Becoming a pastor

[Willa]

Earnest is so very right. It starts with your own relationship with God and spending time in fellowship with Him.

Should you feel God leading you to be a pastor, are you already leading a small group Bible study? Should that be successful, it would be confirmitation of the call into the ministry.

Often when God calls people to do a thing they can't help but do the same type of thing now. God's love compells them. You should not become a pastor because of the error of others. It should be because God's compassion for the lost, the sheep without a shepherd, will allow you to do nothing else. An easy way to begin a study would be to use a Navigators bible study or the 10 Basic Steps series by Campus Crusade. Or you might offer to help in a high school or middle school sunday school class. If God causes it to grow, you are on the right track. Are you serving at a local mission? Are you already witnessing to others what God has done in your own life to make you a new creature? Are people drawn to you for Godly counsel, prayer or advice? My own church watches people to see what they are presently doing to determine the ministry God has called them into.

Are you already serving in what ever capacity you can in a local church? You can help to set up chairs or to clean up afterward. GOD CHOOSES PEOPLE WHO ARE SERVENTS.

[Greg Bradley]

Hello Mike,

 

I can appreciate that you are feeling called by God to become a pastor.  You have asked for advice, so let me point out a few things.  I won't question whether or not you are actually being called by God to become a pastor.  If God is calling you, then He will make it happen.  The point is to not strive about it.  Striving is trying to make something happen by your own strength, willfulness or determination.  Whatever God purposes, He will accomplish in His own timing and by His chosen method.  So, there is no need to strive about becoming a pastor, because in all likelihood, your efforts will probably be conflicting with God's Will for your life.  If you want to hold onto your feeling of being called to be a pastor, then hold onto it and rejoice that God is in control.  Being a pastor is a very unique calling.  In its purest definition, a pastor shepherds his flock.  He is devoted to the edification of his flock.  Ideally, he should spend enough time to get to knowing each and every member of his flock, their needs, their hopes, their relationship with our Lord, their callings and how he can help them. If your flock is about 100-200 believers, it will consume all of your time to minister to them.  You will have to become a servant to all of them, not someone who is exalted on a pedestal. The most important thing about being a pastor is what I have read in most of the replies to your question thus far:  The consensus is clear that your relationship with God needs to flourish first.  Your testimony of what God has done in your life is what your true ministry is about.  Your lifestyle will speak louder than any sermon you could possibly give.  Having compassion for all who you encounter is a big key to impacting people.  We are called to a lifestyle of Love and without that Love, we end up spinning our wheels just like what is mentioned in the Book of Revelation concerning the church of Ephesus.

 

Mike, open your heart to be shown by God what He wants to show you first.  It won't be how to become a pastor.  It will be how to really connect with Him, how to walk in the empowering of God's Spirit, how to hear clearly from Him.  When you walk daily in agape, having no fear and feeling the very presence of God within your heart, then people will see that God is truly within you.  God will draw them to you because He will be drawing them to Himself.  When that day comes, you'll be ready for a flock to be entrusted to you and God will make it happen, if that is indeed your calling.

 

So, Mike, don't even worry about being a pastor.  As it has been mentioned by others, spend your time now, learning how to minister to whoever you run across by allowing God to be your Teacher about Grace, Love and forgiveness.  But, don't just learn about it, live it in the Spirit of God.  That's why we have the Comforter.

 

God Bless you, my brother, Mike.

Agape,

Greg

[Preparing the Bride]

John 15:5 - I am the vine, you are the branches. The one who abides in me while I abide in him produces much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 

Galatians 5:22-23 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.

Matthew 7:20 - So by their fruit you will know them.

 

My advice to anyone who is called to a role in ministry is grow fruit first. I've witnessed too many ministers with very little or no good fruit, which does more damage than good.

If you want to share Christ, then know Christ first.

[CurtisCWilson]

 

1Co 1:26  For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 

1Co 1:27  But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 

1Co 1:28  God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,

1Co 1:29  so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 

 

Brother you are in good company here. It does not require a street smart or a worldly smart person to be used of God. In fact that is not a requirement, and is more of a hindrance as that is part of the flesh.The Lord uses thoses who are willing to offer himself to him as a living sacrifice. Remember when you are weak, then he is strong. You will not find anyone in the Bible who the Lord used mightily who would give credit to having a great education or good speaking abilities, in fact you find the opposite. The Apostle Paul said that he had labored more than any man, but then he says, yet it was not me, but the grace of God.

 

1Co 15:10  But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 

 

The Apostle Paul knew that all of his work he did, and all the Words the Lord spoke through him did not come from himself, but the grace of God that was in him.

​Even the Son of God, Jesus Christ confessed that his Words were not his but His Father that was dwelling inside him. If you are willing to let the Lord use you, you can not go wrong.

[Dele]

GOD s will for our lives ll definitely play itself out,as long as our hearts are in right standing with HIM,thats what matters, the state of our hearts with him, leave GOD to do the worrying,you just play your part of serving HIM and loving HIM, GOD BLESS you

[LanceA]

Hey Mike, I think someone mentioned Charis Bible College in this thread.  I am attending Charis and I'm 42.  I am in the first year program online and after that will see where God leads me.  The second and third year has to be done at the college.  It is a great program and during the second year you get to do a missions trip.  Third year program is more specific to what you want, missions, ministry, media and business.  They have extension schools as well throughout the US so you might have one close to you.

 

Lance

[LadyKay]

I don't really have any advice so to say. But what you are saying is very much what happen to my pastor. He got the calling to be a pastor at the age of 45. He hated school and did not want to have to go back and study more. He tried to fight the calling but God would not stop calling him. He obeyed God's calling, went back to school while he was working, and just a few years ago became a full pastor. If God is calling you to do something then he will be there to help you do it. Look at Moses what God wanted him to do. Moses was afraid and did not think he could do what God was wanting him to do. But God helped him. 

 

 

 

[Jean74]

Praying for you Mike. Just seek the Lord. And His will and way for your life. As you do that, all else will fall into place.

[Starry]

blessings to you brother mike:)
can i post a  comment  even if im not a pastor?
( i assume it would be ok:))

you are God's mouthpiece and God doesnt call the qualified, He qualifies the called. (not my words:)

 

Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit (Zech 4:6)

[Maine_FF/EMT]

Mike,

 

Once upon a time I thought I was called to be a pastor, the key in that sentence is I with a lack of God. Since then I have realized that is not the case, and have developed a little bit of a pet peave about the phrase "I feel called to ministry."

 

Others have mentioned we are all called to ministry, to "go and make disciples of all nations."

 

Many people quote Jeremiah 29:11 when they talk about God having plans for our lives, but often forget 29:13 which says "you will seek me and you will find me, when you seek me with all your heart." We talk about God's will for our lives, but forget the part where we have to make an effort. I also believe that we often get caught up in emotions, pride, glamor, etc. and claim that we are "called" to ministry roles such as Pastor, Youth Pastor, Missionary, but we forget to continue to seek God with all our heart. If you truly believe that you are called to be pastor, then by all means, answer that calling. But I also encourage you to actively seek God with your whole heart, and seek out His will and leading in your life every day. 

 

God Bless