glorious ministry

            Look at the content of this book. Does it have anything to do with you?

            Surely you´ll enrich your mission as a leader, a counselor or a seminary teacher on the most delicate and difficult matters in Christian ministry.

Talk to the author: Eimaldo Vieira
Portuguese version: Ministério Glorioso                                                                   

French version: Ministère Glorieux
Spanish version: Glorioso Ministerio
Deutsch version: Wunderbaren Ministerium and Russian version: Ministério Glorioso
Read Marvellous City in Chinese: Marvellous City,
Japonese: Marvellous City and Indian: Marvilloues City and English: Marvellous City
Read also: Ishmael & Isaac

GENERAL CONTENT

The Calling / Investing Celebration

Misunderstood Traditions / Discipline or Punishment?

Facing Oppositions / Before Packing the Bags

Ministry Assistant & Collegiate / Miracles into the Flock

Fighting for the Essentials / Christian Conscience Questions

How to Assist your Sheep / Authority in the Church and Kingdom

Recognizing New Brethren / Know the State of your Sheep

Buying, Selling and Building / Presiding a Christian Parliament

Training the Laymen / Minister´s Family / Minister´s Word / Hanging up the Boots

THE CALLING

When the yang comes to the moment he has to decide his professional career, things aren´t simple. Sometimes, they even complicate, letting before the student no defined professions. It´s common you see a person to take all a superior course and give up the career, even before the beginning.

            But, when the matter is the ministerial vocation, the mistakes may bring biggest consequences, once the eternal kingdom affairs are at play. Hugging this ministry with vocation is a great blessing. Way from it with vocation is a disaster. Hugging it without vocation is also a disaster. Way from it without vocation is also a blessing.

            In dealing with ministerial calling, the vocation doesn´t define itself on the base of liking, callings tests, work market, support resources or some other dates. In such time of decision, the aspirant must to pay attention to some evidences.

             Surely, de most important evidence is the convincing of the Holy Spirit. In my personal case, I was just a three years converted, being fifteen old, the first believer in my family, baptized in a small church and sheep of a visitor pastor. I had all to know nothing about what a ministerial calling meant. There was nothing they could name a professional test. And yet, the Holy One had already convinced me I was to perform a task very similar to that of my dear pastor and a few others I had knew in a short time of Christian faith.

            I remember well, I tested myself frequently, asking myself, how would I feel as a Doctor, a Professor, a Lawyer, an Engineer, and so far. The answer coming from inside was always the same, that isn´t your business.

            Such encouragement from the voice of God´s Spirit usually increases more and more. As you read the Scriptures, the Holy one conducts you in that direction. If you read the patriarchs, like Enoch, Abraham and Moses, the prophets like Isaiah, David, and especially Jesus, you find yourself in a permanent interaction with everyone in privilege, commitment and calling. Time´s distance seems exist no more.

            Besides, let me say a fantastic true. The Spirit himself guides you to such scriptures by those important and exiting days of your Christian life.

            Another evidence is the appreciation of others. As the Holy Spirit talk to you all the time, so your fellow believers do, because the same Lord leads them to do the same.

            Any misplaced encouragement may be noxious to the candidate, but a negative word is normally worse. I remember the moment a yang fellow member said me, Eimaldo, I think you aren´t called. Surprised I said, why that, my friend? He returned, Every pastor I have known is a fat person and you are a thin one. He mainly thought of my first pastor, Israel José Pinheiro. Pinheiro is a very tall pine tree. That is why, in his days of Seminary, his fellows appreciated his good Christian fiber joking, as Israel you are plenty, as Pinheiro you are empty. Indeed, Pastor Israel lived all his life time as a very giant pastor.

            On the other hand, any encouragement must be welcome, mainly from the pastors linked to the candidate. In my case, Pastor Israel has been a great blessing, together with Pastor João Barreto da Silva, another giant in the Christian faith. Pastor Barreto, as the people used to call him, received me in the Baptist School, first, as an aspirant, and later, as one of his assistants, in the school and church as well.

            To emphasize the role of a calling conviction to Ministry, I remember the words of Pastor Arthur Elder, from the Britain Baptist Mission, my fellow pastor in the State of Paraná, Brazil. He liked to talk about a yang in his country. The aspirant said to his pastor, pastor, I feel I am being called to Ministry. What have you to say me about? The pastor answered, if you can, take your body out of it. Apparently, that old pastor didn´t give a good advice. But, as the hours passed, the yang realized he was right, because he really tried to take his body out, but he couldn´t. As a matter of fact, he came to a Seminary, and later, he was consecrated as a pastor.

INVESTING CELEBRATION

            What a day! That is, what a night! It was a very special date in my life. As it is used to happen, my prior concern was about what to say to the audience and the people who elected me as their spiritual leader.

On such times like that, a good think is to say the people how has the Lord chosen you to exercise that office in that city and community.

Another option is to choose a text pointing out the pastor and church compromise toward Christian ministry. That was my choice under Ephesians 6.19,20. “…praying for me as well, that God will give me a message when I am ready to speak, so that I may speak boldly and make known the gospel´s secret…”

Paul´s ministry is very rich in all which refers to ministry. Acts 20.24, though belonging to a departing context, is also a good example of inspiration in times like an investing ceremony.

The Bible is very abundant in streams of inspiration to the preachers on ministerial investing times.

As it was imagined, the auditorium was plenum with the membership, beside pastors, churches, other denominations, authorities, syndical and commercial class entities´ representatives.

In all that I could see a nice chance to testify about Jesus as the only hope to this complicate world.

It was the breaking of sixty 1960, the globe facing the first space travel, the Brasilia foundation, the color TV, and many other expectations for Brazilian people and the whole world. Nevertheless, God´s family stood convinced that Jesus in their hearts still was and would be forever the solution to the big problems and to eternal happiness of mankind.

An so it happened that a yang of 24, together with his wife Ruth, of 22, newly married, replete of hopes and dreams, were thrown into the most noble and beautiful mission of this wonderful planet.

MISUNDERSTOOD TRADITIONS

            My Christian carrier was still very short and I knew little about deacons. All I knew, they were some biblical officers and the biblical history of that group impressed me a lot. The church where I knew Jesus had no deacons and so, even then, as pastor, I still had seen a little bit of that relevant ministry.

            Now, I started to admire those men, women deacons were very rare, cote suit and tie dressed, serving bread and win to the congregation. I said to myself, is that really all they have to help myself and the church?

            The deacons usually had a good performance when in their formal obligations and they thought themselves responsible toward to supervise the pastoral actions.

            The social program Alliance for Progress was ongoing, when churches received goods for their poor.

            It happened then, I had a good chance to train deacons. Today I recognize I wasn´t succeed. I usually preached about biblical deacons, but seldom had I invited them to follow me by the field to assist the flock with foods and dresses. Surely, here one of the most useful lessons I pass to yang leaders, after fifty years as a local pastor. Deliver the poor´s cause to the deacons and support them. They´ll be encouraged to help you in many other affairs.

            By that time, I already had a good vision of diaconal mission as chosen persons to smooth ministerial functions. Their essential task was to serve the three tables, the poor, the Lord and the pastor´s table. Yet, the Bible doesn´t say they have exclusivity on these three duties. All the same, their job doesn´t restrict to the three occupations. Their essential is to help their pastor, knowing that, in the present time, the pastoral´s mission becomes more and more complex and heavy.

            Finishing this testimony, I advise you, presidential pastors, to lead your churches do adopt a periodic system of renovation for the deacons, like the other Christian leaderships have adopted it long ago. For example, a church has or chooses twelve deacons. Four are supposed to serve for three years, four for two years and four for one year. Every year the church promotes the renewal of the team. Another suggestion. The church chooses its twelve. Every year it submits all them to renewal  in its general assembly. In both the cases, democratically, only the strong survive. That is, the spiritually strongest ones proceed.

            Pastor Ebenézer Soares Ferreira, in his book “Vade Mecum do Obreiro e da Igreja”, (The Christian Worker and the Church´s Vade Mecum), says, …the rotation give the yang people inspiration to serve as deacons… It´s the easiest way of removing those who don´t adapt themselves to their function…

            May the Lord bless your Ministry and your Diaconal ministry.

  

DISCIPLINE OR PUNISHMENT?

            Here you have one of the secrets of your ministry. The discipline exercise according the New Testament. Some times, I myself have forgotten I can find this question in the blessed Word in such an able and simple way.

Mathews 18.15-22 may be considered a summary of the Mount´s Sermon produced by the same author, our Lord, the Pastor and Bishop of our souls. You´d better to have a picture of it on your office desk.

            Still very new as pastor, some persons came to me to solve a grave situation. One of them said, Pastor, I have heard that two members are in adultery. According to him, they were distinct and old cases. All of a sudden, I embrace the cause as being myself the only responsible in the world.

            Today, I´m sure I was right, once I didn´t declined names to anyone. But surely I failed when I brought the subject to the church, asking the assembly a committee to receive grave suspects among the flock. The church appreciated the suggestion but didn´t get along with because I couldn´t decline names. The case, by that time, fell in generality.

            How would I act now? Quit different. I would open the Scriptures, probably in Mathew 18.15-22, demanding the accordance of the interlocutor to the text. At the same time, I would give him the task to do Jesus´plane, guiding him into the question he brought me. Accepted the mission, I would offer him or her all the support he or she needed, perhaps, meeting both, he and “the victim”.

            Now, suppose the member refuses to receive all guidance concerning the case. Then, I would finish the talk saying him, You don´t have any authority on this case, nor any right to talk about it to anybody. If you do, you´ll be under the church authority. That attitude doesn´t stop the case, necessarily, but it is an important step toward to solve the church atmosphere problem and remove the injustice from a possible broken heart member.  

            Another discipline case. During a prayer meeting, I heard an old woman saying, Lord, look. How is your church suffering on people mouth! That night, I came back to my house very concerned with that prayer. I thought to myself, while I guided the car, Why didn´t the woman do nothing at all about the question she knows? Why didn´t she give me the chance to know some about? Will I myself be the pivot of a calumny?

            Next day, I drove to the church campus, came to the same woman and she said it was a suspect case between two yang women. What did I do? I promote a meeting with the old woman, one of the two persons and a deacon because he also knew something about. The involved part declared, I´m not in fault with the Lord and the church. Now I´ll ask my transferring to other church.

            Here again, I question myself. How would I guide the case today? Again I recognize my fault. The angle of the problem was the appearance of the evil. Then, I would better to talk to the yang in private. Surely she would be convinced to remove such appearance and the folk would forget the rumor.

            The problem, once more, is the pastor place the problem upon his shoulders. The moment he does or treats the matter with a group, all the parts consider it already in the church´s hands. And this, once made ahead of time, causes constraints and spiritual prejudices to the involved sheep, family and church. Note a relevant truth. Lord Jesus let it very clear. Even when the case must to be brought to church, the church must to try to restore the sheep before any surgery.

            For these long 50 years as pastor, I have heard hundreds of cases from disgusting members and relates because they had been unlinked from the membership without a visit, a letter or at least a telephone call. That, not to say all an integration fellowship work.

            The churches usually are right when unlink the member. Some of these are absents for months. It´s possible they now live in distant cities. But the moment they receives the news of their removing, they become very frustrated. There are cases in which their letters bring the words, the church gave his or her reconciliation and transferring. The word reconciliation sounds like a bomb, once its reading by the secretary came without any previous preparation.

            The bad effects of such situations are abundant. They usually fall upon members and relates for the rest of their lives. They also may bring any infamous tail upon the pastor and his church even before the big community around. May be, they´ll say, They don´t love one another!

            For all these things, dear pastor, teach your church and bring it to observe the words of our Lord on such a delicate matter. God bless you and be a great blessing.

FACING OPPOSITIONS

            Not rare the minister passes by turbulent times during his ministry. The reasons may be different, but these are common. First, when the minister falls himself into questions of moral conduct, Theology or management. Second, when persons enter in confrontation with the leader because of divergent opinions, even though he is correct in his conduct, Theology and functions.

            I myself  have passed by some turbulent moments in that second category.

            I remember an evening, in a routine meeting with my deacons, they were eight, they delivered me a page with a kind of the ten commandments of the pastor. They didn´t ask me to present anything to the Assembly. That´s why I didn´t assume any compromise with the subjects, but to pray and think about every point. Another thing, I kept myself in complete silence about the matter. Yet, things touched many ears, because they looked for me offering encouragement.

            Those enthusiastic words from inside the flock, the visible results of my work and the kindness of almost all the church, all that led me to go on firm in that pastorate. My silence about that meeting still exists, 50 years later.  

            Now, what would have happened if those leaders had proceeded, doing systematic opposition to my ministry, perhaps formalizing their requirements before the church?

            Then and now, I would take the same attitudes I had there, that is, I would give up on some questions, the non essentials to the church edification, and I would ask its support on those things situated in the sphere of my conscience.

            In such situations, it is used to happen the lost of unsatisfied persons and families, what didn´t happen, once the Lord´s grace gave me serenity and well based attitude on the Word of God.

            In the time of God, I resigned that pastorate, being myself still much loved by the sheep, what is real still today. The same about those deacons´ families and they themselves, while they still lived among us in this world.

            Many of the most serious oppositions to the pastor come from any lack in the leadership training of workers. But also, as in my experience, they are due to some misunderstood traditions among God´s people, as I considered above.

            In patience, humility, fraternal love and absolute confidence in the Word of God, you´ll surely win all the battles and you´ll be a blessing for the Lord´s Kingdom.     

             

BEFORE PACKING THE BAGS

            As a minister of God, you need to know the better moment of resigning the job.

            When things are not going well in the church, you need sensibility to see where the obstacle comes from, if the church or the pastor himself.

            May be there is an environment of depreciation from the part of some members. Perhaps their concern is about the pastor as a preacher. Perhaps it is all about him as a manager. Perhaps, as a visitor. Perhaps, as a counselor.

            In all these situations, the better way is always the same.

            With a humble heart, the leader must give his sheep a chance to show their opinions relating to how can the leadership improve the work of God, including the pastoral affairs. Periodic meetings with the fellows usually are very profitable to that proposal. Personal or group interviews may be even better, especially when the claimants are very few.

            In such seasons, the leader must be very fast in improving himself on the areas where he figures out the motives of complaints. May be he will increase the presence of fellows in his pulpit. May be he will invite others to help him in his visitation task. May be he will share much better his management affairs with several new workers.

            All these steps go on changing the things and giving back the church a new spiritual atmosphere of services and adoration.

            But, If, on the other hand, the focus of the disagreement or the church apathy is on persons unsatisfied with the leader because he did something against personal interests or points of view, then, the pastor´s conduct must be done in some appropriate way.

            Fist, the spiritual guide would better to promote a conciliation between the parts. Then, he explains his reasons and difficulties and may confess possible faults. That way, almost always, the spirits smooth and the church comes back to a better time.

            Suppose now the complaining part doesn´t humiliate and goes on fighting his pastor. Then, he must to bring the case to the church, pointing out everything he has heard and done. Surely the church´s position will express the willing of the Lord, according Mathew 18.18. Probably, the losing side will be removed by the church assembly, or they will remove by themselves, once they´ll also lose his favorable atmosphere to proceed.

         Finally, suppose the troubles didn´t change after all these efforts and things go on the same toward the leader. Then, you came to the point where you don’t have an appropriate clime to go on any more. Then, you must realize it is the right time to pack the bags.

            Undoubtedly the one who has called you has another church or place for you and you´ll have e new and blessed beginning. You´ll still stand as a blessed pastor.

MINISTRY ASSISTANT & COLLEGIATE

            Some times, through the ministry carrier, it happens you need an assistant or be yourself a ministry assistant. The cases vary so much and depend on the comprehension of the president pastor and the church, human resources and some other factors. 

            In dealing with a new pastor, it seems well he starts his ministry as an assistant, once he has so much to learn and do under counsels of an older fellow.

            The functions of the assistant are many, according to church and president needs. Sometimes, the assistant work depends on the Statute and Bylaws of the church.

            Mutual confidence, support and responsibility are the secrets for the success on this important matter in Christian ministry.

            Christian Education and Music are usually easier to manage because they are more specific tasks, almost always linked to the temple´s services.

            Any way, the obligations must be very well expressed by the president pastor and must be done under the same principles of mutual confidence, support and responsibility, as we have seen.

            Regarding the collegiate ministry, I don’t have exercised it by the years, but it´s known that several pastors are invested on different ministries, passing, necessarily, by the election of the church. The collegiate pastors work alike under the president supervision, and they may share the pulpit, the baptism and the Lord´s Supper with the president.

            In the Scriptures, I think, Jerusalem, Samaria, Antioch and Ephesus are the more classic examples of the collegiate Christian ministry.

            No matter what is the position of the minister on his sharing ministry, that must be the fruit of the Holy Spirit call, in order each one may exercise his functions without groans and under the comfortable guidance of the same Comforter and Lord. On such conditions, there will be no place for disputes, envy, cares about prestige loss, put to corner, or anything that may put everything to lose.

            Christian principles, good rules, clear division of tasks, absence of personal ills, everything under the Holy Spirit´s control, and you´ll never fear any assistant or collegiate ministry. And you´ll be a blessing. 

                                                                                                                                                  

MRACLES INTO THE FLOCK

            We don’t have to be scared when a miracle happens among the sheep. We´d better to receive God´s deeds with gratitude and praise, once from him comes everything we judge impossible. For the same reason, we mustn´t boast ourselves, but only give all the honor and glory to the Lord.

            I´ll remember you just a special blessing I witnessed in late 1970, by my 30 of ministry. I was a visitor pastor, at a city 280 miles from my home. That time, I was also a local pastor in full time and the church allowed myself, in a consultation, to give a week a month to the other flock.

            Then, the church met together at a family´s house. It was a thanksgiving service for the first anniversary of a son. The father was a simple worker in a drips factory. The only means of support in that area.

            Time came and the service started. Everything seemed well when I noted a different moving among the audience. Some persons had left the local and come into the small house  with the child´s mother. She had called my mother Tilinha, social action director, and my sister Dulce, president of the women society. She was vey scare and repeated, the cake I have made isn´t enough to this multitude! The sisters replied with these words, Don´t be afraid. When the pastor finishes the service, you just start cutting the cake and give it the guests. Just let everything in the Lord´s hands. He knows you have made everything at your hands.

            And so happened. Nobody left that open air before eating a slide of the cake and drinking a glass of the tasty caju juice.

            This reporting is important here in Brazil, a country of catholic traditions. As you know, the concepts of miracles and saints are peculiar to the Catholic Church. According to them, only few persons become saints, sometimes after hundreds of years, thanks to two or more miracles assigned to them and recognized by the Church. In the Evangelic churches, miracles are not related to the saints´ merits and saints are every all the God´s Children. According to the Scriptures, the word saint means a person separated by God and for God, graces to his new spiritual nature.

            Facts like this one I related above may happen during our pastorate. As a matter of fact, we must stand ourselves in our most humble spirit, gratitude and worship before the supreme Creator. In such moments you´ll always be a blessing for God and people.

           

FIGHTING FOR THE ESSENTIALS

            Facing a lot of challengers in his ministry, the leader has to figure out the essentials of his job and fight for them with all his mind and heart.

            By the world side, you have the evangelization of 5 billion persons who don´t know Christ´s plan of salvation. The other 2 billion or over, may be they don’t ignore the marvelous grace of God, but they didn´t experiment it personally yet.

            Together with that lack of a new birth in Jesus, you have to face the iniquity in form of practical and theoretical atheism, the immorality, the violence in many different shapes, besides gangs, the physical and moral violence against women and kids. You have to face religious sacrifices of children and even adults, like some repeated cases in Brazil. You have to see the frequent natural disasters around the globe, unemployment, mass diseases, family crisis and many other challenges.

             Surely, we aren´t experts in every one of these areas, but we are also called to help such specialists. For the Christian leader, the essential is to fight for the better performance of those not called to be pastors. For this reason, I think we´d better not spend time and forces taking courses ally to our specific area of work. Personally, I respect those pastors who dedicate themselves to direct social rehabilitation center or any other secular institution. In every situation, we must question, Is there any other to occupy that cargo?

            For me, fighting for the essentials is to remain inside the inherent functions of our ministry.

            Fighting for the essentials is not embrace the works of others, for that position brings disgusts and impoverishment to our ministry.

            Fighting for the essentials is not to enter in combat against brethren and fellows of other denomination. You don´t have to give up on your theological convictions, almost always precious thesaurus of centuries or millenniums. But we can live a good Christian relationship with one another.

            Let me finish this chapter reporting a little bit from my first bag packing. At the end of my first pastorate, in Paranaguá, State of Paraná, I had never been at a church of different denomination. When Pastor Rafael Batista knew about my leaving the church and city, he promoted a special service of thanksgiving for my life and ministry. The whole God´s Assembly came to that unforgettable celebration.

          What the secret? I remember I loved those fellows and brethren. I used to visit the fellows and families in their trouble moments. I couldn´t do the same with flocks in general because many times I didn´t know the facts, for been much involved with my church´s affairs, and also not to give the impression of proselytizing, what we call to fish in aquarium. Another thing I used to do was to talk to my fellows, as soon as I heard non believers criticizing their sheep´s testimony. May be brother or sister is suffering any he injustice, I thought. They thanked me.

            For every one of these reasons, dear fellows, fight for the essentials of God for your ministry. Think and act like the Apostle Paul, …That I complete my carrier and the ministry I received from the Lord, in order to give testimony of the Gospel of the grace of God…

                                                                         

CHRISTIAN CONSCIENCE QUESTIONS

            As pastors, we have to make choices and decisions every day and night. Some concert to our own family, others to church or any member individually. Certainly, we don´t decide for the sheep, but on what must we advise them before they make their own decisions. But how can we decide when we are face to face with controvert subjects in the church and community around?

            First, let us consider cases brought to us by the membership or community. We´re supposed to act with a pastor heart, but always as a mediator. We are in the position of finding out the better council to the people. Sometimes, it´s the member by himself who looks for your help. Sometimes, it´s his or her family who take the initiative to do so. But, in some cases, we ourselves, as pastors, have to look for the persons, because we are aware about and the persons are still silent.

            Once you have figured out you´re facing a conscience question, that is, the matter isn´t directly pointed out in the Scripture, you may follow a few steps.

            First, yould´d better to suggest a time for prayer, usually a short while. Don´t ask for the family presence in this prayer time, unless the family is present at the interview or the member has authorized you to do that. Remember, everything comes at a proper moment. May be this brief while is your chance to prepare yourself before the Lord, before giving your advices. Anyway, it´s good listen the more you can before express your counsels. Don´t think you have to do that during the first interview.

            Second, still at the first interview, you must ask the person, if alone, if the family is or not aware about the subject. If not, you must to encourage him or her to open heart to relates and authorize you, at the same time, to deal with them from now on. Supposing a relate is the interlocutor, you must observe the same concerning the person in trouble.

            Third, usually at the next meeting, you must point out the for & against of the possible decisions.

            Such situations mustn´t be brought to church because they´re concern to conscience and the solutions are due to persons and families.

            Probably, it will take a long time before the question be solved. The most important is to solve it biblically.

            No matter how the question gets through, it may bring long or permanent consequences to those persons and families involved.

            On the other side, suppose the problem is concerned to the own pastor and his house. Here I´ll give my counsel based on my own recent experience.

            A few months ago, my wife and myself were finishing a good repair in our apartment. The painter for the social area, an excellent professional, is a yang pastor. I have seen that it is very common in Brazil Pentecostal pastors to work in humble occupations to support their families.

            It was his last day of painting and I noted he couldn´t start working. Then, I gave him a chance to talk about anything. Knowing he I was also a pastor, he asked me to listen to him about something very important to him. He said, I think I must have a vasectomy, once my wife can´t have a tubal ligation surgery, according medical diagnoses. My difficult is to think about how my church is going to receive the subject. Can you help me to solve the problem?

            I answered the first thing to do was to be very sure they were facing a real question of conscience. He and his wife must be convinced that there is no passage in the Bible openly against the act. In a couple of minutes led him to texts like grow and multiply yourselves and, children are the heritage of the Lord for you.

            Afterward, I suggest he and wife to depart a time to place the question entirely in the Lord´s hands, in order they both possessed complete conviction and peace concerned the matter.

            Then, I talked about the necessity to obtain from his wife a compromise that she would never complain or be sad before the Lord if any regret comes to her heart any time. That they both received the fact as a blessing, not as a curse. All the same about him, even for the case of her death, supposing his surgery will be irreversible.

            Finally, I showed him the convenience of displaying the question to his staff, once some people already knew some about his problem and the their culture difficultly would accept it because it referred to human body.

            Consults like that may bring anguish and big embarrassments to a pastor and church, if brought to the flock after consuming the facts.

            At this final stage of preparation to such relevant decisions, you never demand a final opinion from your staff or deacons at the same meeting. They also need a time to pray and think about the matter. Surely you have already put before them your considerations on the Bible texts referred above and tried to convince them on your real situation. It´s possible you have also presented the testimony of other Christian couples well succeed and blessed in the same drama.

              But, what would you do if your workers stood against your intension? May be you´d face a new dilemma. To follow them or to pack the bags. May be, in your case, your flock will go on blessing and loving you, but not as their pastor, once you and wife didn´t give up on your conscience right.

            Suppose now that when you brought the case to the workers, graces to your Christian attitude, the Holy Spirit opened their hearts towards you. May be they said you words like that, We don´t agree with the matter, but, once you and wife decide this way, we´ll respect your decision and won´t comment the subject any more, unless to remove doubts among and help the flock. Such behavior will prove they have also understood your question is a real matter of conscience.

            Similarly, cases like that I have just related may happen among the people. Surely you and your church won´t support abortion or euthanasia and we hope such situations won´t touch your personal life. But, if you follow those rules I commend you, surely you´ll  overcome such special moments in the life of your brethren or your own.

            Here a hot news, as our friends of the media use to say. Even euthanasia is crime here in Brazil, Brazilian Congress is discussing a project allowing the terminal patient refusing hospital lodging and equipments he doesn´t want or judge more uncomfortable than his illness.

            Anyway, once more you´ll be a great blessing when passing by so delicate hours in your wonderful ministry.

HOW TO ASSIST YOUR SHEEP

            Every spiritual leader must be attentive to some relation questions, mainly if regarding to a pastor. Sheep may look for their pastors any way, at any moment or place. It´s up to the leader to educate his flock in this very relevant area of his job.

            Depending on the state of spirit of and their needs, the sheep are not concern on some personal risks, provided they have their assistance as soon as possible. Sometimes, they ask for the pastor attention just at the main door at the end of the service. Sometimes, the place is a casual passing by. Sometimes, the telephone or the internet. Anyway, I repeat, it´s up to the leader to check the relevance and urgency of his sheep´s questions. Here the pastor is better to observe certain rules and special cares.

            Some cases can´t wait for better times, like when the lamb asks prayer for an ill relate or friend, the entrance to an universe, a unemployment  situation, an so for. I such apparently simple, it´s better to the pastor himself to have an assistant for such moments, probably a deacon or a yang, to write the quickly requests and any compromise the pastor has just assume. The reason for that care is simple. After leaving the pulpit, the pastor is very tired and usually his memory isn´t in a good condition to fix times and duties. Remember, any pastorate fault, the most simple the compromise seems to be, may cause a big disappointment to a member and relates or friends, and disgust to a ministry.

            Now, suppose a new situation within one of these eventual cases at the entry or out of the temple. Suppose, as well, the members are affected by some personal offense or emotional disagreement. In that moment, you have to avoid immediate assistance. You just identify the problem and call the parts to the office to happen immediately or as soon.

            The motive for this prevention is that discordant thinks may hide exorbitant animus. That, as usually, creates a negative spiritual climate of curiosity and for & against, breaking the positive atmosphere and inspiration the people have just received from the service.

            There in the office, normally you listen to the person who first brought you the subject. Afterward, you listen to the other part. May be you have to call both of them to one or more meeting before figure out a solution to the problem. For the more complicated cases I recommend the chapter above, Discipline or Punishment?

            In relation to the cabinet attendance, some preventions must be taken.

            One of those preventions is to avoid faulting any compromise you assume before people, being them fellow pastors, members, relates, non believer friends or entities. Surely you have a fix schedule for you cabinet assistance people wait for you or hope to find you at the proper time. Some time they neglect or forget their chance or compromise to see you, but not the same when you disappoint them with any absence. And because of the eventual missing from the part of persons, it is good to have one or two books at hand, beside your Bible which you usually need to read and show at any interview.

            Individual scheduling may be useful for our days, avoiding long waits and vain spending of time from the part of the interlocutors, especially in those heaviest days.

            Another important care is to maintain the main entrance open, beside a transparent view to the cabinet. For secure motives, in some areas it´s better the presence of an usher to receive and follow possible visitors strange to the flock. The transparence I mentioned here comes to be more relevant because you´ll always receiving persons of the other sex alone.

            The pastor´s wife presence at this pastorate task may be very useful, even without salary, as in Brazil. It´s good to give her a separated room, where she can receive persons of the same sex with their particular problems, those ones they wouldn´t discuss with his pastor comfortably.

            A third way to assist the flock is the pastorate visitation. Here, I remember some cares in order this activity be a great blessing towards the kingdom of God.

            If the visitor is alone, be sure your host isn´t alone, as well. This preoccupation, like in the case of cabinet, aims to keep both from temptations or improper relations. Almost all the pastors are marriage. So, any oversight may carry great suffering over him, his family, church and ministry. Even as single, great would be the consequences for many persons.

            In order to guaranty the better success in this area of his ministry, the pastor would better to bring his wife or another fellow with him through his visiting times.

            Another care for the pastorate visitation is to accomplish and observe times. It´s great never forget, never to be late and never delay because the people have their schedule and our visit must let a taste of I want more and not it was enough!

            You also have to be alert about the content of your visits. As a matter of fact, the matter depends on the environment you find in the house and the aim of your visit. If the family is met together, you must to talk about biblical or smooth subjects. In the case of some heavy question, the better to do is to depart the involved persons to a private room or, being difficult, to invite them to an interview in the cabinet.

            Here, it´s good to repeat, you should never address confident subjects with any other person, but the one directly involved by them, even when the other is a blood relate. That is why you don´t treat such questions with the whole family together. When you find it necessary to talk to anyone else, you ask the person to bring you the others or authorize you to call them, be you in the cabinet, visiting or wherever.

            Now, a few words about the pastorate assistance by telephone and internet. In both cases, you have to look at some cares. One is to pay attention to time, especially in respect to the other side. Time belongs to everyone and nobody, at the same time. Even more relevant yet, is to look after your words and contents. May be you are talking to some others, like on an extended line, as you think to be talking confidentially.              

            When in the internet the things come to be even more complex. Here, like in visitation, talk about smooth subjects, letting more serious matters to your cabinet or any other place more secure to everyone.

            Finally, you must be very careful about secrecy. I have already emphasized this is a sacred right belonging to all of us. I tried to approach the respect everyone deserves as we are assisting the people of God. Divulging the problems the persons confide to us may means a betrayal and loss of confidence. Here, persons may become sad and broken for a life time and our minister may come to a sad and abrupt end.

            If you look and apply the holy rules from the Scriptures and practice these advices I have drawn from the same Word of God, surely you´ll be more and more respected and loved by your flock and your ministry will be more and more a blessing, as well.

AUTHORITY IN THE CHURCH AND KINGDOM

            Any successful ministry depends on a good comprehension on the Christian authority from the part of the church and his pastor. From the time of our conversion and baptism, we face and live under authorities for all our Christian life long. Even the member´s family and friends not compromised with any Christian church not seldom know or experiment some with church authority, at least indirectly. The worst, some are frustrated experiences. Here, I avoid to mention some personal negative cases because they are recent ones and I don´t want to constrain ex-sheep and churches.

          I start saying authority is a real institute from the Lord very present in the Bible. The Father, the Holy Spirit and Jesus´ authority is a constant throughout the Word of God. We can see this by texts like, Let´s make the man… The Spirit of the Lord is upon me… I do everything my Father commanded me to do… All authority was given to me… and so for. God is the supreme authority in his kingdom and churches. We can see that through every page of the Old and New Testament.

          The second kind of authority is that belonging to churches themselves. It is a delegated authority the Churches receive directly from the Lord. It´s evident, even when Jesus´ Church was still embryonic. Whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven and whatever you free on earth will have been freed in heaven. It´s a great due and privilege you as pastor to teach and guide your church toward meaning and exercising its authority.

            Thirdly, let´s remember the church members´ authority. It´s a functional and delegated power the persons receive from the church to serve the church and the kingdom of God. It´s also a divine authority and much related to the Holy Spirit´s gifts. In some cases this kind of authority is exercised in a more individual way, like to pray for the sick, personal evangelism and many others deeds. In some others, the authority has a more delegate character, like to serve as a deacon, a music or Christian Education director, and so on.

            These kinds of authorities never conflict among themselves. Unlike, they act always harmonically, once the workers or officials in charge of so different functions are supposed to be under the authority and control of the Holy Spirit, from whom every power comes.

            Much relevant, yet, is to now that every spiritual authority is a delegated one. The Father delegated his to the Son. As well, every Christian worker must be under authority, be it from the Lord alone, be it from the Church, be it from the pastor or any other fellow.

            The natural result of that understanding is an inclination to humbleness and respect among the members, being they on their functions or not, because they know they have someone above themselves. Many conflicts will be avoided and serious questions will have a happy end. This is also one of the greatest secrets of a successful ministry.

            Worthy of remembering, these Watchman Nee´s words, in China, in 1948, The place where we enter in contact with the authority is the body. The head, the fountain of the authority, and the members, each one in his function, mutually ministering as delegated authority and obeying authority, all meet together in the church. If we fail here, there will not have a way out.

RECOGNIZING NEW BRETHREN

             Many people have given up their right to become church members because the pastor didn´t recognize them before the congregation after a long time of presence. It  seems, some leaders let the time pass by, supposing the new sheep, coming from another community or being them new converted, they will ask their admission by themselves.

            The ways to recognize the new are different, depending on the personal schedule of the pastor and church.

            Let us think in the value of a presentation. Any visitor may be a potential member, no matter is he or she a believer, a friend or perhaps a church foe. If a non believer, maybe he or she comes to Jesus in the service. If a believer, maybe he or she is thinking to know the community in order to ask his or her affiliation.

            There is a lot of fellows who have said somewhere of how nice it was the first time they came to this or that church, from the moment they reached the parking or the entrance of the temple. Unforgivable was the moment when they were received by one or two members with a nice smile in their lips and brought to a place to attend the service.

            In relation to the ways of greeting the visitors, one of them is to let them decline their vile, church and pastor´s name. Some pastors enjoy sending a hug to that church and pastor in the name of his church. Besides that, some churches hand the visitors some prospects for adding information about religious belief, address, telephone number, propose and time to receive a visit and some other data.

            Some leaders adopt radical methods of recognizing visitors. A dear lamb of mine               

reported me, Some months ago, I came to a church in Rio to attend the service. The pastor presented nobody all the service long. At the end, the audience went upstairs and met together in a big social room. There the members could present their invited while a tea was served. It was amazing to me because I always thought the temple isn´t the right place to do anything but the adoration of God.

            Here, my replying to my brother. Recognizing visitors isn´t any homage, but the fraternal greeting to creatures of the same God we worship in his temple. Think about that. Can you say so rigid method was a common practice by the first century´s churches? The greetings from the apostolic letters seem to indicate something quite different. Another question. Can we affirm all the visitors will remain for the communion time?

            Once more I point out that many a people complain of pastors and churches who didn´t recognized them at their first or last visit to the Lord´s house. The worst, they didn´t come back there or any other Christian church. Some of them for a long time or still say words like that, It´s well, my family, let us adore the Lord by ourselves at home!

             Even though all of a formal schedule is good in your ministry, you must teach and encourage your sheep to greet personally the visitors. Let them not to wait for a chance in the service followed or not by some music. Though it may be nice, that time never must be a substitute for the volunteer and personal greeting. This wonderful practice must happen before and after the service, without any prejudice for the cult.

          Now, let us think for a while in that person arriving at the church as a new member. The methods of receiving him or her are different. Depending on the church and denomination, he may be received by baptism, reconciliation, letter of transferring, and, exceptionally, by acclamation or faith declaration.

          No matter what kind of admission the new was received by, he or she hope to be presented before the congregation, known that he or she has already been received at the church assembly. The cuorum varies according to the statute of the church, but, as usually, the audience is smallest than the adoration time. Then, the presentation to the biggest congregation is very important to the new member and the church.

          The church where I knew Jesus in my 13, on November 7, 1948 and was baptized on July 12, 1949, now, 2012, when a friend receives Jesus publically, all the audience stands up in files and comes ahead to greet the new converted, usually under the sound of a proper music. After any baptizing ceremony, similarly, the church hugs the candidates during the leaving at the mains entrance of the temple.

            In my ministry, besides the appropriate message to the news, I used to say some special words to them and the church, like these, You have just entered this family as a member. Now, you have the same rights and obligations like your fellow brethren. That is more a word to the church, once the new baptized or new arrived had already been taught about membership affairs by the time of catechumens class.

          Finally, you must remember to deliver baptism certificates to the new and the new to spiritual fathers and mothers and to groups of communion according to their age.

          Surely, this chapter of your ministry is responsible for a lot of exiting and unforgotten eternal blessings.

         

KNOW THE STATE OF YOUR SHEEP

            This is another important biblical recommendation to the pastors. Old Testament one, indeed, but very present in the New Testament, especially in Jesus ministry. Good Pastor figure shows us the dimension of our main occupation. Maybe here the sphere where the most grieve fails happen in our ministry with the worst consequences, as well. Uncountable are the cases of broken lambs because of neglect assistance. You can find scars everywhere on faces and hearts of forgotten people or those who didn´t receive a good help on seasons when they needed their pastor a lot.

            It is right the lamb, in the most cases, may be supposed blamed by his silence, lack of information, deviation of message, and so on. Any way the pastor has to be very alert in order he can assist his brother or sister as soon as possible.

          Today, September 16, 2010, my wife and myself waited for our car in a multinational, because of an electronic repair. The executive in charge of the attendance said to me in his office, Recently I suffered a lot with my two years old girl at near death in a hospital. The pastor of the church didn´t make a visit or a telephone call to know anything from my little child. He finished saying that he looked for the heavenly help by himself and how a miracle happened to him the same day of his anguish prayer. He didn´t lose his daughter but the church lost a member who still feels himself a broken sheep. I didn´t have a chance to know the other side, but, surely something very relevant happened.

            One more case. Sunday, September 12, 2010, I was in a familiar meeting, commemorating 94 of my aunt, when, talking with a cousin, he said, We esoteric, haven´t  any pastor or sheep. In our community each one has to be prepared to live by himself. I  answered,  The figure of the Pastor is much biblical, so well taught in Palestine and life and ministry of Jesus. Doo you see that? He returned, I really do.

            That story could be different, was he not one more deception heart. He had reported to me a long friendship with his wife´s pastor, then, already dead. One day, they moved to another area of Brazil. When his wife asked the church her letter of transference from her church in Rio, she heard the letter contained her reconciliation, what meant she had been unlinked  any time ago. Though that could be a common expedient in the churches life, she became so disappointed that she finished her days without belong to a church any more.

          Every church member knows in that letter one could read words like that, that is a letter of reconciliation and transference. The word reconciliation is biblical blessing. But in that case it sounded as a punishment because my cousin didn´t receive a fraternal preparation by her last church, being it by letter, telephone or internet.

          In my pastorates, I had many fails and regrets. One night a potential member called me on asking to come to her house to pray for her little child with some eruptions by her body. I was convalescent from a big labyrinth crisis and leaving at night was still very dull. I talk to myself, It´s a simple matter and tomorrow the doctor is going to do it very well. Then, I prayed for them still at the telephone. The woman gave me loving thanks. As soon as I put the phone down, I changed my mind and came to the house, by bus, for I wasn´t driving yet. I did so much more for the mother sake than the child. Today, the couple and the two daughters belong to that church. Many times, what we consider small questions in ministry, as a matter of fact, are big ones in the mind of an upset heart.

          By the way, speaking of big or grave questions, I remember one of the most relevant areas of our ministry. That is the pastorate assistance in extremis. I remember words of Pastor João Filson Soren, ex-president of the Baptist World Alliance and my Professor of Contemporaneous Theology and Pastoral Theology. I can´t forget he saying in 1959, As soon as you receive a news in extremis, go immediately in direction of the broken lamb.

          To know the state of our sheep is a very ample task. The physic state seems to be the most common. But we have to think and lead with the economic, the conjugal and familiar conflicts, college, work or lack of work, neighbor questions and many others. In any situation, pay attention to the emotional and spiritual state of the suffering sheep. Our role as pastors is to be God´s instruments to lead the members and friends to overcome their main problems and recover the joy and greatness of their salvation as better children of our merciful Lord.

          All the time, dear fellow pastor! Behold! That is something incomparable in your pastorate and for the kingdom and glory of God. (Prov. 27.23)

BUYING, SELLING AND BUILDING

           Here is an area sometimes inevitable. Like many others, this can be a great blessing or a big problem to a president pastor and his church. When he faces the necessity to build a temple, religious education or a pastoral house, the pastor must have some special cares.

           At the initial phase of your project, be sure of how strong is your influence among the sheep, mainly if you are still new as a pastor among them. Look for a good maker of opinions in the flock, especially one who understands a lot about the matter, better yet, one well received leader in any church administration subject. After praying to on the question, try to bring him or her to the project God has placed in your heart. Do that, before saying even a word to the public or general assembly. As you know, when the leader speaks, even the walls can heard his words.

            Your silence is very significant until another fellow becomes you ally in the cause, being him or not an expert on the area. Don’t be afraid to lose prestige. Good allies´ choice, late or soon, will bring credits to you and your fellows will help you in many other things.

            At this time, may be the church needs to buy a new area to build upon. Confirm that need with some able persons, like you did relating the building itself.

            Next step must be to place the matter before your leaders in order they help you to impact all the community. You know, the church will support all the financial costs of the project and it is wonderful that the people do it in joy and happiness all the time.  

            In relation to the area, it needs well elaborated studies, like price, public access, public powers´ license to build in the area, authenticity of the documents and, moreover, if the area comport one more church, compared to other churches already built there. In many cases, the church has her free space to build a new temple or whatever she needs. In that case, the cares become reduced to some legal, technical and domestic aspects.

            Once the space question is well to the church as a whole, now you start the preparations for the building project itself. Here, as well, it is relevant the preparation of the staff and church. While this motivation work is done, technical studies must be made to know what kind of building is convenient to the church at that time. Some questions are basic during this phase. What is this building for? Is it exclusive to the church adoration? Will it be for Sunday School and Christian education in general?  Will it be for Social Action or Multi-ministry as well? What is the percent proportion of the city or geographic area the church aims to reach? What is the evangelistic potential of the church area? 

            Failings in this phase may signify prejudices to the kingdom of God. That is, maybe your church is building a white elephant.

          Finished that step of persuasions and strategic studies, the spiritual leader must to guide the execution of an anti-project, that is, an extra-official plant that will become later a document by the engineer to be submitted to the local authorities. Becoming it, now, into a maquette usually is amazing to the people.

           For this time, first you have to define the work long term, according to the anti-project. Here, a professional transform the necessities and anti-project you have made with the church into a draft in order the church can approve it in her assembly. Here, the long,  middle or short term execution  plane may be appreciated by the church, according to her financial schedule.

           Besides the official plant, the same or another professional have to be asked to present an electric, hydraulic and fire security plant. The emergence leavings, illumination and ventilation or air conditioned are already included in the structural one.

          The acoustic plant deserves a particular attention. Though it is also encrusted in the structural project, probably there isn´t an expert engineer in the city. Then, you have to hire a professional or a practical in the area and pass his work to the responsible. Why all this prevention with acoustic? As a matter of fact, acoustic is a very important matter to the churches, but, usually, isn´t a requirement from the part of official organs.

          The global building project brings several advantages. Among them, it is good the motivation of the people when they can see a work as already finished. The method prevents the risk of future demolitions and prejudices. Good to know, a total plan doesn´t prevent from edifying smallest units, one by one.

          My advices on this relevant matter come from my personal experiences. First, let nothing be done by yourself or without the approval of the vast majority of the church, better yet, the unanimity. Second, that you and your staff never assume any financial compromise before previous approval of the church. You can, legally to do that, but the results may be a disaster for your ministry. Every church Statute I know has this article, The members don´t respond subsidiary for obligations assumed by the church and the church doesn´t responds by her members.

            Even under the shelter of the legal disposition, people fear to face the name of their church in risk before the public. In the other hand, God´s people enjoy to find themselves responsible for the support, following and decision of the church projects. It is wonderful you see your flock working together for a great cause.

            Yet, regarding the acquisition of any area, the church must pay attention to some cares. Check in notary´s office if the property really belongs to the supposed subscriber. It mustn´t have any pendency respecting heirs, environment and others.

            For the cases of sale, besides a democratic participation and authorizing from the church, if the payment is to be made by banc-check or promissory, every one of these documents must be bounded to the principal document in the same notary office. Remember, that is the only guaranty to have the area back, if the other part fails.

            All these things may seem painful and complex, but the results surely will be surprising to you, the church and the kingdom of God. Your aren´t supposed to be an expert in physical constructions. You are one in spiritual edifying to the Lord. But, one day, when people contemplate the buildings you wisely presided, they will say, Look around and  know who was the man.

PRESIDING A CHRISTIAN PARLIAMENT

           Now, we are going to think about a subject on which you aren´t supposed to be an expert, as I am not, as well. Any well presided assembly is a guaranty of success in many church subjects, inclusive the remaining of a good fraternal living. Like other areas of our ministry, this is also variable, according to churches and denominations.

          The most classical model of a Christian parliament is Acts 15, where James directs the assembly. Some steps and principles must help the president in a Christian democratic assembly.     

          First, the president has to know the nature of the subject in his hand to bring to church. This simple rule may prevent problems and superfluous spending of time and forces. With this dominium, the president writes at his agenda of staff and plenary, only the proper matters to the meetings. Everything up to the pastor will be decided by him or handed to others.

          Second, the presidential agenda must be organized in chronologic order, according to the time when each matter came to him. That order may be modified in a first moment by the group involved in the subjects or the administrate council. As in Brazilian Congress, this right belongs to the president, in church affairs, it´s pleasant sharing the privilege with the fellow leaders. The factor priority guides this question, once at the assemblies may be there won´t be time to consider all the agenda. Here, must be very useful to remember the relevance of gaining one or more makers of opinions, before bringing great subjects to the  staff or plenary.

          Third, as president, you must to take care about the environment of the assembly. The president, secretaries and vice or vices-presidents have to sit down in a visible place at the table. Some pastors prefer to stand at the pulpit to preside the works. These other components of the table need to have their duties indicated to them before the assembly begins. Visibility and acoustic of the speakers are also very important. Another preliminary preparation is the indication of some members in charge of counting the votes, be for the acclamation or written system.

          At last, the president must own a good knowledge on parliamentary rules. That´s why I´ll give you some of the most relevant ones, which belong to the intern regiment of my last flock. That document obeys the Statute of that same church.

          The right to word and vote in the assemblies obeys to parliament´s rules universally observed…

       a) Orators receive the word according to the order of inscriptions and have to remain in the matter in discussion.

b) Proposals enter to discussion only median clear content and seconded by the plenary.

c) Lost proposals give the proponent the right to register his vote declaration.

d) Modifying proposals as emend, suppressive, additive, substitutive, enter in immediate discussion, being voted in the inverse order of their presentation, from the last to the original one.

e) Ending discussion proposals must be define if the inscribed orators will be listened or not and enter in immediate discussion.

f) Put on the table, time limitation or prorogation to the assembly, matter or orators, must be voted immediately.

g) Reconsideration of matter can´t be appreciated in the same session in which the matter has been approved.

h) Word for the order must be given immediately.

i) Session interruption is a president´s prerogative and must be clearly justified by him.

j) Minerva vote is also a president´s prerogative.

TRAINING THE LAYMEN                                                                                             

          In this chapter, we´ll thing about one more secret of a ministerial success. I have said above pastoral ministry in Brazil is a multi-faced  one, grace to the fact that here the majority of the churches don´t have resource enough to support several pastors or a collegiate. So, even more relevant is the pastor round himself of good lay fellows to help him, in order prevent his disgust as a kind of polyvalent or all doing pastor. If he insists to be so, he surely will impoverish his main functions, like preaching, prayer and visits.

          Before enter the heart of this exiting matter, let me observe the word laymen here has the particular ecclesiastic sense, once the pastor himself usually is a layman in many areas of his church where he has engineers, teachers, lawyers and so for. Such professionals are laymen in relation to the president, the other pastors and theologians in the church.

      Another relevant fact is that people work with special motivation and joy when they receive tasks consonant with their natural and spiritual gifts. Every effort the pastor spends in that direction surely will produce surprising dividends to the kingdom of our Lord.

          The main base of any successful lay ministry in the church is a constant emphasis on the pulpit and biblical study about the richness of spiritual gifts. Many of the gifts are linked to the natural ones, considering both come from the Holy Spirit.

          The first area to be considered here is the management one. The deacons can have an important role, no matter their proper functions, the so called, the three tables, already studied.  As a matter of fact there is always a team of laymen in every age, owning time and talents to help pastors and the church significantly. Some of them are in vacation or retired.

          Next to the administration area, there are the functions linked to Multi-ministry or Social Action area. Here, the appropriated training is very important, not only because it aims to support the pastor, but also when we know such persons works in some very delicate areas like teaching and looking after children, graduating craftwork professionals, exposing works at gallery to the public rooms, and so for. Such promotions are as relevant as delicate. Relevant, for they place the church on the eyes of the society and may attract many people to the Christian community, perhaps wining precious souls for Jesus Christ. Delicate, for they operate with human persons, running the risk of great troubles, when things don´t end as the big public hopes. For many reasons, the better training for the laymen will never be enough.

          Another area where the pastor and his church need to invest a lot is the Christian Education. It is as important to our ministry as it was for Jesus. It is even difficult to us today distinguishing between preaching and teaching in Jesus´ ministry. In our days, teaching utilizes from better pedagogic resources and fills itself of permanent dialogue.

        You can hand the layman and women Professors the better biblical information and encouragement in order they can give back the disciples their knowledge and experiences. One of your greatest aims is to prepare your teachers to receive the questions from the pupils. They must do that natural, smooth and faithfully, answering jus what they know, asking help from other pupils in the class or promising better answer by telephone, internet, visit or next Sunday in class.

            Besides, hand your fellows the better of your pedagogic bag, dynamic of groups, an encourage them to pay much attention to personal and familiar problems of their disciples, in order they can help them, besides the class, everywhere and by every way possible.

          At last, let us remember the place of preaching in the laymen ministry. In this area, never fear to make better preachers than you. If that is a challenger, it is also a blessing. Those who better teach, better learn. If we are wise, surely we´ll preach better than our fellows and will help them to preach better than others. Here, no matter we are Peter, Paul or Apollos in this wonderful task. What is important is that they grow and help us to edify God´s Church.

          Among the resources we have in this area, we can remember some good notions of Homiletic and Hermeneutic and sending the laymen to give personal testimony of  conversion in public squares or outside the church  and brief foreign missions. We must remember to allow our fellows to occupy the pulpit, as they are able to do that.

          Happy the pastors who learned with Gethro, Moses´ father in law, and moreover with their Master, Jesus Christ, to share the multiple ministerial charges with those who are ready to help them, without fearing to lose honor or authority. All these things come from above and can´t be stealed by real children of our just and marvelous God.                                                                                                                  

                                                                                  

MINISTER´S FAMILY                                                                                                          

          No doubt, this is the main point of support to a pastoral ministry. Surely, there are tremendous single God´s prophets. Some of them are waiting for their marriage and some have no plane to do. It´s a especial gift from the Lord. In I Timothy 3.2, Apostle Paul emphasizes the pastor needs to have his only one wife. That came to be a basic condition at God´s sight for any Christian spiritual guide. Surely the Apostle is referring to the marriage, not the single, who the Lord respects.

          In relation to the pastor´s wife, she must feel herself called by the same God and Lord who has called his husband, with the mission of helping him. She must recognize her role to help his husband, placing herself before him, as God says, and not ahead of him, as some have said they like to do, becoming a disaster to his husband. Before him doesn´t have a professional, but a social meaning, as his husband assistant. And that isn´t a humiliating, but a honorable position.

          On the other side, the pastor must give his wife all the rights she deserves. He can do that in his very inner heart, privately and in public, being attentive not to do that to the bin or compare her to other women in the church. A proper conjugal conduct from God´ minister is something significant to other wives, because they expect their husbands may be receiving encouragement to do the same to them.

          Here, I dare to give you a personal advice. If you aren´t ordained yet and isn´t sure about your wife as person convinced of her mission as a pastor´s wife, you´d better not enter into de cause yet. Any wife walking ahead will cause duplicity of orders and your pastoral authority won´t stand for a longer time. It´s better you don´t receiving the ministry that having it frustrate. In this question, usually there isn´t a medium. A pastor´s wife will be a blessing or, other way, she will be an embarrassment.

          In relation to the children, the pastor must dedicate them all his love, even when correcting them.  You must highlight their virtues and positive actions, as privately as publicly. Before and at the adolescence, you must to spend a good time to introduce them into the better social and spiritual atmosphere. Remember to follow them in their scholar affairs being so vigilant about atheistic positions from non-believers professors and yet, the internet matters entering your home.                                           

          Besides and over all these things, it is very important that you maintain a careful devotional life in family. First, your personal inner life with God. Second, you lead you family in a diary fellowship with God. Third, we must remember our diary devotion as a Christian couple. All those three moments of communion with the Lord can´t find no substitute. Each one has his proper place and moves the Heaven, bringing infinite blessings to your life, family and ministry.

MINISTER´S WORD         

           Nobody can ignore the value of words. In every cultural traditions around the world, the word even confuses with the person pronouncing it. That is, word, name and character mix in one thing. Psalm 23 is a good example,  …He guides me by righteous paths because he loves his name. That is, He is attentive to what he has promised us. The trademark of Jesus words were, Verily, verily, I say you…. And more, … Earth and skies will pass, but my words won´t pass. And yet, Be your words yes, yes, and no, no…

          I remember my first pair of shoes by my 12, and the words of my mother Tilinha, Ask lady Jamila to sell you a pair of shoes. Say her you´ll pay it week by week. Lady Jamila Nader was a friend, a Lebanese immigrant and the owner of the store. Then, each week, I paid a good bit of my shoes from the tip I received as a mechanic learner. It´s curious that my mother didn´t need signing papers to guarantee her buys. Her word was the document. By those days of 1947 and still now, old people usually say about honest people, Look! That is a person of word!

          In some sectors of the society, the word becomes an instrument even more relevant.  This could be entitled the ppp word chapter, parents, professors, pastors. Is usual a child say his or her teacher, in first years in the school, No, teacher! My mother taught me different!  At home, they do the same about their teacher. If the father says the rain comes from heavenly Father, the child replies, But, my teacher said it comes from the clouds! All that because they feel themselves in a dilemma, I whom I trust? I can´t doubt one or the other! I can´t believe my mother lied to me!

          Now, imagine for a moment what may the word of a pastor mean. From an age on, the child comes to have his pastor as a reference. And that is supposed to last forever.

          Besides quality, we have to be very careful about opportunity. Like we find in the Wisdoms, Timely word is as lovely as golden apples in a silver basket.

          But this chapter would be unfinished without some more considerations about reliability of a pastor of human souls. As we pondered in the chapter How to Assist your Lambs, the simple forgetting a compromise may bring sadness and crisis over a dear lamb.

          A woman or man of God mustn´t forget a financial compromise, be it in or outside the flock. When a legal obligation is in question, belonging it to the church or the pastor, he must be attentive in order never fail against persons or institutions. Small blunders may put the name of the church under criticism and dishonor. The ancient subjects said, King´s word can´t turn back. Non believers and the flock say, Pastor´s word can´t be a lack.

          The same can be said on the day by day of the pastor´s work. A small agenda may be an indispensable company to a pastor. A simple lapse in a pastor´s mind may be interpreted as a neglect and cause difficult to the spiritual condition of a sheep. Let´s be alert. The big public says, Vox populi, vox Dei. The sheep say, Vox pastoris, vox Dei.

          Dear fellow pastor. Being very careful upon your word is also to look after one of the greatest instruments you have been given to help many people and honor the Lord as much as he deserves.

         

HANGING UP THE BOOTS

          Perhaps, that is one of the most difficult times in a pastor´s life. Like other professionals, may be the minister surprises himself afraid about his jubilee, before it comes true. The matter seems transmit him a feeling of weakness ant that doesn´t fall well into his soul. Leisure nightmare may disturb him, as well. Even more, as usual, he is concerned with the impact the news of his renounce will cause into his sheep heart.

          Front to all the complexity of the subject, and once I myself have overcome the same situation recently, I am happy to pass you some advices.

          First, scan your heart concerning the matter.

          Second, scan the heart of God, as well, asking for answers in his Word.

          Third, try to listen to the flock. That doesn´t mean hear their audible words, once you didn´t speak to them about, but being attentive to their reactions to your messages and challenges.

          Fourth, try to listen to the results´ voice. That means to look at the spiritual and numeric growth of the flock.

          Fifth, try to listen to your own work demands. Are your forces corresponding to your ministry´s requirements?

          The amount of all these questions surely will help you to know if the time to leave is come. But, what about the next steps?

          Now, you are ready to communicate your decision to the sheep. It´s important you don´t have brought the matter to anyone, but your family and very confident relates. The reason is simple. Every member wants to listen to such news by himself from his pastor and not by anyone else.                        

          Now, it is up to you calling your deacons and administrative council to communicate your decision. Next, you call all the church or utilize her general assembly to do that.

          The next pass is to ask the assembly to elect a succession committee, who will work under the pastor command, supposing he is in good wealth to perform the task. Bring them plans of church prayers, criteria of choosing, if he is supposed to exercise partial or full time ministry, pastoral residence or rented one, financial support, and so on. A relevant point by that time is to decide if the church will choose her pastor from a preciously select group or whether she prefers to invite on by one until the first accept the invitation. That was my method recently in my jubilation.

          Such committee comes to be a link, listening to the church and speaking to her. That time the candidate usually is invited to know and preach to the church some times, before any formal invitation.

          Remember, these same measures must be taken any time a good pastor renounces his function or accepts a new invitation, as we have seen in the chapter Packing the Bags.

          Once the first invitation is accepted, the flock enters into the investment ceremony. That may happen at the same meeting of the jubilation or on a different season. In my case, the church chose the last option because I and Ruth celebrated golden wedding and golden ministry, at one time, three months later.

           By the golden celebration here in Cabo Frio, State of Rio de Janeiro, Nova Jerusalém Baptist Church honored me with the title of Pastor Emeritus.

          At so relevant time of our ministry, it comes the question about you must go on as the same church member or not. In my case, we decided to remain, once the new pastor let us very at easy to do so and also because I was sure not interfere into my fellow management. Other reason was to feel myself that way the transition would be pass more  smoothly for the sheep,  what, as a matter of fact, happened.

          Finally, I want to testify, dear fellow, we mustn´t fear the leisure or the tedium by the time of you jubilation. Time is brief for so many affairs outside the pastorate like devotion, readings, Bible studies, writings, internet contacts, helping pastors and churches at their pulpits, and so on. Now, to all that, add your compromises and privileges as a husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather and you´ll see that, in your old age, you can still give much fruit for the glory of the wonderful God who, long ago, has called you.

FINAL WORDS

          Here I finish these humble memories of 50 blessed years of pastoral ministry.

          My hope is that I may have contributed to help my dear fellows, mainly the newest of them, to exercise the Glorious Ministry in a more glorious way than I did, always for the honor and glory of God.

Copyright to Eimaldo A. Vieira. Free use of portions, once the author´s name is quoted

Talk to the author: eimaldovieira@hotmail.com