Our Attitude to a Pastor
What is the pastorate? This may
sound like an extremely elementary question, but it is not. Also, you may ask,
How have we got this far before we have considered such a question? Well, the
point is, we have been addressing it, but not in such a specific way.
But our attitude to, and our understanding of, the pastorate will go a long way
to good, workable, and even endearing relationships. So getting to grips with
this will help us see our role as members, as well as the role of the pastor.
At the very beginning we defined a pastor as “a shepherd”, for that is the
meaning of the word. We have seen how the Lord appoints under-shepherds to look
after His interests in His church. We noted that it was a serious business, and
so appointing a pastor is a great responsibility—both for the church and for the
man. There is a great reward for those who fulfil their calling obediently and
faithfully. Peter exhorts elders generally, and pastors in the particular, to
“Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by
compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords
over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief
Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away”
(1 Peter 5:2-4). Thus it is a serious business with serious consequences.
A pastor, Peter instructs us, is to be an “example to the flock”. That is an
awesome responsibility. The reality is that he represents Christ to the people
whom God has entrusted to his care. I cannot think of any occupation that is so
overwhelming and humbling. The nearest illustration that we can use, humanly
speaking, is that of an ambassador who represents the sovereign of a particular
country. He is invited by another country to represent the interest of his king,
queen, or president in that foreign land. While there, he acts as if he were in
his sovereign’s shoes. When his sovereign has a message for the country in which
this ambassador serves, he has to deliver it in the name of his sovereign, as if
he were the sovereign—and he has to ensure that he is not representing his own
personal interests, and never confuses them with his instructions. He is in a
foreign land as representative of his queen, king or president.
So too, a pastor. He is the ambassador of His Saviour. He is selected to bring
His message. He is called and appointed by the Saviour to be His spokesman. He
is to apply, not his own ideas, but the Word of God. For this reason he must be
faithful in his walk with God, in his study of God’s Word, in his proclaiming
that Word to the people, and in his care for the people God has given him to
care for.
It may be helpful to notice how other Bible versions express 1 Peter 5:2-4.
“Be
shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers
[exercising oversight]—not because you must [not under compulsion], but because
you are willing, as God wants you to be [according to the will of God]; not
greedy for money [not for sordid gain], but eager to serve [with eagerness]; not
lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And
when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will
never fade away.” (NIV—[NASB]).
Describing The Position?
So what is the pastorate? Is it an office or a job? This is a very important
question. Our understanding of what a pastorate is will reflect our attitude to
it—and consequently how we view the pastor. I think we can by now clearly
differentiate it from being like a secular job. When we speak of such a job, we
usually signify a means of secular employment by which we earn money to live by.
The pastorate is not simply an occupation. It is not something to choose to do
because it seems attractive. (Indeed, if anyone looks to being a pastor with an
eye to a good wage, he needs his head examined!) There has been a saying, mostly
uttered with tongue in cheek (but some have been known to take it seriously)
that you keep the pastor poor to keep him humble! Thankfully, I have not any
personal experience of this, other than what the reality of the circumstances
have been. But take care, do not exploit a man’s willingness to take a severe
cut in pay to become a pastor—a situation that he may consider as part of his
service for the Lord, and an act of faith on his part.
But is it an office? We often speak of the pastoral “office”. We refer to
deacons and elders as “offices” or “officers”. But what do we mean? We are using
the word “office” in the sense that this represents a position of trust. In
secular government an “office” is a place, a position, of power. The
responsibility of a Prime Minister, or a member of the Cabinet is an office.
Therefore, the word “office” represents power and responsibility.
Is it a word that ever used in the Bible? Yes it is. Unfortunately, the
Authorised Version used it freely in connection with the position and
appointment of a priest. Obviously the word did not then, in the 17th century,
carry the same meaning as it does today. So in the New Testament we read of Paul
referring to his “office” as apostle (Romans 11:13), the office of “bishop”
(1 Timothy 3:1), the office of deacon (1 Timothy 3:10,13), the office of the
priesthood (Luke 1:8, Hebrews 7:5), and even the office of believers
(Romans 12:4). But the term is being used rather as we would use the term
“function” or “position”. It is therefore a word that is being used as a
convenient handle to describe the calling of such a person to a particular
responsibility before the Lord and His people.
In the New King James Version translation of Scripture we find the word only
used 11 times, 3 of those differently to the Authorised Version, in that it
describes Matthew’s tax office!. In the other 8 instances, one is a repeat in a
quotation from the Psalms for a consistency that is not found in the Authorised
Version, and the other occasions are more to do with secular office or position.
And the New International Version? This translation uses the word 7 times, only
once where the New King James Version uses it, and five times to do with the
priestly office, and twice in connection with the secular position of judges who
ruled the nation. So, in effect, that means we can dispense with the use of the
word “office”.
What Is The Pastorate?
So is the pastorate an office? No. What is it then? It is a calling. It is a
relationship with God. It is a responsibility given by God to one whom He
appoints to lead and guide His people. It should never be seen as an office.
Rather, it ought to be considered as a privilege.
Why emphasise this? Because we must see the calling to the pastorate in the
right way. It is exceedingly unhelpful to think of a pastor as holding an office
or a job. His is a special calling, and we set him aside to fulfil that special
calling on our behalf. We must recognise that God has called him, so that he may
watch over us, guide us according to the revealed Word of God, and care for our
souls. Having such a view as this means that we will be able to understand him,
react to him, and relate to him in a more biblical and spiritual way. Being
called as a pastor does not place him “six foot above reproach or criticism”. In
my opinion, that is a horrendous view. A true pastor would never believe that he
understands all things, knows all things, and gets everything right. For, if he
is a spiritual man, he will be humble, and realise his reliance on the Lord. He
will be very aware that he makes mistakes, as he seeks to diligently work at
improving his effectiveness for the Lord.
Is a pastor the “servant of the church”? The phrase is never used of an elder.
Phoebe is described as a “servant of the church” (Romans 16:1)—but even then it
does not mean that she is servile to the church. Some say the word “servant”
there could be translated “deaconess”—and it certainly does indicate that she
ministered faithfully to the needs of other church members, and looked on this
as her special gift from the Lord. However, an elder, and this includes a
pastor, is described on occasion as “a servant of the Lord” (2 Timothy 2:24; cf.
Colossians 1:7; 4:7). The only other time the idea of servant is introduced is
when Paul speaks of his ministry to others, especially in the context of seeking
to win others for Christ, as in 1 Corinthians 9. That is beyond our present
scope, but only mentioned to stress that it is an attitude to ministry, not of a
relationship to the church.
The Pastor’s Privilege
So the pastorate is a calling, a relationship, and a responsibility. It is a
calling from God. It is a calling that the church needs to recognise. And the
church, in turn, calls a pastor, recognising that God’s hand is on the man, and
that his gifts and experience are suitable for this particular church. It is a
relationship in the sense that a pastor can only achieve his purpose if he has a
personal relationship with the Saviour who calls him to act as His
under-shepherd. But it is also a personal relationship between the man and the
people who call him. Sadly, this is where things often go wrong—when a
relationship breaks down between a pastor and the people. So it is also a
responsibility. A pastor’s primary responsibility is to both the Lord and the
people whom the Lord has given him to care for. We need to think in both
directions at once here. For a pastor is only a pastor if the Lord unites him to
a people. Obviously, he is responsible to the Lord who calls him, to do a
faithful work, and an obedient work—obedient to the Word of God, obedient to the
call of God, and obedient to the direction the Lord lays on his heart in which
to direct the people of God. But a pastor is responsible to the people who have
called him—to care for their souls, to use the gifts God has given him for their
benefit and their spiritual well-being, and to live before them as God’s
representative to them, doing nothing that will be detrimental to his high
calling.
But there is also another aspect to the pastorate. That it is a joy to serve the
Lord as a pastor. The joy is in the special relationship a pastor has with the
Lord as he undertakes this responsibility and calling. For a man who has such a
calling, there is no job, no occupation, to compare with it. It is a joy to
serve the Saviour who died to save us, and who lives for our glory. It is a joy
to see the Lord at work in his own life—but what a joy it is to see the Lord
working in the hearts, lives, and souls of those whom he has been commissioned
to serve. It is a joy to see souls saved by the grace of God. It is a joy to
serve the Lord in baptising those who credibly witness to their faith in the
Lord Jesus. It is a joy to see men and women added to the church. It is a joy to
see them grow in grace and to witness them mature in their spiritual lives. It
is a joy to see men and women live well, by faith, in all they are involved with
in the church, and outside of it. It is a joy to witness men and women die well
as their faith in Christ takes them through the valley of the shadow of death,
and the waters of death, as they travel into their eternal home. Doubt not that
the pastorate is a joy!
The Pastor’s Responsibility
But what is the responsibility of a pastor? We read in Acts 6:4, that Peter and
the other leaders determined to serve the Lord in a particular way. “We will
give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” They had
faced a problem, and implemented a solution. They appointed deacons to do the
administrative and practical work in ministering to the people, while they, as
the spiritual leaders, would devote themselves to the spiritual work of prayer
and the ministry of the Word. We see from the context that the deacons were no
less spiritual men than the apostles, but there was a defining of
responsibility. The desire on the part of the apostles was for more efficiency
and greater spirituality in the emerging church. So we are to expect our pastors
to be less involved in the practical responsibilities of church life, so that
for our benefit, they would give their attention to prayer and the ministry of
the Word. But we need to be aware of the tension this might bring to a small
fellowship of the Lord’s people whose resources are extremely stretched. There
needs to be a balance on such resources, and both the pastor and people have to
work at what is practical for them.
Are we convinced yet that the pastoral responsibility is a gift from God? Then
let us look at Ephesians 4:11: “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some
prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers”. And who is the
“He
Himself” that is given such emphasis? It is the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.
And Paul goes on to tell us why He gave us such gifts as those who would lead
us—“for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying
of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the
knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of
the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12-13). Pastors, among others, are given by
the Lord Jesus Christ so that we should benefit. They are for our spiritual
good. They are to encourage us to godliness. They are to build us up together in
Christ . They are to encourage and nurture fellowship. They are to encourage us
in faith, and give us confidence in our trusting the Lord Jesus, so that we
reflect Christ in our lives. They are to bring us into the glory of God, so that
we become like Christ. So, according to Paul, there are many spiritual benefits
of calling a pastor.
Spiritual Gifts
Speaking of gifts, we need to be aware that the Lord gives gifts to the men whom
He calls to be under-shepherds so they are enabled to do this work. These are
spiritual gifts He gives—but He also gives practical gifts that are pertinent to
the ministry. The spiritual gifts include those gifts that are important to
every Christian. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there
is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23). Now, it is not as unnecessary to mention that as
it seems—for a man not to show a good measure of these gifts is not a suitable
man for being called as a pastor—for, as we have seen, he is to be a man who
sets an example to the church. But added to these fundamental spiritual gifts
are those particular giftings that are pertinent to the pastoral ministry. The
Holy Spirit gives those gifts that are appropriate to this particular calling,
as 1 Corinthians 12 indicates. Note particularly vv. 5-7: “There are differences
of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but
it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is
given to each one for the profit of all.” And we then put this together with
vv. 27-31: “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God
has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third
teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations,
varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are
all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with
tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts”
(1 Corinthians 12:27-31). The “best” gifts should not be understood as “higher”
gifts. The word here translated “best” literally means “stronger”. So perhaps we
should consider that Paul meant “best” in the sense that they are the most
appropriate gifts for the task that Christ calls men to do for Him.
Referring to gifts, we also need to observe that as all men are individuals, so
are all men who are called to be pastors. This means that no one man will have
all the gifts that we may think to be necessary in a pastor. Some may have a
greater gift of preaching, and not be so good in pastoral skills—and vice versa.
Some may be excellent evangelists but not powerful teachers—and vice versa. We
must be aware of this. We have to weight up what we believe we especially need
from a pastor. Therefore we must consider those men whom we might be looking to
call to the ministry of Christ in this light also. What skills, what gifts, are
we particularly looking for? What do we need most? And then having called a man
to be a pastor, we must then be careful not to impose on him gifts that he
clearly does not have. Some men (and I speak generally) have great skills in
D.I.Y., but others are severely challenged in this direction. So we do not give
the latter the job of replacing a ceiling! So it is in the ministry too.
All Members Have Gifts
But does not such a consideration severely limit our choice of a appropriate man
to consider? Yes—and no! There is another important matter to bear in mind. It
is not only the pastor who receives spiritual and practical gifts for ministry.
For if we think that the pastor needs the gifts we believe he should have in
order to run a church efficiently, then we are making a sad mistake. In
1 Corinthians 12 Paul is speaking of the whole church together. He is not
separating the leadership—though he includes them by the responsibilities he
mentions, such as apostles, prophets, teachers—but he is embracing all the
members together. “But one and the same Spirit works all these things,
distributing to each one individually as He wills” (1 Corinthians 12:11). And he
immediately goes on to speak of all the members fitting in with one another and
complementing one another, just as arms, legs, hands, feet, eyes and ears are
all distinctive parts of the human body. Each part is vitally
necessary—therefore each member in Christ’s body is vitally necessary to support
each other.
Paul does exactly the same with his list of gifts on Ephesians 4. He begins the
section there with the statement that “to each one of us grace was given
according to the measure of Christ’s gift” (Ephesians 4:7). He then goes on to
mention the specific gift of pastor among others. But to think that what he says
does not apply to the rest of us who may consider ourselves as ‘ordinary
members’ would be a grave mistake. For, after giving us the reason for Christ
giving such gifts to His church, as we previously noted, Paul then adds the same
picture or illustration of the body and applies it to the whole church. He
reminds us that Christ is the Head “from whom the whole body, joined and knit
together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by
which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of
itself in love” (Ephesians 4:16). And if we go back to the beginning of chapter
4 where he begins his line of reasoning, we find that Paul says this: “I,
therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling
with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with
longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavouring to keep the unity
of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1-3). The personal pronoun
“you” is plural. Paul is including everyone in the church, not just a selected
few. Clearly, Paul has the whole church in perspective. He is not focussing on
the leadership only. And he shows us that we all have the same responsibility in
the church—to encourage one another, to care for one another, to support one
another, to teach one another—and just be there for one another. “There is one
body…” (Ephesians 4:4), Paul affirms, emphasising the oneness of the church, and
“one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all, and in you all”
(Ephesians 4:6). Notice that important plural “you” once again. Paul does not
differentiate anyone at all, even though he mentions various gifts Christ gives
to His church.
Is not there something very significant here? I believe so. And it is this. That
even though God may call a pastor—and even though a church may heed the Lord and
itself issue a call to a pastor—they are not expected to leave the work of the
church to him. You see, there is to be co-operation. The Lord, by grace,
sovereignly calls a local church together, in which there are members with
varying gifts. And all those gifts are designed to be used together—and they are
meant to be used together. It is never intended that a pastor is to be the sole
worker in a church. He is there to lead—to give guidance, encouragement,
teaching—so that all the church together will fulfil the work the Lord Jesus
Christ commissions his church to do.
One Man Ministry?
So now we can make sense of the fact that no one man whom we may call to be a
pastor has all the gifts needed to lead and minister to a church, or to the
world around. The reason being that pastor and people are brought together by
the Lord to work out His will and purposes together. So the pastor does not have
the gift of an evangelist—but is there a member, or members, of the church who
have such a gift? Maybe the pastor is not such an outstanding preacher, but is
excellent in pastoral gifts—but is there a member of the church who is gifted at
preaching? Or if the man called to be pastor is an excellent teacher and
preacher, but his people skills are not all they should be, what members have
the gifts that can be used in pastoral visitation and support? In a small
church, of course, we may struggle in these areas more than a larger church—for
in that situation there are more people with more gifts to choose from. But it
does not cripple a small church if they do not have all the gifts they would
like to see in the fellowship. Let us use the gifts that we have got—and leave
it to the Lord to make up what we see as a deficiency. There are times when we
simply have to trust the Lord, confident that He knows what He is doing with us,
in us, and even through us—for sometimes we “cannot see the wood for the trees”
ourselves. But the responsibility we do have is to work faithfully and
conscientiously in what He does give us to do.
It Is A Marriage!
It is common to describe the relationship of a pastor and people as a marriage.
The welcome service of a new pastor is often portrayed as parallel in concept to
that of a wedding—the pastor and the people giving themselves to one another in
the service of the Lord, and being united together in His service. This simply
centres what we have already been saying, by way of illustration—and adds the
important ingredient of relationship. In a marriage one partner is not left to
do all the work, is not expected to come up with all the answers, and is not
relied on for its success. In a true marriage both partners have to contribute
equally. We have used the appropriate word before—they are to complement each
other. Whatever one partner is weaker on, the other partner balances off in a
viable, living and meaningful relationship.
So it is in a church. Pastor and people are united together, so that they may
work together, meet one another’s needs, encourage one another, pray for one
another, and minister to one another. We have a wonderful statement that Paul
gives us in his letter to the Colossians concerning the church. It sums up the
work of the whole church. It spells out the responsibility we have to one
another, that must be applied one member to another. That includes the
leadership of the church too. We have a united responsibility. It is a joint
responsibility. We have one purpose—pastor and people—of evangelising, building
up the church, growing in spiritual maturity, and encouraging one another to
look forward to the glory we shall all share. “Therefore, as the elect of God,
holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness,
longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone
has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must
do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And
let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one
body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom,
teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or
deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father
through Him” (Colossians 3:12-17).
Conclusion
So we end on this note: that the church shares these different gifts together.
One man rarely has all the gifts a church requires. Therefore any pastor you
call needs support. He needs your support. And if he does not accomplish what
you expect, then maybe you should ask the question “Am I giving him the support
that he needs, and sharing the gifts God has given to me?” Yes, your pastor
needs your support. Remember, you are an extension of his ministry. Do not
expect him to do everything for you. You are called to be his assistants. Take
the responsibility seriously. And surely you will together enjoy the blessings
that God has promised to pour on His obedient and faithful church.
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