Good News and Character Papers…

December 1, 2004 | 12:27 PM

I finished my paper on the character of a church planter/pastor last night (this morning). I’ll post the text of it under this in a second. Today’s good news is that I talked to Dr. Mosely today and he suggested I talk to the registrar about getting an Incomplete for the class until I get the work done, giving me time during the break to get it all for real done. That’s incredible. It frees me up so I don’t totally bomb all my other classes. So important. Anyhoo… on to the Character of a Pastor.

With integrity coming to the forefront of political and religious issues, it is important to define the moral character of a minister. Pastors are at the forefront of the battle between good and evil and therefore must be fully prepared to enter into the fray. Just as a warrior must be prepared to fight with his sword, so must a pastor be skilled with the Word of God. The character of a pastor is defined by faith, hope, and love. Such qualities are exemplified by individuals who choose to live beyond the law, within the context of grace.

One of the foundational bases a pastor must understand is that the Ten Commandments are not a standard to which he must look up toward, but “the lowest possible standard of humane living.” Erwin McManus, pastor of Mosaic in Los Angeles, explains in his book, An Unstoppable Force . “The Ten Commandments don’t call us to the extraordinary spiritual life; they call us to stop dehumanizing one another. The law is the minimum of what it means to be human.”

Jesus came to fulfill the law: “to live the life we were created to live.” It is through his life that grace is best demonstrated. Grace is giving something a little extra—more than the law requires. Matthew records Jesus addressing the issue of grace and law in chapter 19, verses 16-30. When the young rich man came to Jesus asking what he should do to gain eternal life, Jesus asked him if he had fulfilled the law. The rich man said he had followed the law. Jesus told the man to sell all his stuff and give it to the poor. Pastors should be men of grace, not merely men of the law. Something extra is required to follow Jesus. Erwin McManus uses the story of Jonathan to illustrate that “something extra” in his book, Seizing Your Divine Moment .

As recorded in 1 Samuel 14, the actions of Jonathan, son of Saul, king of Israel, in their battle against the Philistines show more character highlights that a pastor or pastor should exemplify. The Philistines were camped high upon a cliff, and the Israelites were camped in the valley between the cliffs. As Saul sat with one of the two swords the Israelites owned, Jonathan stood with the other sword and one man under his command. To his armor-bearer, Jonathan said, “Come on; let’s go to the outpost of the Philistines. Maybe God will be with us.” The armor-bearer responded essentially, “I’ve got your back.” Jonathan explained the plan—if the Philistines taunted the duo, God had delivered the enemy into the Israelites’ hands. If the Philistines rushed down the cliff to kill the two, God was not in the favor of Jonathan and his companion. The Philistines taunted Jonathan and his armor-bearer, and with one sword, they climbed the cliff to the outpost. The two killed twenty Philistines but survived nonetheless.

Certain qualities are evident in Jonathan. First, he was a man of action. Rather than sit under a tree wasting time, he seized his moment and with the resources available to him, went to battle against the forces of evil. Jonathan did not concern himself with his own life; rather, he chose to do what he knew was right, regardless of the personal consequences. A pastor must have the same qualities. Pastors enter hostile environments both in North America and in the international mission field. They must be willing to sacrifice their lives for what is right, in order to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Second, Jonathan was a man of influence. One might think given the circumstances, the armor-bearer would have said no way was he following Jonathan up the cliff to fight a bunch of Philistines barehanded. Jonathan had a sword, but the armor bearer followed without a weapon. For him to follow, Jonathan must have had great influence over his companion. Pastors should have the ability to bring greatness out of those with them. Jonathan was able to bring a warrior out from within the young armor-bearer. In the same way, a pastor must be able to extract potential to glorify God from his team members.

After the battle was over, an earthquake rattled the area waking up soldiers on both sides of the war. The battle started by Jonathan and his companion spread among the other fighters. The movement begun by one man spread to the entire region. The story ends with the Israelites pursuing the Philistines into the countryside after a solid rout of the enemy. It is possible for one pastor, seizing his moment to do what is right, to start a fight that snowballs into a movement. One event can change the lives of countless individuals and in the end turn the tide of an entire war.

It is the life of Jonathan that displays strong faith in God. Faith is important, indeed, but it must be accompanied by other qualities. A pastor must be focused on the goal. Jonathan was focused on winning his battle and in the end helped end the war. A pastor must be focused on planting the church—winning his battle. Focus is a part of discipline.

Daniel’s discipline shows that big things happen when one is faithful in the small things. When King Darius required Daniel stop praying to the one true God, Daniel remained faithful to his God. His discipline in praying three times a day, despite the consequences, is another example of true faith. Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den, and because of his obedience and discipline in the “small” stuff, the things he already knew he was supposed to do, Daniel lived. When a pastor is faithful, disciplined, and obedient, and is focused on the goal at hand, big things can happen.

Still more, a pastor should make the most of his resources. While Jonathan made the most of his one sword and one soldier, a pastor should use his resources. Among the few guaranteed resources available to a pastor is the Bible. Therefore, a pastor should be able to wield the Word of God as well as Jonathan could have ever wielded his sword. It is the Scriptures that hold the Truth on which the church must be founded; the pastor should also ground his life on the Word.

If faith in God drives a pastor to action, gratitude should be his chief motivator. Gratitude toward God for His unending compassion and grace should be a core value for the pastor. A person’s capacity to love other people is directly associated with that person’s gratitude toward God. Jesus commanded everybody to love God and love one another. It is gratitude that allows the pastor to love God and love others. It is love for others that allows the pastor to be approachable. Approachability leads to healthy relationship building.

Of course, all the aforementioned qualities lead toward the moral characteristics found in the letters of First Timothy and Titus. A pastor and pastor should be able to manage the household and have a good reputation outside the church. He should be prudent and temperate, gentle and humble, honorable and faithful. A pastor must be prayerful and peaceable, above reproach and forgiving. He must be hospitable and respectable, able to teach and full of integrity. He must be full of wisdom, willing to accept and give correction.

All such characteristics spawn out of gratitude toward God and acceptance of His Word as a guide to life. It is through faith, love, and hope that a pastor becomes effective in ministry.

Posted in Ethics, NOBTS