Today’s Reading, 2 Timothy 1-4
Focal Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:2 “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and teaching.”
Yesterday, we looked at what qualifies a person to be a pastor. Today, we will examine the expectations of being a pastor. First, let me say that being a pastor is very difficult but rewarding work. It means you are always in the ready to meet needs. It also means that people are your priority. However, for a pastor to fulfill his ministry he has to take the word of God seriously. The ministry of the church is driven by the pastor. It is taught in his sermons. It is developed in his quiet time and his study. Churches need deep, theological, powerful, and correct sermons.
In today’s reading Paul says that young Timothy needs to be able to preach the word. He should be ready in season and out of season. He must be able to teach, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and teaching. Timothy’s primary method of growing and building the church was through preaching. Paul is clearly setting the stage, explaining how vital and important preaching is to the health and vitality of a congregation.
What are your expectations of a pastor? Yes, they should care about people. Yes, they should look after and minister to those in need. They should cast vision and disciple the church. However, their greatest ministry and calling is to preach and teach the word of God. Everything they do will flow from this ministry. You see, if they are in love with the word and preach it faithfully they will meet the needs of the people. How do I know? Because the word of God is powerful and life changing. When faithfully studied and preached, no minister will walk away the same as everyone else. Which in turn will make them a better pastor.
The pulpit drives the church. Every church must understand that weak preachers develop weak churches. Arrogant and prideful pastors create the same environment amongst the members. The expectations for a pastor to preach the word will transform any church. To do this pastors can’t tell endless stories. They must focus on the text and make it come alive to the people.
Today, our pulpits are full of men who try to impress their audience. These men don’t take time to study and wrestle with the text. Preaching is not important to them and it comes across in their conversation. Pastors are expected to be theologians. They are expected to be lions in the pulpit. Not because of their skill but their reliance on God.
So what type of pastor do you have? Do you have one that preaches the word or one who preaches their feelings? Yelling and screaming is not preaching. Making negative comments about sinners is not preaching. Opening up the word, explaining it, and showing how it applies is preaching. That is difficult work and it will transform the culture of any ministry. Have high expectations for the men who fill the pulpit. It is serious work and must be treated as such every time the Bible is opened.
Tomorrow, I plan on reading Titus 1-3 & Philemon 1
