Pastoral Selection and The Gospel Message

The pulpits today are filled with men and women who no not the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Men and women to act as little more than "cheerleaders for Jesus."

There is power in the pulpit, whether it is used for good, or for evil.   Over time, the doctrines and beliefs of a pastor will become the doctrine and beliefs of the flock.

Because of this, a Christian who can influence who is called to preach in a church can effectively control the destiny of that church.

In view of the biblical requirement that a pastor have the theological maturity both to recognize false doctrine, and to refute false doctrine (Titus 1:7; 2^nd John vs. 10), it logically follows that Christians who have a solid grasp of Christian doctrine, particularly in relation to the gospel, have a duty to use whatever position God has given them to influence who is called to the pastorate.  This is particularly true in churches when a doctrinally sound believer is the exception, and committies are often chaired by well meaning simpletons.

Doctrinally sound believers should zealously labor to serve on pastoral search and selection committees, and ensure, as within their ability, that any man to whom a call to the pastorate is extended is sound and accurate in his understanding of salvation, and faithful in his proclamation of the gospel.

In terms of effeciency, or "bang for the buck," there is probably no other endeavor that produces so much fruit per effort.  By becoming part of a search committee, and steering it away from doctrinally unsound pastors, and toward the selection of a doctrinally sound pastor who is both clear on the gospel, and takes seriously our Lord's command to proclaim it to all nations, one or two hours per week invested in working on a pastoral search committee by a single man, can result in a man of sound doctrine teaching twice a week for the next twenty years to a congregation that may number in the hundreds, or even thousands.  In a small congregation of only a hundres members, over a twenty year period, the dividends come to two hundred thousand hours of congregents hearing the truth of the gospel, and all of Scripture.   In a pastoral search that only consumes fifty hours over the course of a year, the securing of a sound pastor represents a dividend of 4,000 to 1 (four thousand to one).   In a pastoral search that consumes as little as ten hours labor and input from a sound believer, in a tiny church of 100 believers, that labor represents a return of 20,000 to 1 (twenty thousand to one).

But trying to steer a pulpit selection committee is not a visible "look at me" position.  It is a servant position.  Perhaps this is one reason true servants will be so rewarded at the judgment seat.  They are not men and women who sought their fifteen minutes of fame, but men and women who lost their lives (hid in the shadows, largely unseen by a congregation who may never appreciate the great service which has been wrought on their behalf.  Narcissists seek to shine the light on themselves.  Servants seek to leverage their labors to maximize the light that is shone upon Jesus Christ. 

Pastoral Selection and The Gospel Message