Scripture gives us a clear picture of the duties of the Shepherd, or, Pastor of a church. His responsibilities are outlined for us in Ezekiel 34:2-6. However, the Pastor, simply because he is an “employee” of the church, is not the only one who bears any responsibility. There are two primary verses in scripture which refer to our duty, as laymen and women, to our Pastor.
“Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.” Hebrews 13:7
The world is full of authority figures. To mankind, God is the authority. To an employee, the boss is the authority. To children, the parents are the authority (under God). To citizens, the government is the authority. To church members, the Pastor is the authority. Whether or not we appreciate this fact, so it is in Scripture. Those who “speak the Word of God” to us are our Pastors. As members of a church, we place ourselves under the leadership of the man who stands behind the pulpit. We are to emulate and “follow” the faith of this person. This is not to say that you may never question your Pastor if you believe he is in error. As a wife may discuss issues with her husband, though she is under his authority, so a church member may bring issues and concerns to his Pastor. However, we must approach the man of God according to God’s standards: in meekness, as a child approaching a father (I Timothy 5:1). I know very well what it is like to strongly and biblically disagree with a Pastor. The best course is to pray, entreat and love through your disagreements.
“Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” Hebrews 13:17
A Godly Pastor, after the example of Ezekiel 34, will love and care for his flock. He will seek lost souls, and minister to and serve the hurting and struggling of his congregation. This man deserves our holy respect. A Shepherd’s responsibility is great: He watches for your soul. This means that he desires you to walk closely with God. Therefore, he will tell you difficult things for your own good. A Pastor has the right to come to you with a concern about some area of your life. It is unprofitable for us if we make our Pastor’s job difficult through our stubborn, unsubmissive attitude. We work against our own good when we fight the authority of the Pastor.
Much of the idea of submitting to one’s Pastor sounds foreign. “Why should I have to do what he says? He’s just a man!” you may be thinking. You are correct that the Pastor is a regular sinner, just like you. However, he is the one God has placed at the helm of leadership in your church. Our rebellion against pastoral leadership is just a sign of the times. Our culture rejects authority in general. We want to be independent, self-commanding people. However, God’s plan was that we should place ourselves under the authority of others for our own protection and good.
A Pastor’s Responsibility to His Flock
10 Advantages to Being Part of a Small Church
10 Advantages to Being Part of a Large Church
5 Advantages to a Christian School
What Do You Do on Sunday Afternoons?