{"id":32331,"date":"2022-09-10T16:05:23","date_gmt":"2022-09-10T21:05:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/5-pastoral-reflections-from-5-years-of-pastoring\/"},"modified":"2022-09-10T16:05:23","modified_gmt":"2022-09-10T21:05:23","slug":"5-pastoral-reflections-from-5-years-of-pastoring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/5-pastoral-reflections-from-5-years-of-pastoring\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Pastoral Reflections from 5 Years of Pastoring"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Michael Cooper<\/em><\/p>\n

The Lord called me to serve an average-sized church five years ago. As Paul Tripp said, pastoring is a dangerous calling.<\/p>\n

Five years ago, I really didn’t know what I was getting into serving as a bi-vocational pastor, full-time student, young husband, and father. Honestly, I\u2019m still trying to figure it out.<\/p>\n

As a 25-year-old pastor, I was thrown into the deep end quickly by performing multiple funerals in my first few months, experiencing church conflict, and walking through deep hurts. In a sense, I was baptized by fire.<\/p>\n

But I believe God permitted these situations for my good.<\/p>\n

As I reflect upon these past five years, I\u2019m humbled by what the Lord has taught me about myself, His church, and most importantly, Himself.<\/p>\n

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Here are five reflections from my past five years in pastoral ministry. <\/strong><\/p>\n

1. My Walk with Christ is Foundational to My Pastoral Ministry <\/strong><\/h3>\n

I\u2019m convinced pastors minister effectively only out of the overflow of their relationship with Christ. When I\u2019m struggling in my walk with Christ (daily Scripture reading, prayer, meditation, worship, etc.), I find it difficult to minister to others.<\/p>\n

If I\u2019m not walking in a close fellowship with God, I find it challenging to speak to others about their relationship with Christ.<\/p>\n

The pastor needs the gospel just as much as church laypeople do. Before I\u2019m a pastor, I\u2019m a child of God. This is why it\u2019s of the upmost importance for a pastor to prioritize his daily walk with Christ.<\/p>\n

2. Preaching is Only One Aspect of Pastoral Ministry <\/strong><\/h3>\n

I love to preach. At Criswell College, I was trained to exegete, synthesize, and preach systematically through books of the Bible. I fully embrace a text-driven approach to preaching.<\/p>\n

However, preaching is only one aspect of pastoral ministry. Don\u2019t misunderstand me; preaching is an important aspect; it just doesn\u2019t comprise all of pastoral ministry.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve come to embrace other aspects such as administrative work, organizing, and leading. Also, effective pastoral ministry takes place in the hospital waiting room and in the living room.<\/p>\n

Ministry happens at the dinner table as well as the Lord\u2019s table. As much as I love proclaiming God\u2019s Word before a gathered congregation, pastoring is more than just preaching.<\/p>\n

3. God Uses Criticism and Conflict to Humble Us<\/strong><\/h3>\n

I\u2019ve read horrors stories of pastors being confronted and criticized over issues. Criticism can come in many forms including letters, texts, emails, and face-to-face conversations.<\/p>\n

When I received my first criticism after a business meeting, I was devastated. It was a blow to my pride.<\/p>\n

In the past five years, I\u2019ve learned just how humbling it is to experience criticism and conflict in pastoral ministry. Some criticism is justified. In those cases, the pastoral blinders need to be lifted so I can see my mistakes.<\/p>\n

But sometimes people are just mean.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll never forget being publicly ridiculed on social media. I thought only pastors with \u201cbig ministries\u201d experienced that kind of open bashing.<\/p>\n

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But the Lord uses such moments to humble us and conform us into the image of Jesus.<\/p>\n

4. Serve for the Sake of Christ, Not Numbers<\/strong><\/h3>\n

There\u2019s a window in my study that faces the church parking lot. There\u2019ve been times when I\u2019ve sat at that window and watched cars pile into the parking lot the point of overflow.<\/p>\n

But at other times, I\u2019ve seen the parking lot so empty before service I contemplated changing my sermon so I could save it for a bigger crowd.<\/p>\n

One Sunday, I got so depressed about the numbers I decided to text a few pastor friends to vent and complain. One response shocked me back into reality: \u201cRemember, you\u2019re serving for Christ\u2019s sake.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s exactly what I needed to hear at that moment.<\/p>\n

The numbers will fluctuate. People will come and go. Some folks will choose the bigger church with more programs.<\/p>\n

But in the end, as pastors, we serve for Christ\u2019s sake. He\u2019s the one who called us to His work.<\/p>\n

5. Pastoring is Important, But You\u2019re Not Jesus<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When pastors go home at the end of the day, they carry work home with them. The struggles, problems, and pains of your people stay with you.<\/p>\n

This is why we must recognize that pastoring is not our identity. We\u2019re called to point people to Jesus, not to be Jesus.<\/p>\n

We reflect the love of Jesus of course, but at the end of the day, we can\u2019t be people\u2019s saviors. Far too many of us serve as functional messiahs for our people.<\/p>\n

Many congregations are dependent on the pastor. In five years, I\u2019ve learned I\u2019m a bad savior for people. There\u2019s only One who can save to the upmost, and it\u2019s Jesus.<\/p>\n

Looking Back, Looking Forward<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Five years in vocational ministry doesn\u2019t seem like a long time compared to some brothers who\u2019ve served faithfully for 30-plus years. I pray I can endure like them.<\/p>\n

But in looking back, I\u2019m reminded of God’s grace in calling me to serve the local church. I\u2019m humbled He would choose me to do His work.<\/p>\n

Through this short process, I\u2019ve come to realize how much I need Him and how He really doesn\u2019t need me.<\/p>\n

Lord willing, here\u2019s to many more years of ministry.<\/p>\n

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Michael Cooper<\/h2>\n

@M_Coop24<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Michael is the husband of Kailie, father of two daughters, pastor of Grace Community Church in Mabank, Texas, and author of\u00a0Identity Crisis.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n