Slacker

I have a confession to make. I’ve been a slacker. I’ve not been doing my job. You may ask, well Pastor, what is your job? Good question. To be honest, I don’t exactly know.

You say - "I thought you were supposed to be the preacher". One lady in a previous church said that I was hired to do the church bulletin each week. So does that make me the church secretary? Some others have suggested that I am to be the youth pastor, or even the district pastor. People have suggested that my duties should include doing prayer meeting, giving Bible studies, helping at the local Adventist school, serve on committees & boards of various kinds. Visitation, prayer, personal devotions, the list goes on.

Others bring to me a list of what they believe is the Pastor’s Job Description – these have in the past included, ski instructor, bus driver, part time janitor, baby sitter during church events, entertainer for teens, etc. Reformer of the saints, revivalist, the church silencer (Shhh! Quiet! Silence during church) song leader, community service (Dorcas) coordinator, Adventurers & Pathfinders.

My employer, the Upper Columbia Conference asks me to include other items on my job description. Camp meeting children’s ministry coordinator, speaker & coordinator for youth rallies, week of prayer speaker, vespers speaker, committees & commissions to serve, etc.

But I’ve been busy! Doing over seas evangelism, working in the WSU campus vegetarian restaurant, praying with students, conducting lots of meetings, going to lots of seminars & learning all kinds of good stuff. So how can I be a slacker?

But what am I supposed to be doing? In the past, I’ve been so busy trying to meet member’s expectations, beat deadlines, impress employers, that I’ve lost track of my job.

Every church member has a different perspective on what I should be doing. Some have even told me what to do & how to do it. Isn’t that why the church members pay their tithe – so that I can do “the work?” I’m in the Lord’s Army – Yes Sir! You said jump – How High Sir?

Yes we have an organizational structure & I’m happy to be a part of this exciting Adventist Movement. But really – I only have an audience of One – Jesus.

What does Jesus tell me to do?
· Matthew 28 Go & make disciples, baptize & teach all things
· Equip the saints for ministry

Points on Which to Establish the New Believers.
Ministers frequently neglect these important branches of the work--health reform, spiritual gifts, systematic benevolence, and the great branches of the missionary work. Under their labors large numbers may embrace the theory of the truth, but in time it is found that there are many who will not bear the proving of God. . . . {Ev 343.4}
How much better it would be for the cause, if the messenger of truth had faithfully and thoroughly educated these converts in regard to all these essential matters, even if there were less whom he could number as being added to the church under his labors. 344 {Ev 343.5}
Ministers must impress upon those for whom they labor the importance of their bearing burdens in connection with the work of God. They should be instructed that every department of the work of God should enlist their support and engage their interest. The great missionary field is open to men, and the subject must be agitated, agitated, again and again. The people must understand that it is not the hearers of the Word but the doers of the Word that will have eternal life. Not one is exempted from this work of beneficence. God requires of all men to whom He imparts the gifts of His grace to communicate, not only of their substance to meet the demands for the time in successfully advancing His truth, but to give themselves to God without reserve. . . . {Ev 344.1}
It is not a trait of the natural heart to be beneficent; men must be taught, giving them line upon line and precept upon precept, how to work and how to give after God's order.
Written by Ellen G. White, in the magazine, Review and Herald, Dec. 12, 1878, as published in Evangelism, pages 343-344.

Theme: role of the pastor – unleash members to their ministry