We have been in a series titled “We’re Not Playing”, and it is about being the Church as seen though the model of the early church in the book of Acts. In reading this great history of the Holy Spirit working through these ordinary first-century followers of Jesus, we see that this dynamic church was not perfect, just like we are not perfect. They had problems and hurt feelings and strong disagreements, but they resolved them because they had a clear understanding of who they were and what God had called them to do. They turned the world upside down in the best sense of the word, because they were passionate about the Savior of their souls and about lost people. And we see in this book that it took all personality types to get this work done. (We also gravitate to some people, while there are others that, while admiring, we do not connect with as well.)
One such person is the man they nicknamed Barnabus, the “son of encouragement.” I do not know anyone who does not love Barnabus and want to be like him. And we all need a Barnabus in our lives. Barnabus encouraged a man named Saul who needed it. Saul had persecuted the church and had their blood on his hands when he came to faith. But this man became the great apostle of the faith and is better known to us as Paul. He gave us, by the Holy Spirit, about a third of our New Testament. Yet Paul’s personality was different from Barnabus’, and they clashed over the usefulness of a young man named Mark. Their clash was so strong that they abruptly parted company. It is debatable whether Paul was too harsh or if Barnabus was too soft (as typical of most enablers) and thereby hindered Mark from becoming the useful man he would become later.
Some pastors are like Barnabus and some like Paul. Most are somewhere in between, and that is where I think I am. Some would say that I am very encouraging and others that I am not at all. The problem is that those that want their pastor to be a Barnabus never want to hear correction or hard statements. But when pastors preach hard or say hard things, they accuse them of being unloving or a hypocrite. Paul must have realized that there was a balance between his personality type and that of Barnabus, because in 2 Timothy 4:2 he said, “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.” This is one aspect of the biblical task of a pastor. The pastor is a shepherd who must do all these things—teach, correct, rebuke when necessary, and always encourage when possible. Pastors bears the responsibility of the local church and will give an answer for how they discharge their duties when they stand before the Great Shepherd of the sheep. That is why Hebrews 13:17 says, “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.” I take the charge in 2 Timothy and the burden of Hebrews very seriously, and it colors how I lead as a pastor.
Finding the balance is not an easy task and that is why pastors need the prayers of those they lead. I continually need the prayers of my flock so that I can lead them to the green pastures and still waters Jesus has for us all.
0 comments:
Post a Comment