Relating to your Pastor takes work! All of us have a Pastor/Leader in our lives that we are called to serve. Ephesians chapter four tells us that one of the gifts Jesus gave the church is the gift of a Pastor. When we learn to receive and appreciate this gift, I believe we will begin to experience the contentment, peace, joy, purpose and satisfaction that should be experienced in ministry.
Here are some guidelines:
1. Pray daily for your Pastor
- 2 Thessalonians 3:1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you.
- It's difficult to have strife with some you pray for daily.
- As you pray the word over your Pastor, you can expect to have your heart knit with his/her in the Spirit.
- The spirit of an armor bearer is revealed in 1 Samuel 14:7 And his armour bearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.
- God is looking for people who will be with their assigned leader - heart and soul.
- Jesus said we are to "watch and pray..."
- If it is your hour of trial or your leader's hour of trial, determine to build your spirit so that you may remain alert and prayerful.
- 1 Thessalonians 5;12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you.
- A good leader will always take notes and learn from his/her Pastor's ministry.
- Not only will this allow you to store up some great Holy Ghost nuggets, but it will also show your Pastor that you have respect for his/her ministry and desire to pull from his/her anointing.
- Build relationship - get to know whom you are serving.
- Having a good relationship will guard you in tense times - especially when the enemy tries to get you to be offended. (i.e., phone call not returned, unanswered email, etc.)
- James 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
- As you assume a role of leadership in the church, you will probably have the opportunity to come across some people who are plagued by a critical spirit.
- Hebrews 12:15 shows us a "root of bitterness defiles many."
- If God has called you to serve under this Pastor, it is your responsibility and duty to remain loyal to his/her direction and vision whether you agree 100% with the way he/she chooses to get things done or not.
- Put on "Godly Garments." Be careful of the attitude you wear when serving your leader.
- If we strive to wear a garment of humility, kindness and congeniality our leaders will safely trust themselves to us.
- Ask yourself: Do I always complain to my Pastor? Do I continually share the "lion" or the "honey?" Am I draining my Pastor by carrying a critical spirit?
- If so, put a guard on your mouth and change the way you speak.
- There will be times when your Pastor/Leader will need to correct an area in your life. If you're knit to your Pastor's heart, you'll realize that the correction is for your betterment and development as a leader.
- The Bible speaks of pride. "Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud." (Proverbs 16:18-19)
- Refrain from pointing out your leader's faults as they're correcting you. if you feel like they need to be corrected, you will have to do that later. When they are correcting you, it is not the time to correct them.
- Make sure you have no resentment or bitterness in your heart towards those that correct you. If you are tempted to have wrong feelings toward someone that has corrected you, pray and seek the Lord until you have full victory.
- If you feel you were corrected wrongly, don't gossip to others about it, but seek God as to what you should do about it. Keep in mind that when you have done right and you suffer for it and take it patiently this is acceptable with God. (1 Peter 2:20).
- Satan will try to attack you in this area - because no one likes to be corrected. If the enemy is successful, he will destroy the relationship you have with your Pastor/Leader.
- James Dobson commented that 1,500 ministers are quitting the ministry each month.
- As no other time in history, we must be aware of the enemies devices and not allow ourselves to fall into the trap of bitterness.
- It says a lot about a person who can receive correction and still stay where God has planted them. In fact, there are great dividends for people who receive correction (even if it's not what they want to hear or how they want to be addressed) and keep on going.
- It is critical that you keep the doors of communication open to let your Pastor know what is going in your ministry and life.
- You should keep your Pastor updated at all times on what you are doing.
- Don't fall into the trap of thinking your Pastor doesn't care about what's going on with your ministry.
- However, remember that as you are focusing on the needs of your particular ministry, the Pastor has the "whole picture" to be concerned with...be sensitive to that.
- Remember, there is a time and place for everything.
- Do not "unload" on your Pastor as they're getting ready to preach or minister.
- Allow your concerns and needs to take a backseat to discerning your leader's need. There will be an appropriate time to deliver the mail.
- Also, the Pastor shouldn't have to learn about conversations and issues that have happened in the church while facing an angry parishioner. Keep your Pastor informed of things as they happen - at the very least through a quick email.
- Never let your leader learn of something after the fact - usually when it's reached the boiling point - if you know it...they should know it.
- Luke 16:12 And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's who shall give you that which is your own?
- You must get a revelation in your spirit as a leader that you are called to promote your Pastor's ministry, not vice averse.
- You are called to be a servant and operate in the ministry of helps (1 Corinthians 12:28).
- Your dreams will only come true as you serve faithful where God has placed you.
- Learn how to personalize your service. What one leader desires will be different from another.
- Each Pastor or leader has a different set of gifts and needs of service than another.
- Learn what your leader's are and personalize your service.
- Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you.
- Be attentive to promptings. (i.e., casual conversation, body language, etc.)
- Ask yourself: Why am I here? - hopefully not just for a position or title.
- Elisha's double-portion anointing had it's humble beginnings as a servant to Elijah.
- His heart remained humble because there was no ulterior motive.
- He wasn't there to "climb the ladder" to success. He poured water on his hands and as a result was refreshed himself many years later.
- You are called to the high place of laying down your desire for ministry in order to fulfill someone else's.
- You may have to constantly reaffirm why you are there because it will produce major tests.
- Lay your desire before the Lord and determine to remain with your leader until Jesus comes.
- Serve.
- Determine to be where you assigned leader is.
- Have you considered where Joshua was when Moses went up the mountain to receive the law of God?
- We can only assume he was somewhere close by because he was right there with him when he came off of the mountain forty days later.
- Remember, how can your ministry to him or her be developed if you are not in place?
- If you are constantly calling off work - you won't have a job.
- If you are hit and miss with your attendance - pretty soon, your Pastor will begin to expect you to call off and will actually be surprised if you show up.
- What is your pattern? Have you formed an unhealthy cycle?
- Your Pastor spreads the table each service to feed the entire body a healthy spiritual meal.
- A continual absence sends a clear signal that you're not hungry for what they're feeding or you'd rather feed somewhere else.
- In addition, if you cause your leader frustration due to inconsistent attendance, mood swings, pouting and slothfulness - your leader will begin to pour into others who are standing in the wings ready to serve.
- If we sow loyalty, we will reap loyalty.
- People will always have an opinion about what you should be doing. (i.e., spouse, family, friends, peers, etc.)
- Learn to still the voices around you and make a decision to obey God at whatever cost.
- Stay in the Word of God and be sensitive to the voice of the Lord - not the voice of public opinion.
- Remain faithful in your position until the Holy Spirit releases you with the blessing of your Pastor.
- The last thing you want to be known for is having an illegitimate ministry. There's a Scriptural name for this - "Bastard Ministry." (That which is not fathered)
- People will always speak when they see an anointing in your life.
- Do not be moved from the high place of service to chase a premature vision.
- Remain faithful to God and He will reward you.
- When that time of reward comes, you will have the confidence to do His will.