The Covenant Way: Provision, Protection and Instruction

In the mythical town of Lake Wobegon, “the women are strong, the men are good looking, and all the children are above average.” These are not the proper designations for the Christian family. In the world of Christian discipleship the men are faithful, women are godly, and the children are “the heritage of the Lord.” Consequently, the Christian man cannot be the self-centered narcissist of Lake Wobegon or of popular culture and be the man of God. The faithful man of God understands his duty to provide for the needs of his family, protect them from harm, and instruct in righteousness those under his care.

The Christian man feeds his family before himself; the Christian man places himself in harm’s way to shield those he loves; the Christian man teaches the Word of God. Too often men feel that if they are willing to provide and protect they are doing reasonably well. After all two out of three isn’t bad. But this begs the question, “If the man fails to instruct in righteousness is he fully providing for and protecting his family?”

To paraphrase R. C. Sproul, the thing that is going to cause our people to perish is not the strength of popular culture, or public education, or the decline of the American civilization, but what will cause the collapse of our families and churches is ignorance of the Word of God!

The greater duty for the Christian man is to provide for more than “the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life” (Jn. 6:27). The Christian husband and father protects against “this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places” by taking up the whole armor of God – truth, righteousness, gospel, faith, salvation, the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God (Eph. 6). The Christian man must do more than put food on the table and warn his children not to play in the street.

Men of God take heed – “But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.” Isa. 66:2

Word, Sacrament and Prayer

No matter how much a pastor prepares, how much he prays, or how sincerely he loves God, without people it’s hard to have church. Mission developers in particular are obsessed with the thought of “How do we get people to come to church?” With all good intentions the mission pastor will attempt to figure out some common denominator between the church and the un-churched. This usually results in ministry programs that conforms the church to the demands of the marketplace.


The secret to drawing a crowd is easy – make it about them! Give them music that excites, talks that encourage, and principles for living a victorious life and they will come. On the contrary, give them hymns rich in the theology of the faith, Christ-centered sermons, and a cross driven life and you may have a small crowd. Yet, the ministry whereby Christ communicates His mediation to His people is through Word, sacrament and prayer. It is through these “ordinary means” that God enlightens, convicts and humbles sinners; “driving them out of themselves, and drawing them unto Christ . . . ” (WLC, Q. 155).


I’m aware of the pressures pastors feel to bend under the weight of cultural demands in ministry. I understand well the drawing power of programs that appear relevant to the “felt needs” of people. Drawing a crowd is easy. Doing ministry God’s way is hard. In fact, building a church is impossible apart from the miracle that happens when ministers are faithful in proclaiming the Word of God.