What was the best lesson you have leaned about pastoring?
How did you learn it?
best lesson
Discussion in 'Pastoral Ministries' started by Tom Bryant, Nov 23, 2020.
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Revmitchell Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
Hey Tom good to see you back.
Not to put people in leadership positions too quickly no matter how long they have been a member or serving in other positions in the church.
I have been too trusting of long time members in these small churches I have pastored because of their supposed history and because of the word of others in the church. That is not sufficient. Pastors need to wait and see for themselves. -
Lesson: God is more concern about the man than about the ministry
How learned: In 1980 after 8 years pastoring I had a total collapse. Working night and day (pastor of a church of 150, administrator of Christian school of 90) until I ended up in the hospital. Slowly recovering on heavy drugs, a couple weeks later an old veteran pastor stopped by the parsonage to pray for me. He shared that statement and advice on how I needed to change my work ethic, my outlook, my reliance on my own strength and grit. I needed to watch my OWN strength first or I would end up doing nothing in ministry. -
Those are important lessons.
RevMitchell, I have some scars from people who were too quickly placed in important positions.
Dr Bob, I couldn't agree more. It's not just a matter of overwork, but our own walk with the Lord. -
Revmitchell Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
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One of the best lessons I ever learned was from a preacher who told me that I needed to know what I believed and why. I have at times changed what I believe (not about the fundamentals) but I always determined to have a firm Biblical basis for what I believed.
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Leaders have followers. No position will make a leader. I begin teaching people how to make the kind of disciples Jesus commanded in Matthew 28:19, 20. In two cases it has saved me a lot of grief. In one case a man had come from a Baptist Church whose pastor was his dad. The man had preached several sermons and taught Sunday School. The first time I prayed with him I felt that what he had prayed did not go beyond ceiling height. As he tried to reach someone I realized it was all in the flesh. He told me I didn't know what I was doing. So asked him what he suggested and when he told me I asked him if he had and how well it worked. He had to admit it didn't ever work for him. Two years later he had moved to another country for another job. While he was there he wrote on his blog that God doesn't exist and told his wife to leave. So she had to return to the U.S. because she had no work visa. I believe he was an imposter. Another time a young man said he had been to Bible school and wanted to teach. As I got to know more about him I realized he had been told to leave the Bible school because of ungodly reasons. He knew what I required of leaders before making them a leader. I wanted to see who he was leading. I also noticed eventually when he came to church nobody except his family would sit near him. I began to hear comments made by people who had encountered him. I believe that man and his wife were involved in something that had to do with the demonic. I develop leaders who can reach others and train them before I place them in a place of spiritual authority. I want the 2 Timothy 2:2 and Matthew 28:19,20 kind of elders. Leadership is not a position but a responsibility. I have known men who were far better leaders than any of the elders but they are involved in other ministries.
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GB, I think every pastor has had those experiences. I think having Biblical guidelines for people who would be leaders as well as the practical "Watch them for a while" will save pastors from lots of heartache. You wrote that with lots of wisdom.
What is it that John Maxwell says that if you think you're a leader and no one is following, you're just going for a walk.