How do you 'pastor' somebody?

[Esaias]

Hearing a lot of talk about 'pastoring' people.

So... for all you pastors...how do you 'pastor' somebody?

Specifically, what is involved?

[Steve Epley]

First comes the call and burden.
Your burden is to pray for their spiritual well being and seek God for messages that will perfect-encourage-and bless them.
You watch for their souls to lead-admonish-and yes sometimes to reprove and rebuke them to keep them in the narrow path.
You are grieved when you see them making wrong decisions that will affect adversely themselves and their families.
God has placed you in their lives to feed them which means to care for them. Simple but there it is.

[Esaias]

Here is a good bible study of the subject of 'pastors'.

http://www.bibleanswerstand.org/pastors.htm

[MissBrattified]

Originally Posted by Steve Epley

First comes the call and burden.
Your burden is to pray for their spiritual well being and seek God for messages that will perfect-encourage-and bless them.
You watch for their souls to lead-admonish-and yes sometimes to reprove and rebuke them to keep them in the narrow path.
You are grieved when you see them making wrong decisions that will affect adversely themselves and their families.
God has placed you in their lives to feed them which means to care for them. Simple but there it is.

Spoken like a man with a pastor's heart--my Dad would have given a similar answer. I believe that most pastors feel this way. The bad apples are a lot fewer and farther between than people might think.

[MissBrattified]

Originally Posted by Esaias

Here is a good bible study of the subject of 'pastors'.

http://www.bibleanswerstand.org/pastors.htm

That looks like a good study, but isn't it more interesting to read replies from the pastors on this board? I think you learn a lot more when you listen to people speak from their hearts. One person's perspective on what should comprise pastoring is going to have subjective value, depending on the already established views of the reader.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

That looks like a good study, but isn't it more interesting to read replies from the pastors on this board? I think you learn a lot more when you listen to people speak from their hearts. One person's perspective on what should comprise pastoring is going to have subjective value, depending on the already established views of the reader.

The problem is most 'pastors' on this board do not seem to match the biblical definition of 'pastor', in that most pastors on this board believe in and support the 'one man, one church' sole pastorship model rather than the biblical model.

As a result, their views as to what a pastor's job is, will likely be biased towards the particular model they are part of.

Brother Epley's response demonstrates his concern for the spiritual well-being of the people who look to him as their shepherd. However, I can't help but think that brother Epley has limited himself because of his views on the nature of eldership, oversight, church structure, etc.

My personal experience has been that 'pastors' generally are focused on two things - Doing good sermons, and making sure everybody in the church is paying tithes and not rocking the boat. The pastor has 'the vision' for the church, everybody else is a helpmate to achieve his vision. Anyone who has a different 'vision' is invited to find another church (or worse...). I have personally known pastors who are wonderful Christians, and others who seem to be nothing more than hired help, managers running a business, but I have never seen a church functioning Biblically, with a plurality of elders having the oversight and teaching house to house (ie spending time with each family or household teaching them sound doctrine).

As someone pointed out on the other thread... 'who pastors the pastor?'

[tv1a]

I teach people and let them fly. Not a good legalists methodology.

[Abiding Now]

Originally Posted by tv1a

I teach people and let them fly. Not a good legalists methodology.

Joh 10:12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

Joh 10:13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

[n david]

Originally Posted by Esaias

So... for all you pastors...how do you 'pastor' somebody?

Specifically, what is involved?

Well, I'm not a Pastor, (can I get an Amen and Hallelujah!?) but I'm pretty sure it involves some yelling, beating on the pulpit with your fist, spitting a lot of saliva on the microphone, demanding an offering and berating anyone who's unable to give, requiring members to submit their work and vacation schedules, and taking from the offering to build a retirement account or buy a large home/multiple automobiles/go on vacation, etc.

At least, that's what I've learned from reading different posts on here.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by n david

Well, I'm not a Pastor, (can I get an Amen and Hallelujah!?) but I'm pretty sure it involves some yelling, beating on the pulpit with your fist, spitting a lot of saliva on the microphone, demanding an offering and berating anyone who's unable to give, requiring members to submit their work and vacation schedules, and taking from the offering to build a retirement account or buy a large home/multiple automobiles/go on vacation, etc.

At least, that's what I've learned from reading different posts on here.