What Does it Take to Become A Pastor?

One will have to defer to the writings of Holy Scripture to determine what qualities a candidate for the pastoral ministry should strive to possess. One finds the Bible to be very specific and orderly in its description of the qualifications of a pastor.  Saint Paul speaks of a pastor’s qualifications “ ¹Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. ²Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, ³not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. ⁴He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. ⁵(If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) ⁶He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. ⁷He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap.” 1 Tim. 3: 1-6. In Titus we a can add “blameless…a man whose children believe…not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather he must be…one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.” Titus 1: 6-9

How Does Jonathan Stack Up?

Although I aspire to achieve these things, I fall way short of the goal. I am the husband of one wife, respectable in the community, hospitable.  I do not drink to excess, not violent, not quarrelsome. I have no money to love and I am not a recent convert. My children are all believers and pursuing Godly professions.

There is no way that I will ever reach the lofty qualifications referred to in scripture. All I have is a shepherd’s heart for a group of people in Bixby, Oklahoma. All I have is a desire to follow the calling that has been placed in my heart, a calling that will not leave me alone. It will not be still. I strive to be in love with the Lord much as David was “I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will” Acts 13:22. But I do have a temper that I have to constantly keep in check and self-control issues are always in play. I have to depend on God to step in and help me every second of every day.

But that's just me.

Jonathan