What advice do you have for someone interested in becoming a Pastor?

1. 75

   Mighty Momposted 12 years ago

   What advice do you have for someone interested in becoming a Pastor?

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2. 60

   rj0105posted 12 years ago

   It's more than a collar or a titile! It's a higher standard and one needs to approach this very carefully. One needs a strong and solid backbone and needs not be a man pleaser. The fear of man will greater hinder your impact. The priorities are;
   God first
   Wife second
   Children third
   The Flock fourth
   If a man cannot rule his own house, how then can he rule the church?

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   1. 52

      celafoeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      if a man is ruling the church that is proof he is not called of God,he does not understand scripture/
      Mark 10:42 But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, "You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, an

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3. 56

   kmaskreationsposted 12 years ago

   There is only one pastor who shepherds his sheep.  Go back again to scripture and make sure pastors are biblical.  The church is not a structure as Jesus told the woman at the well when she asked where we were to worship.  We are also told we are all priests.  When the veil was rent, all prophecy was fulfilled.  We have sadly kept to tradition and continued to do those things which are not necessary.  A person who believes he feels the call to rule over a group of others is confused and needs to look at all the ways he can spread the gospel with all humility.  When Paul wrote to the people in the various cities, the old testament was all that was available and only a few possessed it.  Tradition has been built upon what was written out of necessity.  Paul had to deal with a lot of confusions as the true church was coming about.  It is not so now as we have the entire Word.  Taking it all in context and comparing scripture with scripture, we see that any other Lord is contrary to what God expects of christians.

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   1. 52

      celafoeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      amen-- another sister found

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4. 61

   nelson1805posted 12 years ago

   Personally I have found that pastoring a church is the most rewarding thing that I have ever done, but also the most difficult. I would say that if you are thinking of becoming a pastor you need to seriously ask yourself whether it is motivated by a call from God. Pastors, in the sense of one of the five ministry gifts listed in Ephesians 4:11, are a gift from Christ Himself to the church. If you have the call of God then you are one of those gifts and you have had a great responsibility placed upon you. Go and fulfill it! Note that unless you have this calling you will not last the distance. When it gets tough, a strong call from God is what will sustain you to persevere through every difficulty, because you have that strong assurance that you are simply obeying His will. You will know that you have this calling when you have an inner witness in your spirit (which is a work of the Holy Spirit), when other 'ministry gift' men and women of God recognise your gift, and when it is also recognised in large part by the wider local body of Christ to whom you serve (minister).
   
   It would be helpful for you to read through Spurgeon's Lecture 2 on the calling of God in his 'Lectures to my students. Vol.1' (see http://www.handlingtheword.net/SPU_LEC1.PDF).
   
   I hope that helps. God bless you for having that desire within you to care for God's people.

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5. 0

   CJ Sledgehammerposted 12 years ago

   From what I have heard from those who have been Pastors...it's the toughest job you'll ever love (besides parenting), but be on your guard because evil and dirty politics are all around you - even within the church.
   
   Another good thing to keep in mind is that churches are not perfect. Even though your intentions may be perfect, you are dealing with imperfect people who are saved by grace and not by merit.

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6. 71

   LeslieAdrienneposted 12 years ago

   Being a Pastor is a call of God. If you are called to do so, dig in your heels and press forward. The joys, sorrows and rewards will all be savored because of obedience to the call.
   
   If you are not called, you won't last anyway.... so, as the Word says, "Wherefore the rather brethern, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall." 1Peter 1:10

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   1. 52

      celafoeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      no pastor is not a call from God   The call of God is to scriptural ministry which the modern"office" of pastor is not.  pastor is one of the ministry functions of elders (plural).   Paul always appointed elders plural and taught Timothy to do also

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   2. 56

      kmaskreationsposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I think you mean 2 Peter 1:10. Not sure if you're connecting your 2nd paragraph with your first. I assume not, as the 2nd applies to everyone who calls themselves christians.

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7. 52

   celafoeposted 11 years ago

   DO NOT.  there is not one scripture to support the church system with a pastor.   pastor is a ministry function of elders-plural.   Study the scriptures and see what the real scriptural church pattern is, do not listen to men and let them convince you that pastor is a scriptural "position.   
   see Timothy
   Mark 10:42 But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, "You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.  43 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.  44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.  45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
   NKJV

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   1. 60

      rj0105posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      In 1 Cor. 12 God 'set' in the body (the church) various gifts & the ministrations.
      He always uses a person to accomplish His will.
      Jesus (the Head of the church) 'gave' [distributed] these out & still does in Eph. 4:11.
      Plain & Simple :

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   2. 52

      celafoeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      rj105-i did not disagree with that, but that has nothing to do with the unscriptural "position"" of pastor".  Pastor is a ministry function of elders, not a title or position.   you have drunk the kool aid of the churches of men.

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8. 65

   Lady Guinevereposted 11 years ago

   Pastoring is hard especially if you do not conform to the religious training or others who seem to think that it is a  male driven system.  I looked into their religious training program and they will teach you things that you may not want to learn.   I have heard a few that were in Seminaries that didn't want to learn such things as fiances and the like. I wrote a hub about what I learned about the thigs they do to you if you decide to ever leave it and what they teach you about how to treat others who decide they no longer want to be in your church.  I unpublished that hub for now, but I will tell you some of the things that are in that
   hub that will surprise you. 
   From one site, I have no idea what denomination this is, says that they will teach you these things:
   
   The metaphysics of mind, body, and soul
   The metaphysics of the Trinity
   Dissecting and experiencing the reality of being and God, the reality and function of thought, and the role that thought plays in hearing God's Voice and perceiving the ego
   Understanding the Holy Spirit's thought system versus the ego thought system
   The art of relating to our minds as the Holy Spirit as a primary means of connecting with God's Voice
   Feeling God's Voice experientially, emotionally, and physically, and the important role that feeling plays in hearing and sharing God's Voice with others
   The metaphysics of prayer, the many different aspects of prayer, and how to effectively use prayer to hear God's Voice
   We will delve into the 7 primary ways that people hear God's Voice (feeling, knowing, hearing, signs, words, sight, & shift in perceptions)
   Give structure and form to hearing God's Voice as a distinct and recognizable voice within you
   Discuss the differences between hearing God's Voice and using psychic abilities
   Work with you on deepening the integration between hearing God's Voice and using your natural psychic abilities
   Everyone is a minister.  If you love your God and tell others about it, then you are ministering to others.  Furthermore if you have love and give love then you already have Jesus and God in your very Body (flesh) and mind and soul.  That is what it says in 1 John Chapter 4.  I don't recollect Jesus saying that one has to go to college or one has to be in a certain religious sect to minister for him.  He does say that if you minister he will back you up and guide you.

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