WHEN it comes to ministry for people for the
Lord, it really is as simple as reliance.
Here is a prayer of reliance that looks at reliance three ways:
LORD,
Help me to rely on You,
So others can rely on me,
So
they will rely on You.
AMEN.
The Pastor’s Reliance On the Lord
If anyone is to
be a past master of reliable submission, it’s to be the minister. Their own example will determine whether they’re
deemed trustworthy enough that the disciples in their care will rely on their
pastoral leadership. If a minister can
show they’re surrendered, as an individual, they prove their humility, and they’re
worthy of their parishioner’s trust. It’s
not enough that people tolerate their minister; they need to be examples of submission and humility — of
essence, vulnerability.
It cannot be
understated. If a disciple of Christ cannot
see reliance on the Lord via their pastor, they cannot grow in the same vein,
and the Kingdom is defeated in that individual.
Others’ Reliance On Us – As Ministers
for the Lord
This is where my
default thinking is tested; some ministers ought never be relied upon. Some ministers, as it works out when they’ve
finally risen to their place in leadership, prove to be unhealthy. Sometimes they don’t keep themselves
healthy. Some were never healthy to
begin with. Wise disciples are loath to
trust an unhealthy pastor; they have an instinct for it. But that doesn’t save the person who trusts
their pastor and finds themselves abused.
And, of course, there are many more pastors who are trustworthy, and
when they are trusted, and that trust is vindicated, the disciples in their
care are able to grow in their own reliance on the Lord.
It should give a
pastor much encouragement to know that people can rely on them. Indeed, it’s central to the achievement of
their role.
Others’ Reliance on the Lord
Because of a minister’s example, disciples in
the minister’s care are able to witness their minister’s reliance on the Lord,
how the minister may be relied upon themselves, all as impetus for their own
reliance on the Lord.
There should be no better encouragement for a
pastor than to see one of the disciples in their care willingly and joyously rely
upon the Lord. That’s a sign of humility
and submission worthy of a great of the faith.
And where pastors see such reliance in one of the people they lead they’ll
be very quick to heartily encourage such diligent obedience.
***
If people see
their pastor relying on God, they’re able to rely on them, and their own
reliance of trust on the Lord is blessed.
Reliance on the
Lord three ways: a pastor’s own submission; a parishioner’s trust of their
pastor; the parishioner’s reliance on God.
© 2016 Steve Wickham.
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