Essential Traits Of A Pastor

In the local church, the pastor holds a position of authority over those under his care. The people under his care have a responsibility to respect that authority and submit to the leadership of the pastor. Yet, the pastor himself must never “wield his authority” and demand that people submit to him. Rather, he is to serve as Christ serves and have the same attitude that Christ has:

 

5Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Phil 2:5-8)

Jesus is the second person of the godhead. This is a position of high authority. If anyone had the authority to demand obedience, it was Jesus. Yet, in His serving, He purposely let go of His rights as one who holds this high authority. To serve those under His care, He purposely suffered torture and death at their hands rather than demand their obedience. He did this in order to serve them. This is the model He left us as the Good Shepherd. All pastors must share His attitudes in order to pastor the way that God desires.

 

Prerequisite: Genuine humility

A Man with genuine humility REALLY BELIEVES that except for the grace of God, he would commit the grossest of all sins. He REALLY BELIEVES that it is God alone who keeps him from falling. A pastor must possess a certain fear and trepidation about being a pastor if he possesses this type of humility. He must FEAR the notion that any member might consider him in some way spiritually superior.

6“They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, 7and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men. 8“But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9“Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ. 11“But the greatest among you shall be your servant. 12“Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.   (Matt 23:6-12)

 

Because he fears the possibility that one of his members might consider him to be superior in some way because he is the pastor, he does not like titles that might foster this notion. He does not like to be called “Reverend.” He does not even want to be called “leader.”

 

If a pastor possesses this fear, he avoids doing things that might possibly foster the notion that he is in some way spiritually superior. Unfortunately, many pastors seek high esteem from their congregations. Some purposely use big words to create the impression that they are intellectually superior. Some purposely quote Greek and Hebrew words in order to create the impression that they know much more than the congregation knows about the Bible, as if this adds to their spirituality. Sometimes, big words can be used appropriately to help the congregation understand an important truth. Sometimes, it is necessary to talk about Greek and Hebrew words in order to convey an important truth. But if a pastor is doing this as a means to establish a higher esteem from his congregation, he is acting like a wolf, not the Good Shepherd.

When a pastor is shepherding his flock in a way that pleases God, he is not at all concerned about the esteem given him. Rather, he cares only for the welfare of the flock, even to the point of his own death. When his congregation is prospering in the Lord, he derives great joy. Below are some examples of attitudes and actions in his congregation that give him joy.

He is glad when his congregation examines the scriptures to verify if what he is teaching is biblical. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. (Acts 17:11) Instead of feeling challenged by them, he is happy when his congregation does not accept what he teaches just because he is the one teaching it. He is glad that they diligently check what he teaches against the scriptures.

He is happy when one of his members is prospering spiritually and is being used by God. He seeks the spiritual prosperity of those under his care. He overflows with joy if God bestows spiritual gifts on one of his congregation and begins using him mightily. If it seems like God is using that man more than himself, he is not threatened. Rather, he thanks God that He has raised up a man from his congregation who is filled with the Spirit. Rather than worry that this man might receive greater esteem than himself, the pastor is happy that he (the pastor) can take one of the lower seats because he really believes that the lower seats are the best seats in the theater of God’s glory.

A pastor that shares the mind of Christ will consider his ministry a success if he is some day able to step aside and let others take over. If those under his care turn out to be more gifted and useful than he has been, he praises God. After all, the church will now be better cared for than when he was the pastor. Since he only cares about the welfare of the church and not himself, he happily steps aside to let God prosper his people through those that he once served.  From the start, it should be his goal to work himself out of the job for the sake of the further advancement of Christ’s church.

To keep his attitudes in check, a pastor should always consider his position as pastor a temporary assignment. Unfortunately, most pastors view the pastorate as a career path. In reality, God alone is the One who hands out assignments in His kingdom. It is presumptuous to assume that He wants a pastor to hold on to that office indefinitely.

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” 14Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 15Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” 16But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. (James 4:13-16)

Tomorrow, God may want the pastor to leave his church and go to a country far away. If a pastor does not have his ears open continually to God, he is living this part of his life the way an unbeliever lives, independent of God. The pastorate must not be viewed as if it was a job he is holding down. Rather, it must be viewed from day to day as a temporary assignment from God. The congregation is not his church. It is Christ’s church and His church alone. One practical way to help foster this frame of mind is to refuse a salary. George Mueller did this. He put a box in the back of the church. The money that went into the box was designated for the Meuller family. People gave as God moved them to give. They could not count on a specific sum each month. They had to trust in whatever God moved people to give. This type of practice fostered a way of relating to the position of pastor that required a dependency on God from moment to moment. It is a way that was in keeping with Christ’s attitude of “letting go” of His expectations and casting them all on God.

Lastly, a few words need to be said about the general demeanor that is required of a pastor. If a pastor possesses the humility required to shepherd Christ’s church, he will be a kind, gentle man. Paul said that a pastor must not be pugnacious, but gentle and peaceable (See I Tim 3:3). He must NOT be quick tempered, but self-controlled (See Titus 1:7-8). How can we tell if a pastor meets these qualifications? A pastor’s humility is proven whenever he thinks his authority is being challenged. If the pastor becomes angry or enraged, it means he is holding tightly to his authority rather than completely letting it go (entrusting it to God). He is “lording it over” those under his authority as a tyrant rather than a servant. Such a man should not hold the position of pastor.

In summary, those who aspire to the office of elder must do so with a sense of fear and trepidation. It must never be looked at as if it was one of several possible career paths. Unless God has called a man to this office, he has no business taking it. And only those who possess the humility of Jesus are qualified to do so.

 

The end.

 

The following passages are included as reference and relate to this subject.

2shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; 3nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. I Peter 5:2-3

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Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but £emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Expositors Bible Commentary on Phil 2:6 He existed in the form of God and he did not regard his existing in a manner of equality with God as a prize to be grasped or held onto.

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24And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest. 25And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ 26“But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant. 27“For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.   Luke 22:24-27

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6“They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, 7and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men. 8“But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. 9“Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. 10Do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ. 11“But the greatest among you shall be your servant. 12“Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.   Matt 23:6-12

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5Then He poured* water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6So He came* to Simon Peter. He said* to Him, “Lord, do You wash my feet?” 7Jesus answered and said to him, “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.” 8Peter said* to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” 9Simon Peter said* to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” 10Jesus said* to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” 11For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, “Not all of you are clean.”

12So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13“You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. 14“If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15“For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. 16“Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.  John 13:5-16

2An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. (I Tim 3:2-3)

7For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, 8but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, (Titus 1:7-8)



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