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Some years back we surveyed the members of our church about what they expected from the pastors. Among the results, there were almost as many ideas as there were respondents. It was hard to know what to do. Some emphasised preaching, and others played it down. Some focused on personal visitation, and others longed for better administration. Some highlighted the importance of vision and leadership, while others desired warmth and relationship. If nothing else, it showed the lack of clarity in my church about the role of a pastor.

Among all the ideas about what a pastor should do, we mustn’t lose sight of who a pastor should be. Who he is on the inside is even more important than what we see on the outside. It’s the heart of the pastor that matters most. What does God desire of a pastor?

Let’s take a look at 1 Peter to be reminded of God’s will for pastors.

“Therefore, as a fellow elder and witness to the sufferings of the Messiah and also a participant in the glory about to be revealed, I exhort the elders among you: Shepherd God’s flock among you, not overseeing out of compulsion but freely, according to God’s will; not for the money but eagerly; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” (1 Peter 5:1-4)

Before we get into the significance of this passage, we need a quick word of clarification. Three different terms are used to refer to pastors—elder, overseeing, and shepherding. Depending on our church traditions, we have elders (or presbyters) in some churches; pastors (or shepherds) in others; and bishops (or overseers) in others. While we may think of them differently, the Apostle Peter doesn’t. Peter writes to them as elders, calling them to do the work of shepherding (or pastoring) and overseeing. The categories belong together.

Pastor to Pastor

Pastor to Pastor

Peter
writes as a pastor to his fellow pastors because he is concerned with
the spiritual health of the church. He’s concerned that Christians
honour God in how they live, that they seek the welfare of those around
them, and that they point people to what God has done through Jesus. The
church is to have a positive influence in the world. God’s people are
to be different—in a godly way—and this means pastors too.

In this day and age, where the church and its leaders have such
an appalling reputation, it’s so important we listen again to what God
wants.

God calls pastors to treat the church with great care. The church
he has in mind is not a building or an organization. Nor is it an
institution. We shouldn’t think first about a particular local
community. The church that pastors are to treat carefully is made up of
people who belong to God—people who have placed their trust in Jesus
Christ. The church belongs to God. It is his precious possession. He
purchased it with his own blood, through Christ’s sufferings. The
Apostle Paul puts it this way.

“Be on guard for yourselves and for all
the flock that the Holy Spirit has appointed you to as overseers, to
shepherd the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.”
(Acts 20:28)

The church is God’s flock. It’s not my church, or your church, or
our church. It’s the church of God. It belongs to God. The church
should matter to us, because it matters to God. So, how we treat the
church matters. What we do in church matters. How we lead the church
matters. How we relate to people in church matters. There are no excuses
for mistreating what’s so precious to God.

The Apostle Peter encourages his fellow pastors to have pastors’
hearts, and writes about four aspects of what shape this will take.

1. Not Overseeing Out of Compulsion But Freely, According to God’s Will

1. Not Overseeing Out of Compulsion But Freely, According to God’s Will

The
pastor is called to oversee God’s church voluntarily. He’s to do it
because he’s willing, not because he must. It shouldn’t be the position,
or the job description, or the performance review, or the boss, or the
demands of the congregation, that motivates the pastor to serve. It’s
not to earn his pay, or to gain a promotion, or to satisfy his own
performance standards. The pastor is called to serve freely, willingly,
voluntarily, of his own accord; not because he has to, but because wants
to. Just as God loves cheerful givers when it comes to our money (2
Corinthians 9:7) so he loves cheerful givers when it comes to pastoral
ministry. This is pleasing to our Father in heaven.

But what happens when ministry becomes a chore, a drudgery, a
ball and chain? What about when the only thing that gets us out of bed
in the morning is our sense of obligation and responsibility? Then it’s
time to pray. It’s time to remind ourselves of the gospel. It’s time to
dwell again on the grace of God who has given us everything we need to
serve him. It’s time to ask God to fill us with his Spirit, so that we
rediscover the mindset of Jesus Christ who delighted in serving others.
It’s time to draw on the strength of God who delights in working through
our weakness and frailty.

2. Not For Money, But Eagerly

2. Not For Money, But Eagerly

The Bible makes it clear
that we can’t serve both God and money. The love of money is a root of
all kinds of evil. Greed is idolatry and it’s a slippery path to
destruction. Many ministries have been ruined because the pastors have
been in it for the money. This shouldn’t be the way.

Peter calls us to banish greed from our hearts. Ministry is not
about the money. It’s not about earthly rewards. It’s not about making
ourselves comfortable. It’s not about what we can
get, but what we can give.
If we have the opportunity to pastor God’s church then we should
remember what a privilege it is to be entrusted with something so
precious to God and give of ourselves eagerly.

It’s so tempting to put our own needs first. Our world tells us
to do this all the time. We’re urged to make sure we get all we can and
to protect all we’ve got. Looking out for our own interests is simply
‘normal’ behaviour, isn’t it? No—not for people who have already been
given everything from God. Those who belong to Jesus Christ have already
received so much. We have every spiritual blessing in Christ. We’ve
been adopted into God’s family. He’s our Heavenly Father who knows all
our needs, and promises to watch over us.

The implications of this are profound. Because God has promised
to take care of our needs, we don’t need to spend our time worrying
about them. We don’t need to protect our own interests. We’re liberated
to look to the needs of others. We’re freed to serve God and serve
others eagerly.

3. Not Lording It Over Those Entrusted to You, But Being Examples to the Flock

3. Not Lording It Over Those Entrusted to You, But Being Examples to the Flock

The Apostle is passing on a lesson he received directly from Jesus.

“Jesus called them together and said,
‘You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it
over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so
with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your
servant and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even
the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his
life as a ransom for many.
” (Mark 10:42-45)

Now Peter passes the same message on to his fellow pastors. The
overseer is to be the servant. Authority is to be exercised with
humility. The supreme example of this is Jesus himself. He humbled
himself, even to death on a cross. Jesus wasn’t in it for himself. He
didn’t stand on his rights. Jesus made no claims to position or
prestige, even though he had every right to do so. Jesus, the Chief
Shepherd, offers us the ultimate example of what a pastor should be
like.

Humility flows from following the example of Jesus, but it
doesn’t happen without a profound change of heart. Let’s pray that God
will liberate us from our selfishness, our controlling desires, and our
quests for recognition. Let’s ask him to remind us daily of his
generosity and grace towards us. Let’s dig deep into God’s Word and read
again of God’s amazing love for his enemies. Let’s ask God to help us
forget ourselves and to focus on serving those around us. Let’s ask God
to give us pastors’ hearts.

4. And Remember…

4. And Remember…

…when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”

We live, breathe, think, act and speak in the light of eternity. Pastors,
here is your reward. As you live and even suffer for Jesus now, so you
will one day share in his glory. This isn’t something we deserve, we
don’t earn it, and we can’t demand it. It’s not payment for services
rendered. It comes freely from God to the undeserving.

Let our hearts be satisfied in Jesus. Let our minds be filled

with the things of Jesus. Let’s keep our eyes on Jesus. Let’s trust him, serve him, seek to honour him, proclaim him, model our lives upon his,and point others toward him. For this is the pastor’s heart.

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