If a pastor takes his job as seriously as God's Word instructs, he realizes that he has a massive weight resting firmly upon His shoulders. Not only is he responsible to pursue personal holiness (1 Peter 1:15-16), he is also responsible for his family's spiritual well-being (1 Timothy 3:4-5) as well as his congregation's (as is noted by Hebrews 13:17 cited below).
To add to this weight, we are told in James 3:1 (in regard to the teaching aspect of pastoring): "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness." In other words, "You'd better be sure that you have studied God's Word, know what it says and accurately convey what it says to God's people as you show them how it works in your own life."
To further add to this weight, every pastor who leads a congregation finds that the folks he leads struggle with temptation and sin just as he does. Often, they (like he) go through times when they are apathetic to the things of God. Often, they (like he) resist being corrected when in a condition of sinfulness. Etc., etc., etc.
Yet, all of this and more being true, a godly pastor's heart craves to see folks become more like Jesus. He wants to see men and women, boys and girls live in such a way that God is free to bless them and use them for His divine purposes. He wants the folks he leads to stand before the Lord on the Day of Judgment and hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant," and know that he played a small part in getting that person fit for Heaven.
And so He speaks God's Word to them. He preaches from God's Word. He instructs from God's Word. He counsels from God's Word. His job is to get people fit for here and Heaven.
As long as He is appealing to the authority found in God's Word, the following instruction is a must for things to go well with a church family...
"Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit." (Hebrews 13:17 - New Living Translation)
To add to this weight, we are told in James 3:1 (in regard to the teaching aspect of pastoring): "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness." In other words, "You'd better be sure that you have studied God's Word, know what it says and accurately convey what it says to God's people as you show them how it works in your own life."
To further add to this weight, every pastor who leads a congregation finds that the folks he leads struggle with temptation and sin just as he does. Often, they (like he) go through times when they are apathetic to the things of God. Often, they (like he) resist being corrected when in a condition of sinfulness. Etc., etc., etc.
Yet, all of this and more being true, a godly pastor's heart craves to see folks become more like Jesus. He wants to see men and women, boys and girls live in such a way that God is free to bless them and use them for His divine purposes. He wants the folks he leads to stand before the Lord on the Day of Judgment and hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant," and know that he played a small part in getting that person fit for Heaven.
And so He speaks God's Word to them. He preaches from God's Word. He instructs from God's Word. He counsels from God's Word. His job is to get people fit for here and Heaven.
As long as He is appealing to the authority found in God's Word, the following instruction is a must for things to go well with a church family...
"Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit." (Hebrews 13:17 - New Living Translation)
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