You’ll be looking in a mirror Sunday morning.

• Jeremiah 5:30-31 (NKJV) An astonishing and horrible thing has been committed in the land: ³¹ The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; and My people love to have it so.  

  

I have observed that for the most part, a pastor deserves the congregation he has.  Of course there are exceptions to this rule but the truth is, if you have been at your current assignment for a year or two your people are a reflection of you.

Your people are a mirror in which you can examine your own life.  It is one of the rules of life: we produce what we are.

If your people are unfriendly—guess what!  If your people are stingy, judgmental and unforgiving—you guessed it; chances are they learned it from you or at least had what was already in them reinforced by your behavior.

It saddens me to hear a pastor belittle his people and complain about them.  Again, I know there are exceptions and on any given day there will be a member having a “bad day” and cleaning up their mess may bring a little moaning and groaning from even the most saintly pastor.

But bottom line, if you want your people to be different–you’ve got to become different.  A changed church is the result of a changed pastor.

I’m afraid far too many pastors change churches instead of changing themselves.  Heed the words of the Chief Shepherd: And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. (Jeremiah 3:15, NKJV)

There’s nothing that empowers and emboldens a preacher of the Gospel than preaching and living from a heart of love for his people given to him by the Chief Shepherd.

Prayer: “Oh God, change our hearts!  Do this by giving us your heart—a heart that so loved the world that you gave your only begotten Son.”

 

Related articles

• The Church as a Corporation (paulfpavao.wordpress.com)
• The unglamorous life of pastors (bic-threads.com)