The Pastor as an Abortionist

I continue with the last week’s post by making this clearly noticeable observation. Pastor is a function as opposed to a title or position.

The past one year has had pastors taking in a lot of flak.

Pastors in depression is among the things that have painted a sad narrative on pastors.

Yet I find it simplistic to connect pastors to depression, unless we are taking pastoring as a job. Sadly it is so to many.

I repeat, a pastor is a function according to the Bible.

That means a pastor has the requisite gifts to handle the function. God has equipped him to handle the pressures his office (another word for function in the Bible) brings up.

No other person in the body of Christ is as equipped to handle that office.

It therefore goes without say that nobody in the body of Christ can handle that office properly, especially the way God would have it handled.

Anyone holding that office without the equipping and gifting is therefore endangering his spiritual life. But it goes even farther to the fact that he endangers his spiritual destination as God holds one accountable only to what He has called him into. Doing an excellent job in the wrong office is therefore rebellion. Look at these verses I am always quoting.

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7: 21 – 23)

It is inconceivable for God to equip me for an office and commend me for executing another one, however well I do it. And it is because He knew what He was doing when giving those gifts.

It is therefore wicked to have an evangelist occupying the pastoral office. In fact it is wicked for any other person to occupy it. It is an office reserved for the pastor from the throne of God.

Another interesting verse for our observation is the one about the narrow (strait) gate and road.

Again, common sense dictates that that road is not common or even popular. The fact that very few find it removes it from the normal.

That simply means that pleasing God, or in other words, walking according to His revelation does not fall in the common sense spectrum. The good thing about it is that it is not a mystery to the seeker of God’s truth. We will know it when we determine to seek it.

What happens when the wrong person occupies the pastoral office?

He becomes discordant as his gifting and skills do not fit in the demands of the office. He therefore will be swimming against the flow of the Spirit in that office, simply because he was not spiritually wired thus.

Let me use an analogy. A pastor is rightly called a shepherd just like Christ is the Chief Shepherd. I want to use the shepherd to get this point across.

A shepherd herds sheep. It means that the sheep are totally dependent on the shepherd for everything from provision and protection to guidance.

Now take a veterinary doctor and make him a shepherd.

His training and experience has to do with sickness. How do you expect him to deal with the sheep?

Chances are that he will spend most of his time looking for sicknesses and the sick. It is very possible that the sheep could starve in the best health as his forte is in the sheep’s health.

After he fails, as he most likely will do, take a butcher and make him the shepherd. Chances are that he will spend all his time assisting the ones best placed for the knife.

Making a livestock trader a shepherd will mean that the not so attractive (sellable) will be neglected as they serve no useful purpose for him.

The shepherd is the only one with the right connection with the sheep to offer them everything they need. He takes care of the sheep because he loves them and has a right and healthy relationship with them. He is the one who will spend enough time with the weak without neglecting the fat because they are all of great value to him.

The church replicates these scenarios all the time because we have pastors who are not pastors pastoring God’s sheep. Sadly, they are even proud of being pastors without caring to know what pastoring involves.

Two things are bound to happen. The first one being the pastor focuses on a section of the pastorate. Pastors who love the rich and able, one who draws the broken though not much healing happens as he is just drawn to them, some attract only the demon possessed so that they are always chasing demons. Others are entertainers whose forte is making people feel good.

It means they will leave the rest feeling out of place as they are not ministered to.

Interesting enough, in all my years in church I do not remember hearing prayer that mentions ministers and their success though pastors are always praying for breakthroughs in everything from studies to business to visas. You see, a minister is outside the radar of these pastors.

The second thing that happens is frustration. His circle is very small compared to the rest of the congregation. And the majority also demands being shepherded. To this pastor they become trouble makers as they are demanding or expecting something he has no capacity of giving.

This releases a frustration that nothing in this world can offset. And the same frustration is on the neglected sheep he is supposed to be shepherding.