Being a Part
I didn’t realize it until this past Sunday during our Membership Class. I am PART of the Body of Christ. Yeah, I’m the pastor, but I and others can’t forget that I am a Christian believer like everyone else in our church. Many churches forget that pastors and leaders are sinful humans like the rest. Even if the pastor is famous, written many books, is a mentor to many, and seems righteous then most, it still doesn’t change the fact that they are sinful creatures like everyone else.
Yes, they are called by God to preach and teach the Gospel, to counsel the hurt, and to be an example to the rest of the Body, but we are just as fallible as anyone else. What churches need to do is to keep pastors accountable by praying and asking them “...how their week was” or to see that things are well in their lives as well. Pastors also encourage the congregation to grow in their faith by accountability, rebuke, and also with Gospel Love.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 says to “...encourage and build one another up...” this isn’t just to the other members of the church, but it’s also to the pastors and leaders of the church. They’re your brothers and sisters in Christ as well. They struggle with temptation, with their families, with their faith, and many other things that you deal with also. They need Gospel Love too.
This Gospel Love isn’t too complicated. It can be simple as saying, “I’m glad that you’re part of this Body” or “I’ve been so blessed with your leadership or you leading praise or your service in the Fellowship Ministry”. All it takes to encourage and build up is 10 seconds. You never know that your next encouragement to another believer like the pastor or leader will help them up in life or in their faith. You may never know that maybe they have been in a pit, and all it took was for someone to notice and lift them up. Look around and see who’s in the “pit” - member or leader or pastor. Then give them 10 seconds.