I Will Pray for My Church Leaders
Notes
Transcript
Introduction and Review
Introduction and Review
Make sure everyone has their book and a pen/pencil.
Remember, the goals of this study are:
to critically examine what it means to be a church member from God’s point of view
to discuss and generate ideas that will help us become more involved in the church ministry
to find and discuss obstacles of effective church membership
We have discussed so far:
Chapter 1 - Being a functioning church member
Secular Membership vs. Biblical Church Membership
Secular is about perks and amenities, right over responsibilities, entitlements
Church membership is about Service, giving, and sacrificing; individuals acting as parts of a whole for the mission of the church
Chapter 2 - Being a unifying church member
Unity Killers
Gossip
Unforgiveness
Chapter 3 - Setting aside personal preferences and desires
Servants aren’t concerned with fulfilling their own preferences, but with serving the Lord and others.
We are to have the mind of Christ described in Philippians 2
Chapter 4
Chapter 4
Did everyone read this chapter?
Discussion Question
What are overall perceptions that you think people have of pastors and church leaders (in general), both good and bad? (not necessarily me)
When my brother, Danny, was in Kindergarten, on a particular class day, the teacher was talking about various occupations. She went around and asked different students what their parents did. When she got to Danny, she asked, “And what does your dad do?” My brother very confidently responded, “Nothing, he’s a pastor.”
Something that I want to point out, as a pastor, and something that I hope you were able to gather from this chapter is that contrary to popular belief, being a pastor is incredibly stressful, and sometimes it gets lonely and difficult too.
What I do not want to do is make this a ‘woe is me’ session. There is not a job that I would rather have. I can’t imagine myself doing anything else, and I have tried. I want to make that very clear, there is nothing I would rather be doing than being a pastor. A big part of that is because this is what God has called me to do. He has put that desire in my heart in a way that I cannot explain.
That being said, there are challenges and difficulties that others cannot begin to understand unless they have been that position. I was born and raised in a pastor’s home, I served 16 years of my adult life alongside pastor in staff positions at churches, whether as a youth pastor or associate pastor, and even so, though I witnessed the lives of pastors in an up close and personal manner, there were burdens that I could not have imagined until I became a pastor myself.
So I hope that this chapter and that this discussion opens your eyes to some of the challenges that pastors face.
I Will for My Church Leaders
I Will for My Church Leaders
What are things that stood out to you as you read this chapter? Regardless of what section it was in, let us know what you underlined, highlighted, or took notes about.
P.43-46
P.43-46
Story of a really rough day in the life of “pastor Mike.”
Anything stand out to you in this section?
Pray for the Pastor and Other Church Leaders
Pray for the Pastor and Other Church Leaders
p.46
Pray for the Pastor and His Family
Pray for the Pastor and His Family
p.47
Comments or questions?
5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
We struggle with work/home balance. It is hard. Tahsha knows that there are times where I have wept because I felt that I have been a bad husband or a bad parent.
When I interviewed here, and when we came to candidate, one of the questions that was asked, and I am glad that it was asked, was, “What do you consider the role of a pastor’s wife to be?” My answer then, and it is still my answer now, is that she is no different than any other church member. My expectations of my wife are not any higher than my expectations of any other church member.
Pastoring is not her job or her calling or her responsibility. That is mine. She is as involved in ministry as she wants to be and can be being a wife and a mother and having a couple of part-time jobs. In fact, she is more involved than I would like her to be, at times, for her own health and sanity...
And yet, much is expected out of her just because she is married to me. She lives under those expectations constantly, most of which are not fair, to be honest.
Something that I have not run into here at Good News that I dealt with a lot growing up is unrealistic expectations for my kids, and I thank you for that. What would unrealistic expectations be for pastors’ kids that you could think of? be perfect, know all the Bible, serve in every ministry, etc.
And though Ian, Mia, and Ethan serve in ministries, they do not do it out of expectation (at least from us), they do because they want to and have a love for it. Now, I want to be clear about this: they do not love it simply because they are pastor’s kids. Tahsha and I have taught them that love and have instilled in them a desire to serve God.
You can teach desire. You can teach your kids to want to serve God. It will start with you as a parent having that desire and pursuing that desire. It will also take you pushing your kid out of their comfort zones to experience what it is like to serve God and to do it with a humble and loving heart. You also have to be willing to encourage them to be faithful when they get discouraged or just “don’t feel like” serving. But you can, to a certain extent, teach your children to want to serve God. If you’re waiting for it to happen on its own, it won’t.
Pray for His Protection
Pray for His Protection
p.47-50
Comments or questions?
2 A bishop [overseer, pastor] then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
p.48 notes
7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
p.50 last sentence
Pray for His Physical and Mental Health
Pray for His Physical and Mental Health
p.50
Comments or questions?
The Fourth Pledge
The Fourth Pledge
p.51-52
Questions or comments?
sign pledge
Questions for Study
Questions for Study
Explain why the pastor’s family is such an important factor in his ministry.
What is meant by “above reproach” or “blameless” in 1 Timothy 3:2? Is this standard possible for a pastor?
Explain the implications of the devil’s trap in 1 Timothy 3:7.
What is the meaning of “outsiders” in 1 Timothy 3:7? Why should they be a concern to church members and pastors?
Find some key passages in the Bible where intercessory prayer takes place. Relate those with praying for your pastor.
9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
Ask a Pastor
Ask a Pastor
Free Q&A time if time allows
