PASTOR


 


PASTOR

 

 

It was my ultimate goal as a young man to become what I saw as the pinnacle of achievement in the Christian society… A PASTOR. 

I strove to be one. 

 

And yes… I finally became one… for quite a while. 

 

Ministry was like a drug to me. The euphoric high while used by God in any situation was unparalleled. 

I liked the title… the position… the way people looked up to the wisdom, revelation, counsel, and teaching. 

 

 

I had started and now was growing a church, 

where it didn't matter what sickness or disease came in – it was healed… demons were cast out… the lame walked… the blind saw… the deaf heard… the dead were raised…

 

I was living the dream!

 

 

I was building according to an IMAGE of ministry I had seen modeled for generations before me in every meeting, conference, or church I had attended or been on staff.

 

 

Jer10:14

“Every man is stupid, devoid of knowledge; Every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols; For his [created] molten IMAGES are deceitful, And there is no breath in them.”

 

 

I was fashioning an “IMAGE”, which I was commanded to break or cast down. (Num34:50-53)

 

 

I am very familiar with the reasons guys post pictures of themselves preaching or ministering…

talking about their passion, gift, and ability to “serve God”.

 

 

I loved my title, “SENIOR PASTOR” - translated “CHIEF SHEPHERD”.

(I seem to recall only one of those being mentioned, as well.)

 

 

In 1Pet5:1-4 Peter exhorts ELDERS to:

“FEED (poimaino – PASTOR; act as shepherd tending, guarding, guiding, finding pasture for) 

the flock of God which is among you, 

taking the oversight thereof, 

not by constraint, but willingly; 

not for filthy lucre, 

but of a ready mind; 

Neither as being lords over God's heritage, 

but being EXAMPLES to the flock. 

And when the CHIEF SHEPHERD shall appear, 

you shall receive a crown of glory that fades not away.”

 

 

Sitting on the beach one day thanking the Lord for my “ministry”, I was shaken to the core by His voice saying, 

“You have built your own and not mine.  

Now I'm going to teach you how to build for ME.

I never told anyone to build MY CHURCH…

I will do that. 

I told YOU to 

·       make disciples (Mtt28:19)

·       equip the saints (Eph4:12)”

 

 

So… I left the “church” in the hands of some elders and moved several hundred miles away to start another… which I eventually shut down, as well. 

 

 

By the way… 

Just because something has always been done a certain way, doesn't make it right. 

 

 

Did you know the word “PASTOR” is only used ONCE in the whole New Testament (Eph4:11)?

Why have we built a whole ministry system around it?

And now everything we do, or build is seen through THAT filter. 

 

 

1Cor3:5-7,9 

“Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom YOU believed, as the Lord gave to each one?  I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.  So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase… For we are God's fellow workers; 

YOU are God's field, 

YOU are God's building.”

 

1Cor3:16 

“Don't you know that YOU are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in YOU?

 

 

So… how do I be an “example to the flock”?

…by being a great sheep. 

I will show you The Father just like Christ…

by my sonship. 

 

 

What was the PASSION Christ has?  YOU

 

 

The greatest disappointing statement Jesus Christ made was to wannabe ministers in Mtt7:22-23AMPC

“Many will say to Me on that day, 

Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name 

and driven out demons in Your name 

and done many mighty works in Your name? 

And then I will say to them openly (publicly), 

I NEVER KNEW YOU; 

depart from Me, you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands].”

 

 

He is our example… our High Priest (Heb7:15-26)

Not only OUR SHEPHERD (PASTOR) (Jn10:1-16)

But our CHIEF SHEPHERD (SENIOR PASTOR), as well (1Pet5:4)

 

 

“See that you make it all [exactly] ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN which was shown to you on the mountain.” (Heb8:5;Ex25:40)

 

…according to The Pattern…

the “EXPRESS IMAGE” of the Father…

 CHRIST (Heb3:1)

 

 

We have adopted “PASTOR” as a positional TITLE,

when it is simply a TOOL…

only one of several…

used by THE BUILDER to build HIS Temple… 

 

…YOU!

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