Pastor Appreciation Month

[KeptByTheWord]

Ezekiel 34 is a chapter all those who call themselves shepherds/pastors should read.

I have one GREAT shepherd and his name is Christ. Ezekiel 34:30-31 "Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel are my people, saith the Lord God. And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord."

We are his flock, his sheep, and Jesus Christ is our true shepherd. He is the head and we are the body. All of us are ministers.... we are all called with gifts, and callings... not just "preachers" or "pastors" ....

Romans 12:4-8

4For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:

5So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

6Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

7Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;

8Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

You see... there are more gifts mentioned here than the "favorite" scripture in Ephesians 4:11

1. Prophecy
2. Ministry
3. Teaching
4. Exhortation
5. Giving
6. Ruling
7. Mercy.

Each spirit filled believer has a ministry, and a calling... and I forever will not understand why we have to lift "one man, one pastor, one preacher" up for a whole month.... when we are all supposed to be about the business of spreading the gospel, and working in the body of Christ together.

Of course, I know that there has to be leadership, and that we are to respect the leadership in the church. But the leadership mentioned by Paul was always in the plural, and never in the singular.

[Titus2woman]

Originally Posted by KeptByTheWord

Ezekiel 34 is a chapter all those who call themselves shepherds/pastors should read.

I have one GREAT shepherd and his name is Christ. Ezekiel 34:30-31 "Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel are my people, saith the Lord God. And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord."

We are his flock, his sheep, and Jesus Christ is our true shepherd. He is the head and we are the body. All of us are ministers.... we are all called with gifts, and callings... not just "preachers" or "pastors" ....

Romans 12:4-8

4For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:

5So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

6Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

7Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;

8Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

You see... there are more gifts mentioned here than the "favorite" scripture in Ephesians 4:11

1. Prophecy
2. Ministry
3. Teaching
4. Exhortation
5. Giving
6. Ruling
7. Mercy.

Each spirit filled believer has a ministry, and a calling... and I forever will not understand why we have to lift "one man, one pastor, one preacher" up for a whole month.... when we are all supposed to be about the business of spreading the gospel, and working in the body of Christ together.

Of course, I know that there has to be leadership, and that we are to respect the leadership in the church. But the leadership mentioned by Paul was always in the plural, and never in the singular.

I love this. And really why would any healthy person want to take on the challenge of being the be all end all person for hundreds of people?

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by KeptByTheWord

You see... there are more gifts mentioned here than the "favorite" scripture in Ephesians 4:11

1. Prophecy
2. Ministry
3. Teaching
4. Exhortation
5. Giving
6. Ruling
7. Mercy.

Each spirit filled believer has a ministry, and a calling... and I forever will not understand why we have to lift "one man, one pastor, one preacher" up for a whole month.... when we are all supposed to be about the business of spreading the gospel, and working in the body of Christ together.

I like this. Coming out of the Catholic Church, it was never desirable for me to have to kiss another ring or hand in the way we were taught.

[AreYouReady?]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

I like this. Coming out of the Catholic Church, it was never desirable for me to have to kiss another ring or hand in the way we were taught.

Heh. Good explanation. Is that what happened to me when I left the RCC?

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by AreYouReady?

Heh. Good explanation. Is that what happened to me when I left the RCC?

LOL! The thing is, people don't have a clue how we feel about that. It does effect your view when joining another organization. I haven't met many pastors that didn't have some degree of an entitlement mentality. Have to exclude BT, as he seems to be a genuinely nice and pleasant person.

I have also met saints in leadership with an entitlement mentality.

I've been watching some WW2 documentaries of late, and have read a lot about WW2 in the past. It always brings to mind that an unimportant man/woman take on a lot of self-importance when given a leadership position. Much like satan, power is a delightful thing to obtain.

One documentary talked about one of the Nazi women, who came from a farm, was uneducated, put in charge of the women's camp and was completely sadistic. She loved it because it gave her a sense of power and importance.

I also believe our demanding, materialistic culture to produce also drives a person to succeed at whatever the cost.