Church pastor is an honorable post

My father was pastor of a church for a time, but before he could become that, we had to move a mountain — literally — a mountain of sand. It was just outside of the cereal city of Battle Creek, Michigan, next to the road.

I was only 15 years old at the time, and it didn’t seem like we were ever going to finish moving that mountain — using a 1932 Ford Ferguson tractor with a little back scoop, it took all summer. I am not sure anyone told me why we were moving the mountain at that time, but the next summer I helped my dad build the basement of the church. A few years later, my dad and mother started serving as pastors of the church.

My father and mother lived in the area for a longtime before they were saved, and I believe that their born-again life was a testimony for all those in the area.

Some of the people in the area remembered 10 years before, when my father wasn’t saved, and I’m not sure that they all gave him a chance to bring the gospel to them in that area. But he and my mother labored at it diligently for many years with much success, and my hat goes off to them.

Being a pastor of a church is an honorable position. When we hear negative comments about the pastor’s position, it is from ignorance about God’s word.

In Ephesians 4:11-12, Jesus describes why he gave the ministry offices: “for the equipping of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”

The pastor’s responsibility is to equip God’s people to do God’s work and build up the church, the body of Christ. All ministers are to encourage and guide each member of the body of Christ so they can be productive in spreading the gospel, using each layman’s talents to the fullest extent.

1 Timothy 3:1-2 says, “... If a man desires the position of a bishop (overseer), he desires a good work. The bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach.”

A pastor of a local church looks out for each individual in his congregation — their well-being is his utmost concern. He oversees them spiritually. No, he does not control their lives, telling them whom they may marry, dictating what car they must drive or lording over them — that is not his position.

The apostle Peter, by the option of the Holy Spirit, gives us insight into the pastor’s position in 1 Peter 5:1-2: “...As a fellow elder, I appeal to you: Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly —not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God,” (New Living Translation).

The pastor has a calling from God to shepherd the flock. Sometimes people try to be pastors because of their own desire, without the call from God, which is regrettable. However, the anointed pastor called of God will have a love for his congregation and will be available to those people.

The local pastor is there to nurture his congregation with the word of God and care for them in that fellowship. If a member needs discipline, the pastor who has the member’s best interest at heart can bring forward biblical correction in a loving way.

It seems there are Christians who don’t have a church — consequently, they have no pastor who can look out for them spiritually (and I am not sure where they pay their tithes unto the Lord). Also, having fellowship in a local assembly is rewarding in itself.

But if one is looking for a perfect church, we will have to wait until we get to heaven.

I believe what Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:2-3 is a message to every pastor, and really to each one of us. “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and teaching.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine …”

That time is here, pastors. Preach the word of God.

Lavon Barve works with Cup of Life Ministry in Wasilla. Contact him at cupoflife@lbcolor.biz.

Opinions expressed on the Faith page are the author’s and are not necessarily those of the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman, its staff or its parent company, Wick Communications Co. To submit a column or other news for the Faith page, send email to news@frontiersman.com, or call 352-2250.