What Makes A Great Pastor?

[Esther]

A great pastor must first have a great relationship with God.

1. Spend much time in prayer.
2. Spend much time in the Word.
3. Fast when he can.
4. Be available to his people.

I think the more time spent on #1 will require less time spent on #4.

A man spending time with God building a relationship first with God will give him the wisdom to pastor, the peace to take the troubles to the Lord instead of trying to carry them himself. That makes it healthy for both him, his family and his flock.

Spending much time in prayer develops deeper love than can be shared with the flock teaching them to love.

Spending much time in the Word, gives him wisdom to answer the questions of the flock.

But this is not necessarily the normal, but I do believe there are pastors out there that do follow this creed.

[Digging4Truth]

The same thing that makes a great parent...

Someone who ultimate goal is work themselves out of a job.

As a parent.. my greatest goal is to work myself out of a job.

I want to teach my kids to be self sufficient.
I want to teach my kids to stand on their own.
I want to teach my kids to think for themselves.
I want to teach my kids to live responsibly.
I want to teach my kids to be such strong people that I work myself out of a job.

[Nahum]

Originally Posted by Coonskinner

I wish it were, but I have lived long enough to know better.

The absolute first requirement that would be utterly non-negotiable if I were looking for a church for my family to attend would be a pastor who preaches Truth.

I can survive a less than winsome personality, people skills that aren't great, preaching and oratory that doesn't go over the top, etc. but the one thing absolutely necessary is that he must preach to me and my children the Truth of God's Word without fear or favor.

I think people who leave truth preaching churches and go somewhere else because of a "better" program, or bigger youth group, or whatever, and think they can just teach their kids at home the proper doctrine to contradict what they hear at their new "progressive" church are stupid, plain and simple.

I totally agree with you. It's amazing what some will sacrifice for a little pleasure. Kids, doctrine, relationship with God; it would be just as easy for them to join the local Moose Lodge. Same results.

[Tina]

The perfect pastor preaches exactly 10 minutes.

He condemns sin roundly but never hurts anyone's feelings.

He works from 8 AM until midnight and is also the church janitor.

The perfect pastor makes $40 a week, wears good clothes, drives a good car, buys good books, and donates $30 a week to the church.

He is 29 years old and has 40 years experience.

He never forgets a name and spends most of his time praying to God.

Above all, he is handsome.

He also knows when somebody is sick and needs visitation even without anyone telling him about it.

He loves to spend time with his family and the perfect pastor has no problem with you dropping in unexpectedly.

And he also spends most of his time in preparation to speak God's Word. He remembers everyone's birthdate and of course, their anniversary dates as well.

Before and after services, he never fails to speak to each person present and will also take the time to listen to you for 15 minutes and pray for each person no less than 10 minutes after listening to them.

The perfect pastor always smiles and tells you what you want to hear.

He also goes out to eat after church with each individual family, spreading his time evenly between all, and he also pays for all their meals. The perfect pastor eats nutritiously, gets his rest, exercises daily, and is always there to listen to you night or day.

The perfect pastor has a burning desire to work with teenagers, and he spends most of his time with the senior citizens.

He smiles all the time with a straight face because he has a sense of humor that keeps him seriously dedicated to his church.

He makes 15 home visits a day and is always in his office to be handy when needed.

The perfect pastor always has time for church council and all of its committees. He never misses the meeting of any church organization and is always busy evangelizing the unchurched.

He meets with the all the other pastors in town because they all have so much time on their hands.

He also stays focused on the vision of the house. And he attends all the town meetings for PR's sake.

He takes family vacations and attends all the latest church and ministers conferences and listens to your favorite TV preachers and is completely up to date on each prominent TV preacher's messages.

He spends all day each Saturday preparing the Sunday sermon, and he focuses on his family too.

He also doesn't overburden the church finances, so he holds down a full time secular job as well.

He never spends your tithes on his children's Baskin Robins Ice Cream cones.

And the perfect pastor is always in the next church over!

If your pastor does not measure up, simply send this notice to six other churches that are tired of their pastor, too. Then bundle up your pastor and send him to the church at the top of the list. If everyone cooperates, in one week you will receive 1,643 pastors. One of them should be perfect. Have faith in this letter. One church broke the chain and got its old pastor back in less than three months.




*Disclaimer-- The above was found on the net-- this is NOT my personal opinion of what a pastor should be. (Figured I'd better throw that in there just so I don't have to find a flame retardant suit to wear )

[StillStanding]

Originally Posted by Coonskinner

I wish it were, but I have lived long enough to know better.

The absolute first requirement that would be utterly non-negotiable if I were looking for a church for my family to attend would be a pastor who preaches Truth.

I can survive a less than winsome personality, people skills that aren't great, preaching and oratory that doesn't go over the top, etc. but the one thing absolutely necessary is that he must preach to me and my children the Truth of God's Word without fear or favor.

I think people who leave truth preaching churches and go somewhere else because of a "better" program, or bigger youth group, or whatever, and think they can just teach their kids at home the proper doctrine to contradict what they hear at their new "progressive" church are stupid, plain and simple.

Assuming that all preachers are called of God, in what order would you put importance of these attributes?

Love of God
Love of people
Doctrinal purity
oratory skills
people skills
business sense
humility

[Coonskinner]

Originally Posted by Pianoman

Assuming that all preachers are called of God, in what order would you put importance of these attributes?

Love of God
Love of people
Doctrinal purity
oratory skills
people skills
business sense
humility

The first three are kind of a package deal, as I see it.

If you really love God, you will love Truth and people.

Humility also is usually in evidence if a man loves God as he should.

After that, people skills are important before oratory.

If he has the people skills and humility, he can surround himself with men who have great business sense and work with them.

It is difficult to make a list in a linear fashion with the qualities you named.

[Felicity]

Originally Posted by Dr. Coon Skinner

]I can survive a less than winsome personality, people skills that aren't great, preaching and oratory that doesn't go over the top, etc. but the one thing absolutely necessary is that he must preach to me and my children the Truth of God's Word without fear or favor.

This reminded me once again of what a very successful pastor and district leader said more than once ......... that if you will feed the people a good, balanced proper diet i.e. "good preaching" that they'll put up with a LOT of other stuff.

Good preaching is very important. Doesn't mean you have to be a skilled or polished or high flying orator. Just a good preacher who preaches the Word and feeds the people.

Of course there are other things that are important too. Many of them have already been mentioned.

[Coonskinner]

Originally Posted by Felicity

This reminded me once again of what a very successful pastor and district leader said more than once ......... that if you will feed the people a good, balanced proper diet i.e. "good preaching" that they'll put up with a LOT of other stuff.

Good preaching is very important. Doesn't mean you have to be a skilled or polished or high flying orator. Just a good preacher who preaches the Word and feeds the people.

Of course there are other things that are important too. Many of them have already been mentioned.

There is a lot of truth and common sense in this post, Aunty.

I am not a gifted business man, orator, or administrator.

I do not have much in the way of personal charisma or people skills above the average.

But one thing I do try to do is put something on the table when it comes time to preach.

that is not to say that I am not striving to improve myself in the areas where I am weak.

i am.

i have been reading some books lately that I don't really enjoy because my pastor recommended them, and I will do what he says.

[whollyHis]

Originally Posted by Coonskinner

There is a lot of truth and common sense in this post, Aunty.

I am not a gifted business man, orator, or administrator.

I do not have much in the way of personal charisma or people skills above the average.

But one thing I do try to do is put something on the table when it comes time to preach.

that is not to say that I am not striving to improve myself in the areas where I am weak.

i am.

i have been reading some books lately that I don't really enjoy because my pastor recommended them, and I will do what he says.

*GASP* Is this an example of- dare I say it- SUBMISSION???!!!

[Coonskinner]

Originally Posted by whollyHis

*GASP* Is this an example of- dare I say it- SUBMISSION???!!!

Sister, I am not very smart, but I am smart enough to know that I never go wrong by obeying the most important man in my spiritual life.

I don't always like what he tells me, but I always liek the results of obedience.

Even when I don't enjoy "obeying," I like "having obeyed."