PASTORING WITHOUT TEARS: Managing God's People - Part 8

Helping believers grow into God's plan and purpose is our core duty. Christian maturity is when a believer now knows why God brought him/her to earth. 

Your job is to make ministers out of new converts. Make leaders out of 'ordinary' Christians. Help then find and function in God's plan. 

If you notice you're not converting dormant Christians to committed and dedicated Christians you'll need to sit down and cross examine yourself. 

Ephesians 4:11-14

[11]And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

[12]For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

[13]Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

[14]That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

Verse 11 tells us of what we generally call the fivefold ministry. Verse 12 tells us of their job description. And the duty of the saints - the work of ministry.

The work of ministry is for all Christians not for Pastors only. We're all called to win souls and disciple them into maturity. The great commission is for us all not for title holders or the fivefold ministers. 

Your primary assignment is to equip (perfect) the saints and make ministers of the Gospel out of them. Every believer is a minister of the Gospel.

The work of ministry is for the saints. The work of the Pastor is to train the saints and send them forth to do the work of ministry. 

This is the primary responsibility of every local Church Pastor. It is what the great commission means. God will judge us leaders on this ground. 

David took some vagabonds and made warriors out of them. Jesus took some illiterates and made mighty Apostles out of them. What are you doing with the ones in your care right now? 

There should be remarkable transformations of lives who come around you. Their lives should become better and improved. 

Your pastoral work should take weak, unbelieving, struggling Christians to maturity and spiritual stability. And make them fruitful in kingdom business. 

Nobody should be allowed to be idle in your Church. Get them involved. Pray and teach them into commitment to kingdom work. The way you persuade and compel people to give, compel them to serve. 

The ultimate purpose of salvation is service to God. We're all saved to serve. Make everyone serve. 

Your faith and anointing is not only for healing the sick, it's also persuading power to compel men into kingdom work. 

The goal of pastoring is to bring men to "the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ". 

This takes time and effort. Put in all the time and patience required. Your reward is sure. 

Kevin Ashwe