Page 40 - Pastoral Ministries -Student Textbook

can be made referring to Acts 2, where a great deal of visitation seems to have taken place. In the early church
however, there was no sure clear demarcation of clergy from laity.

So, in Acts 2 we see Christians compelled by their love for each other spend time together. But somewhere in
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the 4 century, the division in the church between clergy and laity emerged. Such visitations can be encouraged
in their homes, times of sickness and bereavements. While appreciating such opportunities for ministry, the
shepherd should be aware not to visit any person or member of the opposite sex by either the pastor or the
pastor’s wife alone.

Pastoral visitations should not be taken as a way of running away from domestic responsibilities and not as a
way of gathering material stuff from the members.

Shepherds must understand that believers are priests, saints, and ministers

There is a practical reason; meaning clear logical and convincing argument for his submitting to the membership
of the church, and that is this: church members are not merely sheep; they are also believer-priests, saints, and
ministers of the gospel. Leaders are given to the church for only one purpose; to enhance the ministry of those
ministers.

If a pastor is wise, he will recognize and respect the wisdom that rests in the congregation as its members act
together and will demonstrate his respect by taking the decisions of the assembly to be wise counsel. He should
continually treat the individual members of the assembly with the respect due to them as priests and ministers.

Shepherds must help believers on their need to know their heritage or identity

Many Christians simply do not know who they are. When they are finally convinced of the fact that they are
priests and ministers, they will begin to act the part. The problem however is that often they do not get much
help from their church leaders in realizing the potential of their identity. The members of the church should be
treated with love.

Working Effectively with Church Officers

The principle of leadership is written indelibly into the pages of the Bible at almost every juncture. Just as it is
necessary for man to have some internal form of organization for his body to function, so the Body of Christ,
being an organism, also must have an internal organization for it to function and survive. An organizational
pattern revolves around some type of leadership. What type of relationship should exist between a pastor and
other leaders in the church?

The Principle of Mutual Submission

My examination of Scripture reveals two kinds of church officers; elders, who equip the saints for ministry of the
Gospel, and deacons, who supervise the service ministries of the church. Despite the confusion many feel over
the nature of the two offices and over which office should rule the other, I believe a built-in biblical principle
applies to all relationships that should hold between the person who are elders or deacons in a church. That is
the principle of mutual submission. All leaders in a church are to be accountable to each other and to the
church. God gave His church a plurality of wise leaders. A really wise pastor will realize as he disciples some of
the leadership that there are those in the leadership who should be discipling him. If he is bright, he will keep
himself from clashing with the older leadership of the church but will form a team with them.

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