Pastoring

How can a young pastor know when to initiate new structural or institutional changes?

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A young pastor should consider several matters when considering when to initiate new structural or institutional changes in his church:

What are some general guidelines by which pastors can counsel and encourage women in the church?

9Marks | 9Marks Journal: Miscellaneous Articles
As a pastor, your goal should be to set up practical boundaries to protect yourself, the woman, and the church: You want to protect yourself from unjust accusations (1 Tim. 5:19). Moreover, pastors are to be above reproach, so you want to build in boundaries that ensure you will both be above reproach and be seen to be above reproach. You want to protect the woman from any potential wrongdoing on the part of any church leaders.

What are some practical ways that churches can invest in training pastors?

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Here are several ways that whole congregations can get involved in training pastors:

Should a pastor visit every member of his church who is hospitalized?

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That question is impossible to answer in the abstract, so here are some principles to help a pastor think through what kind of a priority he should give to visiting hospitalized church members.

How can I decide whether or not I should be a pastor?

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Traditionally, Christians have referred to two kinds of “call” a man must experience before entering the pastorate: an internal call and an external call. While the word “call” is potentially misleading, the basic idea is right. Before becoming a pastor, a person should both desire to do the work and receive confirmation from a church. Part of doing both involves considering the biblical qualifications of an elder.

Does a pastor have to be “called” by God?

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On the one hand, there seems to be no biblical indication that the New Testament office of elder or pastor requires a special “calling.”

As I look for an existing church to pastor, what should I look for in a church?

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A number of factors might compel a man searching for a pastorate toward one church or another. But there are at least two factors that, from the standpoint of prudence, are non-negotiables:

Are there unwise ways to do a pastoral search?

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Try to land a big fish. Some churches go after a long list of “big name” pastors and hope that they’ll catch one. While we should be grateful for men whom God has made widely useful, we shouldn’t primarily target men because of their reputation, but because of their character, biblical qualifications, and biblical philosophy of ministry.

What tips do you have on doing a pastoral search wisely?

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Train your own. The best way for a church to get a new pastor is to train him themselves. This is a serious investment of time that could take years or even decades to bear fruit. But it is every church’s responsibility to train pastors and elders, and the best new pastor for any church will be a man who is already known to the church, already loves the church, and already has a faithful track record within the church.

If you’re interviewing to be the pastor of a new church, what are some questions you should be sure to ask?

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A. Theological Questions 1. What is the church’s statement of faith? 2. What has been the most vexed theological question the church has faced? Has there ever been a church split over theology or practice? Why? 3. What theological trends and strands of false teaching are the elders of the church particularly concerned about? 4. Who do you understand to be the biblically designated leaders of the church? 5. What do you understand the roles and responsibilities of elders to be?

What kind of questions should a church ask a pastoral candidate?

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A church should ask at least four types of questions of any potential pastor: theological, philosophy of ministry, practical, and personal.

As a young pastor thinks about initiating change, why is trust such an important factor?

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If a young pastor is thinking about initiating change, it’s important for his people trust him because:

Should pastors change anything in the first year?

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The answer to that question depends on the kind of church a pastor is stepping into.

How do pastors know what hills are worth dying on?

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No doubt questions like this must be answered on a case by case basis, but here are seven general areas in which pastors may be called upon to stake their job:

What tips do you have for dealing with bad leaders that you inherit in a new pastorate?

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Pray.  Pray for wisdom. Pray for humility. Pray for unity between you and your church’s other leaders. Pray that God would work in their hearts. Preach the Bible. All genuine change in a church comes as God works through his Word. Pray that God would use your teaching of his Word to change the hearts of your leaders.
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