Pastor or a Pester?
Pastor or a Pester?
Pastor or a Pester? Yes, you heard me. Which one are you or which one(s) do you have in your local church assembly? A Pester harasses with petty annoyance; bother and nag continually. Continuing with our study in Ephesians, God has given His Church equipping gifts so we can “walk worthy of our calling”.
7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift…11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 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 4:7-13
I read the following in a Devotional titled, ‘Love Your Pastor’. “Pastors have a tough job. They get more kicks than kisses. If a pastor is young he lacks experience; if he’s gray-haired he’s too old…If he uses too many illustrations he neglects the Bible; if he doesn’t use enough stories, he’s unclear. If he speaks against wrong he is legalistic; if he doesn’t he is a compromiser. If he preaches for an hour he’s windy; less than that, he has nothing to say. If he preaches the truth he is offensive; if he doesn’t he’s wishy-washy”. On the other hand, there so many “pastor scandals” that will fill a whole Newspaper publication. We see Pastors molesting children and adults, running away with other people’s wives and husbands, stealing money, lavish lifestyles and etc.
So what exactly did Jesus give us – His Church? He gave “some to be pastors and teachers”. The word pastor comes from the root word for “shepherd” – a helper and feeder of sheep. I understand that shepherds own and care for their own sheep. A man who is a shepherd may delegate the caring for the sheep to his sons and daughters who become shepherds themselves e.g. David. Because of the vested interest, the shepherd or family members who are shepherding take extraordinary care of the sheep.
We get a good picture of a shepherd in Psalm 23: “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness, For His name’s sake.4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil”.
Jesus is the owner, the good Shepherd. He has delegated this job to some and not to all to do for Him. Jesus himself differentiated between Himself a good shepherd and a hireling in John 10:11-16. A hireling is hired to take care of the sheep. He does not have the family relationship and vested interest as do the owner and his family delegates have. A hireling is just doing it as job to get paid and not willing to risk his life for the sheep. Now which one are you or do you have in your local assembly - A pastor shepherd or a pastor “hireling”?
We must not expect what Jesus can do for us from the pastor. The pastor is only a delegate and not the Shepherd”. Jesus is Our Shepherd. Pastors at best represent Jesus and share His heart for the sheep who are usually “stupid” (that is just the nature of sheep). The greatest thing going for the sheep is that they hear and recognize the voice of the Owner. We must constantly hear the voice and recognize the whispers of the Holy Spirit calling us always back to the True Shepherd our Lord. At his direction we are led to pastures, protected from the wolves, healed with the oil of his Word, corrected and comforted when necessary with his rod and staff.
What must a true human delegated pastor do? The best pastor is to be the best family member and should care like Jesus. His heart must be devoted first and foremost to Jesus who called him or her. A pastor is not a title. It is a function, “for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 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”. A pastor who is not constantly calling you and me to “the fullness of Christ” is not our pastor but a hireling. We must disassociate from all “hireling pastors” in our lives that make us dependent on them.
A pastor is not a “performer” as we have all been taught and modelled to see. Today’s concept is that he stands in front every Sunday to perform (preach/entertain) and we the audience (the congregation) applaud/amen and evaluate him. At the end, we pay our entertainment fee (offerings). That is not pastoring. That is performance and Hollywood does that even better. Pastoring is building relationships with people in other to serve and “feed” them the Word of God.
A pastor teaches the truth with humility and in love knowing that he is also just like the other “stupid” sheep. The gift is “pastor/teacher” and not pastors and teachers. Pastoring is teaching, mentoring and modelling. In a local assemblies, I believe the word “some” becomes very important. There should not just be one person functioning as the pastor instead there should be “some pastors/teachers”. One person cannot do it all and cannot know the uniqueness of the various “sheep” that require various specific attention. Apostle Peter refers to them as “elders” 1 Peter 5: 1-4. “Elders.., 2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly,[a] not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; 4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away”.
Have you had good pastor(s) in your Christian walk? Praise God and thank God for them. Have you had “pesters” and hirelings, pray for them that they will know the heart of Jesus and be converted to Christ. Unfortunately, a lot of pester/hireling-pastors will end up in hell. Otherwise, Jesus would not say so in Matthew 7. “21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” It is very sobering truth from the Chief Shepherd. Jesus is looking for relationship and not performance and entertainment.
Likewise, there is also warning in Matthew 24:41-46 for the pretenders in the congregation of the Saints. It is a narrow gate and a narrow calling to be saints of God. It is only by His grace we are saved to do the “work of ministry” (serving) one another and others.
Father, have mercy on us we pray. Encourage those functioning as pastors/teachers and help them see the awesome responsibility from you but also the enabling ability of you. Help them fulfill the grace you have placed on them and us for equipping one another. Father, remove pesters and hirelings in our midst and grant us discernment to fish them out and run from them. Amen.
Today, we remember and honor a “pastor” in the business community who lived and served Christ; cared for and mentored many to faith in Christ. Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-Fil-A went to be with the Lord yesterday at the age of 93. We pray for comfort for his family and employees. We thank God for his Christ-like legacy and example in business and community.
Pastor or a Pester? Yes, you heard me. Which one are you or which one(s) do you have in your local church assembly? A Pester harasses with petty annoyance; bother and nag continually. Continuing with our study in Ephesians, God has given His Church equipping gifts so we can “walk worthy of our calling”.
7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift…11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 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 4:7-13
I read the following in a Devotional titled, ‘Love Your Pastor’. “Pastors have a tough job. They get more kicks than kisses. If a pastor is young he lacks experience; if he’s gray-haired he’s too old…If he uses too many illustrations he neglects the Bible; if he doesn’t use enough stories, he’s unclear. If he speaks against wrong he is legalistic; if he doesn’t he is a compromiser. If he preaches for an hour he’s windy; less than that, he has nothing to say. If he preaches the truth he is offensive; if he doesn’t he’s wishy-washy”. On the other hand, there so many “pastor scandals” that will fill a whole Newspaper publication. We see Pastors molesting children and adults, running away with other people’s wives and husbands, stealing money, lavish lifestyles and etc.
So what exactly did Jesus give us – His Church? He gave “some to be pastors and teachers”. The word pastor comes from the root word for “shepherd” – a helper and feeder of sheep. I understand that shepherds own and care for their own sheep. A man who is a shepherd may delegate the caring for the sheep to his sons and daughters who become shepherds themselves e.g. David. Because of the vested interest, the shepherd or family members who are shepherding take extraordinary care of the sheep.
We get a good picture of a shepherd in Psalm 23: “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness, For His name’s sake.4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil”.
Jesus is the owner, the good Shepherd. He has delegated this job to some and not to all to do for Him. Jesus himself differentiated between Himself a good shepherd and a hireling in John 10:11-16. A hireling is hired to take care of the sheep. He does not have the family relationship and vested interest as do the owner and his family delegates have. A hireling is just doing it as job to get paid and not willing to risk his life for the sheep. Now which one are you or do you have in your local assembly - A pastor shepherd or a pastor “hireling”?
We must not expect what Jesus can do for us from the pastor. The pastor is only a delegate and not the Shepherd”. Jesus is Our Shepherd. Pastors at best represent Jesus and share His heart for the sheep who are usually “stupid” (that is just the nature of sheep). The greatest thing going for the sheep is that they hear and recognize the voice of the Owner. We must constantly hear the voice and recognize the whispers of the Holy Spirit calling us always back to the True Shepherd our Lord. At his direction we are led to pastures, protected from the wolves, healed with the oil of his Word, corrected and comforted when necessary with his rod and staff.
What must a true human delegated pastor do? The best pastor is to be the best family member and should care like Jesus. His heart must be devoted first and foremost to Jesus who called him or her. A pastor is not a title. It is a function, “for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 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”. A pastor who is not constantly calling you and me to “the fullness of Christ” is not our pastor but a hireling. We must disassociate from all “hireling pastors” in our lives that make us dependent on them.
A pastor is not a “performer” as we have all been taught and modelled to see. Today’s concept is that he stands in front every Sunday to perform (preach/entertain) and we the audience (the congregation) applaud/amen and evaluate him. At the end, we pay our entertainment fee (offerings). That is not pastoring. That is performance and Hollywood does that even better. Pastoring is building relationships with people in other to serve and “feed” them the Word of God.
A pastor teaches the truth with humility and in love knowing that he is also just like the other “stupid” sheep. The gift is “pastor/teacher” and not pastors and teachers. Pastoring is teaching, mentoring and modelling. In a local assemblies, I believe the word “some” becomes very important. There should not just be one person functioning as the pastor instead there should be “some pastors/teachers”. One person cannot do it all and cannot know the uniqueness of the various “sheep” that require various specific attention. Apostle Peter refers to them as “elders” 1 Peter 5: 1-4. “Elders.., 2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly,[a] not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; 4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away”.
Have you had good pastor(s) in your Christian walk? Praise God and thank God for them. Have you had “pesters” and hirelings, pray for them that they will know the heart of Jesus and be converted to Christ. Unfortunately, a lot of pester/hireling-pastors will end up in hell. Otherwise, Jesus would not say so in Matthew 7. “21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” It is very sobering truth from the Chief Shepherd. Jesus is looking for relationship and not performance and entertainment.
Likewise, there is also warning in Matthew 24:41-46 for the pretenders in the congregation of the Saints. It is a narrow gate and a narrow calling to be saints of God. It is only by His grace we are saved to do the “work of ministry” (serving) one another and others.
Father, have mercy on us we pray. Encourage those functioning as pastors/teachers and help them see the awesome responsibility from you but also the enabling ability of you. Help them fulfill the grace you have placed on them and us for equipping one another. Father, remove pesters and hirelings in our midst and grant us discernment to fish them out and run from them. Amen.
Today, we remember and honor a “pastor” in the business community who lived and served Christ; cared for and mentored many to faith in Christ. Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-Fil-A went to be with the Lord yesterday at the age of 93. We pray for comfort for his family and employees. We thank God for his Christ-like legacy and example in business and community.
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