Jump to content
JesusWalk Bible Study Forum

Q41. Equipping for Ministry


Recommended Posts

A church body organized according to the old model of a pastor as the only minister will ultimately be in trouble! The individual members of that body won't learn the skills for the ministries they are called to accomplish. Their spiritual gifts won't be developed; their faith won't be matured properly; they will never fully face the lessons of learning to care for each other and serve together in unity; their personal experience with God will never grow as deeply. Any endeavor is more successful when the participants each "take ownership" and invest themselves directly. (Any mom trying to run the household of a busy family knows that. She cannot successfully do it all herself!) Every individual has a purpose and role to play; every person is gifted to be the answer to some need in the Body. Anyone who does not participate in the ministry not only misses out on being a blessing, but also misses out on blessings meant for them. Also, their influence in the community as salt and light will be hindered. And their pastor will be run ragged headlong into burnout.

Pastors and teachers have the responsibility of training and showing the saints to how work in ministry themselves, so that the body of believers will be built up and unified in growing faith and the knowledge of Jesus Christ. That is so they will grow up into the maturity of divine love, which is the overriding characteristic of Christ.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...
Q4. (Ephesians 4:12) What's wrong with the old model of the minister or pastor being the main worker in the Church? How does it hinder people in the congregation? How does it hurt the community? What is the purpose of pastors and teachers?

the older pioneers would go into areas where there we no full gosple church for many miles.if one is a pastor and a teacher and often this is the case he would not necessarily have a roving ministry although he masy go out at times to teach.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Q4. (Ephesians 4:12) What's wrong with the old model of the minister or pastor being the main worker in the Church?

It's not Biblical. He/she is to lead and shepherd the flock toward maturity. If this is going on in a church, it's the pastor's responsibility to correct that mindset and to teach and train the flock in their responsibility.

How does it hinder people in the congregation?

In the same way that children become stunted, lazy and spoiled, when the parents do all of the work in the family without training them and giving them responsibility fitting for their ages and so forth...the congregation becomes like the "dead sea".. the living water which is meant to flow out, is stagnant and lifeless, in a group of "takers".

How does it hurt the community?

The community is robbed of a maturing and growing outreach church, because the pastor is burned out, probably resentful, and exhausted, while the congregation sits on their behinds waiting to be served.

What is the purpose of pastors and teachers?

To shepherd, teach and train the flock to become shephers, teachers, pastors, or whatever their gifting is, to bring them to maturity.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Q4. (Ephesians 4:12)

What's wrong with the old model of the minister or pastor being the main worker in the Church?

How does it hinder people in the congregation?

How does it hurt the community?

What is the purpose of pastors and teachers?

Every Christian is commissioned to serve our Lord. We are given gifts to perfect or equip us to serve the Lord, and thus to build up the body of Christ. We cannot expect pastors to serve in such a way as to make people perpetually dependent on them. Instead, they should work toward the day when we as Christians will be able to carry on by ourselves. Every Christian is meant to be in full-time Christian service. In this way the church grows and expands and serves the community. So, if this is does not occur it prevents the people in the congregation from growing spiritually as well as not serving the community as it could or should. The bottom line is then that pastors and teachers are there to equip, prepare and train us as believers to serve the Lord. I

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 9 months later...

Q4. (Ephesians 4:12) What's wrong with the old model of the minister or pastor being the main worker in the Church? How does it hinder people in the congregation? How does it hurt the community? What is the purpose of pastors and teachers? Having the minister/pastor be the main worker in the church would not go with the teachings of the bible. We are all a member of one body and not all members have the same office. We are all unique in the body of Christ so Christ can use each of us and the word could be spread more widely. Christ told the disciples to be the salt of the earth and they weren't ministers or pastors. We do need pastors and ministers but once he shares the word with us it is implanted in us to use and to let our light shine before men therefore let Christ be glorified. Pastors and teachers lead us by setting an example and helping us to understand what God wants us to know.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Q4. (Ephesians 4:12) What's wrong with the old model of the minister or pastor being the main worker in the Church? How does it hinder people in the congregation? How does it hurt the community? What is the purpose of pastors and teachers?

Pastors and preachers, prepare for the teachings of CHRIST.....
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Q4. (Ephesians 4:12) What's wrong with the old model of the minister or pastor being the main worker in the Church? How does it hinder people in the congregation? How does it hurt the community? What is the purpose of pastors and teachers?

To be the sherpard of the church, to guide the flock, and HIS teachings;

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Q4. (Ephesians 4:12) What's wrong with the old model of the minister or pastor being the main worker in the Church? How does it hinder people in the congregation? How does it hurt the community? What is the purpose of pastors and teachers?

1. What's wrong with the old model of the minister or pastor being the main worker in the Church?

The problem with that is the people will parish, they will be lost because the Word would not be given to it fullest and there will always be something left undone and missed which will cause confusion and wrath. There will be no growth in the church or the community.

2. What is the purpose of pastors and teachers?

A teacher educates the people in the Word of God and helps them to understand how to apply it to their daily

A Pastor is a leader of and carer for people and thier spiritual wellbeings. Their purpose is "to prepare God's people for works of service so that the body of Christ may be built up"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...

Q4. (Ephesians 4:12) What's wrong with the old model of the minister or pastor being the main worker in the Church? How does it hinder people in the congregation? How does it hurt the community? What is the purpose of pastors and teachers?

The old model of the minister or pastor being the main worker in the Church is not the will of God. This old model intercep the plan of God.

It hinders the growth and maturity of people in the congregation. God's plan is for the Church community to be equipped and to "prepare God's people for works of service so that the body of Christ may be built up."

The community hurts badly when only the leaders are working to build the Church is weak, it is sick.

The purpose of pastors and teachers is to equip, prepare, and train the believers so they can learn to function in their own ministries. Pastors and teachers are to motivate, and deploy the people in a variety of ministries according to the gifts of each member, all of whom bring strength and depth to the ministry of the Body as a whole, and which bring about the maturity of the Body.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Q4. (Ephesians 4:12) What's wrong with the old model of the minister or pastor being the main worker in the Church? How does it hinder people in the congregation? How does it hurt the community? What is the purpose of pastors and teachers?

The old model of the minister or pastor being the main worker in the church is not the will of God. This old model intercep the plan of God.

It hinders the growth and maturity of people in the congregation. God's plan is for the Church community to be equipped and "to prepare God's people for works of service so that the body of Christ may be built up."

The community hurts badly when only the leaders are working to build the Churchis weak, it is sick.

The purpose of pastors and teachers is to equip, prepare, and train the believers so they can learn to function in their own ministries. Pastors and teachers are to motivate, and deploy the people in a variety of ministries according the gifts of each member, all of whom bring strength and depth to the ministry of the Body as a whole, and which bring about the maturity of the Body.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

The main thing that is wrong with the model of the minister or pastor being the main worker in the Church is that it is only one person. We need the whole congregation to get involved so that they can talk to others about Jesus and about their witness.

It hinders people in the congregation by them just being by-standards. They are not involved and they are in church only for entertainment. It hurts the community by them not being able to here the word of God and maybe being able to accept Jesus as their savior.

The purpose of the pastors and teachers is to equip us so that we can go out and witness to those who are lost.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Q4. (Ephesians 4:12) What's wrong with the old model of the minister or pastor being the main worker in the Church? How does it hinder people in the congregation? How does it hurt the community? What is the purpose of pastors and teachers?

The problem with the old model of the minister or pastor being the main workers in the church is that no one is building up the body of the church, the ministers are doing it all. Lay is not involved in the ministries and they are not developing their gifts or helping the congregation in the edifying of their faith.

It hinders the members of the congregation because no one is learning how to use their gifts and talents nor learning how to stand fast in the faith.

The community is hurt because there are no new converts or new members from their own community.

The purpose of pastors and teachers is to equip and prepare the Lords people for work in His service which He has planned for them.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

The old model of the church does not allow people to reach their full potential in Christ. People look to be entertained in this style of worship. they have no reason to take any responsibility to God. They feel that the pastor has all the responsibility. This leads to a lazy community. People do not work to please God. There is a lack of love towards others. Because people do not feel responsible for their brothers. Pastors need to teach people to step up to the plate. they need to give them the knowledge to move forward and to start to take responsibility for their gifts. they guide them to become all of those that God has created them for.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...
On 9/4/2006 at 8:53 AM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q4. (Ephesians 4:12) What's wrong with the old model of the minister or pastor being the main worker in the Church? How does it hinder people in the congregation? How does it hurt the community? What is the purpose of pastors and teachers?

The Church should work together, for all to be involved, to build the church up to Christ. When there is only one it stops the church from growing, the community will show no interest. The purpose of pastors and teacher's is to lead and to lead by example.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Pastor Ralph changed the title to Q4. Equipping for Ministry
  • Pastor Ralph changed the title to Q41. Equipping for Ministry
  • 2 months later...

Q41. (Ephesians 4:12) What's wrong with the old model of the minister or pastor being the main worker in the Church? How does it hinder people in the congregation? How does it hurt the community? What is the purpose of pastors and teachers? 
Every Christian is commissioned to serve our Lord. We are given gifts to perfect or equip us to serve the Lord, and thus to build up the body of Christ. We cannot expect pastors to serve in such a way as to make people perpetually dependent on them. Instead, they should work toward the day when we as Christians will be able to carry on by ourselves. Every Christian is meant to be in full-time Christian service. In this way the church grows and expands and serves the community. So, if this does not occur it prevents the people in the congregation from growing spiritually as well as not serving the community as it could or should. The bottom line is then that pastors and teachers are there to equip, prepare and train us as believers to serve the Lord. I’ve heard it said that their task is; “For the perfecting of the saints for their ministry”. 
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Q41. (Ephesians 4:12) What's wrong with the old model of the minister or pastor being the main worker in the Church? How does it hinder people in the congregation? How does it hurt the community? What is the purpose of pastors and teachers?

In a situation where the minister or pastor is the main worker in the church, members will not have the opportunity to develop their ministry. Their potential will not be tapped.

The purpose of pastors, teachers etc is to train and equip members of the congregation to develop their potential for service in the church.

Is this is not done; there will be no growth in such a congregation.
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The old model puts all the responsiblity on the leadership when all of us have a ministry be it business ministry or ministry in a church. Then there are those who work in the business world and minister in a church so their doing a combination of some things. All of us are called to minister and serve. It hinders people in the congregation by limiting them in what they could be doing. Sometimes it can give a person an attitude of my job is just to come to church and learn something and get a sermon every Sunday. But what the person is learning on Sundays, they need to take it an apply it to their own ministry of blessing others. The purpose of pastors and teachers is to help equip the body of Christ for their own call in life. The teachings that the Pastor and Teachers are giving should be preparing the congregation for their own ministry. No matter how small of a task something may appear to the person or someone else all is important to God. A person may not be called to go and minister to thousands of people every week but dealing with the one person is just as important to God. A person in the congregation may reach someone the pastor or teacher will never reach or meet. So important for us to do what we are call to do. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Perhaps the way we "do church" has to be re-thought and redone?

I honestly don't know what to think: if the job of the pastor is to equip us to go out and do ministry, then why does he give a sermon at a weekly corporate meeting with music, grape juice, etc.?

When I have a goal, I break it down into manageable chunks and do each little bit, until the goal is reached. If I were a pastor and my goal was to equip the people in my church to go do their own ministries, I'd break down that goal into chunks, just as I do with other goals.

First, I'd figure out what everyone in my church is actually doing and where they're at spiritually -- information gathering. I'd sit them down, one by one, and set up a weekly meeting time.

Then, I'd come up with a plan for each member to spell out clear goals and expectations. We'd keep that plan in front of us, carefully working toward it together. It would be flexible enough to change as God reveals Himself differently, as that person revealed God's plan to me as he or she heard Him. 

Lastly, I'd be heavily into maintenance and growth. I'd check up on them. Figure out how they're doing and what they need to do it better. Think through problems with them. One of the biggest hindrances to an effective ministry is sin and a lack of spiritual maturity so I'd be praying for them, often. Unceasingly.

--

What I would NOT do is bring them together into one room on Sunday and give them all the same spiritual pep talk. This makes no sense as they're at different stages of sanctification and in different callings. The one-size-fits-all sermon/church model does not work ... IF the pastor's goal is to equip the saints.

So why do we do it? 

  1. Inertia is a big one -- it's a habit. People like familiarity and habitual behaviors. They're used to church as it is and may not want change.
  2. I think, too, the pastor's need to be seen and adored is a second reason -- he gets to be the big cheese every week behind the pulpit. Working behind the scenes, quietly, isn't as ego-gratifying.
  3. Third, we have a system in place that pays for things. Pastors preach, and in essence, we pay to hear them which subsidizes Christian schools, buildings, other employees, etc. The entire system would have to be upended IF the goal was to equip the saints. 
  4. The structure of the church within a denomination that demands conformity to certain patterns of behavior is also a strong disincentive to change. To not "do church" the way it's always been done and all the other churches in the denomination are doing would probably mean leaving the denomination, with all it's perquisites.

(Which reminds me, what is the role of worship in all this? If the job of a pastor is to equip the saints, then why mass worship?)

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/4/2006 at 8:53 AM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q41. (Ephesians 4:12) What's wrong with the old model of the minister or pastor being the main worker in the Church? How does it hinder people in the congregation? How does it hurt the community? What is the purpose of pastors and teachers?

The minister or pastor cannot do all the work and expect it to grow.  Many hands accomplish much work.  Jesus came and taught us how to live this life.  He had to have Apostles to spread His Word.

It hinders people in the congregation and hurts the community because it creates stagnancy, like the Dead Sea.  The Church cannot grow. and the community cannot be blessed by us. We are like an island unto ourselves.  We only grow in giving and receiving from one another. God is in every Christian, He has given us gifts, talents and abilities, He lives inside of us, we are the temple of the Holy Ghost, He is creative, all wisdom and knowledge.  We have to know who we are in Christ.  He is our identity, the old useless man is dead. In Him we live and move and have our being.

The purpose of pastors and teachers is for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 weeks later...

 

It ends up that the congregation simply "prays, pay and obey".  The teachings of 1Peter2:9 are foreign to many.  They have no training in Preparing sermons, no opportunity to give testimonies in church, and no opportunities to pray with others to accept Christ as Saviour.

Anemic churches in the community.   They are not soul saving stations nor places of evangelical fervor.  A prime example of this is the Amish church.   Sad but true, the top hierarchy of an Amish church frown on members that are evangelical and enjoy Bible study at home.  Many evangelical  churches are no longer aggressively evangelistic.   The pastor and the paid staff have been relegated to do the administration and planning of worship services.   This dire situation doesn't mirror the Pentecostal era as described in the Acts of the Apostles.  

Pastors and teachers are to raise up the army of God.  The church is a type of a incubator.  The four walls have a place.  There is a time when the "lay" people take 1 Peter 2:9 seriously and get out there preaching,  witnessing, and praying over the sick.   Yes, sacrifice of personal time and forsaking  hobbies.   But we have a serious mandate !

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

The main thing wrong with the model of the minister or pastor being the main worker in the Church is that it is only one person. If the church members kick in and help, then there are many accomplishing the purpose of the church. If the pastor is doing everything then he is not able to shepherd the flock.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...