Pastoral Responsibilities

"What's it like to work just one day a week?" While many pastors find themselves on the receiving end of such questions, the reality is that as Gospel workers, pastors know their jobs are never really finished. As Alistair Begg notes, Paul's instructions to his protégé Timothy make clear that the church is always in need of pastors who will study God's Word diligently so they can remind their congregations of the essentials of the faith and present themselves to God as ones approved.

In Mark 14, we read that as the time for Jesus' crucifixion drew near, a woman came to Him and anointed His head with an alabaster flask of precious oil. While this heartfelt act of worship provoked the disciples' disapproval, Jesus celebrated her for doing "a beautiful thing." Alistair Begg surveys the woman's action, the disciples' reaction, and Jesus' commendation, helping us to see that the only true pathway to lasting honor is to honor Christ.

On the verge of the release of his new book The Man on the Middle Cross, Alistair Begg sat down with Jonathan Carswell, CEO of publisher 10ofThose, to talk about the viral sermon clip that inspired it and how he hopes it can help the church evangelize the lost. Join Alistair and Jonathan as they cover where the book's central illustration came from, why it focuses on the biblical stories it does, and Alistair's hopes for how God might use it.

The sin of jealousy is often tolerated in Christian circles—but our lenience doesn't make it any less serious. The Bible is clear: Jealousy is a grave matter. In this talk to seminary students, Alistair Begg surveys jealousy's characteristics, consequences, and cure, reminding us that, as with all sin, the key to victory lies in acknowledging our transgression before God and keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus.

In a church context that held great potential for apostasy, Timothy faced the task of leading through the example of his lifestyle and work. Faithful ministry, Paul explained to him, flows from godly character—speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity—and from wholehearted devotion to Scripture, exhortation, and teaching. Alistair Begg considers Paul's guidance to Timothy, which can help today's pastors, too, as they seek to watch themselves and their doctrine closely and see themselves and their hearers saved.

Timothy, the apostle Paul's protégé, was not only to be alert to the dangers that lay before the people under his care; he was also to make sure that they understood God's truth. Alistair Begg unpacks Paul's instructions in 1 Timothy 4:6–10, which focus on the importance of ministering well, being nourished in the faith, training for godliness, and, ultimately, placing hope in "the Savior of all people."

In the concluding verse of 1 Timothy 4, Paul instructs Timothy, "Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers." What did he mean by these words? Alistair Begg begins an examination of the answer by looking at the chapter's opening verses, which outline the apostacy Paul warned about, how it would happen, by whom it would happen, and what its teaching would involve.

Peter wrote to the believers of his day to encourage them to hold to the Gospel they had received while living as "sojourners and exiles" in a pagan world. In this series, Alistair Begg walks us through 1 Peter, helping us to see that its vital message remains relevant today.

After declaring the indicatives of what was true of them in Christ, Peter laid out several imperatives for the first-century readers of his first letter to take to heart. As Alistair Begg points out, his instructions—to prepare their minds, be sober-minded, set their hope on Jesus, be holy, live in reverent fear, love earnestly, and obey the truth—remind us today of our need for grace and of the abiding truth of God's Word.