So How Should We Think Of Pastors?

Some churches esteem their pastors too little and some churches esteem them too much. As always, the Apostle Paul threads this needle precisely:

“This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:1–2 ESV)

As servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

That’s a unique description – one which has very few points of contact with worldly models of leadership and authority. In fact, Jesus told his disciples to look away from those models and to focus exclusively on him. He said:

“You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42–45 ESV)

If you are a pastor or an elder – lead like Jesus. Look away from the CEO, the sports star, the Instagram influencer and the politician – and look to Jesus. Be a servant. Be a waiter. Serve them good food from the Word of God. Carry them when they are weak. Teach them when they are ignorant. Correct them when they stray. Sacrifice for their health and well-being.

Do that, and your people will appreciate you and your Master will reward you.

That is more than you deserve and all that you should aspire to.

If you are a church that has a pastor, require him to be faithful.

Not perfect.

Not sinless.

Not god-like in power and authority.

Just faithful.

Faithful to his wife, faithful in his faith, faithful in his work, faithful in his worship, faithful in his service.

If he is not, remove him – not from the Book of Life, obviously, but from his office and vocation. Mourn his fall, support his recovery, deal with any fallout – but don’t for a second lose faith or hope in the goodness and power of the Lord. Nothing eternal or essential has changed. The food is still good, the kitchen is still open, the banquet is still lavish – and Jesus is still reigning over it all.

Thanks be to God!

IrepChrist:
So How Should We Think Of Pastors?

Some churches esteem their pastors too little and some churches esteem them too much. As always, the Apostle Paul threads this needle precisely:

“This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:1–2 ESV)

As servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

That’s a unique description – one which has very few points of contact with worldly models of leadership and authority. In fact, Jesus told his disciples to look away from those models and to focus exclusively on him. He said:

“You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42–45 ESV)

God did not call your pastors and mogs. There is one and only one shepherd in the Kingdom of God. And it is God Himself, Jesus Christ - Ezekiel 34 vs 1 - 16 & John 10 vs 1 - 16. Every other who claims to be a shepherd in the Kingdom of God is a liar and a thief, you comes only to steal from those who believe, to kill the fat of them, and to destroy God's Flock..

Oh Every beautiful sunday comes with christian debate I'm outta here

Kobojunkie:
God did not call your pastors and mogs. There is one and only one shepherd in the Kingdom of God. And it is God Himself, Jesus Christ - Ezekiel 34 vs 1 - 16 & John 10 vs 1 - 16. Every other who claims to be a shepherd in the Kingdom of God is a liar and a thief, you comes only to steal from those who believe, to kill the fat of them, and to destroy God's Flock..

Christ assigns pastors as his representative to feed the flock.

He told Peter to feed his flock.
Christ is a great shepherd and our Lord.
He assigns shepherds to feed and guard the flock.

IrepChrist:


Christ assigns pastors as his representative to feed the flock.

He told Peter to feed his flock.
Christ is a great shepherd and our Lord.
He assigns shepherds to feed and guard the flock.

forget that guy, he's fond of derailing thread

That's true.



I write business plans/proposals for people at affordable price

They're called to make money. send them money

IrepChrist:


Christ assigns pastors as his representative to feed the flock.

He told Peter to feed his flock.
Christ is a great shepherd and our Lord.
He assigns shepherds to feed and guard the flock.

Don't mind him. God bless you. You must doscern those who wish to bring ridicule your ministry looking for loopholes to puncture your doctrine.


I read through everything you wrote from start to finish. And it is the totality of how it should be. May the Lord continue to bless you with wisdom. Shalom

No oath taking before commenting on a Christian related thread? And we should believe this forum is not biased?

hopefulLandlord:
They're called to make money. send them money

The same way we have wolves in sheep's clothing, We have some pastors who use the office to manipulate and steal from the sheep. But they are not all the same. There are genuine men of God out there .
We must decern them.

Prayers? That's a waste of time and energy.

You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42–45 ESV)


Exactly, the pastors should be humble, Christlike, which is wise, full of integrity and full of the Spirit of God. So they be true model of Jesus. Same goes to all followers.

Many pastor's exalt themselves, call themselves prophets, and big names, so they glorify themselves already.

Exactly, the pastors should be humble, Christlike, which is wise, full of integrity and full of the Spirit of God. So they be true model of Jesus. Same goes to all followers.

Many pastor's exalt themselves, call themselves prophets, and big names, so they glorify themselves already.
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IrepChrist:
So How Should We Think Of Pastors?
If you are a pastor or an elder – lead like Jesus. Look away from the CEO, the sports star, the Instagram influencer and the politician – and look to Jesus. Be a servant. Be a waiter. Serve them good food from the Word of God. Carry them when they are weak. Teach them when they are ignorant. Correct them when they stray. Sacrifice for their health and well-being.

IrepChrist:

The same way we have wolves in sheep's clothing, We have some pastors who use the office to manipulate and steal from the sheep. But they are not all the same. There are genuine men of God out there .
We must decern them.

There are no genuine men of God. None!

Not in Nigeria.

Those are shepherds of the Bible days.
Not these days shepherds that acquire devilish powers from babalawo, stages fake miracles and hypnotises there members, thereby milking them dry.

Pastors that charges their members for one on one consultation.
Pastors that sells key of heaven to the members at the rate of one hundred thousand per key. Eg Jeremiah omoto fufeyin.

Pastors that charges the members fifty thousand naira to enter the pool of Bethesda eg bro Joshua iginla

Pastors that sleeps around with church members and threatens that he will kill them that, they should go and ask how many people he has killed eg Johnson Suleiman

Pastors that bury the pictures of his members and other members on the ground and make incantations that they will not be bigger than him, nails people pictures on the tree, disvigins under age children, have sex with his disciples before the service and after the service.

He stopped all his pastors under him and beautiful choir members from getting married now they are more than fifty years unmarried. Eg charlatan TB JOSHUA


Lemme stop typing for now because my hand is paining me.

Hgf

More like called to sleep with people's wives

Pastors are human truly but one good acid test is to check his faithfulness to things of God, to his Family, to his members etc. Nice one

The people that fall prey to thieves and rubbers don't know God and they mere miracle seekers. A good sheep will know a true shepherd.

IrepChrist:
The people that fall prey to thieves and rubbers don't know God and they mere miracle seekers. A good sheep will know a true shepherd.

Agreed.

Mostly Nigerian women fall for these antics. It shows that they have no clue about Christ that they so much love to talk about.

Aystarz:


Agreed.

Mostly Nigerian women fall for these antics. It shows that they have no clue about Christ that they so much love to talk about.

Pray you don't see problems that will make you run about seeking for solutions. You will judge less

IrepChrist:
Christ assigns pastors as his representative to feed the flock.

He told Peter to feed his flock.
Christ is a great shepherd and our Lord.
He assigns shepherds to feed and guard the flock.

The work Jesus Christ gave Peter to do is the same work everyone who intends to enter into Heaven is expected to accomplish.... which is
- Feed the flock
▪︎ give food to those who are hungry
▪︎ give drink to those who are thirsty
- Care for the flock
▪︎ cloth those who are naked
▪︎home those who are homeless
▪︎ take care of those who are sick
▪︎ visit those who are in prison

Those are the duties given by God to every one who intends to enter into His Heaven - Matthew 25 vs 31 - 46. And as Jesus Christ made clear, they are not shepherd's who do these things but instead those who are workers who work for the shepherd aka servants that do these things - John 10 vs 1 - 16. There is no such thing as a great and small shepherd. Jesus Christ was explicit in His declaration that He alone is the good shepherd, meaning everywhere who claims to be a shepherd is not good.

Watch what this 300l UNIBEN student was caught doing click on this link to watch it on Facebook

https://textil-art.eu/MnA0ajRoOU05ZTlFMnY=

Sheperd ? I don't have a shepherd because I no be sheep.

Wetin shepherd dey do with sheep ?

Dem dey take care of the sheep so that dem go either killam chop or dem go sell am.

Khoielvis:
Don't mind him. God bless you. You must doscern those who wish to bring ridicule yo your ministry looking for loopholes to puncture your doctrine.
I read through everything you wrote from start to finish. And it is the totality of how it should be. May the Lord continue to bless you with wisdom. Shalom

Ofcourse , ignore what God explicitly declared so you can spew what your pastors and mogs fed you instead of God's own Truth. God warned of this from over 2000 years ago. :X

IrepChrist:

The same way we have wolves in sheep's clothing, We have some pastors who use the office to manipulate and steal from the sheep. But they are not all the same. There are genuine men of God out there .
We must decern them.

That is not what God said. God said He alone will Shepherd His sheep meaning all those who are your pastors and mogs are not called by God at all. This is God Himself declared and Jesus Christ reiterated - Ezekiel 34 vs 1 - 16 and John 10 vs 1 - 16

Is God now a liar?

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The pastoral job is most difficult job people out there are looking for Pastor mistakes, is not all Pastor are fake many serve God with all there resources think of when their family sleep without food
God is the rewarder