Pastor are you just punching a clock?

Being a Pastor is such a blessing and a gift, it goes so far beyond the pulpit, which some are stuck behind! Ephesians 4:11-12

There are some Pastors out there who feel their calling has them stuck behind the pulpit, and that is where they are comfortable. That is a shame because, ministry and our calling go far beyond just preaching and bringing a message Sunday morning. We have been given this gift, yes gift, to train and disciple the church, Christ's body.

Ephesians 4:11-13,"And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelist, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work or the ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ," ESV

Though we may have helpers, we are still responsible to oversee the growth of the body, to know what is going on. If the leadership is on solid ground, rooted in the word, they will make sure we are involved one way or the other. We cannot do it all but we are responsible for it all, the whole body which we have been given the honor to pastor (shepherd).

The body of Christ is in such a disarray because the  pastor's are confused to what they were called to do. Part of that problem is some are not called to ministry, they are looking at what they do as a job. Sad, because it is a gift from God, a calling to build up and bring to unity the body of Christ. If seen only as a job, a pastor never gets any farther in the church, but behind the pulpit.

The word clearly describe the positions and who gave them, it is never about popularity and the amount of degrees one has! Not taking away from education, but that should never take precedence over ministry, training and discipling, but in addition to. Education is just a perk we can have, it is not the calling or gift we have been given. God never sees the degree hanging on the wall He sees the heart.

If a pastor cannot do anything outside of the pulpit, if he cannot see beyond the stage, or get beyond and touch the people and love them as Jesus. Good chance they were not called but took a job! Because the numbers are growing never means the people are think about that. God gave these gifts to equip, train, disciple the church for ministry.

Pastor's are to see to it this is being done and not just passing this responsibility onto a small group, or Sunday school teachers. God holds us accountable, He has made us responsible, if we truly have been called our love for the body will permeate from the stage to the people. They will feel this because their pastor has left his security behind the pulpit and has personally touched their lives.

When a pastor has no time for his flock, he is just punching a clock and doing his time. That is not a pastor! That is not a shepherd! That is not someone who has a gift or has been called to bring unity to the body. Jesus touched lives, people could feel His love no matter the size of the crowd. Do they know us more by our voice or by our touch? There is a difference!