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The Word of God is a two-edged sword. It speaks to both the flock of God and the ministers of God who shepherd the flock. The ministers are appointed to oversee the people of God as they pray and feed them the word of God.
However, as humans, many preachers very often forget who they truly are before God and His children. The first-century ministers of the gospel knew their status – servants or bond-servants. This is evident in their writings.
“This is how one should regard us, AS SERVANTS OF CHRIST and stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Corinthians 4:1).
“Paul, a SERVANT OF CHRIST JESUS, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God” (Romans 1:1).
A genuine minister of the gospel knows his position in Christ Jesus. He is not the master or head of the church he shepherds, but a servant. He is a bond-servant and slave of Christ and the church.
He, therefore, serves people in humility and love and refuses to lord it over them. He does not project himself as the builder of the church but a vessel through whom Christ builds it by His Spirit.
As servants, true overseers are careful in what they do and say. They learn from Christ Jesus, their Master and Lord. Just as Christ Jesus did nothing without the approval of the Father, faithful servants watch carefully to do what He has commanded. Jesus said:
“But I DO AS THE FATHER HAS COMMANDED ME, so that the world may know that I love the Father…” (John 14:1).
“So Jesus said to them…I DO NOTHING ON MY OWN AUTHORITY, but speak just as the Father taught me” (John 8:28).
True Christian ministry is not necessarily about what we do or say for the Lord, but what we do and say based on what Christ Jesus has done and said. We must say what we have heard God saying and do what we have seen Him doing. This is what servants do.
We learn from the passages of Scripture above that Jesus did nothing on His own authority and He did nothing without the Father commanding Him. This means Jesus was committed to doing the will of the Father who sent Him. That He did to prove to the world that He truly loved the Father.
Church servant-leaders who honour and love Jesus Christ will not create ministry offices and use lofty titles He has not commanded or authorized them.
When the Lord Jesus Christ returns to judge the Church, the question will not be who preached for many years. Both those who preached for one year and those who preached for many years may receive the same reward; it is the Lord who determines the sizes of the rewards (Matthew 20:1-16).
Again, the question will not be who cast out many devils, performed many miracles or did many wonderful works. But the key issue will be WHO SERVED BY THE WILL OF GOD.
We know that Moses was called a prophet by the will of God; Aaron was a High Priest by the will of God, and David was a king by the will of God. Peter and the 11 other Foundational Apostles of Christ were called apostles by the will of God.
Now, are today’s pastors also ordained and called reverends, spiritual fathers and archbishops by the will of God? Do ministers wear clericals by the will of God?
For instance, if a preacher appears before Christ Jesus seated on His judgment seat and He asks him, “Why did you call yourself reverend, archbishop and other such titles?” Can the minister answer, “I was called and appointed reverend by the will of God? Can he explain himself using biblical references and examples?
By James Quansah
