Pastor: Don't Confuse Your Responsibility Wih God's

Earlier this week, God tugged at my heart a little bit with a reminder to not get my responsibility as a pastor confused with His responsiblity and promise as God. The Lord told Peter two very important truths that this pastor and every pastor needs to remember.

First, he told Peter that He would build His Church.

Matthew 16:18:

"And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build the church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

Second, he told Peter (three times) to feed His sheep.

John 21:15:

"Feed my lambs."

It is tempting for a pastor in an attempt to achieve the growth of the church to forsake feeding the church. And so in his attempt to "grow the church" he neglects the most important means of growing the church--feeding them a steady, meaty, diet of the Word of God.

Christ has promised to build/grow His church. That is his responsiblity. The task he has given to me and all other pastors is to faithfully and lovingly feed the sheep. The moment a pastor confuses the two (God's responsibility and his) is the moment, whether immediately noticed or not, that the health and growth of the church both begin to suffer.

John MacArthur has said very wisely that from the beginning of his ministry he determined to focus on the depth of his ministry and let God take care of the breadth of his ministry.

God, help me to hear and follow that wise counsel, but more than that to follow and trust the truth of Your Word.