How to know if your pastor is doing their job

Ever wondered if your pastor is doing his or her job?

Having been a pastor for thirty-seven years myself and now currently being an Overseer of pastors, this is an issue that is of paramount importance to me…and I bet it is to you as well.

I believe I can help you with this.  Let me give you the number one item on your pastor’s job description (as given by God)…

As stated in Ephesians 4:11-16, the number one responsibility stated on the job description for your pastor (your children’s children/youth pastor, etc.) is to equip you for the work of ministry that God has planned where you worship, work, and live.

Don’t stop reading!

Remember, I am giving you God’s number one item, not the one you wish was the number one item. 🙂

Beware of judging your pastoral team on whether or not they are making church about catering to you and your family.

Instead, measure their job performance on whether or not they are challenging you and your family to become better followers of Jesus Christ.

Remember:

• Church is not an item on your weekly “To Do List” that you check off if you can and then go to the next item.
• Church is not a fast food restaurant with a playground where you and the family can run by for a quick meal and a little fun time.
• No, church is more like a rehabilitation center which Dr. Jesus insists you and a bunch of other wounded-on-the-road-to-recovery people go to heal and get in shape so you can be productive Kingdom-workers in the “real world.”
• Therefore, see your pastor as a physical therapist—if they are not hurting you some, making you mad, and challenging you, they’re wasting your time.

Here’s another criteria: Measure your pastor’s job performance on how much he is costing you.

• There was a time you wrote a minister off is they were always asking for money. Now we may have gone to the other extreme.
• Remember, your pastor is not just any ole preacher.  It is his job to hit you in the pocketbook! (And also your calendar, but that’s a story for another time.)
• Write off those low-commitment guys and gals who are afraid to challenge you to give generously and sacrificially. If Jesus is not Lord of your banking account then you’re fooling yourself about being a true disciple.
• Observe closely the importance placed on the offering in your worship service this weekend.  If the offering is more of an afterthought, worked in during announcements or some other part of the service, and is not a holy, stand-alone time where your sacrifices are honored and your commitment level is challenged, then that should be a huge red flag that your pastor may be falling down on the job!
• Bottom line, if you don’t have a pastor who expects you to minimally tithe and give generous to missions, that should be a huge red flag that you may not have the pastor you really need.

And above all, measure your pastors on how well they are keeping you and your family focused on fulfilling the Great Commission.

• In light of how great and beyond imagination Heaven is, the only logical reason God is keeping us here is to finish the Great Commission.
• If most of the sermons and songs are about making you feel better–RED ALERT!!!
• If most of the programs and money spent are about making you and your family’s lives better and more fun–RED ALERT!!!
• If you are not at least toying with a plan of how to retire early and go into full-time ministry in some capacity you need to question whether or not your pastor is challenging you enough.
• If your children are not struggling with whether or not to go into full-time ministry (State side or as a Missionary) you need to ask their pastor why not.
• Remember, the number job description of your pastor is to raise up devoted disciples of Jesus Christ who are following him into all the world, not being successful according to societies’ standards.
• NOTE: Many of you who read this blog are like me, a member of the Church of God, Cleveland, TN, and thus you should be aware of the Mission of the Church of God, it’s referred to as the FINISH Commitment. If you have no clue what I’m talking about or if you see little to nothing happening about it, that should be another red flag. I’d ask my pastor why he’s not challenging you and the rest of the congregation to get on board with our General Overseer–Tim Hill’s challenge that we do our part in finishing Jesus’ Great Commission.  After all, our General Overseer’s request is our Lord and Savior’s command (Matthew 24:14, 28:18-20) and I’m hard pressed to think of anything that would be more important than that.

I once read a book about parenting where the author wrote: “If you want to see what children can do, you must stop giving them things.”

That’s good advice for your pastor also.

Make sure you let your pastor know that you do not expect him or her to make you and your family feel good all the time.

Remind them (and yourself) that what you’re looking for is a challenge so big and so great that you and your family are willing to give your lives for it.

Remind them that nothing less than you and your family being equipped to do what is required, so that one day you all will hear: “Well done, good and faithful servant!”, will do.

Remind them that they’ve given you enough; you’re now ready to start giving back.

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Matthew 16:24 (NKJV)
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”