If leadership is hard, pastoring is all the more. Not only is the pastor accountable to people on a horizontal level–the members of the congregation he shepherds–but more importantly he is accountable to God on a vertical level. As such, the mantle of the pastor bears weight beyond this temporary life, and faithfulness to his biblical responsibilities echoes into eternity.
This reality shapes how we answer the last of the four questions (below) as we examine, “How does the Church Function?”, which is nestled inside answering the broader question we previously asked, which is: “Should a Person Attend Church?”
- What kind of PERSON is the church trying to produce or cultivate?
- What kind of CHURCH STRUCTURE cultivates this kind of person?
- What kind of LEADERS will cultivate this kind of church?
- What kind of PASTOR cultivates this kind of leadership, cultivates this kind of church, which ultimately produces/cultivates this kind of Christian?
What kind of PASTOR cultivates…leaders…church structure…and people?
- He must be Fearless
- Theological standard…in a church-world that rides the waves of the latest evangelical fad(s), the pastor is steady–he must be immovable where the Bible is immovable. He realizes that he’s not competing against Hollywood. His basis for church health is biblical not worldly. Thus, he is focused on effectiveness not efficiency and qualitative not quantitative. This is a non-negotiable–the pastor cannot trim his sails to the latest trendy-winds, but rather he must stand–with face set like flint–to any tsunami that would compromise a biblical standard.
- Moral standard…in a culture of acceptable moral failures, the pastor cannot fail. While forgiveness is always available and found through the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, the pastor–if he is to stay in the position of a pastor–cannot fail. If he does, then he is disqualified from the position of pastor. His word has to match his life. Period.
- Philosophical standard…the pastor lays the philosophical ground-work and sets the example through execution of the overall expectations and direction of the church. He must practice what he preaches.
- He has to Cast Vision
- Most people think casting vision for the church means being a good communicator of the church’s direction. While it’s important to be a good communicator as a pastor, the point is completely missed in casting vision.
- Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the people perish; but he who keeps the law [of God, which includes that of man]—blessed (happy, fortunate, and enviable) is he.” (Amplified)
- In other words, the vision that the pastor casts is primarily based upon the explanation, preaching, and communication of God’s Word to the church. The vision the church needs is the ancient–yet relevant–Word of God, not some catchy phrase that fizzles out in time.
- There must be Time to Study and Pray
- The pastor must give his first fruits of each day (and throughout the day) to God through time spent with God in prayer and the study of God’s Word. He cannot give what he does not possess.
- He is not busy with other things. He knows how to say, “No.”
- Acts 6:4 “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
- He must Take Time for Family
- His first and primary ministry is his family.
- He views Ephesians 5:22-33 as the standard by which he serves and nurtures his family. In other words, he truly takes to heart the mystery that he is to love his wife as Christ loves the church.
- If he cannot take care of his family, how can he take care of the family of God?
- 1 Timothy 3:4-5 “He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?)…“
- 1 Timothy 5:8 “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”
- His first and primary ministry is his family.
- He must Delegate
- The pastor can’t do everything, and doesn’t try to…
- He helps the members of the church find their spiritual gifts, and encourages them to exercise it within their fit in the church.
- He believes that this is part of equipping God’s people for the work of ministry.
We’ve reached the end of this subsection (answering how the church functions); and so next time we’ll move into the Essence of the Church as we answer, “Should a Person Attend Church?”
— March 15, 2019