Philosophy of Pastoral Ministry

Introduction

As I meditate upon on the resplendent work of Christ on the cross, I immediately recognize a key personal attribute that both God the Father and God the Son simultaneously exhibited in redeeming mankind. This attribute has become necessary for all of humanity. The attribute is surrender. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word surrender as “to give the control or use of (something) to someone else.” God gave humanity His Son Jesus Christ who surrendered His life in order for humanity to have control over whether or not we live to everlasting life or die to eternal damnation. The Pastor, while he is called by God to fulfill a specific task, he does it with humility, surrendering to God, his family, and to the people of God, respectively. The Pastor’s surrender does not entail a relinquishment of the attributes necessary for an effective performance of the duties of the pastoral office, but it involves the giving of himself, whole-heartedly, to a portion of the “body” so that it (the body) can be “fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:16 KJV).

The Essence of Pastoral Ministry

When I think of the pastoral ministry, I think of the myriad of facets that foster an effective ministry. Included in the facets is that one person that is either elected or appointed to lead the congregation. This paradigm does not minimize the office of the pastorate in any manner. The thought simply expresses the fact that the office of pastoral ministry is greater than any one man. The nature of pastoral ministry, in my opinion, includes others who are willing to follow. My childhood pastor imparted it best. He stated that “a leader without followers is simply a man taking a walk.” At the time the statement was quite amusing. Nevertheless, the crux of such a statement is enough upon which to build a concrete definition of the pastoral ministry. A pastor is someone who is charged with the spiritual care of a congregation. The Greek word for Pastor is poimen and literally means shepherd (Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry). Again, without sheep the Shepherd has no one to shepherd. While the main objectives of the pastor are to preach and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ, guide, direct, protect and spiritually care for those under his auspices, he must be of such character that parishioners are inspired to submit to the godly authority of his leadership. Additionally, essential to the pastoral ministry is the preaching and teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ for the conversion of souls. Romans 10:14 says “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?”

Work Involved in Pastoral Ministry

Within every society socialization affords different people a variety of needs. Whether the need is emotional, physical, financial, or spiritual, people are constantly in search of fulfilling their needs. In order to effectively meet the spiritual needs of God’s people, the pastor must utilize all the spiritual and natural tools that are at his disposal. As with any profession, success and effectiveness depends on, not only the importance of having the right tools, but the ability to use the tools efficiently. Ephesians 4:12 says “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ…” The work involved in pastoral ministry includes, but are certainly not limited to, general oversight of the congregation and ministry, propagation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, teaching of biblical principles to real life situations, delegation of duties, administration, and spiritual leadership for the church staff and the community in which it serves.

Often, the pastoral ministry makes demands on the leader that he must be able to effectively manage. Such demands are managed by the leader taking a holistic approach to his own personal management. He must be consistent in prayer and fasting, seeking guidance and a vision for the ministry. As he prays for the ministry, he must also maintain a prayer life for himself, his family and talk to God about personal issues of his own. He must be diligent in studying the word of God, that he may show himself “approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). He must also live the Word for effective administration of the Holy Spirit to perform His work in propagating his preached or taught Word. He must utilize wisdom in maintaining his physical vessel. He must eat the proper foods and/or exercise, as he must be able to maintain physical and mental stamina.

Qualifications of a Pastor

First and foremost, the pastor must be called by God to perform the tasks essential to a healthy church. Ephesians 4:11 says, “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers.” He must be certain of his call and be confident in his ability to lead God’s people. His life must be aligned with I Timothy 3:2b-7a. He must be “the husband of one wife, viligent, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach, not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre, but patient, not a brawler, not covetous, one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity… not a novice… and he must have a good report with them which are without…”

The book of I Timothy teaches that a pastor must teach sound doctrine, speak the truth, put others in mind of sensible things, keep the commandments of the Lord and adorn himself with the doctrine of God. Except a man qualify for the pastorate, as outlined in Paul’s letter to Timothy, he is at risk of falling “into reproach and the snare of the devil (I Timothy 3:7b).

In addition to the pastoral qualifications outlined by Paul in his letters to Timothy and Titus, a pastor should be qualified on two other fronts. He should be spiritually qualified. He must have acknowledged that Jesus Christ is his Lord and Savior. I mention this for a very specific reason. Sometimes a man can be so caught up in the ambiance of his work until that which should be his first love becomes a distant second. A pastor needs to share his salvation story with his congregation. Transparency with his congregation of his salvation experience is paramount to establishing relationships with those under his care. While he must commit himself to the affairs of church ministry, he must not forget that he too is a product of redeeming grace. Because when it is all said and done, the pastor too must kneel before God.

Secondly, a pastor must be educationally qualified. Proverbs 15:32 says “He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.” A pastor must take initiative to learn the word of God through formal means to include higher education. He must study and be able to rightly divide the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). In addition to Christianity, there are eleven other classical religions in the world today (Pearson Education, 2007). Various religions originate from ancient beliefs that inanimate objects contained spirits to the more contemporary paradigms that include science of the mind and body. With a myriad of beliefs, belief systems and socializations in the world, the pastor must be able to speak the truth of sound doctrine, which, when nourished by the Holy Spirit, dispels dogma, fables and all other ungodly beliefs.

The Aim of Pastoral Ministry

The ultimate aim of the pastoral ministry is to direct souls toward a working knowledge of Jesus Christ. I further submit that a secondary aim is to keep God’s people in remembrance of the fact that this life, as we understand it to be, is temporal and that Heaven, an eternal home, awaits all who call upon and believe in the name of the Lord Jesus. While the believer is responsible for sanctifying himself (Leviticus 11:44 and 9 other times in scripture), it is the responsibility of the pastor to maintain a stream of spiritual enrichment flowing through the heart and the mind of the believers in his care. The aim of pastoral ministry is to lead God’s people out of the temporal cares of time and into the glorious liberties of eternity. Life is a journey that contains many uncertainties. The aim of pastoral ministry is to be a spiritual guide through the good as well as the uncertain terrain that humanity has been experiencing since the beginning of time.

Conclusion

The objective of the church is contained in the message from her Lord. The pastorate is charged with the responsibility of acquiring this message through a detailed study and examination of the Holy scriptures, by being a living example of the Christian life, and by imparting this message to others by preaching and teaching the Good News of Jesus Christ. The pastor must perform this task with an unfailing faith in Him who has called him to such a task. It is imperative that he possesses a love for God and His people, taking into consideration that the people do not belong to him but, to God. He must yield the very essence of himself to the Lord for guidance and direction. He must give himself to the people. Once he begins the work, he cannot look back. In Luke 9:62, “Jesus said… No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” He must see all of humanity through the eyes of Christ. He must maintain spiritual, emotional, physical and mental stability as he maintains a balance between spiritual servitude and living a natural life. He must continue to stir up the gift within himself while imparting life through the gospel to others in his care.

In consideration of the aforementioned, I have shared the very essence of the pastoral ministry based on the Holy scriptures, scholastic interpretations and my personal life experiences. May God receive all glory and honor as all knowledge comes from Him.

Yours in the Master’s service