A former occult practitioner got saved during a church’s outreach meeting. Having previously exploited people, he assumed pastors also took advantage of church members, particularly young women. He asked the pastor to share some women with him, revealing his misunderstanding of the pastoral office.
Friend, there is the sacredness of the pastoral calling (Hebrews 5:4). Some people see pastoral ministry as a place of enjoyment. They think pastors take advantage of the girls, gold, and glory of Zion. Whereas there could be few pastors who do such horrible things, it does not change God’s standards and expectations regarding the pastoral office and the Christian life generally (2 Timothy 2:19-21).
There are three movements in the world as far as the local church and the pastoral ministry are concerned; the free-the-sheep, fleece-the-sheep, and feed-the-sheep movements. The free-the-sheep movement is a satanic agenda to take believers out of the calling and covering of the pastoral ministry as ordained by God (Psalm 68:6).
The fleece-the-sheep movement is the agenda of uncalled men who take advantage of the sheep in order to advance their personal lives and agenda (Ezekiel 34:10). They see the sheep as a means of livelihood. They see church as business rather than as God’s own flock, which He purchased with His own blood. God is against such people (Acts 20:28).
The primary call of God upon a pastor is to feed the sheep (Jeremiah 3:15). He is called to give the sheep their meet in due season. The pastoral office provides an atmosphere where every member of the church family is nourished and catered for at their level. He helps each one to grow into the stature of Christ and fulfil destiny (Ephesians 4:11-13).
Dear pastor, feed the sheep. Don’t fleece the sheep (1 Peter 5:1-4). Dear church member, be careful of the agenda of the devil to free you from the local church. True freedom is being righteously bound somewhere. You are bound to the program of God for your life. You are bound to the authority and accountability structure ordained for you in the local church (Hebrews 13:7, 17).
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria