As a pastor do you sometimes wonder what it is you are actually supposed to be doing?
My first couple of years as a full-time pastor were like that. I had a vague idea of what my boss wanted, but his thoughts and the rest of the congregation’s ideas vacillated with the latest ministry fads. I knew if I kept trying to make everyone happy, I’d end up hating my life.
Just before I reached my breaking point I came across this Scripture:
“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up” – Ephesians 4:11-12 (NIV)
After reading this I figured out what it is a pastor’s really supposed to do. Where I need to spend most of my time. Here’s how to be a better pastor in 4 words:
Help people help people
We’re not supposed to do every work of service (although we should be doing some). We’re supposed to equip people to do works of service.
As a Children’s Pastor my job is to help people help kids.
A Youth Pastor’s job is to help people help students.
A Family Pastor’s job is to help parents parent their kids.
A Senior Pastor’s job is to help disciples make disciples.
The key is discovering your niche, who you’re called to help and who you’re going to equip to help them, and spend 80% of your time there. That’s your sweet spot. That’s where you make the most difference.
Do you have to go to every funeral? Do you have to counsel every family? Do you have to preach every service? Teach every class? Attend every event.
No. That’s not your job.
Your job is to help people help people.
It’s the difference between addition and multiplication.
You can add works of service by doing all the counseling, leading all the groups, and teaching all the classes you can. Or you can multiply works of service by equipping people to counsel, lead groups, teach classes, make hospital visits, mentor kids, etc.
Because at the end of the day there’s only so much of you to go around and we can always help more people than just me.
Want to know how to be a better pastor in 4 words?
Help people help people.
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Who are you called to help and who do you need to equip to help them?
Jeff McClung 