Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.
Acts 20:28 (ESV)
Pastoral Care
Pastors are shepherds accountable to the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ. As elders, they embody the biblical qualifications of overseers, directing membership activities, equipping the saints for ministry, supervising the administration of resources, guarding the congregation against false teaching, devoting themselves to the word and prayer, and caring for spiritual needs within the church body (soul care) through the work of shepherding.
Scripture teaches Christ's Church is to be shepherded in all respects according to God's Word. For this reason, the most important provision, priority and devotion of pastoral (soul) care in the local church is always to the ministry of the Word and prayer.
Scripture teaches Christ's Church is to be shepherded in all respects according to God's Word. For this reason, the most important provision, priority and devotion of pastoral (soul) care in the local church is always to the ministry of the Word and prayer.
See: 1 Timothy 3:1-7
- aspires/desires oversight
- above reproach
no reason to criticize, accuse or find fault - the husband of one wife
a faithful husband, married to one woman - sober-minded
temperate, sober, restrained - self-controlled
lives a moderate lifestyle, avoiding temptations of extremes, behaves sensibly - respectable
modest, well-ordered, admired and regarded highly - hospitable
shows hospitality to strangers without complaining - able to teach
able, even skilled in teaching - not a drunkard
not addicted to wine or given over to drunkenness - not violent but gentle
not a bully, prone to fight, demanding, or combative but forbearing, tolerant and yielding - not quarrelsome
peaceable - not a lover of money
not desirous or greedy for money or wealth - must manage his own household well
guides household appropriately - with all dignity keeping his children submissive
children submit because of an above-ordinary influence, worthy of respect, not domineering - able to care for God’s church
appropriately attends and responds to matters of the church as a steward of what belongs to God - not a recent convert
not a “new plant” in the Christian community - well thought of by outsiders
a good testimony and reputation of conduct among those outside the church and faith
See: Titus 1:5-16
- above reproach
“blameless,” not accused or chargeable of wrongdoing - faithful children
not accused of being intemperate, wasteful, or rebellious - God’s steward
- not arrogant
- not self-willed or stubborn
- not quick-tempered
- not a drunkard
- not violent
- not greedy for material gain
- hospitable
- a lover of good
- self-controlled
sensible, moderate - just
righteous - holy
devout, consecrated - disciplined
exercising self-control - obeys the faithful teaching
able to exhort others with sound instruction and rebuke (reprove) when other speak against it (to silence them) - protect the Church against insubordination (rebellion), empty (idle) talk, deceivers, false and selfish teaching, liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons, myths, misleading commandments and hypocrites
Who Are Biblical Pastors?
So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
1 Peter 5:1–4 (ESV)
1 Peter 5:1–4 (ESV)
Pastors (Shepherds) * elders * overseers * EXAMPLES
Ephesians 4:11–12 (ESV)
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
Thank you!
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Pastoral (Biblical) Counseling
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
Hebrews 13:17 (ESV)
I am acquiring training and certification to better shepherd the biblical counseling needs of my local congregation and community. In the meantime, I invite you to share ways I may pray with you below.
