Life and Ministry of TMA (1992)

The point: Continually come back to our foundational principles and check the foundations, lest this ministry lose its usefulness.

The analogy of Green Beret training, aiming to produce a 'lean, mean fighting machine,' is used to emphasize the necessity of having a clearly articulated and constantly evaluated goal for the academy's ministerial training.

by what standard do we evaluate whether or not we are doing what the academy under God's blessing is supposed to do perhaps you have heard it said that he who aims at nothing will always most surely hit his target he who aims at nothing will most surely always hit his target if you were to go to a camp where men are being trained to be duly commissioned green beret military soldiers and you were to ask one of the instructors what are you seeking to produce in this camp

15:33 - 16:17 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The first characteristic of an able minister is real and exemplary godliness, contrasted with the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and neutered pietism. Martin expounds 1 Timothy 3 and…

The Pharisees are presented as the classic example of 'unreal godliness,' characterized by external forms and activities without inner heart transformation, illustrating what the academy aims to avoid.

And the Pharisees in the New Testament are the classic yet sickening example of an external godliness that is not real godliness. For you remember the indictment of our Lord Jesus against those official religious leaders and teachers of the Jews. He said of them, and I read now from Matthew chapter 23, With respect to these Pharisees, that they say, verse 3, but they do not. Verse 5, all their works they do to be seen of men.

20:16 - 20:59 Read in full sermon

Driving home: We have no sympathy for pietistic godliness that would neuter a man's manhood and make him something half man and half angel.

Pietistic godliness is described as an artificial spirituality that 'neuters a man's manhood,' making him a 'plastic man' who cannot genuinely connect with human grief or pain, contrasting with the real godliness sought in academy students.

A godliness that grows out of an inner heart of session with Jesus Christ and with conformity to Christ and with a passion to please Christ. But not only do I use the term real godliness in contrast to the external godliness of the Pharisees, which alas marks many who hold official, official office in the church of Christ. But I say it to contrast what I would call pietistic godliness that really neuters a man's manhood.

22:33 - 23:12 Read in full sermon

Driving home: What God may do with an unclean vessel is His business, but what I have a right to expect God to do with me is my business.

The examples of Balaam's donkey speaking and Judas casting out demons are used to illustrate that God can use 'unclean vessels,' but such usefulness will not count for reward in the day of judgment, underscoring the necessity of real godliness for effective ministry.

Ephesians 6, 19, With all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. When we speak of real and exemplary godliness, this is at least in a sketchy way what we're talking about. And it is this that forms the foundation of any value, as well as any truly effective ministry that will do anything other than condemn us in the day of judgment. God can use a donkey to speak a word that effectually turns aside the madness of the prophet.

38:26 - 39:08 Read in full sermon

Driving home: What God may do with an unclean vessel is His business, but what I have a right to expect God to do with me is my business.

An analogy of a man with brain damage affecting speech is used to convey that even if a godly man loses his vocal faculties, his sheer character and conscience would still make him a benediction, emphasizing the priority of godliness over gifts.

When Christ gives His presence to us, it is the voice of God. It is the voice of God. in the brain, in that part of the brain that affects the motor coordination of the speech, such a man, were he rendered inoperative with his vocal faculties overnight, you would still count it a benediction to have him live among you, for the sheer weight of his conscience is marking out the path and making likeness to Christ both desirable and something to

40:18 - 40:55 Read in full sermon

Driving home: A holy man is an awesome instrument in the hands of the living God.

The phrase 'preacher's bug' describes men who seek public leadership for twisted psychological needs or inflated views of their gifts, rather than a genuine passion for Christ-likeness, highlighting the academy's scrutiny process.

be sought earnestly. That's what we're committed to in the academy. That's why there is such a process of scrutiny before men come into this academy, to see if indeed they are other than the multitudes that have been bit with the preacher's bug, who've got some silly notion that some bent and twisted need in their psyche will be met by public leadership, or who have some distorted view of their almighty gifts, but who have never come to grips with the fact that if Christ is forming them to able ministers of the new covenant,

40:55 - 41:39 Read in full sermon

Driving home: A holy man is an awesome instrument in the hands of the living God.

Robert Murray McShane's quote, 'A holy man is an awesome instrument in the hands of the living God,' is used to powerfully summarize the academy's commitment to producing godly men.

it will be evident in their greatest passion being not to be great preachers, but to know great likeness to Christ. Robert Murray McShane's words are well known, but they deserve repetition. A holy man is an awesome instrument in the hands of the living God. It is this that we are committed to. It is this that we are determined by the grace of God to see

41:39 - 42:15 Read in full sermon

Driving home: A holy man is an awesome instrument in the hands of the living God.

The analogy of 'two classrooms' (the formal academy classroom and the 'classroom' of daily life trials like a sick child or car trouble) illustrates how God uses manifold trials to work graces in students, fostering real godliness.

Well, that's the first characteristic. That's what we are committed to see in these men. And that's why, as I so often tell them, there are two classrooms that they enter every day. The classroom downstairs in this building with the visible instructor, one of the five men who do the major work of instruction.

44:01 - 44:23 Read in full sermon

Driving home: They put it on, they put it on a torture rack and they stretch it out of joint and they do so to their own destruction and to the destruction of those who listen to them.

The Greek word for 'wrest' (2 Peter 3:16) is vividly illustrated by a man on a torture rack, with joints popping and screams, to convey the violent and destructive nature of inaccurately handling God's Word.

Cutting a straight course in the word of truth. Timothy, if you are to be a workman approved to God with no just grounds for shame in the presence of God now or in the day of judgment, you must accurately handle the word of God. Which is just the opposite of that which Peter condemns in 2 Peter 3 and verse 16. With reference to these false teachers, he says, as also in all his epistles, speaking of Paul, speaking in them of these things, wherein are some things hard to behold, to be understood,

50:39 - 51:21 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second characteristic is the ability to expound and apply Scripture accurately, clearly, and powerfully. Martin emphasizes accuracy from 2 Timothy 2:15, warning against…

An anecdote about a preacher asked to define 'unction' ('Brother, I don't know what it is, but I know what it ain't') is used to acknowledge the difficulty of defining spiritual power while affirming its reality and necessity in preaching.

But when I spoke, he says, you know this much, that there was an attendant divine energy upon my preaching that caused you to know you weren't dealing with this little despised Jew who spat upon your rules of rhetoric, who took a theme that he knew was both a stumbling block and a defense to Jew and Gentile and hurled it into your midst and it became the power of God unto salvation. Someone asked the preacher one time, what is unction? He said, brother, I don't know what it is, but I know what it ain't. And I'm not here to explain what unction is. I'm simply here to quote the scripture which s...

57:09 - 57:53 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Whenever you see a well-ordered church this much you know it didn't become that nor does it remain that by itself somebody is laboring in responsible positions of leadership with divine wisdom divine winsomeness and divi…

Paul's description of himself as a 'gentle wet nurse' and a 'father' (1 Thessalonians 2) is used to illustrate the winsomeness and tenderness required in pastoral leadership, balanced with assertive, loving guidance.

that in a sense is a chunk of your own infinite mind give me wisdom that is from above and God gave him that plus much more but that wisdom that we need in ordering the affairs of the people of God must be joined to winsomeness and when I say winsomeness what am I speaking about well I'm trying to capture in one word those qualities that Paul alludes to in his book that Paul alludes to in his book that Paul alludes to in his book that Paul alludes to in his book that Paul alludes to in his book that Paul alludes to in 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 he could say to these young Christians among whom ...

63:22 - 64:07 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Whenever you see a well-ordered church this much you know it didn't become that nor does it remain that by itself somebody is laboring in responsible positions of leadership with divine wisdom divine winsomeness and divi…

The example of people complaining about a winsome man being 'detached' because they are threatened by his blameless walk with God illustrates how carnal hearts react to true holiness in leadership.

pedestal of untouchable dimensions no as you know how we dealt with each one of you as a father with his own children while living a blameless life you see it's evident that they love the pattern of his holiness mark this I have seen it over the years the only people that complain about an otherwise winsome man in the eyes of many and say he's detached and distant when multitudes say he's warm and winsome is because they're threatened by his blameless walk with God it's not that the man is unapproachable

64:51 - 65:35 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Any man who is not prepared to take his stand there in holy fearlessness is not fit to lead God's people for there are times when the thing they most need is what they least want and you've got to have the moral courage …

The example of the children of Israel blaming Moses during wilderness wanderings, rather than God, illustrates the moral courage and fearlessness required of leaders who implement God's Word despite popular opposition.

to implement the precepts of the word of God and then have the people of God hurl all the flags at you just like the children of Israel did every time they got in a pinch they didn't blame God they blamed Moses but when God dealt with them he said you haven't complained against my servant you've complained against me read it I challenge you to read the wilderness wanderings and all ten instances of their murmuring and it's always focused upon the leadership and if a man doesn't have the moral courage of God given fearlessness he doesn't have the courage of God given fearlessness he doesn't hav...

68:34 - 69:18 Read in full sermon

Driving home: I exist like a candle to be burned for the good of my people they do not exist as a platform upon which I am to parade my gifts they do not exist for me I exist for them

The metaphor 'I exist like a candle to be burned for the good of my people' expresses the selfless, sacrificial love and zeal for God's glory that should consume a minister, contrasting with self-seeking ambition.

pleasing spirit until God's glory and man's good as determined by God are non-negotiable buttresses to every facet of a man's life in ministry what inner dealings must come to place so that I see as I told the men on Friday I exist like a candle to be burned for the good of my people they do not exist as a platform upon which I am to parade my gifts they do not exist for me I exist for them and Paul said even among all his associates he writes from a prison at Rome

75:56 - 76:41 Read in full sermon

Driving home: I exist like a candle to be burned for the good of my people they do not exist as a platform upon which I am to parade my gifts they do not exist for me I exist for them

Paul's statement that he had 'no man like minded' who would truly care for others' state, except Timothy, because 'they all seek their own,' highlights the rarity of selfless ministers and the academy's goal to produce 'a school of Timothys.'

and says in Philippians chapter 2 I'm going to send Timothy to you and the reason I'm going to send Timothy is this I know that when he comes and lives among you and questions you and if he returns with a report nothing will be colored by self-serving he said I have no man like minded who will truly care for your state for they all seek their own not the things which are Christ Jesus think of it he said I have no man like Timothy onions and labor but zeal for the honor of God and a passion for the good of God's people had not yet consumed

76:41 - 77:24 Read in full sermon

The point: Open your hearts and homes to integrate these men and their families into our corporate life, abounding more and more in hospitality.

An anecdote about a church growth outfit that focuses on making people 'feel good' rather than God's truth is used to warn against worldly methodologies that grieve the Spirit and undermine true church life.

they're a dime a dozen my wife and I read an article in one of her women's magazines that made us want to barf one of the biggest church growth outfits out in the Midwest to see the things that draw people in to make them feel worth something and one man said I don't have much use for this God business but this place makes me feel good think of it and men are being traipsed out there by the bus loads to attend conferences on how to do it in your place like we've done it here God have mercy on us

81:05 - 81:47 Read in full sermon