Being a Pastor

Being a pastor is more than being a person teaching from a podium. I believe God calls many to minster, but not everyone to pastor. As I began my research for this discussion board, I prayed that the Lord would not convict me on my findings. I came up with numerous tasks and responsibilities that pastors face, but found 5 that stood out more than others. 1. PREACHING & TEACHING.
This is the most obvious of tasks. In 1 Timothy 4, Paul gives Timothy clear directives about ministry. What stood out to me was verses 4-6. The Word of God in those verses say, “For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving because it is consecrated by God and prayer. IF YOU POINT THESE THINGS OUT TO THE BROTHERS, YOU WILL BE A GOOD MINISTER OF CHRIST JESUS, BROUGHT UP IN THE TRUTHS OF THE FAITH AND OF THE GOOD TEACHING THAT YOU HAVE FOLLOWED.” So what Paul is saying is simple, preach and teach the goodness and truth of Jesus, and when you have done this, you will be a good minster. Pastoring requires you to be a good minister. A good minister knows and teaches the good news of Jesus Christ.

2. PRAYING
Prayer is conversation with God. In Acts 6:4, Paul says, “..and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word..”. In this passage Paul is telling the elders of the church to give their attention to prayer. It is a pastor’s unmitigated duty to pray for his or her sheep. The people view the Pastor as their lifeline to Christ. A Pastor must know how to pray. The very lives of the people we are called to lead rests in our hands.

3. OVERSEEING THE CHURCH
1 Peter 5:1-4 make this task very relevant and clear. What I love most about this Word is that Peter says, do it not because you must, but because you are willing as the Lord wants you to be. Peter tells us we must be examples to those who have been entrusted into our care. The church is not the edifice, but the church is the people. So an Overseer doesn’t have a responsibility to the building, but to God’s people.

4. ADMINISTRATION
Administration is defined as a method of managing the affairs of a group of people. The Bible is very clear about this as it relates to God’s people and the Pastor. I Corinthians 12:28 says, “And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then works of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration..”. A Pastor who can administrate is able to manage the various gifts that have been entrusted to him or her so that they all work together for the good of the Lord.

5. DISCIPLINING
The last task I believe a Pastor has is that of disciplining. Matthew 18: 15-17 speaks to us about how to handle conflict. A good Pastor must know how to bring conflict resolution and the proper way to discipline. Matthew is very clear about this.