Dave Earley: The Role Of Pastors

Thank you for your insightful and thought-provoking post on the tasks required of a pastor. Many people see the pastor as an individual with God-given abilities to mend, settle, or fix any situation. They are seen as teachers, preachers, administrators, counselors, doctors and lawyers. It is apparent that most are seen as rescuers, which leaves them overwhelm with too many tasks. Dave Earley shares that pastors “are expending all of their energies trying to be everyone’s pastor, chaplain, and counselor, all the while missing the three things every pastor simply must do” (2012, 7). Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, provided him with three simple tasks as the spiritual shepherd and leader of the Israelites. Spiritual leaders must be able to pray,

A pastor is expected by many to fill a variety of duties and responsibilities. As a former pastor, the expected tasks can become overwhelming. However, there are three primary tasks that are essential to a pastor’s growth, which are overseer, leader, and shepherd (Acts 20:28-30). With these and the ones you proposed, I believe the task of building a relationship with God is important for the pastor. It is first and foremost essential for the pastor to build a foundational relationship with the Father through an active prayer life. This relationship is necessary because of their inherited roles as shepherd and intercessor. John MacArthur shares that even Paul emphasized the importance of prayer as he exhorted the Ephesians. He further states, “Each of Paul’s intercessions reveals facets of paramount import in Christian living and in grasping how to pray relevantly for oneself and others” (2005, 136). Not saying that believers cannot build a bond with God, but if a pastor has the heart of Christ, then he or she will pray earnestly for the flock. James states, “Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord” (Js 5:14). As a shepherd, the pastor forms a strong relationship with God and then pray on the behalf of the flock. If a pastor has a strong prayer life, he or she will be committed to the truth of God, live a moral life, and live out God’s word as they shepherd the household of