2 Corinthians 6:4 KJV
But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
Matthew Poole makes a statement that I want to draw upon today. He says, "ministers of the gospel are in the first place to be considered as the ministers of God; secondarily, as ministers and servants of the church..."
There is a priority that I believe a preacher needs to keep that, given the personality of the preacher may get turned around and, even if the preacher attempts to keep straight, his congregation might try to insist he get twisted. The preacher is
First a minister of God
His first responsibilities are to the Lord. He must make sure He walks with the Lord. He must make sure He follows the Lord's guidance for his life. He must make sure that the concerns of God are his first concerns
Second, a minister and servant of the church
And I see this as the organism of the local church. The preachers duties lie towards seeing that the congregation as a whole is functioning to the glory of God. He must place the congregation as a whole as his priority, not favoring one member over another, but ministering to the body more so than to the members.
Finally a minister and servant to the memberPeople have needs and some can assume that the pastor's duty is to meet those needs. Some will demand that the preacher serve them, even to the point of leaving the church to find another preacher who will serve them individually. The trouble is that such ministry will almost certainly lose its focus and become more man centered than God centered.
Sure we are to minister to the saints. But that ministry is best accomplished as we follow the Lord and shepherd a congregation.
But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
Matthew Poole makes a statement that I want to draw upon today. He says, "ministers of the gospel are in the first place to be considered as the ministers of God; secondarily, as ministers and servants of the church..."
There is a priority that I believe a preacher needs to keep that, given the personality of the preacher may get turned around and, even if the preacher attempts to keep straight, his congregation might try to insist he get twisted. The preacher is
First a minister of God
His first responsibilities are to the Lord. He must make sure He walks with the Lord. He must make sure He follows the Lord's guidance for his life. He must make sure that the concerns of God are his first concerns
Second, a minister and servant of the church
And I see this as the organism of the local church. The preachers duties lie towards seeing that the congregation as a whole is functioning to the glory of God. He must place the congregation as a whole as his priority, not favoring one member over another, but ministering to the body more so than to the members.
Finally a minister and servant to the memberPeople have needs and some can assume that the pastor's duty is to meet those needs. Some will demand that the preacher serve them, even to the point of leaving the church to find another preacher who will serve them individually. The trouble is that such ministry will almost certainly lose its focus and become more man centered than God centered.
Sure we are to minister to the saints. But that ministry is best accomplished as we follow the Lord and shepherd a congregation.
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