Pastor & Minister

IF I have heard it a million times, I have heard it once (but I really have heard it a million times):

“I just wish I could quit my job and be a Pastor. I wish I could just work in a church so I could do ministry” 

Those words make my heart sink, not because we don’t need people working at the church and preaching, but because they may be missing the ministry that God has for them at their work now. There is so much misunderstanding in those statements you could write a book about it. 

I’m not going to write a book, I just want to write this blog.

What is a Pastor? A pastor is a shepherd, a leader who cares deeply for and leads his/her sheep.  The Way of the Shepherd by Kevin Leman is my favorite book on this topic.  When you are a manager or leader or business owner, you can be a pastor to your people, right there in your workplace.    You don’t need to go to a building that houses the church on Sunday in order to be a pastor, you can train up to be one right where you work.  You don’t need to be ordained to be a pastor in your workplace.  You just need to love people above yourself and lead them to Jesus through caring for their needs.

So enough of thinking “I wish I could quit my job and go be a pastor in a little “c” church.”  You can do a Romans 12:2 paradigm shift and be a pastor right NOW in your workplace and your neighborhood, even your small group.  

What does Our Heavenly Father have to say about this with regards to you and your life – I don’t know just listen to Him! 

What is the difference between Pastor and Minister?  Lets talk about that next week