In the mid-1800s, a pastor named Robert Murray McCheyne brought a great awakening to his church in Dundee, Scotland. Although he died at the age of 29, this brilliant young man made an indelible mark on the world in his short lifetime. One of my favorite quotes of his is “The greatest need of my people is my own holiness.”
We have an overabundance of eloquent preachers, charismatic personalities and high-profile leaders. What we don’t have enough of are holy men and women of God. People need to see more than ministry skill from their leaders. They need to see a godly heart, and a pastor cannot take his congregation into the depths of Christ any further than he has gone first himself.
What is the fruit of a church that has astonishing programs, brilliant leadership, gripping presentations and a beautiful building but has no vision at its core to be a holy people? How can it be effective if its leader does not desire to bow in brokenness and recognize how estranged he and his congregation are from a holy and awesome God?
Our churches are full of frivolity, and we know it, but it is not changing. This is because leaders tolerate it rather than grieve over it, and the church is simply a reflection of what is in the pastor’s heart. Paul said, “For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers” (see 1 Corinthians 4:15, ESV). Today he might say, “You have many church experts but few holy men.”
McCheyne’s words are more necessary today than when he first spoke them to a compromised, liberal, nominalist church in Scotland. His example legitimized his words and gave power to his message. His ministry flowed from a life of dedication and purity.
Are you hungry to be a holy man or woman of God? There is only one way to see this happen. It is to lay down human efforts to be righteous and to be fully cloaked with the garments of Christ. This holiness is far more than self-willed negating of sin; it is an absolute surrender to Christ who releases a great and glorious passion for holiness. I don’t want to spend my life trying to wrestle with my old, impure man. I want to see Christ form in me the fullness of the new man he has created.