What is the Biblical responsibilities of a Pastor?

lad · #1 09-24-2007, 07:35 PM

Over the years, culture and history has had an effect upon what people expect from a pastor. Many of these expectations are not necessarily Biblical. Many pastor's today feel pressure to "perform" in many areas, therefore become disillusioned and burnout. I had a pastor ask me to post the above question to this forum. As a church grows, there is no way you can keep up with every expectation of everyone. The problem is that..... then you have to learn to live with the criticism and the attack on your "compassion". Some say.... "well, you (the Pastor) get paid to it".... REALLY?!?!? Doesn't the Bible speak of those given to prayer and the study of the Word? .... and some to wait on tables (and take of the widow, etc.....) Who are these people? Where does the other 4 ministry "positions" fit into this scenario? What about the small home missions church that can't afford paid administrative help? Where does the pastor's wife and family fit into this???? How does a pastor fit it all in??!!? Some cultures seem to expect more "management and maintenance" out of their "little pastors". Just curious to see your responses.

Nahum · #2 09-24-2007, 07:37 PM

My responsibilities:

1. Drink lots of tea.
2. Eat lots of fried chicken.
3. Retire as a millionaire by age 50.

lad · #3 09-24-2007, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pastor Poster

My responsibilities:

1. Drink lots of tea.
2. Eat lots of fried chicken.
3. Retire as a millionare by age 50.

Do you have a secret method on that millionaire idea? (the pastor's I know that are retired are barely making it on SS ---- the ones that didn't opted out) The ice tea thing sounds good .... and as long as the it's sweet tea!! By the way, the pastor that asked is almost 50 already!!!... tooooooo laaaaaaate!!!

Any serious answers out there?

lad · #4 09-24-2007, 08:12 PM

.... no one wants to take this one on???? Maybe that's why there are so many pastors that are burned-out/burnt-out..... nobody really knows what they are suppose to do ... BIBLICALLY.... People just expect the pastor to do whatever nobody else wants to do or whatever is customary for your community... or what society had place on "the church" as being part of "christian benevolence"....

Sam · #5 09-24-2007, 10:42 PM

The word "pastor" is not in our KJV English New Testament.
The word "pastors" occurs once and that is in Eph 4:11.

The Greek word that is translated "pastors" in the New Testament and "pastor" or "pastors" in the Greek Old Testament (the LXX) is poimen (Strong's number 4166) It is also translated as shepherd. Evidently, a pastor is a shepherd or more correctly and "under shepherd" who is under the authority of the Chief Shepherd (ref 1 Peter 5:4.

Terms used for pastors in the New Testament are elder, bishop, and overseer and their duties are spoken of in 1 Peter 5:1-4, Acts 20:17-38 and some passages in what we call the "pastoral epistles" (1 and 2 Timothy and Titus).

One passage that speaks of the job of a pastor would be Ezekiel chapter 34. Here the prophet speaks of the pastors or shepherd of Israel in a negative way, condemning them for not doing their job. Their job was

feed the flock
strengthen the weak
heal the sick
bind up the broken
bring back what was driven away
search for the lost

RevDWW · #6 09-24-2007, 10:50 PM

Exhibit the love of Jesus in such a way that you could be mistaken for Him.

Jesus loved when everyone was pressing in.
Jesus loved when all forsook Him.
Jesus loved when He was being heralded as The King.
Jesus loved when He was mockingly titled King of the Jews.
Jesus loved when the alabaster box was broken in total adoration.
Jesus loved when He was broken with total hatred.

A Pastor's first and foremost responsibility is to LOVE.

Sam · #7 09-24-2007, 10:57 PM

For several years (1992-2006) I attended a Vineyard Church here in the Cincinnati area. It is a large church with several thousand in attendance on the weekends. There are many "pastors" on staff. They have different titles like senior pastor, executive pastor, teaching pastor, youth pastor, children's pastor, pastor over outreach, pastor over prayer ministries, etc.

From 1998 until 2003 I was part of a group of people who had the title POC (pastor on call). There were about half a dozen of us at any given time. Some were pastors and some were not. I was not a pastor, I was a volunteer. We took turns carrying a beeper. I would have it for one 24 hour period per week (Wednesdays) and one 48 hour period per month (Saturday and Sunday). If a call came in to the switchboard to a live person during office hours or to voice mail after hours, and the call was an "emergency" the beeper went off. It was the responsibility of the POC to return that call within 20 minutes and, with the help of God, meet whatever the need might be. Some times it would just be praying with the person. Some times it would be putting the person in touch with the appropriate social agency that could meet the need such as shelter, food bank, etc. Some times it was delivering food to a needy family. Some times it was either going to the hospital or a home to pray for someone or getting someone there to pray for the needs. If it was a death, then we would give their information to the pastor who was available to do the funeral, or we might have to do the funeral if the "pastors" were too tied up with administrative functions, meetings, or powerpoint presentations. This group worked because the church was too large for the "pastor" to be personally involved in the every day needs of the people who went to the church or knew about the church.

Raven · #8 09-24-2007, 11:27 PM

lad

With some hesitation there have been some good posts already. But it could be that the role of Pastor has been distorted through the centuries. It seems that pastors have been elevated to a non-scriptural heighth to the exclusion of the other named ministries. ie: apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers.
Today is the age of the "Super Pastor". I'm not discounting God's anointing but some of these people would be successful in any area they chose. These super pastors have put an extreme burden on that shepherd who is laboring under a heavy load. You feel like you have to "perform" to measure up or be accepted. Enough of this mentality has been dis-seminated so that many saints expect Super Bowl performance every Sunday Nite. Revolution is coming because God can't be pleased with good people being "stressed out" all the time. Trust me, a Spiritual Alignment is coming. In the meantime a real relationship with the Father will do wonders for his children! I have complete confidence in Him. "Shall not the judge of all the Earth do right?"
Raven

lad · #9 09-25-2007, 12:18 AM

Thank you to all who have posted so far.... your comments are both true and sound. I think that most sincere and dedicated "pastors" have researched and studied the Word of God concerning their duties, but I think that most of the pressure comes from those that haven't.... maybe "saints/laymen" that have been conditioned by previous experience or religion. Possibly ideas from previous time periods when life was slower paced - pastors visiting every "parishoner" and at every special event in people lives. But that lifestyle also had its limitations that now are expected..... we couldn't just jump in a car or on a plane and be "THERE" -- so as a result the old expectations mixed with the new "conveniences" breed a whole new set of "expectations". But I do agree -- a relationship with HIM is most needful and our confidence should be in HIM.

stmatthew · #10 09-25-2007, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lad

Over the years, culture and history has had an effect upon what people expect from a pastor. Many of these expectations are not necessarily Biblical. Many pastor's today feel pressure to "perform" in many areas, therefore become disillusioned and burnout. I had a pastor ask me to post the above question to this forum. As a church grows, there is no way you can keep up with every expectation of everyone. The problem is that..... then you have to learn to live with the criticism and the attack on your "compassion". Some say.... "well, you (the Pastor) get paid to it".... REALLY?!?!? Doesn't the Bible speak of those given to prayer and the study of the Word? .... and some to wait on tables (and take of the widow, etc.....) Who are these people? Where does the other 4 ministry "positions" fit into this scenario? What about the small home missions church that can't afford paid administrative help? Where does the pastor's wife and family fit into this???? How does a pastor fit it all in??!!? Some cultures seem to expect more "management and maintenance" out of their "little pastors". Just curious to see your responses.

I have always believed that a Pastors primary role was to lead those entrusted into his care to spiritual maturity. He was to orchestrate and direct, though his own ministry, along with the use of the other ministries.

To me, a man that is burnt out in ministry has taken upon himself the job that God sent 5 to do. There are young ministers starving for use. There are seasoned saints that are withering on the vine because of the lack of activity. There are evangelists going off the field for lack of use. The True Prophet is not welcome in most assemblies. The Apostle is out of order to set in order the local church. Teachers are too boring for the ever increasing overly entertained pews.

I cannot change the world by myself. But as a team, we can make a difference in our individual communities, thereby changing the world.