When I think about the qualities that an ideal pastor must possess, it’s easy to get lost in the idea that only the cool, trendy and ultra creative that possess a Superman like blend of pastor, CEO, apologist, author and orator are the models of effectiveness who are equipped to handle the complexities of today’s church. They pastor thousands, while simultaneously run a radio broadcast, travel the country, Twitter and Blog. Their subtle, non-verbal message says to us “follow me”, the same words spoken by a man named Jesus on the shores of Lake Gennesaret when he called out to Peter or when He searched the eyes of a tax collector named Matthew. So who do we follow; the pastor or the One who called him to pastor?
A pastor has to resist the temptation to elevate his own personal holiness above the primary and most basic of missions: to proclaim the gospel of Christ. Oswald Chamber states in his book, Utmost for His Highest: [1]
"Our calling is not primarily to be holy men and women, but to be proclaimers of the gospel of God. The one all-important thing is that the gospel of God should be recognized as the abiding reality. Reality is not human goodness, or holiness, or heaven, or hell – it is redemption."
Paul did not say that he separated himself, but “when it pleased God, who separated me…” (Galatians 1:15). Certainly, Paul was an exemplary leader, apologist, encourager, mentor ....but he did not set out to be a celebrity, or anything except to be a slave for Christ. In rebuking the church for believing in a perverted gospel, he says in Galatians 1:10, “Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Paul was not overly interested in his own character. And as long as our eyes our focused on our own personal holiness, we will never even get close to the full reality of redemption.
A pastor can be a leader, a manager, a business owner, a landlord, a husband, a father, a mentor, and a counselor. He can be all these things and he must exemplify integrity, compassion, wisdom and expository intellect of Scripture. But first and foremost, having been set free from sin by the redemption that is in Christ, he must be a slave of righteousness (Romans 6:18) and set apart for the gospel of God (Romans 1:1). His proclamation of the gospel must be the main thrust; not personal holiness to please man or earn influence to be heard.
1 Chambers, Oswald. Utmost for His Highest. Michigan: Discovery House Publishers, 1995. Print
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dad! this is awesome, and this is why you needed to blog, not to gain influence, you already have that, but to speak on the things that God has spoken to you, out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks, I pray those who read this will hear and be challenged
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