What does being a pastor or elder involve? Why should an individual be motivated to become an elder or pastor?

Craig Houston explains in this video that the office of a pastor or elder is a call to live a separated life, a call to live a life that is set apart to the Lord. It is a call to live an exemplary life.

1 Timothy 4 tells us that the work of God in our life and the example that you as a pastor are setting to others is something that is going to be evident in your life. This is not because you put on a special garment, but because you put on Christ. Christ is evident in you.

There is a call to elders and pastors to set an example with your life and doctrine. You are to demonstrate a Christ-likeness or holiness. There is a sobriety that is required for those in the ministry. Being in the ministry is not a job, but a calling. It is not a 9-5 job, but rather a call that requires you giving your life to serve and follow God.

Jeremiah 3:15 (NKJV) – “And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.”

I think that with regards to the office of a pastor, the office of elder or bishop, it is a call to live a separated life. It's a call to live a life that is set apart unto the Lord. And even in that end the requirements for fulfilling that office are a call to to live an exemplary life. And I want to read from 1 Timothy chapter 4. And it says, let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, and in purity, till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

Neglect not the gift that is in thee which was given thee by prophecy by the laying on of hands of the presbytery Meditate upon these things give thyself holy to them that thy profiting may appear To all it means that this work of God in your life This example that you're setting in this study of the scriptures is going to be something that's evidence in your life not because you put on a special garment but because you put on Christ because Christ is in you and Christ is being made evidenced through you. And then it says, take heed unto thyself. Literally it means watch your life and under the doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee." So there's a call to set an example with your life and your doctrine and that call ultimately could be summed up in Christ's likeness or holiness and I think if there is a Detriment In our day or if there is a cancer in in the ministry today I think it would be in just the very basics of the seriousness the sobriety that is necessary for the work of the ministry.

And the understanding that being in the ministry is not a job, it's a calling. And it's something that is not going to just take nine to five, it's going to require your life. And I think that a lot of people who are interested in the ministry are interested in maybe for the wrong reasons than the being up front the Being for the congregation and they don't recognize that it is literally a call to give your life. And so I think that it's important to remember these words from the Apostle Paul, that our life is to be lived in such a manner that we would let no man despise our youth young men that are interested in the ministry, and I think it's a Interesting this passage of Scripture when I was young I thought it it meant wrongly that I was like I'm not gonna let anybody despise the fact that I'm young. I'm 22 years old, I'm pastoring my first church, and I'm not going to let anybody despise the fact that I'm young.

But in reality I learned very quickly that what the passage is talking about is to live your life in such a way in such an exemplary way that no man has anything to despise your youth for that you're You're seeking to live your life in a way That obviously I'm a sinner obviously all pastors are but they're striving They're they're seeking to live in a way that could be a model for others And that's what if you go to 1st Timothy 3 or Titus chapter 1 you look at the qualifications for the ministry, the qualifications for the office of a bishop, the office of a pastor. You'll find that most of those qualifications have to do with godly living, with godly character, not about giftings for the ministry. Besides being apt to teach and ruling your own house well, everything else has to do with your character. It has to do with your walk before the Lord. Thank you.