Pastoral Reflections

Being a pastor has been the most humbling, challenging, fulfilling, and wonderful calling of my life.  Having served in three different churches and now assisting in my fourth, I can truly affirm that true success is not measured by the size of your salary or your level of notoriety. It is measured by the faithfulness you exhibit in serving Christ and His church.

Even while making my living as a tent-maker (code word for having a secular job to earn a living), I’ve learned that scholarship’s best place is in the pulpit.  This is where the pastor often shines and exercises his gift from the Holy Spirit to the people. So much can be done for the kingdom of God from the pulpit.

The pastorate is not a temporary address or a “jumping off place” where a man waits for bigger and more glorious personal opportunities.  A pastor learns to be God’s servant to the people the Lord has entrusted to him, and he goes and performs whatever God calls him to do.

The following are a few things where there is no room for compromise. Being slack in any one of these important functions will hurt one’s ministry.

1.  Preach expository sermons from both the Old and New Testaments. The preacher’s foremost task is to preach the Gospel. Many voices in Christianity today tempt us to forget this. They encourage us to do what will attract the unsaved --  Lights, coffee, donuts, food, air-con, eye-popping scenery, etc. These items have a place and purpose.

Nevertheless, the pastor is primarily called to proclaim the riches of Christ through the preaching of the Word and the clear exposition of Scripture. In this manner, he both equips the saints and prepares them to present the true, pure Gospel to the lost.

Expository preaching has three decided advantages for any pastor: First, it takes the congregation through a book of the Bible so that they are able to observe and understand the various themes contained in it.

Second, this type of “series” preaching protects the congregation from the pastor’s “hobby horses.” Therefore, rather than preaching on a number of his favorite topics, he is bound by the text to preach and teach the variety of doctrines found in the Word of God. Moreover, in the history of preaching it has been this expository approach that has proven to be the most spiritually beneficial to God’s people in building them up in the faith.

Third, this will solve the problem for the pastor of choosing a text every week. Being guided by the text and your exegesis, you know what you’re preaching on next week.

2. A faithful pastor takes worship seriously. For Christians, how we worship God is a key consideration. To worship God rightly means to worship Him Scripturally. The pastor and his congregation must pay careful attention to what God requires in His Word. If God’s people are to worship Him in spirit and in truth — and they are — then we must look to Scripture both to form and inform our worship style. By using the ordinary means of grace God has given us, worship gives the opportunity to preach the Word, sing the Word, pray the Word, and read the Word. True worship is Christ-centered and Word-centered.

3. Manage your time to the glory of God.  Far too many pastors waste precious time performing ever-nebulous “networking.” Time, once spent, cannot be regained. Therefore, how we use our time matters greatly. Since we are accountable to God, pastors should have an exemplary work ethic. Among other tasks, the pastor must make time for theological study and keeping his use of Greek and Hebrew, he must be fully conversant with the contents of Scripture, taking the requisite time for sermon preparation and delivery, and setting aside time for prayer and reading the Bible devotionally for himself and for his own instruction and edification.

Add to this that necessity of also leading his own home well. This requires a disciplined life. He pays attention to his marriage and the spiritual instruction of his entire family. He is a good friend and neighbor. He builds solid relationships with his leaders and other church members who serve in various ministry positions.

4. Maintain office hours and be approachable. One way to remain approachable for your congregation is to keep office hours. Most churches provide adequate studies for their pastors. Make good use of your study and be available by phone, for personal visits, or a spontaneous “hello.”  Each pastor is different in this area, but the key to remember is to be available to your flock and if necessary, welcome unexpected interruptions.

If you do not have your own church office, then find a coffee shop and inform your congregation that you will be there on certain days of the week at certain times – and then be there. Here you are communicating to them that you are there for them. All they need to do is come by and they are guaranteed to see you.

5. Visit the flock. Pastors and their fellow leaders need to visit the congregation, and congregants should expect their spiritual leaders to visit them and inquire about their spiritual well-being, including their Bible reading, prayer life, family devotions, and other important items.  Visiting is a time of personal accountability, equipping, and teaching that is so often missing in today’s churches. Grieving members, members in the hospital, and the elderly members need pastoral visits and should not be neglected.

6.  Live in the same community as your church is located. It is hard and difficult to pastor a church and try to disciple men, conduct meetings and exercise hospitality if the pastor is too far from where the people are. The pastor has got to live in the same community for obvious reasons.

7.  Regularly Exercise.  A homosexual Christian is a contradiction. A peace-loving racist is another one. So also a fat or overweight pastor who is noticeably and considerably packing the pounds. Adding on a few pounds – hey, what can you expect when you are often times expected to appear and participate at events where there are pot-blessings?  But to stand behind the pulpit broadcasting your unsaid Chinese name, “Gut-Hung Lo,” is no excuse.  A pastor has to take the time to exercise, abstain from eating too much, and when necessary, eat healthy.

God chooses the foolish things of the world to shame the wise (1 Cor. 1:27).  Now I understand why He chose me.