Laboring in the Vineyard: A Biblical Perspective on Pastoral Leadership

By Dr. Dana Nicholson

Accepting the responsibility of being held accountable for one’s soul is not something that should be taken lightly. The call and office of pastorship must be entered into with careful thought and consideration. Jesus himself paid a high price as a ransom for many, likewise, one serving within the ministerial role must also count the cost. All things considered, saving a lost soul from the pits of hell is priceless. 

In this text, you will understand the roles of pastors, their social, and emotional needs, the purpose of the church, and the importance of twenty-first century church leadership. Whether you are a novice pastor or veteran, this text will provide useful nuggets of information that will guide pastors as they continue to labor in the vineyard.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 26, 2023
• ISBN: 9798888321669

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Laboring in the Vineyard

A Biblical Perspective on Pastoral Leadership

Dr. Dana Nicholson

ISBN 979-8-88832-165-2 (paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88832-166-9 (digital)

Copyright © 2023 by Dr. Dana Nicholson

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

What Is Pastoral Ministry?

Chapter 2

Women in Pastoral Ministry

Chapter 3

Pastoral Ministry Ethics

Chapter 4

Social and Emotional Needs of a Pastor

Chapter 5

Pastoral Leadership and Church Administration

Chapter 6

Pastoral Leadership in Action

Chapter 7

Pastoral Ministry in the Twenty-First Century

Interview with Bishop Fowler

Interview with Major Roberts

Interview with Dr. Inez Frazier and Prophet Myron

About the Author

Chapter 1

What Is Pastoral Ministry?

Biblical Perspectives

What is a pastor?

The Word of God or the Greek, λογος, teaches first and foremost, that a pastor must live a life above reproach. By definition, reproach is the act of addressing someone in such a way to express disapproval or disappointment. With that said, why does God want those in leadership to be above reproach knowing that they too have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God? Perhaps, God requires that leaders be blameless and not possess a character that elicits rebuke from the church, their family, or the community. In Titus 1:6, it states, If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. The pastor is the representative and the mouth piece of God; therefore, any unruly act performed knowingly against the word of God would only taint the church, grieve the Holy Spirit, and lose the validity of the gospel amongst immature Christians and unbelievers.

Not only should a pastor be an example of the word, as reproach clearly defines, but they must also teach the word. As boldly stated by Paul, it is the charge of the pastor to lead, feed, and preach the word, be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long suffering and doctrine (2 Timothy 4:2). The man or woman of God must be saturated in the word that he or she will be able to rightly divide the word of truth. The Bible also states, Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood (Acts 20:28, KJV). It is the duty of the pastor to lead God's flock into all truth that they may grow in knowledge and spiritual maturity so that they can [with]stand the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:11, KJV). A pastor teaches and preaches, according to Urban T. Holmes III, who asserts that The priest or pastor emerges in this description as an educated, disciplined man, destined to preach, and teach an ordered, approved theology to a people literate and interested in ideas.¹ As a minister of the word of God, it is their utmost responsibility to rightly divide the word of truth so that the body of Christ may be edified. However, it is important to note the latter part of Holmes statement To a people literate and interested in ideas. The Bible in no way suggests that only the learned can receive the word [for] God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34, KJV), neither does he show favoritism, for whosever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13, KJV). Therefore, a pastor must be gentle and patient with those whom he or she ministers to—unbelievers, sinners, and backsliders—because they all can be won back into the kingdom of God. Hence, the pastor who has the heart of God will also be not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9, KJV).

Faithful steward or in Greek, episkopos, is another qualification of a pastor in that he or she is an inspector, overseer, a watcher, and guardian² of the flock of God. He or she takes on responsibility and not ownership or authoritarian dominion over God's people. An ironclad fist is not the spiritual demeanor of the man or woman of God, but instead is led by the Holy Spirit, love, and the word of God which Is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16, KJV). Needless to say, they are possessed with the virtues of the fruit of the Spirit which are self-control, peace, and faithfulness (Galatians 5:22–23, KJV), just to name a few.

To further extend the biblical precepts of the fruit of the Spirit, it is equally important for the man or woman of God to allow the fruit of the Spirit to develop spiritual maturity. A proven test of spiritual maturity in a pastor is when they are determined to make their vertical relationship take precedence over horizontal relationships. In other words, they are not consumed, controlled, easily swayed or beset by people or situations but instead are dominated by the power of Christ in their life. According to Beeley, he states, What makes us authentic and compelling leaders is a kind of spiritual magnetism that comes not from our natural gifts alone, but from the power of God. True shepherds of the church radiate Christ's grace and holiness in their thoughts, words, and deeds. For this reason, pastors are sometimes compared to icons: they are to be visible and tangible manifestations of God's grace to the church, so that they can lead people into deeper relationship with Christ through the instrumentality of their lives.³ In the same fashion, a pastor's growing and deepening commitment to Christ is far greater and far reaching because it gains favor both with God and man. Beeley's statement is also confirmed in 1 Timothy 4:12 and 16 (KJV) which states, But be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing so this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. When a pastor is disciplined and seeks first the kingdom and his righteousness, those whom they lead directly and indirectly, will see their good works and glorify God in heaven.

Pastoral leadership also includes being hospitable, sober, and humble. First let us examine hospitality, which by definition means a friendly and warm reception of entertainment of guests, visitors or strangers. One of the parables in Luke 14:12–14, states, When thou makest dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbors; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompense be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. The lesson to be learned here is that hospitality is not just for the ones you love the best or who love you the best. Any child of God, should be led not only by personal conviction but primarily by the unction of the Holy Spirit to extend their hospitality to the dejected and rejected the abused and confused. Why? These are the individuals, as stated in the parable that may not have the monetary means or mental capacity to repay or thank you, however, the extension of kindness, love, and compassion benefits them tenfold. Maybe that is why Jesus said,

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of The world: For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? Or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the king shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, In as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Matthew 25:34–45)

Hospitality toward strangers or nonbelievers is essential especially for pastors. Their modeling of compassion enables a pastor to minister to them in a way that he or she would have been unable to do before.

Leaders of the church should also be sober, not affected by alcohol or overindulge in any behavior that stimulates addictive reverberations. In Titus 1:7 and 1Timothy 3:3, it reiterates that an overseer must not be a drunkard. Why? A drunkard's senses are dulled and therefore rendered unable to carry out tasks and commands given by an individual that may require an immediate response. In like manner, the mother of King Lemuel in Proverbs 31:4–5, counseled him that, It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes' strong drink: lest they drink, and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted. As mentioned earlier, being sober is not limited to alcoholic indulgences but does include immoral behaviors that would incline one to not act responsibly, with sound judgment, and spiritual discernment. Likewise, a spiritual leader must be sober and vigilant in order to be sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and readily available to recognize and act upon the needs of others.

Lastly, humility, the act of servility, submissiveness, a modest view of one's importance are the traits of an effective overseer. The man or woman of God should not be puffed up with pride, have the decency to admit their mistakes, hold themselves accountable for those mistakes, as well as possess an admirable ability to restore broken relationships. As Albert Mohler puts it,

Get this straight—leaders will be humble, or they will be humbled. The virtue of humility is deeply rooted in the Christian's understanding of our human frailty… Humility does mean understanding that everything we are and everything we have has come to us as a gift. Leaders have unique abilities, but they received those talents and the ability to develop them as gifts from God, given for the good and welfare of others. It's not about us—even though we are the leaders given the platform, the position, and the prominence within the organization. The gifts were given to us in order that we might serve others. The minute we forget that and begin to believe our own publicity is the minute we set ourselves up for humiliation.⁴

The Bible also teaches in Proverbs 15: 33, The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; before honor is humility. In 1 Peter 5:5 it states, Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble." For those in the position of spiritual authority, if they desire to serve God's flock, they must be willing not to elate themselves to the experience of vain glory that they diminish the full experience of seeking the glory of God.

McArthur (1993) believes that ministers of the gospel must have the following criteria, the epistles from Paul to Timothy, that outlines a ministry philosophy of being and doing that challenges the practice of today. ⁵ Paul instructed Timothy in the first letter that he must:

Correct those teaching false doctrine and call them to a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith (1 Tim. 1:3–5).

Fight for divine truth and for God's purposes, keeping his own faith, and a good conscience (1:18–19).

Pray for the lost and lead the men of the church to do the same (2:1–8).

Call women in the church to fulfill their God-given role of submission and to raise up godly children, setting an example of faith, love, and sanctity with self-restraint (2:9–15).

Carefully select spiritual leaders for the church on the basis of their giftedness, godliness, and virtue (3:1–13).

Recognize the source of error and those who teach it, and point these things out to the rest of the church (4:1–6).

Constantly be nourished on the words of Scripture and its sound teaching, avoiding all myths and false doctrines (4:6).

Discipline himself for the purpose of godliness (4:7–11).

Boldly command and teach the truth of God's Word (4:12).

Be a model of spiritual virtue that all can follow (4:12).

Faithfully read, explain, and apply the Scriptures publicly (4:13–14).

Be progressing toward Christlikeness in his own life (4:15–16).

Be gracious and gentle in confronting the sin of his people (5:1–2).

Give special consideration and care to those who are widows (5:3–16).

Honor faithful church leaders who work hard (5:17–21).

Choose church leaders with great care, seeing to it that they are both mature and proven (5:22).

Take care of his physical condition so he is strong to serve (5:23).

Teach and preach principles of true godliness, helping his people discern between true godliness and mere hypocrisy (5:24–6:6).

Flee the love of money (6:7–11).

Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness (6:11).

Fight for the faith against all enemies and all attacks (6:12).

Instruct the rich to do good, to be rich in good works, and to be generous (6:17–19).

Guard the Word of God as sacred trust and a treasure (6:20–21).

In his second epistle, Paul reminded Timothy to:

Keep the gift of God in him fresh and useful (2 Tim. 1–6).

Not be timid but powerful (1:7).

Never be ashamed of Christ or anyone who serves Christ (1:8–11).

Hold tightly to the truth and guard it (1:12–14).

Be strong in character (2:1).

Be a teacher of apostolic truth so that he may reproduce himself in faithful men (2:2).

Suffer difficulty and persecution willingly while making the maximum effort for Christ (2:3–7).

Keep his eyes on Christ at all times (2:8–13).

Lead with authority (2:14).

Interpret and apply Scripture accurately (2:15).

Avoid useless conversation that leads to ungodliness (2:16).

Be an instrument of honor, set apart from sin, and useful to the Lord (2:20–21).

Flee youthful lusts, and pursue righteousness, faith, and love (2:22).

Refuse to be drawn into philosophical and theological wrangling (2:23).

Not argue, but be kind, teachable, gentle, and patient even when he is wronged (2:24–26).

Face dangerous times with a deep knowledge of the Word of God (3:1–5).

Understand that Scripture is the basis and content of all legitimate ministry (3:16–17).

Endure hardship (4:5).

Do the work of an evangelist (4:5).

As shown above, Paul commanded Timothy in five distinct categories: (1) be faithful to the Word of God, (2) be bold in exposing error, (3) be an example and role model, (4) work diligently and arduously, and (5) suffer hardship and persecution in service to the Lord.⁶

The Call and Duty

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, author of The Cost of Discipleship once said, When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die. With careful dissection and analyzation, it is interesting to note the choice of words he uses in this quote. One of the key words here is bids. According to Merriam-Webster's dictionary, bid is both a verb and a noun, however, in this case it is used as a verb. It means to offer (a certain price) for something, especially at an auction. This definition; in and of itself, carries with it substantial weight and significance. Some synonyms for bid are make an offer of, tender, proffer, and propose. When Christ calls a man or woman, he makes an offer to either follow him or continue to live in the world. Christ, the master of everything both above earth and under heaven, knew that his calling came at a high cost. He made an offer of his own life, as a tender sacrifice and in exchange he proffered and proposed to give us eternal life. When Christ told Peter and his brother Andrew, Come, and follow me, and I will make you fishers of men, he was not only asking them to be disciples of men, but to lay down their own lives and sacrifice their livelihoods for the sake of the gospel.

As an analogy, disciples of Christ are often compared to being a slave. In general, and throughout history, when slave masters purchased slaves, they did so at an auction: a public sale in which goods or property is sold to the highest bidder. Likewise, disciples also became slaves, in Greek doulos, for Christ—bound and devoted servant or minister; one pledged or bound to serve.⁷ In the book of Romans 1 it states, Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God. In this Pauline letter to the Roman church, he exudes with confidence; that his service to Christ and postulation was not formed by the hands of man, but was indeed ordained by God. In the analogy of the slave, they are usually branded to separate and distinguish them from other slaves. Likewise, Paul was branded, set apart for the work of God to minister to the Gentiles. If Paul had not surrendered to the call on his life to be an apostle to the Gentiles, we, who were not born Jews, would not have become members