STANDING BY A GOOD PASTOR! Part 2
July 15, 2010
In my last blog I addressed a topic that has been on my heart for sometime, "Reasons To Stand With A Good Pastor." I would like to come back to that today because it is still on my heart and I sense of the Lord that I am to bring these thoughts out to spur on understanding. I want to preface once again that I am not mentioning these things because of my personal life but more importantly for the Lords kingdom. I want to mention these things for the good of all christians who need their pastors and who have a lack of understanding at times concerning their pastors. We also need to recognize that the enemy is continually attempting to divide and destroy, and often he will use lack of understanding to do so. It is with these motives that I write about these things. I have been in the ministry long enough that I feel that I can address such things with more understanding and also can do so with a motive for God's glory not just to motivate for the following of a man. God is almighty and will give followers if the pastor is following Jesus. The motivation is key, God's work is done by His power not mans manipulation. So with that understanding I can address such matters knowing my motive and my trust is for His glory not my own. With this in mind I want to mention a few more good, "Reasons To Stand With Your Good Pastor." 10. REMEMBER HE WOULD GIVE YOU GODLY COUNSEL DURING A DIFFICULT DECISION. He will help you see through the fog of your own surroundings, sort through the options, apply biblical principles for wise decisions. If he walks with God and knows the scripture seek his council. 11. REMEMBER HE WOULD STILL LOVE YOU AND SUPPORT YOU IF YOU COMPLETELY FAILED. If you came to him with the worst news, right now, he would still love you and help you do the right thing in response. He would forgive you and lead you into the forgiveness of God. He would graciously sit down with you, your family and those involved and help rebuild what is broken, restore what is damaged, and recover what is possible of that which was lost. 12. REMEMBER HE IS GOD'S SHEPHERDING GIFT TO YOUR LIFE. God says it this way in Ephesians 4:11, "And he gave some , apostles; and some prophets; and some evangelists: and some pastors and teachers." 13. REMEMBER THE LORD SAID TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND REMEMBER HIM. This is really God's idea. Hebrews 13:7 says, "Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation." Remember they have been given to you, assigned by God Himself. Yes God will on occasion bring new assigned pastors in our life but until the Holy Spirit makes that perfectly clear acknowledge them as assigned from the Lord. 14. REMEMBER A CRITICAL SPIRIT MAKES YOU AND YOUR FAMILY VULNERABLE. When I resist God's structure of authority it is wrong for me to do so. Criticism of spiritual authorities opens up the door for spiritual attack upon me and all my loved ones. 15. REMEMBER NO PASTOR ON EARTH IS PERFECT. This is a no brainer. As a pastor I used to think often about a new church, a new congregation. Finally the Lord showed me the next church will have just as much imperfection in my congregation as the one I am at now. You will find in time your next church will have just as imperfect a pastor as your present church. Even the Apostle Paul called himself the chief of sinners (1st Timothy 1:15 ). 16. REMEMBER THE DANGER OF LONG TERM CRITICISM. Many pastors quit. Now they shouldn't because they are called of the Lord and they should remain faithful no matter how difficult the task. Pastors need to make sure they are constantly taking in the LORD and being filled with power and Jesus Himself, assuring they will not quit. They are to please the Lord not necessarily people. But the fact remains many pastors reach an end- tired weary and wounded. Many finally have enough. They get an attitude that they don't have to put up with all the public criticism. They begin to listen to the devil that they can return to private life and live according to their own concerns and after all the congregation would probably be better off because it sure seems they are not doing so well anyway. Now the pastor should not listen to the temptations and accusations of the enemy, that is for sure. Perhaps instead of pushing him that direction we need to pull him the other direction with our encouragement? 17. REMEMBER OUR CRITICISM IS MORE A REFLECTION OF OUR SPIRIT THAN HIS FAULTS. Through the years I have learned that when I am critical it may be a product of an impure heart, not an imperfect person. If my heart were pure, my criticism would not be criticism. It would be concern and it would be shared one on one with the person of concern. It would be constructive and reconciliatory in action. When I am being a critic I don't seek to resolve concerns and restore relationships, I seek to fester, stir up, and exaggerate issues. 18. REMEMBER OUR CRITICISM ULTIMATELY HURTS US MOSTLY. Hebrews 12:15 says, "Looking diligently lest any man fail of the GRACE of God ; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled." It robs joy, clouds vision, fogs perspective, and destroys our ability to live joyfully and abundantly. It damages us internally and outwardly in our testimony. Having a biblical love and respect for a godly, servant-hearted pastor is right. It is not man-worship. It is not blind. It is not mindless. It does not violate the priesthood of the believer, the authority of fathers or husbands. It is just wise.
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I see your (jk) Carolyn! LOL Gary, I left a comment for you at the Let's Talk About Hell blog dated 7.7.10. Greetings Brenda, Mike and Pastor Bishir! Happy Friday to all! Just finished reading "Son of Hamas!" WOW! Had checked it out at the library! One of the best books I have ever read! Had to go buy a few copies! Maybe you will want to add this book to your summer reading list? Perhaps Liberty's bookstore could order it. If not, I know Tree of Life bookstore is ordering several more. Also, there are copies at Gas City and Marion Libraries. Been waiting for Friday's blog to post, but perhaps it will not happen until Monday. :) So, I am going to submit the following comment for Friday on Thursday's blog since I wrote it on Tuesday. It has been on my heart for a while: CREDIT CARD! Received notice from Verizon Wireless that my credit card was about to expire. No worries, my new one had already arrived in the mail and I had activated it. Went online to update my Verizon credit card profile. Enter your card number. Done. Check name and billing address. Done. Last four digits of your social security number. Wait a minute! That's something new... A few months ago at the doctor's office. "Here, sign this form for government purposes." WHAT? Last four digits of your social security number. Check this box. NO Thank you! I declined. Many people don't realize that your entire SSN can be found out with just the last four digits. Once upon a time that number was NEVER to be used for anything other than Social Security, yet today, every bank account, every university you attend, financial aid you receive, taxes you pay, every doctor and hospital you visit and every job you take, every child that you have, and now Verizon Wireless, etc. are all tied to that number. Went to buy glasses at Walmart. WALMART Vision Center presented me with the same form as the Doctor's office. I declined again! Wow! What's going on? Do you need to get a Driver's License? Is your social security information up to date? You must update your mailing address at the social security office if you have moved from out of state in order to get an Indiana Driver's License or state ID. Can't vote without those either. Oh, BTW, also now you can't buy liquor without a DL or state ID (not that I care about the liquor) however, some places are "carding" for everything (not just liquor) purchased at certain stores, according to a recent TV news report! ...I reluctantly entered my four digits into the Verizon Wireless profile update website and "Praised the Lord!" while thinking, I am in the world, but not of the world. Just passing through, folks! ~~~He's got the whole world in his hands.~~~ What will I do when I am required to enter 666 or wear it somewhere in order to buy, sell, get medical treatment, talk on my cell phone? Even so, Come Lord Jesus! -CB
Pastor Bishir, all your points were well written and well received. I pray that I can be more sensitive to what all it takes to be a Pastor and pray that I not become critical of their ministry. ( You gave me much to think about.) I still think that Liberty is blessed with" the best of the best!" Don"t worry about misspelled words, I do it quite often, even when I go back and check to see any are misppeled!! (jk, CB!)
I am a big fan of your point #15, Pastor! Am so glad that my pastor is not perfect! It is comforting to me when i see that yu myt misspell a word or too and also if your werds are not always poetik or flowry, but you preach it like it is an whot we need to here. i feel write at home on yer blog. Thakn you for typos and for bein humen. What a great friend we have in a humble pastor who loves our Father in Heaven and all of His children and who prays for us, ministers to us, accounts for us, blesses us, preaches to us, watches over us, befriends us, teaches us, labors for us, edifies us, and who cuases us to laugh ones in a wile. May God richly bless you, Pastor Bishir. Gonna miss you and your family already even before ya'll go on yer vacation. When I was in elementary school, we had to raise our hand to get the teacher's attention if we needed something. I think those in need should raise their hand, unless they are not able to. IF a Pastor ministers to a large church like Liberty, it is not humanly possible for him to be aware of every need. Is it too much of an imposition to ask for a heads up? Communication is a two way street. Let's help our pastor, help us if we have a need. Let him know. Drop him an email, call the office, tell him personally or through another, but please let him know like he has asked us to do. Let's also help our Pastor if he has additional needs. What are the needs of a God-fearing, God-loving Pastor? Liberty may not realize how blessed we are to have the Pastors that we have. Great Pastors are on the threatened species list. Praying for our Churches and Pastors today. -CB
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