How close should a pastor get to the members? - Page 39

mizpeh · #**381** 12-14-2008, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charnock

Some pastors aren't shepherds at all. They don't lead people to Jesus.

Some "pastors" treat the role as an occupation. They preach a few times a week, make a few hospital visits, and collect a check. They have no intention of really pastoring the people. Their preaching is ineffectual fluff.

This is because they would rather earn the praise of the people than the favor of God.

How do you recognize a hireling from the real deal?

I know how I do.

Charnock · #**382** 12-14-2008, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mizpeh

How do you recognize a hireling from the real deal?

I know how I do.

I believe someone can be opposed to some traditions and still be Bible-based as a preacher. But I do not believe someone can willfully overlook sin and be pleasing to God.

A hireling will always take the way of appeasement.

Maple Leaf · #**383** 12-14-2008, 02:20 PM

I can't believe that nobody has answered the original question yet. The obvious answer to the question, "How close should a pastor get to the members?" is:

Close enough to get their hands in the members pockets.

What's wrong with all of you bitter people anyway? Why did you have to leave it to a nice person to step into such an obvious set up?

OneAccord · #**384** 12-14-2008, 04:19 PM

A shepherd is willing to give his life for His sheep He gives them his all. A hireling gives them his time when its convenient.
A hireling treats the sheep like they aren't his. They aren't Hes just tending them, waiting for a better opportunity. He's there for a paycheck. Or a title. His concern is for the prestige, the recognition of being a "shepherd" and the sheep are his means of achieving it.
A hireling flees. Doesn't stand up for the sheep, lets them be taken with no fight at all. His attitude is, "Better them than me".

As far as feeding the sheep- hes content in giving them some stale grain, and his attitude is "They'll eat it if they get hungry enough".
If they "stray for greener pastures", will the hireling search for that one lost sheep? Why should he... its not his sheep. Wasn't nothing but a trouble maker anyway.

Quote:

Jhn 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

Jhn 10:12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

Jhn 10:13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

This thread, like many good threads, started out well enough. But something went sour somewhere along the way. Not taking sides and not really caring whose at fault, I was thinking about the above verses. First the shepherd (and we know the pastor is a shepherd to the local flock) gives his life for the sheep. The sheep, in a very real sense, becomes his life. Why? Because unlike the hireling, the pastor cares for the sheep. He gives his life for the sheep. What this says to me is this: he is, by the very nature of his office, an example for the sheep. The hireling is not so. He merely tends for someones else's sheep. He's there for the paycheck. He's there for what he can get out of the deal, whether it is a paycheck, a nice home, or the highly desirable title of Pastor. To be sure, if he is hieling, he doesn't care for the sheep. He doesn't risk his lives for them, and, when trouble comes, where it be a literal wolf or a church conflict, what does the hireling do. "He fleeth..." . And thats the point I'm trying to get at. Pastors try to stem church conflicts before they can grow into full blown church wars. What I see here is some brethren who aren't giving their lives for the sheep. They aren't allowing their lives to be an example of what Christians are suppose to be. They have fled their very first pastoral responsibility: they aren't serving as examples to the flock. But, rather they have become the very thing they teach their sheep not to be: arguing, fussing and fighting Christians. They are showing us how God does not want us to be. So, does this make them pastors? or hirelings? They may have the title of Pastor. They may be excellent Bible teachers. But, at least for now, they are reduced to mere hirelings who are allowing the big bad wolf of contention and strife to roam freely among God's Sheep.

My Own Eyes · #**385** 12-15-2008, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneAccord

PIE is a mathematical constant that represents the ratio of any circle's circumference to its diameter in Euclidean geometry, which is the same as the ratio of a circle's area to the square of its radius. It is approximately equal to 3.14159.

A math geek once called me a QT3.1415

It took me a few minutes to get it!

MissBrattified · #**386** 12-15-2008, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by My Own Eyes

A math geek once called me a QT3.1415

It took me a few minutes to get it!

Good grief! That sounds like something Jeff would do! LOL!!! Once he drew me a picture of an airplane, with the "N" number written on the side, which was:

NICURAQT

That took me a little bit.

My Own Eyes · #**387** 12-15-2008, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

Good grief! That sounds like something Jeff would do! LOL!!! Once he drew me a picture of an airplane, with the "N" number written on the side, which was:

NICURAQT

That took me a little bit.

LOL, that's pretty clever!

Rhoni · #**388** 12-15-2008, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneAccord

A shepherd is willing to give his life for His sheep He gives them his all. A hireling gives them his time when its convenient.
A hireling treats the sheep like they aren't his. They aren't Hes just tending them, waiting for a better opportunity. He's there for a paycheck. Or a title. His concern is for the prestige, the recognition of being a "shepherd" and the sheep are his means of achieving it.
A hireling flees. Doesn't stand up for the sheep, lets them be taken with no fight at all. His attitude is, "Better them than me".

As far as feeding the sheep- hes content in giving them some stale grain, and his attitude is "They'll eat it if they get hungry enough".
If they "stray for greener pastures", will the hireling search for that one lost sheep? Why should he... its not his sheep. Wasn't nothing but a trouble maker anyway.

The Pastor is NOT the Shepherd - Christ is. Is there scripture saying the Pastor is the Shepherd and the saints his flock?

Blessings, Rhoni

aak1972 · #**389** 12-15-2008, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rhoni

The Pastor is NOT the Shepherd - Christ is. Is there scripture saying the Pastor is the Shepherd and the saints his flock?

Blessings, Rhoni

YES!!!

MissBrattified · #**390** 12-15-2008, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rhoni

The Pastor is NOT the Shepherd - Christ is. Is there scripture saying the Pastor is the Shepherd and the saints his flock?

Blessings, Rhoni

Christ is The Shepherd, but there is a reference to the church being the "flock", and those who are their "overseers."

Acts 20:28 "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood."

I Peter 5:1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
I Peter 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
I Peter 5:3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
I Peter 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

The inference here seems to be that elders are like under-shepherds, (to Christ), caring for the flock, until He returns/appears.