Don’t Google Suburban Pastor
Over the past several months I have been reading, thinking, talking with others about what it means to be a pastor in the context of suburbia. I was surfing the web for stuff and there is some great suburban ministry thoughts out there; here, here, here and here. I wondered if there was a book or blog called Suburban Pastor. So I googled it and the first article was about a suburban pastor guilty of massive fraud, and the second article was one removed from his church for misappropriating church funds.
This was a very quick reminder for me that out of all things a suburban pastor needs to be to minister effectively to this context there is one indispensable quality.
Holiness.
I love learning about people and what they are thinking, so I can best minister to them but this reminds me that what my church and surrounding community needs most is a holy, happy, healthy man of God. I am reminded of the quote, “What my people need from me is my personal holiness.”
Holy living is kind of assumed in church leadership writings. It comes much later after vision casting, strategic planning, culturally current creativity and etc. Paul didn’t seem to write that way. In Titus 1 we see different leadership criteria.
“This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained in order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you – if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.” Titus 1:2-9 (ESV)
So as a “suburban pastor” I want to pour over these areas in my life.
Integrity in my home
- Am I being faithful to my wife with my mind, eyes, mouth and body?
- Am I loving her as Christ loved the church?
- Am I living with her in a way that she feels known and understood by me?
- Am I encouraging her to follow hard after Jesus and live in the freedom of the Gospel?
- Am I managing my kids or leading them to know who God is?
- Am I teaching them the Word of God regularly in a way they can understand?
- Am I spending time with them individually enough?
- Am I praying regularly for my family?
Integrity in my character
- Am I growing in humility or arrogance?
- How’s my anger and temper?
- Am I eating, drinking or watching too much TV?
- Is there anything I am addicted to right now? Caffeine, Olympics, Internet?
- Do I spend time thinking about what I would do with more money and stuff or with more of Jesus?
- Am I opening my life up to strangers?
- Do I have any grudges against people?
- How am I doing seeking God through spiritual disciplines?
- Am I being a good steward and disciplined with my time?
Integrity with the Word
- Am I “holding firm” to the Word of God or am I reading too much secondary materials (books, magazines, blogs, etc)?
- Am I growing in my understanding and application of sound doctrine?
- Am I growing in my ability to give instruction in sound doctrine in a way that is stimulating, informative and leading to transformation through Jesus?
- Am I being courageous enough to rebuke those who contradict sound doctrine?
- Am I doing out of love or out of pride?
This is what I am asking myself these days. I want to lead the church faithfully and be the best pastor I can be in my suburb. This was a good reminder that the scripture is my main source to learn how to do this.
