Inform Your 'Faith'

Falling rocks. Yield. Lanes merge. Construction ahead. Red light. Green light. Stop! Motorists will encounter a number of traffic signals, such as these, when driving from point A to point B. These signals serve to enable the motorist to effectively navigate to their destination. In much the same way Scripture provides a man with a number of pastoral signals that enable him to navigate through pastoral calling. Signals that enable a man to determine whether or not he is actually called to pastoral ministry as well as signals that will enable a man to make his way through the journey of pastoral calling. (As a point of clarity  when I make reference to pastor the term elder is included in it. Elder and pastor are employed interchangeably within New Testament nomenclature).

So what are these signals? In my last blog I touched on Aspiration, Qualification and Prioritization. All irrefragable signals on the road of pastoral calling. Here are three others that stand out when perusing Scripture.

4. Cultivation

Pastoral calling is a vocation that involves gifting development, wisdom development, relational development and so forth. Every sphere of life and ministry that pastoral calling extends to or touches is a sphere that needs continual cultivation. This continues throughout a pastors life in perpetuity. There simply isn't a pastor that will ever arrive or attain perfection in calling. Paul admits to not having obtained perfection while going on to say that he "strains forward" and busies himself "pressing forward" (Phil.3:12-15). We find Peter, the rock, deviating from a lifestyle that displayed gospel (Gal.2:11-14). We find John lumping himself in with the church at Ephesus as one who will himself sin (1 John 2:1c).

Cultivating calling begins with the concession that no pastor will ever arrive. Ones calling will inexorably mature and develop throughout the duration of pastoral ministry. Paul writes Titus, "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us (Titus and Paul included) to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions..." (Titus 2:11). In much the same breath he wrote Timothy promulgating an on going training (1 Tim.4:6-9) Of course, Paul's instructions to Pastor Timothy regarding his 'gift' are unavoidable and uniquely poignant, "Do not neglect the gift you have...Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress." (1 Tim.4:14-15). All these italicized words involve progression and cultivation. Then there is the more direct reminder, " fan into flame the gift of God" (2 Tim.1:6) and exhortation to show himself as a worker approved (2 Tim.2:14-15).

Without cultivation pastoral calling will be rendered impotent and unproductive - actually, counterproductive. (Matt.25:14-30).

5. Personalization

 Pastoral ministry isn't a calling done out of dutiful obligation. Authentic calling won't be viewed as an imposition (#1) brought about by coercion or compulsion. As Peter wrote, "shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you, not for shameful gain but eagerly, not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock." (1 Peter 5:2-4). Notice the very personal verbiage. Pastoral calling involves a personal willingness, a personal eagerness and a personal example.  While there may be ambivalence involved (#1) the predominate sense and disposition will be one of personalization. A man will take  his calling to heart and make it his very own. Timothy was 'genuinely concerned' for the 'welfare' of the Philippians while Epaphraditus was personally 'longing' and 'distressed' for the Philippian church (Phil.2:20,26). Paul personally had great 'struggle' for the Colossians and Laodiceans (Col.2:1). Elsewhere, Paul, Silvanus and Timothy were described as 'being affectionately desirous' of the Thessalonians (1 Thess.2:8) while Titus had a personalized 'earnest care' for the Corinthians (2 Cor.8:16). 

While there will be times of soldiering up and doing the duty as all pastors grapple with the flesh (Rom.7:21-23) and wage warfare (Eph.6:10-18) but the personal nature of calling is so intrinsic that it will not be reduced to a mere mechanistic or technocratic endeavor . Calling is a very personal matter, ultimately, between Jesus and those called (Matt.10:1a; Acts 9:15).

6. Inspiration

The previous five signals will exude the reality or authenticity of the inspiration of pastoral calling. More to the point, I suppose, they will substantiate pastoral calling. If those signals aren't operative on some level than the inspiration of calling may be devoid. 

By inspiration I mean that pastoral calling is imbued by the Holy Spirit. Calling is a summons and gifting brought about by Christ through the inward work of the Holy Spirit. Pastoral calling cannot be manufactured or earned. One cannot strive to achieve pastoral calling. Just as the disciples were called/chosen by Christ and just as Paul was called/chosen by Christ on the road to Damascus so pastoral calling is brought about by the Holy Spirit. Acts 13 records how the Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." (13:2-3). This calling and setting occurs with pastor/elders as well. As Paul convened the elders/pastors at Ephesus he asserts, "Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God." (Acts 20:28).    

Perhaps more emphatically, we read in Ephesians that Christ actually gives pastors/teachers (the Greek construct actually combines pastor and teacher so that it actually reads pastor-teacher) to the church (Eph.4:11). And again with Timothy we find that his pastoral position is the outworking of inspiration or gifting endowed by God vis a vis the Holy Spirit (1 Tim.4:14; 2 Tim.1:6-7).

Christ and the Holy Spirit work in tandem calling pastors/elders by way of inspiration according to the will of God. Pastoral calling isn't contrived.  Of course, the church must be primed to acknowledge and recognize this calling. If a man is indubitably called the church will indubitably affirm.  How does this work. My next blog will interact with affirmation and ordination germane to pastoral calling