This blog has been on my heart for months now. Today I feel the need to obedient to what the Spirit is saying to me instead of procrastinating and not being obedient. Today there are many out there claiming to be Pastor's, but are only preachers, teachers or evangelists. Hear me out please because Jesus addressed this very thing.
In Matthew 23, Jesus lays the hammer down on the Pharisees and religious leaders. In verses 2-4 the scripture says that Jesus said to the Pharisees, teachers, and religious leaders "The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them." He goes on in verse 15 and says "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a son of hell as you are."
These are some pretty strong words from a man full of love and compassion aren't they? Let us look at what Jesus is saying then and today to the leaders of His church today. Unfortunately, the 'Call' of God on ones life gets substituted for a profession or ones desire to live out their desire instead of God's desire for their lives. What is a Pastor? Its pretty simple "One who leads the flock." What is a teacher? "One who teaches the Word." What is an evangelist?" One who goes from one place to another preaching the Word to the mas multitudes." The dilemma is simple "People claim to be Pastors, but they are truly teachers, or evangelists. Teachers and Evangelists are not exempt from what they teach, but I want to focus on the 'Pastor.' If you are attending a church where the pastor is preaching outreach in the community, sharing the gospel with the lost, having prayer meetings, and doing prison ministry etc, and does not himself 'Do' what he preaches form the pulpit on a weekly basis, then he is, as Jesus said, "A hypocrite." You might find this offensive, but it is truth. I know pastors that encourage their flock to do certain things, but hey only do one or two things a month, or nothing at all. How is the flock to know how to follow Christ and do as He says if the pastor isn't leading by example? If he is not actively living out what he preaches then do what he says, but do not do what he does. A true pastor understands that he is to lay his life down for his sheep. Jesus made it pretty clear to Peter in John 21 that If we really love Him, that we would "Feed His Lambs, take care of His sheep, and feed His sheep." Is this the example your Pastor is showing you? If not then let him know that he is out of his calling and needs to be called, teacher, evangelist, or preacher. He has no business calling himself 'Pastor.'
I am truly convinced that the church is not vibrant today and lives in a comfortable, complacent, and apathetic state because they are not be lead by the example of their Pastor (Shepherd). We can speak pretty, come up with programs or deeds that make people feel good, and think we are Christians surrendered to Christ, but be no more than hypocrites. The USA is in a complete downslide because the church wants a pretty Pastor, saying pretty things and are content whether he is a Pastor or not. We are reaping what we have sown.
This world needs to see Jesus manifesting Himself through Christians doing His will and not hearing the gospel without action. Pastor, who are you really? A hypocrite that is to busy verbally telling others what to do, studying scripture to sound good and not being examples of Christ in action on a daily basis? Christian, are you satisfied hearing and not seeing Christ in action in your leadership? Jesus was against the religious leaders of yesterday and I believe He would be against the majority of Religious leaders today calling themselves Christians. Re-read the scriptures of what Jesus said to His men and others. He said it then, and He is saying it now, Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." How can the people take up their crosses when the leaders aren't doing the same~
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