Ministry Offices ~ The Fingers of God ~ Pastors

It seems that the Offices of Apostle, Prophet and Evangelist get less criticism by God than the Office of Pastor & Teacher.  The shepherds, guardians and trainers of His flock!  If you are called to either of these two offices, God just raised the bar on you.

All of the ministry offices are held to the exalted high standards of God with the maturity in the fruits of the Spirit in evidence.  However, a pastor and a teacher are held to even stricter standards because they influence God’s sheep.  All of the offices are in covenant with God, but these are in covenant with God and His church. 

The Lord’s protection of His flock is like none other and those who stand in the Offices of Pastor & Teacher take note.  God has harsh words for those who have questionable motives and hidden agendas!  Integrity of heart and the purest of intentions, gifted with wisdom should be the cornerstone.   All who have been called to these ministries should read the thirty fourth chapter of Ezekiel, which details how the Lord will deal with irresponsible shepherds.

Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: “As I live,” says the Lord God, “surely because My flock became a prey, and My flock became food for every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, nor did My shepherds search for My flock, but the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock”— therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My flock at their hand; I will cause them to cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall feed themselves no more; for I will deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for them.”  (Ezekiel 34:7-10).

The Office of Pastor ~ is the fourth finger on the Hand of God.  It represents the ring finger, symbolizing the keeping of the covenant with the Lord and His church.  A ring is evidence of a covenant; authority (as in “a signet ring”); and eternity (unending).  After the evangelist stands tall like the middle digit calling the nations to Christ and the harvest comes in then, the pastor’s job starts.

Shepherd the flock of God, which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.  (1 Peter 5:2-3).

Ok, I’m going to make an opinion here, and it’s only my opinion.  But how can one person love and shepherd a flock of hundreds or thousands?  If that’s the case, perhaps they’re not a pastor but an evangelist or a great teacher?  A shepherd loves and cares for their entrusted sheep.  In fact, should know them by name.  

I struggle with this concept because of my history at a mega church which I feel is an anomaly in the Body of Christ.  And though there are (sub) pastors assigned to different parts of a flock, too many are not under the authority as the Lord would command.  Again, just my thoughts.

Therefore, take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.  (Acts 20:28).

“The biblical qualifications of pastor are outlined in two primary New Testament passages, 1 Timothy 3:1–7 and Titus 1:5–9. There are terms used interchangeably in the New Testament to refer the highest office in a church: elder, bishop, overseer, and pastor (which means “shepherd”) all refer to the same office.”  What are the biblical qualifications of a pastor? | GotQuestions.org

This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover, he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 1 Timothy 3:1-7.

For this reason, I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you— if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.  Titus 1:5-9.

What gifts of the Holy Spirit operate consistently in a pastor?

“The Holy Spirit gives the Office of Pastor to the church to humbly teach them, guide them, protect them, and to lead them in the mission that God has for His church, namely the Great Commission. The pastor loves the Gospel of Jesus Christ and puts it at the center of his life and ministry.” From: spiritualgiftstest.com/spiritual-gift-pastor-shepherd.

With the main function of a pastor as an overseer and leader, I sense the following spiritual gifts necessary.  The Word of Wisdom (to discern danger to the sheep); the Word of Knowledge (to illuminate the scriptures for leading/teaching); and prophecy (to forthtell the Word of the Lord) bringing revelation to the flock.