Videos > Dr. Robert Jeffress I Closing Gala I NRB 2025 Dr. Robert Jeffress I Closing Gala I NRB 2025 NRB 271 views • 6 likes • 4 comments 1 year ago • 29:35 min
Transcript [00:04] [Music] [00:14] Christianity Today did a feature article [00:17] on the Dallas Fort Worth area trying to [00:20] answer the question why are so many [00:22] Ministries National and International [00:24] Ministries moving to [00:27] Dallas I remember one line in the [00:29] article it said if the South and the [00:31] Southwest are the Bible Belt of our [00:34] country Dallas is the Buckle of the [00:37] Bible [00:39] Belt but lately that Buckle has become [00:42] tarnished as many of you know the New [00:45] York Times several weeks ago did an [00:47] article also on Ministries in Dallas but [00:51] with a different question why are so [00:53] many Ministries located in Dallas [00:57] collapsing under the weight of more [01:00] moral and monetary [01:02] scandals I've got news for you it's [01:04] probably not news this is not limited to [01:08] Dallas it's happening everywhere [01:12] Christian leaders falling into the traps [01:15] laid by the [01:17] devil nobody's immune from it if you [01:20] think this is not for me tonight then [01:24] you're possibly the next casualty on the [01:26] enemy's [01:28] list Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:12 [01:32] therefore let him who thinks he stands [01:35] take heed lest he fall let me say it [01:39] clearly no Pastor no broadcaster no [01:42] musician no Ministry leader no Christian [01:45] trying to live for Christ is immune from [01:48] Satan's attacks and so that's what we're [01:51] going to talk about for the next few [01:53] moments I titled tonight's message how [01:55] to keep from blowing up your ministry [01:59] it's not original with me by the way [02:03] about 40 some odd years ago my mentor [02:07] and former Seminary Professor Dr Howard [02:10] Hendricks invited me to join him and his [02:13] wife Jean uh on a trip to Portland [02:16] Oregon where Prof was leading the Bible [02:18] Conference also speaking at that [02:21] conference was one of his other former [02:23] students an up incomer who was just [02:26] getting a start on the national scene [02:28] you may have heard of him his name was [02:30] chuck swnd all now I remember one [02:33] Saturday afternoon at that conference [02:34] slipping into a session Chuck was Liv [02:38] leading entitled avoiding the landmines [02:42] of ministry and to this day I don't [02:45] remember one scripture verse Chuck used [02:48] one [02:49] illustration but I remember the outline [02:53] because the four landmines he talked [02:55] about all began with an S and I found [02:59] that for 40 years later those landmines [03:01] are more potent than ever if you don't [03:06] recognize these [03:08] landmines if you don't recognize them [03:10] and flee from them you will be destroyed [03:14] by them what are those landmines of [03:18] ministry the first one that begins with [03:20] an S is [03:22] silver and by that of course I'm talking [03:25] about money I have three friends in [03:27] Ministry who had to resign their [03:29] Ministries all because of financial [03:33] impropriety what was ironic is each of [03:35] these leaders was learn earning hundreds [03:38] of thousands of dollars a year in salary [03:42] and yet they lost their Ministry over a [03:44] few thousand doll they took that really [03:48] didn't belong to them why would anybody [03:51] make such a stupid trade hundreds of [03:55] thousands of dollars for thousands of [03:57] dollars Paul answers that in 1 Timothy 6 [04:00] veres 9 and 10 but those who want to get [04:03] rich fall into temptation and a snare [04:07] and many foolish and harmful desires [04:10] which plunge men into ruin and [04:13] destruction that word snare refers to an [04:16] animal trap that is laid to catch its [04:18] prey what is it that entices that animal [04:22] there's some inward desire that entices [04:25] it to go into the snare what is it that [04:28] entices us us into Financial uh [04:33] inconsistencies it is the love of money [04:36] that's why First Timothy 3 says that to [04:38] be in Ministry you need to be free from [04:41] the Love of Money sometimes the [04:44] enticement toward silver can be in [04:47] blatant acts like embezzlement or [04:49] padding an expense account but many [04:52] times it's more subtle what the Trap Is [04:55] For example our desire our need we think [04:58] for a little extra money causes us to [05:00] get involved in a side Venture that [05:03] distracts us from our main Ministry or [05:06] the desire to keep receiving personal [05:09] gifts from a wealthy donor leads us to [05:11] make decisions that aren't best for our [05:14] church or our ministry or The Lure of [05:17] money a higher salary sometimes tempts [05:20] us to another place of service that [05:22] frankly we're not suited for all for the [05:25] desire of money I'll let you in a in on [05:29] a secet [05:30] and that is nobody ever thinks he has [05:33] enough [05:34] money do did you ever think about this [05:37] of the 400 people on the Forbes list the [05:40] Forbes 400 list 399 of them are envious [05:44] of somebody else there's only one who's [05:47] satisfied and he's probably not that [05:49] satisfied Ecclesiastes 510 says it this [05:53] way whoever loves money never has money [05:56] enough whoever loves wealth is never [06:01] satisfied with his [06:04] income money is like [06:06] saltwater the more you take in the [06:09] thirstier you become you know I'll never [06:12] forget my first job in Ministry I [06:14] started working as youth minister at the [06:17] church I now a pastor First Baptist [06:19] Church in Dallas and um I'll never [06:22] forget it was 1978 when I started there [06:26] and uh I remember one Saturday when the [06:29] Personnel chairman called and told me [06:31] what my salary was going to be he said [06:34] we're going to pay you [06:36] $800 a month and I nearly dropped the [06:40] phone I went in to see Amy she was in [06:43] the other room in our apartment I said [06:45] Amy they're going to pay us $800 a month [06:49] what are we going to do with all that [06:52] money well we answered that question [06:55] it's called children and grandchildren [06:58] but you know you never never think you [07:00] have enough scripture says as riches [07:03] increase so do those who consume them [07:07] how do you keep from being trapped to [07:09] buy money I think uh John Wesley the [07:13] founder of methodism had a good answer [07:16] he reportedly said to his sister money [07:19] never stays with me it would burn me if [07:22] it did I throw it out of my hands as [07:24] soon as possible lest it should find a [07:27] way into my heart he told everyone that [07:30] if at his death he had more than 10 lbs [07:33] about $20 to his name he could be [07:36] considered a [07:38] robber you know one of the experiences I [07:40] will never forget when I was just [07:43] beginning in Ministry was listening to [07:45] one of my Ministry Heroes make this [07:49] confession he said I've come to the [07:51] point that I'm obsessed with money all I [07:55] ever think about is money when I pray [07:59] I'm thinking about money when I read the [08:02] Bible I think about money when I stand [08:06] and preach God's word all I think about [08:09] is money God help me for the love of [08:14] money is the root of all sorts of evil [08:18] and some by longing for it have wandered [08:21] away from the faith and pierc themselves [08:24] with many a [08:26] pain the second landm of Ministry is [08:31] sloth s l t h which is just another word [08:35] for laziness a while back I got an email [08:38] from one of our Pathway to Victory [08:41] viewers in [08:43] Georgia and she said my husband and I [08:45] have enjoyed watching you on TV on [08:48] Saturday nights imagine our surprise [08:51] when we went into church Sunday morning [08:54] and heard our pastor deliver the same [08:57] message with the same title and [08:59] distributed the same outline that you [09:01] used in your message what should I do [09:05] I'm considering going to the chairman of [09:06] the deacons to let him know well I told [09:09] her I didn't care that didn't bother me [09:12] at all I'm sure I got the message [09:14] somewhere you know was it Spurgeon that [09:17] said all creativity and no plagiarism [09:20] makes for dull preaching but if you're [09:23] going to quote for something word for [09:25] word at least give the guy some credit [09:27] for it but uh [09:30] anyway what would cause a pastor to do [09:32] that and risk his reputation and respect [09:35] in the church the simple answer is [09:38] laziness [09:40] laziness laziness is something that will [09:43] destroy your ministry Proverbs 189 says [09:47] there he all he who is slack in his work [09:51] is a brother to him who destroys you [09:54] know Solomon was pretty humorous listen [09:56] to Proverbs 19:24 the slug [10:00] the lazy person buries his hand in the [10:03] dish and will not even bring it back to [10:07] his [10:08] mouth now just imagine you're walking [10:11] down the street and you run into a [10:13] homeless person and he hasn't eaten in [10:15] three days and you're feeling especially [10:17] benevolent so you invite him to go to [10:19] Ruth's Chris [10:21] Steakhouse have you ever been to Ruth's [10:24] Chris maybe you have one it's a great [10:26] place and you tell your new friend he [10:28] can order anything he wants so he orders [10:31] a 24 oun New York sirloin a loaded baked [10:34] potato a Caesar salad an apple pie outa [10:38] mode and then comes that time the waiter [10:40] brings out the sizzling plate and your [10:43] friend takes his knife and fork and cuts [10:46] into the meat he takes the cor the fork [10:49] and stabs it in the meat and he starts [10:51] to bring the fork to his mouth when he [10:54] stops he's paralyzed and you say what's [10:58] wrong is something wrong with the meat [11:01] oh no it looks great well why don't you [11:04] put the fork in your mouth oh that would [11:08] take too much effort now that's what you [11:11] call lazy but that's exactly what [11:13] Solomon is picturing here now before you [11:17] criticize that man too much let's all [11:20] admit we have some of the sluggard in [11:22] every one of us here tonight there's a [11:25] little hint of laziness in all of us let [11:28] me demonstrate that for [11:30] you how many of you can right now think [11:34] of one thing you could do that would [11:37] make you more successful in your [11:39] ministry if you would start doing it how [11:41] many of you can think of [11:43] something how many of you can think of [11:46] one thing you could start [11:49] doing that would improve your [11:51] relationship with your [11:54] mate how many of you can think of one [11:57] thing you could start doing that would [11:59] improve your relationship with your [12:01] heavenly father if you started doing [12:04] this one thing now let me ask you the [12:06] simple question you know what to do why [12:08] aren't you do it doing it why am I not [12:11] doing it you know what the answer is oh [12:14] that would be too hard it would be too [12:18] difficult well I have some great news [12:21] for you tonight this is the best news [12:23] you'll ever hear you're not going to die [12:26] from hard work [12:29] you're not people don't die from hard [12:33] work you know there is a insurance Mogul [12:37] his name was Al Williams uh and he wrote [12:40] a great book it's the greatest title of [12:42] any book I've ever read it's titled all [12:45] you can do is all you can do and he [12:49] started before he went into insurance as [12:51] a high school football coach here in [12:53] Texas and he writes this he said I used [12:56] to tell my football players that it was [12:58] impossible to die from hard work in the [13:01] summer would have football camp and [13:03] practice three times a day I'd say now [13:06] guys you're going to get out there in [13:07] that hot sun and you're going to be [13:09] working and the coach is going to be [13:11] fussing at you and you're going to feel [13:13] like you're going to [13:15] die but when you feel like you're going [13:17] to die just keep working because the [13:20] good Lord put a little mechanism in your [13:22] head up there that makes you pass out [13:24] before you die and if you do pass out [13:27] we'll drag you into the dressing room [13:29] room put you into the showers give you [13:30] some salt tablets and you'll be ready [13:32] for the next [13:34] practice look if you're going to succeed [13:38] in your god-given dreams in life expect [13:41] to work hard hard work is not going to [13:46] kill you but laziness slothfulness will [13:50] kill and destroy your god-given [13:54] dreams the third s the third landmine of [13:58] ministry is one we're all too familiar [14:00] with and that is [14:04] sex let's take a poll tonight how many [14:07] of you know of somebody or somebody who [14:11] had to step down from Ministry because [14:13] of sexual immorality everybody raise [14:16] your hand I want you to look around and [14:18] see this if you can it's almost every [14:21] one of us here that ought to tell you [14:24] something about the danger of this [14:27] problem you know Proverbs is filled with [14:30] warnings against immorality what I love [14:32] about Solomon is he doesn't engage in [14:35] preacher talk he tells it like it really [14:37] is he never misled people about sexual [14:41] immorality you know we teach people oh [14:44] sin is so painful and it's so awful and [14:46] it's so miserable and then our people go [14:49] out and start to sin a little bit and [14:50] they say you know what it's not too [14:52] miserable it's pretty much fun and [14:56] Solomon said that Solomon said extra Mar [14:59] marital sex is [15:02] great stolen waters are sweet for a [15:07] season but then he said the lips of a [15:09] lover are initially like honey but in [15:12] the end they become as bitter as [15:17] wormwood it's like that piece of bait [15:19] you dangle in front of a fish that fish [15:22] is so starved it grabs at the uh lure [15:25] that's set in front of it not knowing [15:27] that there is a hook in the middle [15:29] that will absolutely destroy it you know [15:32] I'm convinced that most Christians don't [15:34] wake up one day and say you know what I [15:37] think today's a good day to destroy my [15:39] marriage I'm going to have an affair I [15:42] don't think most Christians wake up and [15:44] said wouldn't it be great to lose my [15:46] career in Ministry wouldn't it be great [15:49] to have my reputation destroyed forever [15:53] most immoral relationships begin [15:56] innocently June hunt you know this as a [15:59] counselor 80% of Affairs among Christian [16:03] leaders and with Christian leaders start [16:06] as counseling situations they start [16:09] innocently but then you have that [16:12] unplanned comment that unintended touch [16:15] that turns it into something very ugly I [16:19] remember South Carolina Governor Mark [16:22] Sanford who was exposed for an affair [16:24] that ruined his family ruined his [16:26] political career I remember watching [16:28] watching a press conference and he was [16:30] trying to explain the affair he said it [16:33] actually began as an innocent [16:36] friendship but then again it always [16:39] does there's some of you listening to me [16:42] tonight you're on the edge of falling [16:44] into that kind of [16:46] relationship it's innocent so far but [16:49] it's getting ready to take a turn how [16:52] can you recognize a situation that is [16:55] fraught with danger Dr Dennis rank [16:59] offers seven characteristics of a [17:02] relationship that will move into [17:04] adultery number one you've got a need [17:07] you feel your mate isn't meeting for [17:09] attention approval affection and that [17:12] other person begins meeting your need [17:16] you find it easier to unwind with [17:18] somebody other than your spouse by [17:21] dissecting the day's difficulties over [17:23] lunch coffee or during the ride home [17:26] number three you begin talking with this [17:29] person about problems you're having with [17:31] your mate number four you rationalize [17:35] the relationship by saying that surely [17:38] it must be God's will to talk so openly [17:41] and honestly with a fellow Christian [17:44] number five you look forward to being [17:46] with that person more than even your own [17:49] mate number six you wonder what you [17:51] would do if you didn't have this friend [17:53] to talk with and number seven you hide [17:57] the relationship from from your [18:00] mate I'm not being self-righteous here [18:03] but I want to say this because I know [18:05] it's [18:06] true there's someone some group in this [18:10] room right now that's involved in an [18:13] immoral [18:15] relationship you think nobody knows [18:17] about it because nobody said anything to [18:20] you about it but most likely it's [18:23] already known they just haven't talked [18:25] to you about it and even [18:29] if they don't know yet about it God [18:32] knows the ways of a man are ever before [18:36] the Lord the scripture [18:38] says I want to encourage you if you're [18:41] in that situation to fast forward in [18:44] your mind to what the ultimate outcome [18:46] is going to [18:48] be picture those around you who are [18:51] closest to you what's going to happen [18:53] when not if when your immorality becomes [18:57] known [18:59] what will that do to the friends who [19:01] once respected [19:03] you to the mate who once trusted [19:07] you to your children who have admired [19:11] you to your grandchildren who adore [19:15] you what will be the response of your [19:18] savior who bled and died for [19:22] you Proverbs 6:32 says the one [19:26] committing adultery lack sense only he [19:31] who would destroy his life would do [19:35] it the vinal [19:37] landmine that can blow up your ministry [19:40] and your life is perhaps the most potent [19:43] and the most [19:44] foundational and its self s [19:49] LF an obsession would getting my desires [19:53] met without thinking what God [19:56] wants my friend Bob Beal says every life [20:00] exists from one of two purposes either [20:03] to meet a need or to fill a [20:07] greed every life is either god-focused [20:10] or self [20:13] focused every life is focused on [20:16] building God's kingdom or building my [20:19] kingdom it's one or the other it can't [20:23] be both and the most basic issue in your [20:26] ministry you've got to get settled is is [20:29] whose kingdom are you building is it [20:31] yours or [20:34] God's I had to face that question very [20:37] early in my Ministry career is I said I [20:41] served as youth minister at First [20:42] Baptist Dallas for seven years I [20:44] remember seven because it corresponded [20:47] to the tribulation and [20:51] uh June you can only appreciate that a [20:55] Rapture came and I got raptured to a [20:59] little County Seat Town 2 hours West of [21:02] Dallas to become a pastor which I knew [21:05] was my calling and Amy and I were so [21:07] excited to go to our first church but [21:10] almost immediately I ran into a buzz saw [21:13] there was a group of men three or four [21:16] men who had run the church for 50 years [21:19] and they weren't about to surrender to a [21:21] 29-year-old pastor and so they started [21:24] stirring and making trouble and [21:26] resisting the changes I was trying to [21:28] make in the church and it was during [21:30] that time that my mom who lived in [21:33] Dallas was 54 years old was diagnosed [21:36] with colon cancer and told she had four [21:39] months to live and so every Saturday [21:43] during those early months Amy and I [21:45] would drive back to Dallas to see her [21:48] I'll never forget the day after my mom's [21:52] funeral The Men Who were the ring [21:54] leaders of the church came into my [21:56] office and they said you know preacher [21:59] everybody's been sympathetic with you [22:01] because of your mother and because of [22:03] that we've laid off of you but now that [22:05] she's gone we're going to get rid of [22:09] you never forgot that and they made good [22:13] on their promise or at least they tried [22:15] to they really started stirring [22:18] dissension in the church and I remember [22:21] a Wednesday night we were scheduled to [22:23] have our monthly business meeting and I [22:26] just had a sense that something was [22:28] about about to happen we lived in the [22:30] parsonage next to the church and so [22:33] before that meeting started I knelt down [22:35] in my study by my [22:38] chair and I prayed to the Lord I said [22:41] Lord something's getting ready to happen [22:44] here you already know what it is and [22:46] tonight I want to give my Ministry to [22:50] you my Ministry completely belongs to [22:53] you and if you want me to leave I'll [22:56] leave if you want me to stay I'll stay [23:00] but if you want me to stay I need a sign [23:04] and I need it tonight now look I came [23:06] from Dallas Seminary you're not supposed [23:08] to preach for believe in signs but [23:11] sometimes you just do the best you can [23:14] and that's the best I could just come up [23:16] with I said Lord I need a [23:18] sign well when I stood up folks I felt [23:22] like the weight of the world had been [23:23] lifted off my shoulder I felt such a [23:27] freedom because I had given my Ministry [23:30] to God I walked across the backyard into [23:33] the Church Fellowship Hall usually we [23:36] would have about 50 or 60 people at our [23:38] Wednesday night business meeting the [23:41] place was packed with 250 people [23:45] standing room only and I knew something [23:47] was about to happen so I went through [23:50] the agenda of the business meeting and I [23:52] came to the portion is there any other [23:56] business all of a sudden the leader [23:59] stood up he pulled out a sheep of papers [24:02] out of his pocket and he said whereas [24:05] the pastor of our church has and he [24:07] started listen listing the accusations I [24:10] didn't know if I was going to be accused [24:12] of murder theft or adultery or what but [24:15] it was just Penny anny stuff but he read [24:18] the list he said therefore I moveed that [24:21] we vacate the office of Pastor tonight [24:24] another Deacon stood up and he said [24:26] that's right we've lived under this [24:28] dictat for a year now we're not going to [24:30] put up with it any longer another one [24:33] stood up and said his peace and finally [24:36] I said before we took the vote does [24:39] anybody else have something they want to [24:41] say and at the back of the room an old [24:45] woman she was tough as a boot Miss osbor [24:48] she started walking down the center [24:51] aisle straight toward me I didn't know [24:53] if she was going to punch me out or what [24:55] she was going to do she came down to the [24:58] front I said Miss osbor do you have [25:00] something you want to say she said nope [25:05] I just want to stand with my [25:07] pastor and she planted herself there and [25:11] then somebody else came and stood here [25:14] and one by one silently the people stood [25:17] up and came down until the place was [25:20] filled at the front and when there was [25:22] no more room a man sitting out in the [25:24] audience said I don't know what this is [25:26] all about but I go to the coffee shop [25:29] every morning and I hear men say they've [25:32] been one to Christ by brother Robert and [25:35] I'm going to stick with him Miss rhs [25:39] vonita RADS stood up and said we've run [25:41] off every Pastor we've had here for the [25:43] last 40 years we're not going to run [25:45] this one off and one by one for the next [25:49] 45 minutes people stood up and gave a [25:51] word of [25:53] testimony and when they had finished the [25:56] man who made the motion to vacate the [25:58] pastor's office stood up and said I [26:01] never realized how out of step we were [26:04] with the thinking of this church you'll [26:06] never hear another word from [26:09] us within three weeks they had left that [26:13] church three weeks they were gone and [26:16] the church exploded in growth and [26:23] Outreach [26:26] now I learned two things from that [26:29] experience that I hope you'll remember [26:32] you really [26:33] can give your ministry to [26:36] God he's much more interested in it than [26:39] even you are he's much more interested [26:42] in you than you are you can trust God [26:46] and it gives you a freedom of Peace like [26:48] you've never known when you give that [26:51] Ministry to God but secondly I learned [26:54] never to leave your post prematurely [26:58] if I had left and I was tempted to leave [27:01] if I had left I would have missed the [27:03] blessing of [27:05] staying while I was going through that [27:08] somebody gave me a little cassette tape [27:10] by Charles Stanley in which he described [27:13] a similar situation he experienced when [27:15] he first came to First Baptist Atlanta [27:18] and a group of men took him out to lunch [27:20] tried to pressure him to resign and [27:23] Charles said you [27:25] know if I resign [27:28] I have to answer to God for leaving my [27:32] post if you fire me then you have to [27:36] answer to God I'd rather you answer to [27:39] God than have me answer to [27:45] God and that would be my word to you [27:48] tonight there's some of you who are very [27:51] discouraged right now in your ministry [27:54] don't leave [27:56] prematurely give the Ministry to God let [28:00] him deal with it if he leaves leaves you [28:03] fine if he takes you fine but don't [28:06] leave prematurely you really can trust [28:09] him the real question tonight for every [28:13] one of us is what is our ministry about [28:17] is it about building our kingdom or [28:19] building God's kingdom is it about self [28:23] or is it about him it's one or the other [28:27] it can't be both let's bow together in [28:32] prayer father I thank you for each of [28:35] these men and women here in this room [28:38] tonight you've called them for a [28:40] specific purpose you've given them [28:43] unique gifts and opportunities but it's [28:46] all for the same person every one of us [28:49] here are your servants to do your will [28:52] and father I pray for that man or woman [28:54] here tonight who may be discouraged who [28:56] may be tempted to give up up father give [28:59] them the courage to keep on [29:02] going until you release them or you take [29:05] us home to be with [29:07] you we thank you for nrb for the [29:09] encouragement we've experienced this [29:11] week and being together and encouraging [29:14] one [29:14] another father help us to be Faithful [29:17] Servants until Jesus comes again for [29:20] it's in his saving name that we pray [29:23] amen thank you and good night [29:27] [Applause]
Dr. Robert Jeffress gave remarks at the NRB 2025 International Christian Media Convention February 27, 2025 in Grapevine, Texas.
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