What Do Pastors Do and How? (Part 3)

In the past three weeks, we have focused our attention on the importance and the role of pastoral ministry. As a church, it is very important for us to have the right expectations from our pastors. Pastors, in turn, need to know their responsibilities as presented in Scripture. Therefore, this week we will turn our attention to another area of their influence on the Church.

Pastors Еquip for Мinistry

Healthy spiritual growth of God’s children is possible only when they learn to truly serve God and others.

Just as pastors cannot make people grow spiritually, they also cannot make them want to serve.

Nevertheless, understanding the importance and practical value of ministry, pastors will certainly do everything possible to help each Christian discover the joy of serving God.

Every aspect of a Christian’s life must flow from sincere worship of God and from a desire to serve Him.

Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Equipping God’s children for ministry has three important aspects:

I. Growing in Maturity and Personal Knowledge of God

In order to serve God, a person must know and love Him well.

A pastor helps his people discover the joy of service by helping them know God.

Ephesians 1:15–17 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Knowing God is closely connected to the actual ability of God’s children to serve.

Ephesians 4:11–16 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

The knowledge of God and growth in spiritual maturity is the only true reason and motivation for effective ministry.

II. Training in Ministry Skills

In addition to general spiritual growth, practical training is an essential element of Christian ministry.

Jesus Christ, during His three and a half years of earthly ministry, not only taught His disciples but also actively trained them in service.

They were always with Him. He involved them in caring for people. He sent them to preach. He taught them how to answer people’s questions, and much more.

The Apostle Paul also had many disciples whom he trained for ministry.

The most well-known among them are Timothy and Titus. Paul not only spent much time with them in ministry but also helped them develop proper approaches to its various aspects.

The goal of Paul’s ministry was always to teach others to serve.

One of the results of that ministry can be clearly seen in Paul’s influence on the runaway slave Onesimus.

Philemon 1:10–11 I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. 11 (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.)

III. Organizing the Process of Ministry

Pastors are also responsible for organizing the process of ministry.

It is very important that every Christian take his or her proper place.

Scripture gives several warnings about this.

For example, a person who is spiritually young and emotionally immature cannot carry the responsibility of serving as a pastor of a church.

1 Timothy 3:6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Another example: the Bible defines the sphere of women’s ministry, protecting them from the weight of responsibility that should be carried by male leaders.

1 Timothy 2:11–12 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.

When Paul commands Titus to appoint elders, he also gives a precise description of who may serve in such a role.

The task of pastors is to properly evaluate a person’s spiritual condition and abilities and to involve them in a kind of ministry that will bring real benefit to the church and be a blessing to that person as well.

A pastor’s guiding motivation in this process must be a sincere desire to promote the greatest possible effectiveness in ministry and the greatest possible spiritual growth of every church member for the building up of the body of Christ.

Continue supporting the churches working among the people who have suffered from the war in Ukraine:

A request from elders: Dear Church, if you are sick or know of someone who is sick and cannot attend services and be in fellowship with other believers, please let us know so we can visit them.

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

• Thursday (6:30 PM) – Kid’s Bible School (open to all but required for parents), followed by a prayer service at 7:30 PM.
• Friday – Saturday: Family Conference "Worship in the Family" 
  • Friday
    • 6:30pm - 7:00pm - tea, coffee
    • 7:00pm - 9:00pm - seminar, Q&A
  • Saturday
    • 8:30am - 9:00am - tea, coffee 
    • 9:00am - 1:00pm - seminar, Q&A with a break

**There will be no Men's Prayer Breakfast on Saturday due to conference

• Sunday services:
  • Worship Service in Russian at 9:00 AM
  • Worship Service in English at 11:15 AM