August 3, 2018
Ephesians 4:11-16…“The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ…” vss. 11-12
Sometimes when a congregation is involved in the call process and candidates are being considered for the position of pastor, there’s some confusion about what pastors should be expected to do. Suggestions are received from members and the resulting job description is likely to be beyond the capacity of Jesus to fulfill. Some congregations want their pastors to do everything and expectations are high. But essentially a pastor has one general purpose: ”to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” To put it crassly, a pastor is like a strength coach and will focus their every energy on getting every member involved in ministry through training, solid preaching, encouragement, and education. The most gifted pastors will do everything possible to develop a setting where all members are encouraged and freed to use their gifts in both serving and leading. Every saint has a baptismal calling and has been designated for important work within the body of Christ. Some will be involved in nurture and others in outreach but all have been gifted by the Spirit to make a difference for good. Pastors are called to cast a vision of the possibilities and then get out of the way. It’s the well-equipped saints who will change the world!
Thought for the Day: The most effective pastor I’ve known.
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