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? After all the road the of pastoral calling isn't successfully navigated by aspiration alone, albeit, aspiration is a signal. And it is the first signal on my list here.

A man should have a strong desire for pastoral ministry. If a man is called to ministry there will  be an inner aspiration to this ministerial post (1 Tim. 3:1). This is a compulsion born out of an  innate awareness rooted deep within the fiber of a man. An inner compulsion and resolve, to  be sure, that brought Paul to say, "...necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel."(I Cor.9:16). Now, aspiration is not always without reservation or inhibition. While serving as an elder/pastor at Ephesus Paul writes Timothy about the young  pastors inhibitions as a pastor(1 Tim. 4:12a, 2 Tim.1:6-7, 2:1-13). Moses was reticent and doubtful (Ex.3) as was Jeremiah (Jer.1:6)...not to mention Jonah. Reservation does not disqualify. On the other side of the coin, aspiration without reservation does not disqualify.  Isaiah was quick to respond to the Lord's call to ministry (Is.6:8). Paul also had an unabashed aspiration (Acts 9:20,26-30). Some men need pushed while others push themselves. Either way aspiration will be present. With that being said, aspiration without qualification (#2) ends before it begins. Aspiration will not stand on its own.

Again, aspiration will not stand on its own. Without qualification aspiration will spend itself of its own resources. Without qualification the flame of aspiration will burn its own oxygen and die out. Immediately after affirming aspiration Paul conditions aspiration saying, "Therefore, an overseer (pastor/elder) must be...(1 Tim.3:1-7;Titus 1:5-9). He than proceeds to list a number of traits for men called to pastoral ministry. Aspiration devoid of those qualifications is vacuous. Bear in mind that Paul is writing a personal letter to Pastor Timothy at Ephesus. Timothy was to use the qualifications as a template to gauge bona fide pastoral calling. Those Timothy might be considering arguably would not have seen this list. We can infer that men who are called will already be exemplifying the qualifications on some level without the prospect of ordination. A man who is called will show himself qualified without  a list to accomplish. This is important because an ambitious man with aspiration will mechanically work through the list Timothy was given without genuinely being qualified. How do pastor's differentiate? A pastoral candidate will be doing the work of a pastor without being told or without it being demanded. This doesn't negate the need for encouragement or giving such men direction. It simply means that those called to pastor will exude the quality of a pastoral heart and mind without being commanded.
  Qualification  ensures that a man will have the character and quality to endure  the pressures and anxieties of ministry lest he stumble. A man must have the character to endure the high points and benefits of the pastoral ministry as well, lest he stumble. Pastoral ministry comes with a serious gravity and weight (Acts 3:11-16,20:28-32; Rom.16:17-18; 1 Cor.1:10-17; Eph.4:11-12; 1 Tim.4:11-16, 5:17-22; James 3:1, et al.)  that qualification reveals a man to be able to honestly handle and carry. This doesn't mean pastors will handle their calling perfectly but that they will handle their calling faithfully.

3. Prioritization

This is the practical outworking of aspiration and qualification. Pastoral ministry and all that it entails necessarily involves priorities. Aspiration and qualification feed prioritization. What is prioritization? It is a personal commitment to re-order ones life so as to devote the necessary energy and time to the pastoral calling. When Christ calls His disciples, for instance, we find them re-ordering their respective affairs. James and John had to make a decision appertaining to how their choice to follow Christ in the ministry would effect the family business (Mark 1:16-20). The same passage records Peter and Andrew having to take similar measures germane to personal business as well. Peter and Andrew had household affairs that were effected by their calling to ministry (Mark 1:29-31). Now, pastoral calling beyond the apostolate (the Apostles) does not take on the same degree of priority of course. The demands on the apostles do not carry over into the pastorate, strictly speaking. However, the aforementioned principles of priority germane to the disciples/apostles still do extend into the pastorate.  This often involves dictating our schedules and consequently, family schedules in a manner that serves the ministry while not sacrificing ones family on the horns of the alter of pastoral calling. Yes, this is easier said than done. And, as your breathing slows to normal, it will not be done perfectly which is why there is an ebb and flow of prioritization throughout ones pastoral tenure. That is the nature of  prioritization. It necessarily involves re-prioritization  depending on seasons and times.