The Privilege and Responsibility of Pastoring
Just a pastor.
There’s no glory in it, if there ever was. The money’s not great. The crowds are often small, and the criticisms frequent. It’s hard to measure our effectiveness, and it’s easy to get discouraged.
And it’s a privilege.
We must never lose sight of the privilege and responsibility of pastoring.
Our Privilege
Our privilege is twofold. We have an amazing task, and we get it to do it among people we get to love.
As I write this, it’s Monday morning. I’m sitting in a Starbucks. In a few moments I’ll open my Bible to Exodus 20. I’ll spend some time starting at the text, letting it wash over me. Over the next few days I’ll be considering what it means in the context of Scripture and in the context of a small neighborhood in Toronto. It’s hard work, but it’s great work. I can’t believe I get to do it.
Not only do I get to spend time in God’s Word, but I also get to love a particular group of people. I received a text from someone asking me if I could meet for a few minutes tonight to pray over a pressing item. I get to know a group of people. I care for them. I get to love them and watch them grow. I can’t think of many privileges bigger than this one.
Our sermon podcasts? They’re helpful, I guess. Twitter reach and name recognition? Nothing wrong with those, as far as they go. But they don’t matter nearly as much as our faithfulness to the people who matter most, those whom God has entrusted to our care.
It’s tempting to evaluate ministry according to the size of one’s platform, and to look for significance outside of our local church. To devote oneself to the Word and prayer, and to love these people in this place, matters more. Never diminish the importance and privilege of our ministries as pastors. We’re called to pour our lives out in the churches where God has placed us until he releases us, and to do so is a privilege for which we owe God thanks.
Our Responsibility
The responsibility of being a pastor is staggering.
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. (James 3:1)
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. (Hebrews 13:17)
A friend of mine says there will be two lines in heaven: one for pastors, and one for everyone else. We’ll be judged with greater strictness for the words we’ve taught. We’ll give an account for those we’ve led and pastored. Everyone will be judged, but we’ll be judged with greater strictness.
“The moment we permit ourselves to think lightly of the Christian Ministry, our right arm is withered; nothing but imbecility and relaxation remains,” wrote Charles Bridges. “A sense of the dignity of our office—accurately formed, carefully maintained, and habitually exercised—is therefore of the highest importance.”
If you’re a pastor, you will likely lose sight of your privilege and responsibility often. I know I do. There are few greater privileges we will ever enjoy. There are few responsibilities we’ll shoulder that are weightier.
Let’s commit to pastoring faithfully with God’s help. Let’s never lose sight of the importance and weight of pastoral ministry — not in general, but in this church among these people. What a privilege. What a responsibility.
