SUCCESSFUL PASTOR.

I The 2:8-12

Paul gives us a description of a successful pastor. 

The sussessful pastor:

I.      Loves. vs 8

A.   Invest in your people. 

1.     Accept the risks.  (People invest in the stock market.)  There will be losses and gains.

2.     Impart implies a giving without restraint.

C.    Invest in yourself.  You cannot give what you do not possess.

D.   Successful pastors learns to invest in his people and himself.

II.   Labors. vs 9

A.   “Labour” here refers to hard work.  It is more than just toil.

B.    “Travail” implies a difficult birth.

C.    “Night and day” pictures a before sunrise start with an after sunset end.

D.   A pastor must be willing to work and work hard.

E.    He must work for the Lord and for his people.

III. Learns.  vs 10  Paul suggests three areas we need to Learn in.

A.       To Be Holy.  Leadership must lead you to holy ground.

B.        To Be Just.  Leadership must be righteous or proper in behavior.

C.        To Be Unblameabe.  Leadership must live so there is no cause for censure.

IV. Leans.  vs11. Sometimes as Pastors we must Lean on folks

A.   Exhort.

1.  This is a term of encouragement and strengthening.

2.     Successful pastors must be able to encourage his people.

3.     Successful pastors must be a source of strength for his people.

B.    Comfort.

1.     Dual term that deals simultaneously with admonition and consolation.

2.     Successful pastors must be able to provide comfort and give strength.

C.    Charge.

1.     This provides the idea of presenting commands, orders, or directives.

2.     Successful pastors must continually remind his people of what is right.