Theses on the Ministry of the Pastoral Office

1:         The pastor is, first and foremost, a disciple of Jesus Christ who has been chosen and called by Jesus to follow Him; as a result of that faith relationship he
 
...is an active student of God's Word[1]

...builds his life upon the words and practices of Jesus Christ[2]
 
...seeks to bear fruit, the kind of fruit that will last[3]

 ...is stamped and fashioned in the mold of Jesus Christ and is a living witness to Him[4]

 ...uses the gifts and abilities that Jesus has given him in order to prosper the Master's business of making disciples of all nations[5]
 
2:         The pastor is one who is "above reproach" in his relationship with himself and with others
 
"now a bishop is above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, dignified, hospitable, an apt teacher, no drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and no lover of money.  He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way; for if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for God's church?  He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil; moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, or he may fall into reproach and the snare of the devil" (1 Timothy 3:2-7)
 
 "if any man is blameless, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of being profligate or insubordinate.  For a bishop, as God's steward, must be blameless; he must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of goodness, master of himself, upright, holy and self-controlled; he must hold firm to the sure word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to confute those who contradict it" (Titus 1:6-9)
 
3:        The pastor knows His sheep who have been entrusted into his care and they know him; moreover, he genuinely loves and cares for the sheep
 
4:         The pastor has a ministry to those who are not yet sheep of His sheep pen; for he is "to do the work of an evangelist"
 
5:         The pastor is an overseer and equipper of the body of Christ, and of the ministry that the Holy Spirit seeks to accomplish through His people, in their evangelizing, edifying and missionary labors
 
6:         The pastor teaches, exhorts and equips His people to be faithful stewards of  the Gospel, of the Scriptures, and of His many physical blessings, so that they may be able to

...cultivate a biblical spirituality in their lives, a spirituality that consists of prayer (oratio); meditation upon God's Word (meditatio); and trials, struggles, and temptations (tentatio)
 
...test the spirits to see whether they are of God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 John 4:1)
 
 ...always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence (1 Peter 3:15)
 
 ...be a blessing to the nations through their Gospel proclamation (Matthew 4:19; 13:3-9) and deeds of love/compassion within the body of Christ and to their neighbor of  all kinds (Matthew 25:31-46; Luke 10:25-37)
 
7:         The pastor is the overseer/officiant of the worship service and serves as the primary communicator of the Word through his preaching and teaching labors
 
8:         The pastor is able to exegete the congregation, and community among whom he serves, and to understand the plurality of worldviews and designs for living that are being lived out in their core allegiances, beliefs, and values
 
9:         The pastor administers the Word of God as "one approved, a workman who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15) and administers the Sacraments according to their divine institution as a means of grace [6]
 
10:      The pastor is a faithful and fruitful steward of the Word (Matthew 25:14-30) who is committed to, and actively engaged in, a lifetime of

...studying God's Word

...knowing the belief systems and cultural life ways of those people whom he seeks to reach with the Gospel

​...discerning and constructing missiological bridges that communicate the Scriptures in the receptor's frame of reference (Romans 10:9-17; 1 Corinthians 9:19-23)

[1] John 8:32-32, 47; 10:27-28

[2] Matthew 7:24-27

[3] Matthew 13:8; John 15:1-5, 16

[4] 2 Corinthians 3:2-3; Galatians 2:20

[5] Matthew 25:14-30; 1 Peter 4:10

[6] The sacraments are "visible signs of His grace" that reveal His heart and will -- that He is with us and that He is favorably inclined toward us (AE 1:248-249).