What Are Your Priorities As A Pastor?

A WORD FROM PASTOR STEVE

In continuation of the Question and Answer Series in my weekly email for the month of September, today I will answer the question:

What are your priorities as a pastor?

1. Living a life of holiness before the Lord, my family, and our congregation (1 Tim. 3:17; Titus 1:5-9). In the words of Scottish minister Robert Murray M'Cheyne, “My people’s greatest need is my personal holiness.” Additionally, all Christians are instructed to be holy as Christ is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16). Putting on the character of Christ is the foremost priority for me as a believer and pastor.

2. Preaching and teaching the Word of God (2 Tim. 4:1-4). As a pastor, my primary task is to "feed the sheep" (John 21:17). Do you know how long it takes to prepare an average sermon? Renowned preacher Dr. Haddon Robinson said the experienced preachers he surveyed spent an average of 16 hours preparing one sermon. I strive to give Christ-exalting sermons by preaching the Bible in context with the help of the Holy Spirit.

3. Shepherding the souls of God’s people on their journey into Christlikeness (1 Pet. 5:2-4). Shepherds should smell like sheep, which means that pastors should be personally involved in the lives of their congregation. As a pastor, I weep and rejoice with people, correct gently, and encourage at every opportunity. My goal is to love you and help you become more like Christ in whatever circumstances surround you.

4. Guarding the local church from spiritual wolves and false doctrine (Acts 20:28-29; 2 Tim. 4:3,4). It has been said of British pastor Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones that he was “a lion in the pulpit and a lamb outside of it.” In this age of technology, access to a variety of teachers and preachers is prolific. Unfortunately, there a number of them who teach a false gospel while claiming to be Christian. Part of my responsibility as your pastor is to guard the truth of God's Word and warn God’s people about false doctrine and false teachers.

5. Equipping the saints for the work of the ministry (Eph. 4:11-12). The word “equipping” in Ephesians 4:12 is also used in Matthew 4:21 and Mark 1:19 for mending fishing nets. Pastoral ministry is not just about going fishing by myself. My work as a pastor is to fix your spiritual nets so that we can all go fishing for the lost together.

6. Mentoring young ministers to continue the kingdom work. (2 Tim. 2:2) A motivating question I keep in my mind is, "What am I doing for God now that will be around in 75 years?" In response, I spend time every week investing in the lives of young ministers. The health of the future church and the spreading of the gospel of Christ, in part, rests on the ministers we are developing today.

Although there are many other aspects of pastoral life, these are the Biblical principles that determine my priorities. It is a joy to serve God alongside of you and make His name known throughout the Cayman Islands and the rest of the world!

In Christ,
Pastor Steve