Duties Of The Church Toward The Pastor

DUTIES OF THE CHURCH TOWARD THE PASTOR

I TIMOTHY 5:17-19

September 2, 2007, SUN a.m.

Sometimes people has no knowledge and understanding of the fact that the church has a great responsibilities to the pastor since they thought that the pastor is God’s servants, only hired just to take care of their needs.

If there are duties of the Pastor to the church likewise there are also scriptural duties of the church toward their pastor.

These are the seven basic duties of church toward its pastor:

I- SUPPORT YOUR PASTOR

It was a touching story how Aaron and Hur stayed by the side of Moses, their leader, and held up his hands.”—Exodus 17:8-13.

In a survey taken after a question asked several preachers, “What causes most to quit?” One of the most prominent answers was, “A lack of following.”

Several ways a congregation can support its pastor:

1. Support him in his programs

2. Support him in prayer—II Thessalonians 3:2; Romans 15:30-31; Ephesians 6:18-19

3. Support him by not making unscriptural demands, such as demanding that he visit you personally on a regular basis, or by making demands on his wife.

II- TAKE CARE OF YOUR PASTOR

Another answer given to the question “What causes most to quit?” is “Financial pressures”. Financial pressure should not be the cause for a man giving up the ministry. If one does so, then perhaps the problem, is that he was not really called of God in the first place. However, financial struggles make his ministry, in fulfilling his duties towards God and the church, far more difficult.

In I Corinthians 9:13-14, Paul mentions those ministers of holy things which refer to the Levites (Deuteronomy 26:10-13) and priests (Deuteronomy 26:2-4). The holy things Paul is talking about are the tithes (Leviticus 27:30) and the first fruit (Leviticus 23:20). Paul stated that they live of the things of the temple like those who are partakers with the altar as the priests takes the first fruit from the basket and set it down before the altar (Deuteronomy 26:2-4,10) and the tithes are given to and received by the Levites for the living (Deuteronomy 26:12-13). These Old Testament principles and practice is carried

over into the New Testament when Paul said “,Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.”

The pastors are referred to as elders, the Bible says in I Timothy 5:17-18, “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.” There is a special reason why Pastors must be given double honor because they teach and preach the Word of God. The statement “worthy of double honor” makes it clear when the scriptures says he is “worthy of his reward.”

A Godly rule that every church should have concerning the financial care of its pastor, should be to, “Pay him as much as we can, not the least we can get by with.” Free him of financial struggle as much as possible. The church should remember that the pastor’s duties and responsibilities are far heavier than the duties and responsibilities of any members in their particular jobs. His is the highest calling and the most important task in all the world. As far as possible, pay him accordingly.

Instead of feeling envy help the Pastor

Instead of thinking evil against him give him gifts.

III- OBEY YOUR PASTOR

In Hebrew 13:7, the church should recognized and respect them which they God given authority that “rule over” them. The Bible says remember the human speaker who spoke not words of men but “spoken unto you the word of God.” The one reason we need to obey the Pastor because he himself “follow” what he teaches and we need to make his “conversation” or lifestyle as example to follow.

In Hebrews 13:17 it says “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves:” The word here “Obey” in greek is “peitho” means to convince, to rely, agree, believe, have confidence, trust, yield. Both words “obey” and “submit” has something to do with the authority given by God to the God called man. The church should and must obey him for he has an eternal responsibility and accountable before God

for he “watch for your souls, as they that must give account,”. If you disobey him it can give him “grief that is unprofitable for you.”

Paul said, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”—I Corinthians 11:1. Nothing to be ashamed to say “I am followers of man who follow God.”

The proof that someone truly received the Word of God with the joy of the Holy Ghost is when he followed both the Lord and the God called man—I Thessalonians 1:6.