The Church Pastor: Qualifications, Duties and Authority
1Tim. 6:12
Pastor and deacons are the permanent officers of a New Testament Church and while not necessary to the being of a church, they are necessary to its well-being. See Eph. 4:ll-l2.
When selecting a Pastor we should not use the standards of men: i.e. a good mixer, popular, age limit, 6+ feet tall, etc. Paul, Spurgeon, and Moody would have been left out.
Sam Jones said: “Would a man try to haul logs with a team made up of a mule, a billy goat, a bumble bee and a skunk. The average preacher has such a team in his congregation. A kicker, a butter, a stinger, and a stinker.”
In any church there are three kind of members that a pastor has to deal with: a new convert, a young Christian, and a mature believer. In John 2l:l5-17 (read from Interlinear), we have some important truths for the pastor:
· Feed my lambs - (Preaching and teaching).
· Feed (shepherd) my sheep - (Counseling, comforting and visiting).
· Feed my sheep - (Proclaiming the whole counsel).
From the “Interlinear Greek-English” of the KJV, we read, “When therefore they had dined, says to Simon Peter Jesus, Simon of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He says to him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I have affection for thee. He says to him, Feed my lambs. He says to him again a second time, Simon of Jonas, lovest thou me? He says to him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I have affection for thee. He says to him, Shepherd my sheep. He says to him the third time, Simon of Jonas, hast thou affection for me? Was grieved Peter because he said to him the third time, Hast thou affection for me? And said to him, Lord, thou all things knowest; thou knowest that I have affection for thee. Says to him Jesus, Feed my sheep.”
It seems evident that man cannot approach unto the kind of love God has for us. In this passage the Lord said, “Peter lovest (agapao) thou me,” and Peter replied, “Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love (phileo) thee.” Agapao is divinely given love while phileo is human affection, love of a friend. We see from this, that love to Christ must be regarded as the supreme qualification for a pastor of a church. All other qualifications are worthless if this is absent. Talent and learning are not to be undervalued; but they must be kept under the control of piety, and receive its sanctifying impress. All of this is important because there is a striking analogy between a pastor (minister) and a literal shepherd. A shepherd has under his charge a flock, for which he must care, and for whose needs he must provide. The sheep and the lambs must be looked after. Likewise, a Pastor has under his charge a flock, for which he must care, and for whose spiritual needs he must provide. The Lord Jesus, “the great Shepherd of the sheep,” (Hebrews 13:20) made this clear. Many Pastors do not realize the awesome responsibility they have.
For a more complete listing of the qualifications of the bishop (pastor) we turn to 1Tim. 3:1-7. Read also Titus 1:5-9 for comparison.
1. Blameless.
2. The husband of one wife - proper marital relations. And I think this implies that he should be married, not single. A man who is courting cannot give full attention to the duties of being a pastor.
3. Vigilant.
4. Sober - sober-minded, sobriety, sensible, master of himself.
5. Of good behavior.
6. Given to hospitality.
7. Apt to teach - aptness to teach, a skilled teacher, qualified to teach.
8. Not given to wine.
9. No striker - He practices the “Sermon on the mount.”
10. Not greedy of filthy lucre - not a money-grabber, not a money lover. Not regarding the fleece more than the flock.
11. Patient - gentle, forebearing, considerate.
12. Not a brawler - peacefulness, not contentious: as not a striker with his hands, also, not a brawler with his tongue.
13. Not covetous.
14. Rules well - ruling well his own house, having children in subjection with all gravity. Disciplinary ability, he has two congregations, his family and the church.
15. Not a novice - not a new convert, not a beginner in the faith. He must have seasoned Christian experience.
16. Good report - soundness in the faith, good testimony. Respect of all even when they don't agree with him.
Truly the work of a pastor is a “work” (1Tim. 3:1). It is indeed a good work. Therefore the pastor cannot by lazy. In N.T. times a bishop was a pastor of a single church, not a plurality of churches, under one pastor. In some instances there seems to be a plurality of pastors in one church, Acts 20:28; Phil. 1:1.
From some scriptures it seems that pastors, bishops and elders are three terms designating different aspects of the same office, Phil. 121; I Tim. 3:2; Tit. 1:7; I Peter 2:25, 5:1-2.
Bishop (overseer) looks to the functions of the office, describes the pastor’s care and outlook upon his flock as a leader, guide and teacher. It carries with it the idea of authority and rule. It is plain, therefore, that a pastor's work is the spiritual oversight of a flock, the church he serves. Like a good shepherd he must study - II Tim. 2:15. The administration of the ordinances as well as preaching of the word, is the proper business of the Pastor, cf. Acts 6:4; 1Tim. 5:17; 2Tim. 4:2; Eph. 4:11. It has been determined by many surveys that 75% of those saved are won by preaching in public meetings, I Cor. 1:21.
The church, over whose interest the pastor watches, has been “bought with the precious blood of Christ,” (I Pet. 1:19) and the faithful pastor will, when “the chief Shepherd” comes, “receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.” (I Pet. 5:4) What motives to diligence and faithfulness.
All things earthly are liable to abuse, and that feature of congregational church government which places all the members on an equality in the transaction of church business, has been, in some instances at least, suffered to interfere with the deference due to pastors. Consider the following scriptures: 1Thess. 5:12-13; 1Tim. 5:17-18; Heb. 13:7,17. In these passages pastors are referred to, and there is claimed for them an authority not belonging to other church members. They are to be esteemed highly for their work's sake. The words rule, obey, and submit in the foregoing quotations mean something. The ruling is not unrestricted, neither is the obedience and submission. The pastor is to rule in accordance with the law of Christ. When he rules in accordance with the will of Christ, obedience and submission on the part of the members of the church are imperative duties.
Pastors in leading their flocks do, in one sense, rule them; and is the only sense in which they should rule them. While the proper exercise of pastoral authority is essential to the spiritual welfare of a church, pastors must beware of assuming a power which does not belong to them. They must remember the words of Peter, I Pet. 5:5. “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”