Our need today is to have strong churches. To have a strong church, we need to have strong people. Strong people are those who help their Pastor in building their Church. We need guidelines to help people become strong people. Here is what the Lord commands:
‘…all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought (1 Cor.1:10). Objectives of the Pastor: ‘Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding’ (Jer.3:15). As shepherds after God’s own heart, the pastor is to feed His people with spiritual knowledge and understanding and to equip the saints so that the saints can do the work of the ministry. God desires every believer to be a minister of His Kingdom. ‘We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ’ (Col.1:28, NIV). The goal of the pastor is to bring every believer to a place of maturity – to be full grown in Christ. The four things that a pastor desires to accomplish in each believer’s life: The Word, The Spirit, Christ-like character and Ministry. ‘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’ (Gal.1:10, NIV). Remember, the objective is to build you not to please you.
How to help your pastor: The following apply not only to the pastor but also to all church staff who serve you.
1. Help guard your pastor’s testimony. ‘Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach’ (1 Tim.3:2, NIV). ‘An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer is entrusted with God’s work, he must be blameless–not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain’ (Titus 1:6,7, NIV). E.g. Don’t say or claim something about the pastor or the church that you are not 100% sure of. Do not exaggerate what the pastor or church is doing.
2. Help guard your pastor’s time. ‘Be very careful, then, how you live–not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil’ (Eph.5:15,16). E.g.. Please meet the pastor during normal office hours; Please do not ask your pastor to do what other businesses specialize in doing, e.g. matchmaking, real estate, etc.
3. Help guard your pastor’s family. ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered’ (Mat.26:31, NIV). If the enemy can strike the shepherd he can scatter the sheep. Understand that the ministers of God who lead you are at the forefront of conflict and are often target of intense satanic attacks. Pray regularly for your pastor & family and the other ministers who serve you.
4. Respect and work with delegated leadership. ‘The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honour, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. (1 Tim.5:17, NIV). Your pastor cannot do everything. Therefore responsibility for various ministries has been delegated to several other leaders. Honour those who have been appointed as leaders of various ministries. Bring up issues directly with them and allow them to handle it.
5. Flow with the call and vision of the church. ‘Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?’ (Amos 3:3, NIV). ‘If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand’ (Mk.3:25, NIV). We must all flow with the call and vision that God has placed on us as a church. As God unfolds His plan for us as a church, He will birth new things that He desires for us to do. Do not resist the changes and new things that God leads us into. Just flow together with the body. Lay aside personal agendas. Please don’t ‘date’ the church. Don’t just look for what you can receive. Give as much as you receive, if not more.
6. Flow with the faith and teaching of the church. ‘I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought’ (1 Cor.1:10, NIV). The faith and teaching of the church as expressed in the ‘Statement of faith’ (the fundamental doctrines). The statement of faith of the church is non-negotiable and is not open for discussion. If you are not in agreement with the faith and teaching of the church, you are free to find another church. There is no compulsion to stay. Please keep personal convictions that are not in agreement with the faith and teaching of the church, personal. Please don’t use the church to promote your personal convictions that are not in agreement with the faith and teaching of the church.
7. Become a Minister. ‘It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ’ ( Eph.4:11-13, NIV). ‘But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be’ (1 Cor.12:18, NIV). Find your place and carry out your God appointed function in the body. Understand the importance of Character over gifting. Build Trust. Manifest your ministry first, and then let people recognize your calling. Don’t go about proclaiming your calling without manifesting corresponding ministry. Don’t push yourself into the forefront. Wait to be invited.
8. Demonstrate commitment. ‘And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others’ (2 Tim.2:2, NIV). ‘A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished’ (Pr.28:20, NIV). When you take up a responsibility, make sure you are faithful at it. If you are unable to fulfill it, make sure you communicate that as early as possible. Enjoy what you do. Do it to the Lord not for the pastor.
9. Pursue Excellence. Whatever you do, do it well. Give God your very best.
10. Be a Kingdom Builder. Glorify Christ at all times. Lay selfishness and self-centeredness aside. Finally, Promote unity among ministers and churches.
Author: Pas. Ashish Raichur is M.Sc. (Biomedical Engg) from Rutger Univ. USA and BE (Electronics & Commn) from Mangalore Univ. He is Founder/CEO of a Software Company and is also pastoring ‘The All Peoples Church’ at Bangalore.
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