Practice Makes Progress (1 Timothy 4:15)

Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. (1 Timothy 4:15)

There’s no such thing as effortless progress in pastoral ministry.

This word practice carries the idea of diligent, meditative, painstaking effort. It’s translated plot in Acts 4:25, quoting Psalm 2:1. To move forward in your ministry, you will need to plot and practice these things.

What things? The things Paul has been talking about. Things related to setting an example. And things related to administering the word to God’s people.  

Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. (1 Timothy 4:12-13)

Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. (1 Timothy 4:16a)

Like Timothy, we must practice exemplary speech and conduct. We must diligently love our people and grow in faith. We must think deeply about our purity. We must painstakingly work at the public reading of Scripture and make every effort to exhort and teach well.

We must immerse ourselves in these things. To immerse yourself in something is to give yourself to it wholeheartedly. To be fully absorbed and committed to it.

Why? To what end? So that all may see your progress. This Greek word carries the idea of advancement by chopping down barriers. It’s the word for when pioneers and armies cleared forests to get where they were going.

Our people should see forest-chopping forward movement in our example and our ministry of the word.  They should hear trees slamming to the ground in front of us as we painstakingly march forward toward greater Christlikeness and more effective preaching and teaching.

It takes immersive practice to make visible progress like this.

What chopping do you need to do this week to move forward? What obstacle most hinders your growth as an example and as a preacher and teacher?

What would it look like for you to turn the dial up on your practice and immersion in these things?