Marnie Posted August 10, 2007 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 811 Topics Per Day: 0.12 Content Count: 7,338 Content Per Day: 1.08 Reputation: 76 Days Won: 2 Joined: 10/06/2005 Status: Offline Share Posted August 10, 2007 I know I am not the only pastor's wife at Worthy, so I know at least a handful of us can relate to this. My husband is a pretty laid back guy, but takes his responsibilities as a pastor very seriously and I see how those responsibilities are both a source of great joy and at the same time, a great burden. Who does the pastor, any pastor, unburden himself to? Who ministers to the minister? John Piper offers the following teaching on the subject, and I think it is outstanding. Excerpts-- First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol R Posted August 10, 2007 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 27 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 705 Content Per Day: 0.11 Reputation: 7 Days Won: 0 Joined: 04/01/2007 Status: Offline Birthday: 11/23/1958 Share Posted August 10, 2007 Yes I agree 100% Carol R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingwalker Posted August 10, 2007 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 1 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 970 Content Per Day: 0.14 Reputation: 11 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/20/2005 Status: Offline Share Posted August 10, 2007 Thank you Marnie for sharing this insight. You too are a wonderful minister to us at Worthy. Thank you for you words of wisdom and encouragement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WayneB Posted August 10, 2007 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 4 Topic Count: 232 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 7,261 Content Per Day: 0.96 Reputation: 79 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/30/2003 Status: Offline Birthday: 12/19/1959 Share Posted August 10, 2007 Those are just some of the ways to minister to your pastor. You think of others. Minister is an interesting word. Many people have come to associate the word with clerical duties but it so much more. The root word in Latin means to serve. "To attend to the wants and needs of others." We ALL have a responsibility to work in the Father's vineyard... to serve HIM... and when we serve to the needs of others, we are doing just that. One observation though? Too many pastors set themselves up as "master" and in doing so expect to be served. They forget they are servants as well. You can tell easily in the titles they use and the way they conduct church business. I know of one pastor who even had a foot washing ceremony in his church BUT rather than wash the feet of his congregants, he had them wash his. We should ALL "minister" to one another regardless of our position in the church.... and that includes our pastors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickilynn Posted August 10, 2007 Group: Royal Member Followers: 2 Topic Count: 138 Topics Per Day: 0.02 Content Count: 3,997 Content Per Day: 0.63 Reputation: 19 Days Won: 0 Joined: 02/13/2007 Status: Offline Share Posted August 10, 2007 Shalom Marnie, Good stuff. Really good stuff. G-d bless Mike and your ministry. I would like to add some comments if'n you don't mind. 1) The pastor needs men to be accountable to. Whether its elders, other pastors etc., the pastor needs accountability as each of us do. When being interviewed a famous pastor who had committed adultery stated that one of the problems of the church today is the lack of accountability among pastors. And that pastor stated that he had no one outside his congregation that he could confide in, bring his own struggles to etc. Pray for that man or men in your pastor's life, that man or men that can speak G-d's Word into your pastor's life. Also, the pastor himself may feel more comfortable going outside the congregation to another pastor or minister to share his burdens. 2) Pray for the pastor's wife. This will help your pastor immensely. She has a very, very important role in the ministry (as she does within the marriage) and G-d placed her within the marriage to be a help in the ministry. The pastor's wife has a lot of responsibility as well, not only towards her husband the man and his needs as well as her family's needs, but towards him as a pastor and his ministry needs. The pastor's wife has burdens as part of the ministry as well, yet many times, she is overlooked by all except her husband and those that know her. Please pray for the pastor's wife and you will be helping not only her, but her husband and his ministry. For in actuality it is THEIR ministry, but in different roles. 3) Support his time with his family and away from the church. Most pastors are on call 24/7 with prayer, visitations, phone calls, emergencies, illness, death, not to mention the hours and hours of study and preparation and sometimes the administration duties as well. When the pastor needs some time to retreat and be with Jesus alone, support that. When the pastor needs to take some time with his family in a vacation or retreat, support that. Some people within the church resent when the pastor takes time to retreat. We, as the people of the congregation should not only support, but encourage those times as the pastor needs to be filled and re-filled and needs time spent with the L-rd and his family to be a better pastor and not burn out. 4) Let him and his family know how much you love them. Bless them in tangible ways if there is a need within the family or home. If not, just bless them with love and perhaps expressions of appreciation. I also wanted to say that I would not ever "admonish" my pastor, I don't believe that is my responsibility or role as a woman. I would pray and bring it to my husband to handle with the pastor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheoMike Posted August 10, 2007 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 9 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 499 Content Per Day: 0.08 Reputation: 3 Days Won: 0 Joined: 01/21/2007 Status: Offline Birthday: 01/27/1964 Share Posted August 10, 2007 Piper is such a great Bible teacher. Vickilynn's comments are right on! Accountability is so important in the ministry since so many of us don't punch a time clock and don't answer to anybody. I have always made it a policy to have regular office hours, no matter how large or how small my church was. My congregation always knows where to find me on any given day, at any given time. As a pastor, I appreciated Wayne's as well. If I am permitted an observation, the pastor is first and foremost a servant of God, assigned to shepherd the hearts of a particular congregation. He should never allow the board or the biggest tithers to dictate how much he works or what he preaches on or when he is allowed vacation time or how long his wife's skirts should be (yes, it happens, believe me). Wise is the pastor who is able to discern or differentiate between those offering genuine, heartfelt, constructive criticism from those troublemakers that so often infest our churches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WayneB Posted August 10, 2007 Group: Worthy Ministers Followers: 4 Topic Count: 232 Topics Per Day: 0.03 Content Count: 7,261 Content Per Day: 0.96 Reputation: 79 Days Won: 0 Joined: 08/30/2003 Status: Offline Birthday: 12/19/1959 Share Posted August 10, 2007 As a pastor, I appreciated Wayne's as well. If I am permitted an observation, the pastor is first and foremost a servant of God, assigned to shepherd the hearts of a particular congregation. He should never allow the board or the biggest tithers to dictate how much he works or what he preaches on or when he is allowed vacation time or how long his wife's skirts should be (yes, it happens, believe me). Wise is the pastor who is able to discern or differentiate between those offering genuine, heartfelt, constructive criticism from those troublemakers that so often infest our churches. Well spoken brother. We need more pastors like you. May the Lord Bless you and your ministry richly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floatingaxe Posted August 10, 2007 Group: Royal Member Followers: 3 Topic Count: 62 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 9,613 Content Per Day: 1.45 Reputation: 656 Days Won: 9 Joined: 03/11/2006 Status: Offline Birthday: 05/31/1952 Share Posted August 10, 2007 As a pastor, I appreciated Wayne's as well. If I am permitted an observation, the pastor is first and foremost a servant of God, assigned to shepherd the hearts of a particular congregation. He should never allow the board or the biggest tithers to dictate how much he works or what he preaches on or when he is allowed vacation time or how long his wife's skirts should be (yes, it happens, believe me). Wise is the pastor who is able to discern or differentiate between those offering genuine, heartfelt, constructive criticism from those troublemakers that so often infest our churches. Exactly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittylover0991 Posted August 10, 2007 Group: Royal Member Followers: 1 Topic Count: 490 Topics Per Day: 0.07 Content Count: 2,726 Content Per Day: 0.37 Reputation: 5 Days Won: 0 Joined: 05/06/2004 Status: Offline Birthday: 02/25/1990 Share Posted August 10, 2007 Wow, amen Marnie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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