Preach the Word!

2 Timothy 4:2

God’s call to pastors is a gift to the church. Remembering the church is not a building, but rather a unification of individuals; the church is a flock of sheep in need of a shepherd. The shepherd has great demands from the flock: preach the truth, be persistent under all circumstances, and preach with conviction, warning, and appeal. As God’s speakers do his work, they are required to be patient and wait for results, as well as opposition. Not everything a pastor says is received with 100% approval. However, it is a pastor’s obligation to give an explanation and application of Bible doctrine, and not just recite Bible stories coupled with illustrations. Just as a pastor is obligated to preach and lead the flock, the church is obligated to support its pastor(s) and love upon them just as they love upon the church.

1. We often fall short of understanding the duties God has placed upon pastors. When was the last time you simply thanked a pastor for being God’s speaker?

2. Reflect upon a time when you may have disagreed with a sermon or a conversation with a pastor. Was your disagreement based upon interpretation of scripture, or was it your own conviction and guilt?

Challenge: Every year we have Pastor Appreciation Week. A week when we express our gratitude for their service, allow them the freedom to preach about anything they desire and usually prepare some sort of tasty treat. Our pastors love upon us daily. They console our failures and shortcomings, support us with joy and praise in our successes, and lend an attentive ear when we simply need to vent frustrations. The greatest show of gratitude a pastor could receive just may be following the lessons they teach. Your challenge is to devote yourself to understanding and following the lessons they teach us, just as we are called to do in scripture.