Pastors Are To Be Servants Too

I Peter 5:1 "The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:"

Several New Testament verses deal with the pastor's qualifications.

I Timothy 3:2 "A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;"

Titus 1:7 "For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;"

These are a couple of them. In the main verse for this post Peter is exhorting them in the way of proper leadership. He is saying they are to serve and lets them know there is reward waiting for them. I Peter 5:4 "And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away."

Peter is addressing a group of elders or pastors....not just one. The primary function of the godly leader that God sets up in this role in a church is to "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof." (I Peter 5:2) Notice it says "the flock of God" and not "the flock of __________" (the pastor's name). A true pastor is careful to make sure he does not "lord" over or be a dictator over that flock. The pastor is the under shepherd and the Lord Jesus is the Shepherd.

Pastors are to serve willingly. Their motive should be "of a ready mind" and not "for filthy lucre" or for financial gain as stated in I Peter 5:2. They should not be "lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock" (I Peter 5:3). They should lead by serving to set the example that the flock should also serve.

Peter also mentions that those pastors that are faithful and sacrificial in their service will be rewarded "When the chief Shepherd shall appear; ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." I Peter 5:4.

We need more pastors that are willing to be servants and examples for the flock of God and less that are lord and dictators. If you have a pastor that is a servant and example of such in your church you need to be thankful and not take him for granted.

There are many flocks that have a lord and dictator that is over them and that flock is in a sense in bondage to him. If your pastor isn't like this and is what the Bible says he should be then thank God and be sure to let your pastor know how much you appreciate him and all he does to serve God and to serve you.