Over the years I have occasionally shared a message with congregations that I call, The Top Ten Things Every Pastor Wished His Congregation Knew, But Was Afraid to Tell Them. Over the next couple weeks I plan to share that Top Ten. If you are in ministry, you may have others to add, but these are worth considering. If you are part of a church, but not church staff, please prayerfully consider these. They are particularly true of rural pastors and pastors of small churches.
10. My job is not to do the entire ministry, but to equip you to do the ministry alongside me. – Eph 4.11ff
We read Ephesians 4:4-16 earlier, but
let me remind you what verses eleven and twelve said, “[God] gave the apostles,
the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints
for the work of ministry.” Notice that the job of the shepherd or pastor is not
to do the work of the ministry, but to equip you to do the work of the
ministry.
I know someone who cringes every time
he hears a pastor quote those verses. He has seen them abused by pastors. When
he hears a pastor say, “It’s not my job to do the work of the ministry. It’s my
job to equip you to do the work,” What he hears is, “I’m lazy. I don’t want to
work, so if something doesn’t get done I’ll blame you.” But I don’t know any
pastors that do that. Most pastors I know put in way too many hours doing
ministry because no one else will do it. That’s wrong.
The work of the ministry, visitation, prayer, helping the needy, visiting and praying for the sick, teaching Bible classes, leading outreach ministries like Vacation Bible School, . . . These all are things that the whole Body should be stepping up to do. Over the past 2 ½ years I have been blessed to watch you do that very thing. When Covid hit, you stepped up and sent letters and made phone calls to stay connected. You write letters or send cards to your missionaries. Last year we didn’t have Vacation Bible School because of the virus, but the year before several or you stepped up and helped. That is what the Body of Christ is supposed to look like. Now, just because you have a permanent pastor does not mean that you can slow down and let him do the work. He will work alongside you, but his primary role is not to do all the ministry, but to equip you to do the work of the ministry. My job is not to do the entire ministry, but to equip you to do the ministry alongside me.
Comments
Post a Comment