17

The Bible contains the written Word of God. It is a reliable source of direction for us all. The Word of God is given to us for direction in our lives. Everything we do must be according to the Word of God.

In a very general way, the Word of God is the perfect guidebook for our lives. The Bible is a unique book that contains instruction on every possible issue that may arise. There are many that think that the Bible is not a practical and relevant book for today.

One lady told me that she believed she could practice fornication because the Bible was out of fashion. Three years later, when her boyfriend of many years ditched her, she suddenly realized that the Bible was not so archaic after all.

The Scripture is profitable, useful, relevant and practical for every Christian today! There are many Christians who do not want you to open the Bible; they just want a prophecy or a word of knowledge.

2. When you preach the Word, the congregation will have light for their darkness.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

Psalm 119:105

There is so much darkness in the world. We often do not know what to do, but God has provided a light for Christians. What is this light that God has provided for Christians? Thy Word is a light for my path and a lamp to my feet. God’s Word is a lamp and a light for us. It is only when you put on the light that you know where to go. It is only when you put on the light that you can prevent yourself from stumbling over furniture. Jesus Christ called Himself the light of this world.

…I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have THE LIGHT OF LIFE.

John 8:12

You need light in this life! Jesus (the Word) is the light for your life. People who have tried to live their lives without Christ and the Word have discovered that it is painful to stumble around in the darkness.

A young man approached me and informed me that he was having terrible problems in his marriage. He wanted me to help him. He wanted to know the way out of his marital difficulties. As I talked with him, I realized that what he needed was the Word.

But he said to me, “Are you going to pray for me to have my deliverance?”

I asked, “Why do you need deliverance?” He answered, “Oh, it has been detected that my wife has a marine spirit.”

I asked him, “What is a marine spirit?” He said, “Oh, it’s something they say I have to be delivered from. So I want you to deliver me.”

I thought to myself, “This man wants a quick fix. He does not want the Word. He does not know that nothing sets you free like the Word of God does.”

And ye shall know the truth, and THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE.

John 8:32

I continued to question him, “Are you a born- again Christian?”

“Yes I am.”

“Are you faithful to your wife?” I asked. He smiled, “Um…not really.” “Actually,” he continued, “I have not been faithful to her at all!” I advised this man to have a pastor and belong to a church. I told him, “Your marine spirit is the least of your problems. What you need is the Word of God to guide you in this life. You need the light of life, otherwise, you will continue to grope in darkness.”

There are people who wonder how I know the things I preach. I remember arriving in Johannesburg for a convention. I was met by a South African delegation. When they saw me one of them asked, “Are you the Bishop?” I said, “Yes I am.”

“Really! We were expecting someone much older! We have listened to your tapes and read your books. Somehow, we thought you were a much older person.”

When you have the Word of God, your wisdom will be beyond your age. You will seem to be more mature than people of your age group.

3. When you preach the Word of God, the church members will be wise.

Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies…I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.

Psalm 119:98,99

Dear pastor, do you want to have wise church members? Do you want to have stable intelligent people in your congregation? Then preach the Word of God. The Word of God will make you wise in this life.

Advice and direction for business are found in the Word of God. There is more instruction for a business person in the Word of God than in any teaching on business management. There is more relevant practical knowledge on philosophy, political science, literature and history in the Bible than in any other book I know.

4. When you preach the Word of God, the church members will know what to do.

I sometimes smile when people say, “God has called them to do such-and-such for Him.”

If you do not obey the simple instructions in the Word, do you think that God is going to give you a greater instruction? He that is faithful in little is faithful in much. If you do not obey the Word of God that says to pay your tithes and offerings, do you think God is going to speak to you about other things?

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee…

Micah 6:8

5. When you preach the Word of God,

Christians will know and understand what is happening in their lives.

In the last days, God is giving pastors who will feed us with knowledge and understanding. Receive the knowledge and understanding that God is giving you through your pastors now!

And I will give you pastors according to my heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

Jeremiah 3:15

Apart from knowledge and understanding, God will use a man of God to give instructions to Christians. These instructions help us to become better people in life. There are times your pastor will give a commandment to fast and pray. It is important to follow these instructions. The Bible teaches that we should obey those that have spiritual authority over us.

Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls…

Hebrews 13:7

Church members must listen to the voice of their shepherds. God has delegated the destiny of the sheep to the shepherd. God will bless your life and lead you through the voice of your shepherd. Jesus is the good, overall shepherd and He told Peter to look after the sheep. That means that He was delegating the care of His sheep to under-shepherds. Dear pastors, we have an awesome responsibility and we can only do it by staying with the Word.

…and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger they will not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

John 10:4

6. When you preach the Word of God, sin is burned out of the congregation.

Do you want to have a congregation of sinners? Do you want to have a congregation of immoral people, prostitutes, drug dealers, liars, thieves and murderers? I hope not!

It may sound strange to you but I have seen congregations like that. By preaching the Word of God, you ignite a fire that burns up sin.

…I will make MY WORDS IN THY MOUTH FIRE, and this people wood, AND IT SHALL DEVOUR them.

Jeremiah 5:14

Is it not my word like as a FIRE?…

Jeremiah 23:29

7. When you preach the Word of God, it knocks sense into stubborn people.

…it not my word…like a HAMMER that breaketh the rock in pieces?

Jeremiah 23:29

There are always stubborn people who need to attend the school of hard knocks. Preaching the Word knocks sense into stubborn people.

8. When you preach the Word of God, people will be genuinely saved.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth…

Romans 1:16

When the Word of God is not preached, people are not genuinely saved. They may be members of the church but they will not be sincerely saved. Salvation is a product of the Word of God being preached.

Secular teachings on success do not have the power of salvation!

9. When you preach the Word of God you deal with the innermost thoughts of the congregation.

Many people who do not express their innermost thoughts; you never know what they are thinking. They are often evasive and do not answer questions directly. It is only God’s Word that can get to their hearts and minister to them!

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and IS A DISCERNER OF THE THOUGHTS AND INTENTS OF THE HEART.

Hebrews 4:12

Chapter 8

Seven Reasons Why You Should Teach Your Leaders

I believe that every pastor should have special sessions with his leaders. Teaching leaders is one of the most productive activities a pastor can engage in.

When you teach leaders, you generate sons and daughters in the ministry.

Do you realise that two of the most important letters in the New Testament were written to a leader? The books of first and second Timothy were written to a pastor. These teachings were not intended for the benefit of the whole church.

They were the Apostle Paul’s teachings to his junior pastor, Timothy.

Pastors and leaders need to be taught. They need to be separated from the rest of the congregation in order to receive special teachings. I do this all the time and it has yielded hundreds of sons and daughters in the ministry. It has raised up pastors and shepherds all over the world.

If you do not have special regular sessions with your leaders, your church will not have the right kind of workers. Church growth will be stunted when leaders are not trained specially. Dear friend, find out what there is to teach and begin to train your leaders yourself. Perhaps this is the key that your church needs.

THOU THEREFORE, MY SON, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

2 Timothy 2:2

Seven Reasons Why You Should Teach Your Leaders

1. When you preach to leaders you are actually preaching to many more people. You are also teaching the followers of this leader.

2. Pastors must know the principle of explosive growth: If you want GROWTH, teach your members but if you want EXPLOSIVE GROWTH, teach your leaders!

3. Teaching leaders establishes authority over the leaders who work under you.

This is because the authority over the leaders is demonstrated by your ability to feed them.

4. Teaching ordinary members is an investment into the church of today.

Teaching leaders is an investment into the future. The leaders you teach will carry on into the future when you are gone. Success without a successor is failure!

5. Every pastor must teach leaders because Jesus Christ taught leaders all the time.

Pastors must spend more time teaching leaders than teaching ordinary church members. This is the pattern set by Christ Jesus.

6. Teaching leaders is your greatest key to true expansion.

You will not have anyone to delegate to if you have not trained leaders.

7. Every pastor must teach his leaders because the leaders will never know what to do unless you teach them.

Many pastors assume that the potential leaders around them will acquire vital knowledge by osmosis. People feel that leadership is for special people who are born that way. Osmosis is not the key to leadership - teaching is!

Chapter 9

Why You Must Avoid “Pseudo Word” and Doctrines of Devils

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and DOCTRINES OF DEVILS…

1Timothy 4:1

Doctrines of Devils

When you preach the Word of God, you avoid the mistake of deviating into false doctrine or “pseudo Word” teachings. Openly false doctrines are easy to spot. You can tell them a mile away!

Doctrines of groups like Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons are well known examples of erroneous doctrines. Most Christians have no difficulties spotting these things. Most pastors would not preach such flagrant error.

“Pseudo Word”

The real danger lies in what I call “pseudo Word” teachings. “Pseudo Word” teachings come about because of seducing spirits. These seducing spirits lure ministers into enticing areas of ministry.

Pastors are often enticed into exciting areas of debate. There are many social causes that need a champion. There are many political and moral issues that need a spokesman.

The question every pastor must ask himself is, “Did God call me to champion a social cause?

Am I supposed to leave the foundational doctrines of the Word of God and move into these grey areas?”

I call them grey areas because it is uncertain whether they are secular topics or spiritual topics. If your call is to stay in the grey areas, God will bless you over there. If not, then you have been seduced and enticed by a clever devil. Every pastor must be careful about the doctrine he is teaching.

TAKE HEED UNTO THYSELF AND UNTO THY DOCTRINE; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee.

1 Timothy 4:16

Pseudo Word teachings are often teachings about good things or good causes. Something may be a good cause but that does not make it the Word of God. Let me show you some examples of these pseudo Word doctrines.

Pseudo Word teachings include things like secular leadership training, secular wisdom teachings, secular success teachings, political discourses, social campaigns about social and moral issues. There are many topics such as gender issues, race and colour issues that stir up passions. These things in themselves are not evil. The only problem with them is that they are not the central doctrines of the Bible.

I am not saying that it is wrong to preach on these issues. I am sure that God has called some people to address these things. However, you must know that these are not the foundational doctrines of the Bible. They are not the mainstream of the Word of God. They are not the Gospel and they do not have the power of God unto salvation! (Romans 1:16).

Make sure that you do not swerve away from the mainstream of preaching God’s Word. It is the Gospel that has the power to save! Secular success teachings do not have power to save souls.

Dear friend, if God has not called you to address these topics and you make them your emphasis, I am sorry to say that you have swerved aside into fruitless ministry.

…From which some HAVING SWERVED have turned aside unto vain jangling.

1 Timothy 1:6

As far as Heaven is concerned, you may have turned aside into vain jangling (worthless noise making).

And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and SHALL BE TURNED UNTO FABLES.

1 Timothy 4:4

God will minister His Word through pastors and shepherds. That is why it is important to have a good church and a pastor who teaches the Word of God.

*******

Other Best-Selling Books by Dag Heward-Mills:

Loyalty and Disloyalty

Leaders and Loyalty

Transform Your Pastoral Ministry

The Art of Leadership

Model Marriage

Church Planting

The Mega Church

Lay People and the Ministry

These titles are also available in Spanish and/or French. Information about other foreign translations of some of the titles above may be obtained by writing to our email address.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Fifteen Keys to Becoming a Successful Teacher of the Word

Chapter 2

The Congregation Is God’s Garden

Chapter 3

Seven Reasons Why a Pastor Should Teach in Series

Chapter 4

Four Keys to Augment Your Teaching Ministry

Chapter 5

Seven Reasons Why Listening to Tapes Will Transform Your Preaching Ministry

Chapter 6

How to Establish a Doctrine in the Church

Chapter 7

Nine Reasons Why Pastors Should Preach the Word of God

Chapter 8

Seven Reasons Why You Should Teach Your Leaders

Chapter 9

Why You Must Avoid “Pseudo Word” and Doctrines of Devils