Pastor/Shepherd/Elder - Part 5
7 Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil’s trap.
Isn't the bottom line business of the church evangelism. not for evangelism sake but so that the whole world can worship the one true God? The opinion of those outside the church counts more than we know. This is more than morality - but that plays a huge role. We've all known well known pastors that disgraced themselves. Televangelists, megachurch pastors, and the little country church have all experienced it - no one is immune to a moral failure. But what about your character, your integrity, your personality. Do people even like you as a pastor. Oh sure Jesus said the world would hate us because it hated him. But let that be because we preach the gospel - not because we are jerks.
The truth is our greatest enemy when it comes to winning those outside the church isn't the local strip club, bar, golf course or lake. Most of the time its simply people don't like us. If we are well thought of by unbelievers we have a voice to be heard. But if all they hear and see is what we are against or how much we hate what they do - our message falls of deaf ears. If we come across as mean, bitter, angry, or even just act like we don't care - who would even want to be a Christ follower.
Notice this is a trap of the devil. Satan is smart. He uses religion and religious leaders to undermine the work of Christ on earth and in His church. Pauls warnings against false teachers tells how satan can use even the pulpit as a weapon in the church:
2 Cor 11 says: 13 These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.
Satan himself can disguise himself as someone good. There is more to being a pastor than being a bible teacher, having a burden or call, or even people who follow you. This is about the core of your Character. Are you - or are you not a totally transformed follower of Christ with a passion for his people and the lost - and what do they think about you? Or are do you just like the idea of running the show and being on stage.
God - Help me to have the attitude that it would be better for me to be the trash collector at Crosspoint than the pastor if I can not live up this passage - and if I weren't willing to be the trash collector - I am not worthy to be the pastor!
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