The Calling of a Pastor
ICS Daily Devotions
Ephesians 1: 1a (NKJV) Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God
Being a pastor is a calling from God, or by the will of God. It involves living the consecrated life where they set themselves apart to serve the living God full-time. Those who are called will have a longing in their hearts accompanied by a confirmation of their calling through the Word of God. Nobody should enter pastoral ministry simply because they have run out of job options, as a retirement consideration, or because they are a trailing spouse since they cannot abandon the sheep just because their spouse has been posted elsewhere!
The main responsibilities of the local pastor are to look after and feed the sheep. They love the sheep and will be willing to lay down their lives for them. They will also ensure that the sheep are fed with the Word of God, but because each pastor is gifted differently, some might have a stronger teaching gift than a pastoral gift.
There are many sacrifices to be made when one responds to the full-time call of being a pastor because it is not a job but a calling and vocation. Pastoral ministry should not be taken lightly because pastors must look after the sheep—people whose lives God has placed under their care— which are God’s top priority. Therefore, no shepherd will abandon, neglect, or not care for the sheep, especially in times of need and emergency.
Matthew 9: 9 (NKJV) As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So, he arose and followed Him.
Matthew 4: 18 – 20 (NKJV) And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him.
There is a price to pay in responding to the call of God because one must forgo everything. All the apostles left behind their secular jobs when they were called into full-time ministry. Matthew was a wealthy tax collector, Peter and Andrew owned boats and a thriving fishing business, and Paul had a good standing with the Pharisees and was a leader in his own right, but all of them left everything to follow Jesus.
God is always calling people into ministry, even today, but praise the Lord that when He calls, He will also equip, anoint, and grant them the grace to serve. Nonetheless, we need to adjust our expectations towards the pastor bearing in mind that only Jesus is perfect and complete because He is God, while His undershepherds—the local pastors—are still imperfect no matter how spiritually mature they may be. However, pastors have a vested authority given by God to rule over the local church. Therefore, we can be a blessing to the local pastor by being an encourager and contributing to the growth of the church by serving with our gifts and talents.
Sermon Series: The Pastor
