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A few years ago, a Ghanaian pastor stated that “if you preach about Jesus your church will not grow.” He also mockingly said “the Holy Spirit does not give ‘chop’ money.”
He was teaching his church members about principles of financial breakthrough in the hope that they would be out of poverty.
Several other self-styled pastors have shamelessly ridiculed the death of Jesus Christ, the preaching of the gospel and the reality of heaven.
These utterances by some pastors place a responsibility on true Christians to check the genuineness or otherwise of pastors they follow.
In this article, I wish to discuss five unique traits that must be identified with a person who projects himself as a minister of the gospel.
First, he must be a servant of Jesus Christ.
“Paul, a SERVANT OF CHRIST JESUS, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God” (Romans 1:1).
This means a genuine minister of the gospel is not a master or a head of a local church, but a servant. He is a bond-servant and slave of Christ and a minister to the church.
He must, therefore, serve people in humility and love and not to lord it over them.
Second, he must be divinely called.
“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, CALLED to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God” (Romans 1:1).
Paul boldly stated that Christ Jesus called him with a clear assignment and an area of operation.
This means a minister of the gospel must not be self-styled, self-called or an imposter, but one who is divinely chosen and appointed by the Lord.
Third, he must be placed in a ministry office.
“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an APOSTLE, set apart for the gospel of God” (Romans 1:1).
A minister of the gospel must be set in the church either as an apostle, a prophet, an evangelist, a pastor or a teacher.
He, thus, knows no extra-biblical titles of nobility to attach to his name to make him appear self-important.
It must be understood that a pastor is also a bishop, an overseer, a shepherd, a presbyter, an elder or a superintendent.
By James Quansah
