Spiritual Leadership: the Office of a Pastor: Understanding God's Purpose for the Pastoral Ministry
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About this ebook
In this book, you will learn among other things:
the thirteen gifts of God the Father,
the five gifts of God the Son,
the nine gifts of God the Spirit,
the leadership responsibilities of a pastor,
Gods expectation from a pastor,
wounds of a pastor, and
how to take care of your pastor.
The book promises to ignite your passion to serving God in whichever capacity God has endowed you and to make you better in your service to God.
You are the next testimony after reading this book.
Femi Lanre-Oke
Femi Lanre-Oke is a teacher of God’s word, Pastor, bestselling author, destiny coach and speaker; he is a consultant for government, organizations and groups travelling extensively. Lanre-oke Femi is the president and founder of Jesus Praise Evangelical Ministries International, an all encompassing network of ministries headquartered in Oyo State, Nigeria. He is the president and facilitator of the renowned kingdom leadership college with focus on leadership and character development. He is a regular national daily columnist and host of ‘His kingdom Hour’ on radio. He owns a masters degree in Information Technology from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria. Lanre-oke is married to Olubusola, both ministers of the gospel and are blessed with children. You can contact him: Phone: +2348030752799, +2348053695097 E-mail: femi_lanre01@yahoo.co.uk www.jpeministries.org
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Spiritual Leadership - Femi Lanre-Oke
2014 Femi Lanre-Oke. All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.
"Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson,
Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."
Published by AuthorHouse 01/21/2014
ISBN: 978-1-4918-9105-6 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-4918-9104-9 (hc)
ISBN: 978-1-4918-9106-3 (e)
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,
and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
CONTENTS
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Introduction: Why I Wrote This Book
Chapter 1 The Diverse Ministerial Gifts and Calling
Chapter 2 Spiritual Leadership
Chapter 3 The Five-Fold Ministry
Chapter 4 The Calling of a Pastor
Chapter 5 The Church
Chapter 6 The Role of a Pastor as a Spiritual Leader
Chapter 7 God’s Expectation from a Pastor
Chapter 8 The Family of a Pastor
Chapter 9 Keys to Effective Pastoring
Chapter 10 The Wounds of a Pastor
Chapter 11 How to Appreciate Your Pastor
Chapter 12 Cautions for Pastors
Chapter 13 Final Words
Chapter 14 Further Counsel
Chapter 15 Answer These Questions
Thirty Prayer Points
About the Author
One-Year Daily Bible-Reading Calendar
Hymn: Onward, Christian Soldiers
DEDICATION
42959.png To all who have God’s calling, according to Ephesians 4: 11-13: may we never fail the One who has called us.
42966.png To the numerous flocks of Christians yearning and waiting for the fulfilment of God’s promise in Jeremiah 3: 15, a shepherd after God’s heart to feed His people.
42970.png To the victims of false shepherds—the hirelings: may the Chief Shepherd make your path cross that of a true shepherd. John 10: 12-13
42974.png To all shepherds who have been wounded while faithfully discharging their duties: you will not lose your reward.
42987.png To the Chief Shepherd: may Your grace be sufficient to see us through.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I appreciate the efforts and contributions of worthy leaders who in one way or the other have contributed immensely to my life and ministry.
Bishop and Mrs Francis Wale Oke: your contributions and deposit in my life cannot be quantified. May the Lord reward you with abundance.
Rev. and Rev. Olusola Areogun: I appreciate your role and contributions in my life. May your life and ministry speak much more loudly.
Pastor Joe Jacobs, of Christ Apostolic Church Worldwide: your fatherly care is greatly appreciated.
Pastor and Mrs Jide Amao, of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Heaven’s Gate area, Ogbomoso: I wish to express my appreciation to you. Thanks for the platforms
. May the Lord increase and enlarge you the more.
Pastor Abiodun Olufemi Emmanuel: ever since I met you, it has been from one testimony to the other. May grace continually speak for you.
Pastor J. Babalola, of Christ Deliverance Centre, Kabba, Kogi State: I didn’t miss the death of my biological father because you became a father to me. You not only stood as a father, you took on the role and responsibilities. Thanks for showing an interest in me. May the Lord reward you mightily.
Prophet Ayo Babalola Akinwande (Baba Alala): you are a prophet called of God; thank you for showing me genuine love. The Lord will establish you the more, sir. You are indeed a father.
Pastor Mike Jacobs: I cannot appreciate you enough, sir; I thank you for being there always. You cannot be forgotten of the Lord.
Pastor Titus Andrew, Pastor C. Adebola, and Pastor Sola Iwaeni: I am most grateful to God for knowing you.
Pastor Bayo Oladele, staff, and management of International Bible College of Ministries and Seminary (IBCOMS): may we all be found faithful on that day, and may our labour truly count. To all the fellowship members of Christ Apostolic Church Youth Fellowship, LAUTECH Ogbomoso (Ladoke Akintola University of Technology): may His grace be sufficient for you.
To all my brethren and the flock of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Heaven’s Gate Ogbomoso, Oyo State, I say thank you.
Christ Life Church Ogbomoso, and Ondo town: the Lord be your reward. I sincerely appreciate you; may you increase the more in grace and strength.
Rev. Niyi Adebayo: thanks for being all you can be at every time. May the Lord remember you.
To all those called of God: apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors, evangelists who have in one way or the other touched my life, either through books, tapes, or direct ministration, I greatly appreciate you all.
Mr Dayo Akinrinola, my editor: may your heaven open continually.
Tope Olotu and Yemisi Kareem: thanks for being supportive.
INTRODUCTION:
WHY I WROTE THIS BOOK
It is well known that the title pastor refers to a shepherd
in both Greek and Hebrew. Many, therefore, endeavour to compare the duties of a pastor to those of a literal shepherd, spiritualizing the physical duties involved so that
43291.png feeding may represent (for example) preaching the word,
43295.png leading the sheep to new pasture represents leadership, and
43299.png the overall caretaking responsibilities involve meeting people’s needs on an individual basis.
The problem with this understanding is that there are no inherent controls on the analogy itself—those making the analogy may interpret any duty in any manner they choose. The usual understanding that emerges from this approach lays great emphasis on personal care for the congregation by the pastor, which may or may not be what was intended by the New Testament by the use of the term to describe a type of leader within the church.
However, this is not the only challenge facing the body of Christ. The misconceptions about the office and calling of a pastor are many. Today, any Tom, Dick, or Harry can be a pastor. People take this sacred office by paying some token amount of money, while some others have taken this holy calling as an honorary thing, sometimes given as an honour or as a response to faithfulness in stewardship. Automatically or interestingly, everyone who finishes from a Bible school is said to be a pastor. Some others graduate from being evangelists to become pastors after years of service—not because they have pastoral calling or gifting but only as means of crediting them with a promotion. The pastoral office is seen as a higher calling than that of an evangelist to such people.
To those who are genuinely called into this sacred office, little is known of what is required of them by the Master. The pastor’s duty is much more than preaching on Sundays—that is simply one of the numerous tasks expected of a pastor. It is to clarify these issues that this book was prayerfully written.
I am possibly the least humanly qualified to write on this sacred topic. As Paul would say, It is not as though I have attained, but I rather also long to be more of all Christ desires me to become
(Philippians 3: 12). I wrote this book with all humility and conviction, praying that it would correct common misconceptions about the office and calling of a pastor and would also enhance pastoral effectiveness.
With a deep heart of gratitude to God, I strongly believe, in God, that yours will be the next testimony after you read this book. Please read and provide it for your church members, friends, and pastors.
My prayers are with you.
Femi Lanre Oke
Nigeria
44631.pngAlso I heard the voice of the Lord saying whom shall I send and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
(Isaiah 6: 8)
1
THE DIVERSE MINISTERIAL GIFTS AND CALLING
Gifts of the Son
And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of God, to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
(Eph. 4: 11-13)
1. The apostles (Christ’s envoys) govern the church.
2. The prophets (Christ’s channels of rhema and apocalypses) guide.
3. The evangelists (Christ’s magnetizers) gather and bring people into the body of Christ.
4. The pastors (Christ’s under-shepherds) guide their sheep by feeding, nurturing, caring for, and protecting them from the enemies.
5. The teachers ensure that the body of Christ is well grounded in the knowledge of God.
The above five are referred to as ministerial or office gifts and are better called gifts of God the Son.
Gifts of the Father
We would, for sake of simplicity and explanation, mention the gifts of God the Father, also known as motivational or creational gifts.
There are diversities of gifts but the same spirit. There are differences of ministries but the same lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
(1 Cor. 12: 4-6)
And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.
(1 Cor. 12: 28)
For as we have many members in