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What It Means to Be a Pastor

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What It Means to Be a Pastor
What it means to be a Pastor

Adrian R. Smith
Everest University

“Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” says the LORD in Isaiah 43:18-19(Holy Bible, KJV).Though these words were written thousands of years ago, they speak anew for being a pastor today.

How does a person know if they are called to be a pastor? How does a person know what God is calling them to do? Why is it important to consider carefully and prayerfully one’s call, especially a call to be a pastor? I am convinced that to enter pastoral ministry without God’s call is one of the greatest deceptions of the devil. This is so because the one who is deceived and drawn into pastoral ministry apart from God’s call will not be as effective, because it takes a special anointing, and a closer relationship with God to be a pastor, but worse, the one who ventures into ministry for the wrong reasons will be powerless to prevent the desecration of God’s holy name. Here are some questions to consider for those who may be in the feeling stage of considering their call. Why is it important to consider carefully and prayerfully one’s call, especially a call to be a pastor?

The non-called pastor, the non-called person in any position, is one of Satan’s most effective weapons. (See 1 Timothy 4; 2 Timothy 3-4; 2 Peter 2; Jude; and Revelation 2-3). Spiritual leadership requires the ability to listen, to respond to, and to effectively communicate God’s desire and will for a congregation Ministry is not only teaching, or being in view of congregation, but it is above all serving. It is shepherding, discipline. It is running to the hospital to sit at the beside of the sick and doing so at any time of night or day.

In today’s economic times, we all have one way or another faced some difficult times, and instead of drawing closer to God, there seems to be a collective


References: Sherman, R. (2013). What it means to be a preacher. Retrieved from leadershipjournal.net (Sherman, 2013) Claude, T. S. (2001). Retrieved from http://www.calvarychapelofhope.org (Claude, 2001) Wolf, C. (2007). What it means to a pastor. Retrieved from http//: Wolf/World Press.com (Wolf, 2007) Western Recorder (Aug. 3, 2010) Jared Moore (May 13, 2011) SBC Voices
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