From the installation charge of Rev. Dr. Neil Stewart at Christ Covenant Presbyterian (ARP), Greensboro, NC. March 6, 2016.
“Diagnose and Treat Sin-sick Souls according to the Gospel Pattern in 2 Corinthians 5:17-21:”
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:17-21 ESV).
1. DIAGNOSE with Biblical wisdom.
2. TREAT with Gospel cure.
The world doesn’t need merely doctors, but “healers.” So, too, the Church doesn’t need more bookish clergy whose lives and ministries lack urgency and passion for God’s mission in the world. We need shepherds who are spiritual healers who live as if they have found the cure.