Choosing A Church – Part 1

If you recently have been released from jail or prison, please consider the following when making a decision for a home church. As a sheep, I am looking for a pastor/shepherd who serves the flock in the way that the Bible defines the role, who acts like Jesus the Good Shepherd.

1. Pastors perform many duties in addition to equipping and training the saints to do the work of the ministry
   • They are examples of righteousness
   • They model for their flocks biblical and spiritual priorities to establish
   • They are examples of humility
   • They are examples of love
   • They are students of the Bible, not just readers
   • They feed their flocks
   • They care for their flocks
   • They protect their flocks, spiritually
   • They disciple other believers
   • They teach the meaning of the Bible (exegesis) and help their congregations know how to apply it to their lives
   • They die to their own wills to serve their flocks
   • They model a life of prayer and compassion
   • They edify their flocks – build up others’ lives, who in many cases are broken by sin and bondage (Lk 4:18)
2. Pastors understand and exemplify humility, which is a fruit of the Holy Spirit
   • Leaders develop followers like themselves
     • “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.” (1Cor 11:1)
     • Humility means to think of yourself as little and thinking of others as better and more important

• “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” (1Cor 9:27)
• Humility words:

1. 1. praotes means submission to God and others; it is the opposite to self-assertiveness and self-interest
      • “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth” (2Tim 2:24-25)
      • “Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you.” (2Cor 10:1)
      • “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” (Gal 6:1)
      • “But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.” (1Tim 6:11)
      • “to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.” (Tit 3:2)
      • Fruit of the Spirit: “gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” (Gal 5:23)
      • “with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love” (Eph 4:2)
      • “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering” (Col 3:12)
   2. tapeinophrosune means lowliness of mind; should be demonstrated by all Christians
      • “with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love” (Eph 4:2)
      • “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” (Phil 2:3)
      • “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering” (Col 3:12)

• tapeinos means that which is low
  • “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matt 11:29)
  • “Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble.” (Rom 12:6)
  • “Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus” (2Cor 7:6)
  • “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (Jm 4:6)

3.  Pastors are disciples who seek to become more like Christ

3. • “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (Phil 3:10)
   • “Then He said to them all, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Lk 9:23)
   • “knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.” (Rom 6:6)
   • “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” (1Cor 2:2)
   • “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Gal 2:2)
   • “And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Gal 5:24)
   • “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” (Gal 6:14)
4. Pastors model how to strengthen Christians who are weak, by leading them to God’s grace
   • “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2Cor 12:10)
   • “For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.” (2Cor 13:4)
   • “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God” (2Cor 3:5)
   • “I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.” (1Cor 15:31)
   • “Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.” (Rom 14:1)
   • Weak Christians are to be honored regardless of their sincerity as believers. When the Church honors them, the weaker Christians (carnal Christians) begin to get spiritually stronger and then grow into committed
     • “But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.” (1Cor 12:18)
     • “But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.” (1Cor 12:24,25)

• “No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need.” (1Cor 12:22-24)
• “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb 4:16)

5. Pastors are examples of suffering
   • “Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer.” (2Cor 1:6)
   • “Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead” (2Cor 1:9)
   • “From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.” (Gal 6:17)
6. Spiritual Pastoral Priorities
   • “But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.” (1Tim 6:11)
   • “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2Tim 2:22)
   • “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.” (1Cor 11:1)
   • “but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” (1Tim 4:12)
   • “Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.” (2Tim 1:13)
   • “Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.” (Phil 3:17)
   • “If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed.” (1Tim 4:6)
   • “For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Therefore I urge you, imitate me.” (1Cor 4:15-16)
   • “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” (2Tim 2:2)
   • “But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance” (2Tim 3:10)
   • “But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them” (2Tim 3:14)
   • “The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Phil 4:9)
   • “Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.” (2Thes 2:15)
7. Peter’s teaching on how to live a sanctified life, that pastors should be actively doing, before becoming pastors
   • “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.” (2Pet 1:5-7)
8. Paul’s teaching on how to live a sanctified life, that pastors should be actively doing, before becoming pastors
   • “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” (Col 1:9-14)
9. Pastors should be equipped before they can Equip [katartizo means to equip, to prepare, to make fit, to restore, to complete, to make whole] their flocks
   • “for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Eph 4:12)
   • “and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” (1Cor 1:10)
   • “Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” (2Cor 13:11)
   • “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” (Gal 6:1)
   • “night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith” (1Thes 3:10)
   • “make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.” (Heb 13:21)
   • “But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.” (1Pet 5:10)
10. Pastors train themselves before they can lead their flocks to train themselves
    • “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.” (1Cor 9:24)
    • “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2Tim 4:7)
    • “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” (1Tim 6:12)
    • “exercise yourself toward godliness, for bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things.” (1Tim 4:7,8)
    • “Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Heb 12:11)
    • “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” (1Cor 9:27)
    • “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.” (2Cor 13:5)
    • “But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.” (2Cor 13:6)
    • “Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified.” (2Cor 13:7)
    • “Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.” (1Cor 9:26)
    • “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb 12:1-2)
11. Pastors edify [oikodome means to build a house, the act of one who promotes another’s spiritual growth in Christian wisdom, piety, happiness, holiness]
    • “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Eph 4:11-12)
    • “according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” (Eph 4:16)
    • “Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.” (Rom 15:2)
    • “Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.” (1Thes 5:11)
    • “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” (Eph 4:29)
    • “But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.” (1Cor 14:3)
12. Pastors learn how to be a disciple of Jesus first before discipling others
    • “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt 28:19)

• matheteuo is a learner (Matt 28:19; Acts 14:21)
• a disciple is not only a partaker of information, but also one who seeks to become like his or her teacher (Luke 6:40)
• in this way, discipleship is about modifying one’s entire lifestyle and priorities
  1. “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” (2Tim 2:2)
     1. didasko = to give instruction, to instill doctrine (1Tim 2:12; 4:11; 2Tim 2:2)
• “Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching” (Mk 4:2)

13.  Pastors learn to pray before teaching their flocks how to pray

• “Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” (Lk 11:1)

14. Pastors grow in faith before teaching their flocks how to grow in faith

• “And the apostles said to the Lord, Increase our faith.” (Lk 17:5)