Recently came across a definition of pastoring (from JesusCreed.com):
“bringing God to people by imparting the Word of God out of the reality of his or her life, which is undergoing authentic and continuous Christlike transformation” (John Fry, Jesus the Pastor)
What I like? connects the pastor's role to his/her own transformation process. I.E. pouring into others or communicating to others what God is also doing in him/her.
E. McManus once said he decided long ago to stop preaching sermons and start sharing what God was doing in and through him.
On thing, this definition leaves out the relational mentoring side of pastoring that I think is important and where lots tends to happen, so it might reduce pastoring to communicating (but he probably says more in the book).
Thoughts?
5 comments:
Dave these are some nice thoughts, but i think i prefer what Eugene Peterson says about this. We are in the Business of Making Saints. Peterson remarks, " The most important thing a pastor does is stand in a pulpit every Sunday and says, 'Let us worship God.
E. McManus' model makes him the center of proclamation instead of the word. Preaching, though it flows out of what God is doing in us as preachers must also involve stuff that we have already learned or are still learning or struggling through.
Is that the most important thing a pastor does? That's really one hour week focused.
However, no doubt, it's essential to lead people to worship God, if we don't do that - who get's the glory, and God is why we gather in the 1st place.
Frye's quote is much more clear than McManus; much more Word focused - which I think gives direction. I'm presuming McManus would probably assume that too; I hope so.
It's the relationship b/w the word and messenger that i think is important. Lot's of people can relate info, but are there lives in constant formation by the word they preach? (whether it's learned, achieved, or struggling through).
dave,
what do you mean that's all we do. Call in people to worship God through the teaching of the word, our systems and our lives.. seems like a prettying big thing.
dom,
your context was the "the pulpit every Sunday" which for me meant that one hour gathering.
I believe the church, the pastor, the direction is all pointing toward the transformation and restructuring of people's lives towards God's glory and mission, and not the least, Christ-likeness.
So, what do you mean by using Peterson's quote, are you thinking beyond or b/w sundays?
dom,
your context was the "the pulpit every Sunday" which for me meant that one hour gathering.
I believe the church, the pastor, the direction is all pointing toward the transformation and restructuring of people's lives towards God's glory and mission, and not the least, Christ-likeness.
So, what do you mean by using Peterson's quote, are you thinking beyond or b/w sundays?
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