Becoming spiritually successful in ministry means becoming a spiritual shepherd.

Psalm 23:5

… You anoint my head with oil …

Luke 10:34

He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine.

The search for becoming a successful minister in a successful ministry appears to be a fundamental task to all ministerial fields of study. The answer to that quest is allusive in that the remedy changes with the symptoms. The body of Christ appears to go through phases where the weakness in the church changes. The problem with the ministry, during that phase, is prognosticated and the diagnosis is proclaimed. Then an antidote is developed and administered across the country like a vaccine. The church, as it has for generations, works its way through its weakness to renew its strength. The next phase for the church arrives and the process is repeated. In this manner, the role of ministry and the focus of the pastoral task changes with each phase. The search for being spiritually successful can become an enigma in this form of evolutionary ministerial development. The quest still exists, “how do I become a spiritually successful minister?”

Image: Veronika Sulinska

The role of the minister is compared to that of the shepherd throughout the scriptures.

Shepherd:

Jesus the True: Foretold, Gen. 49:24; Isa. 40:11; Ezek. 34:23; 37:24. The chief, 1 Pet. 5:4. The good, John 10:11, 14. The great, Mic. 5:4; Heb. 13:20. His sheep he knows, John 10:14, 27. He calls, John 10:3. He gathers, Isa. 40:11; John 10:16. He guides, Psa. 23:3; John 10:3, 4. He feeds, Psa. 23:1, 2; John 10:9. He cherishes tenderly, Isa. 40:11. He protects and preserves, Jer. 31:10; Ezek. 34:10; Zech. 9:16; John 10:28. He laid down his life for, Zech. 13:7; Matt. 26:31; John 10:11, 15; Acts 20:28. He gives eternal life to, John 10:28. Typified: David, 1 Sam. 16:11.

Shepherd:

One who cares for flocks, Gen. 31:38–40; Psa. 78:52, 53; Jer. 31:10; Amos 3:12; Luke 2:8. David the, defends his flock against a lion and a bear, 1 Sam. 17:34, 35. Causes the flock to rest, Psa. 23:2; Song 1:7; Jer. 33:12. Numbers the flock, Lev. 27:32; Jer. 33:13. Knows his flock by name, John 10:3–5. Keeps the sheep and goats apart, Matt. 25:32. Waters the flocks, Gen. 29:2–10. Keeps the flocks in folds, Num. 32:16; 1 Sam. 24:3; 2 Sam. 7:8; John 10:1. Watch towers of, 2 Chr. 26:10; Mic. 4:8. Dogs of, Job 30:1. Was an abomination to the Egyptians, Gen. 46:34. Angels appeared to, Luke 2:8–20. From this biblical analogy the role of the shepherd, and thus the minister, can be depicted into four main categories: one who guides or gives direction, one who enables growth through feeding and watering, one who protects the flock from without and within, and one who helps mend the wounds of the flock or congregation. The ministerial task, however allusive it may appear, should be contextually extrapolated from these fundamental responsibilities. My struggle in developing a biblical model of a pastor has been in establishing a relationship that will facilitate the process of mending wounds. A part of the ministerial role is to be able to help the healing process of the congregation. My goal is to develop a healthy relationship where my congregation can say, “I need you to help heal my wounds. I know the process will hurt me, but I trust you.”

The problems that ministers face on a regular basis usually distract them or are a hindrance to their efforts in fulfilling the four main roles of a pastor. The majority of the problems affect the relationship between pastor and congregation. Some of the problems can be avoided if there are established healthy relationships. Others are unavoidable, but could have a healthy outcome if there is a healthy relationship. I believe in every instance there is the possibility not only to damage the relationship further, but also to strengthen the relationship through the tension of the conflict. Thus the quest for establishing a biblical model for successful pastoral ministry becomes entwined with relationships development.

George Gallup outlines what he feels will be the next true spiritual movement in America. This book is a survey that answers two main questions. First, what is the daily shape of faith behind the public expressions? And secondly, how do people experience God in everyday life? The thrust of his ideology comes from his statistics of the need to experience spiritual growth (27). The church stands in the threshold of this opportunity and must learn how to step forward into its presence (24). Gallup has come to the conclusion that people want practical everyday approaches to spiritual life. They want “the prayers on the run, and spiritual practices squeezed into the crevices of a busy day…” (136). In this they need to be handed down the practices from centuries past that have been tested and proven wise. In this churches face two age group challenges. First, is to understand the first fully post-modern generation, the millennials. The second, is to address the needs of empty nesters who are the fast-growing group of pre-retirement households.

Gallup likens this to “forming souls” which requires diligence and practice (136). The 21^st century congregations will have to place prayer over program, presence over practice, and authenticity over numbers (136). Without this approach the 21^st century church will not be able to minister to a nation that longs for meaningful spirituality. The task for the church will be to ground the desire for meaningful spirituality in the concrete truth of God’s word (128). The problem with training the present church members is that they suffer from Biblical illiteracy. According to Gallup we lack the ability to present the gospel on a basic level that allows people to understand the profound truths of Christian faith (131). This biblical illiteracy usually translated into spiritual blindness. He points out that the church needs simple incremental things that nurture their spiritual journey. These include having a spiritual focus to their activities, prayer without ceasing, and always asking spiritual implications questions about situations they face. As the churches themselves place priority on prayer, presence, and authority they become interwoven with their discipleship and operational methods. This intern roots itself into the daily personal discipleship of the individual members. The goal is to aid the post-modern society in experiencing an authentic spirituality outside on a daily basis. As the church models authenticity the people live authenticity. This modeling of authenticity can only be achieved when the spiritual blindness, or biblical illiteracy, is overcome.

Our churches today have become stuck on providing programs rather than experiences. We have to get ourselves to the point where we are implementing strategies that will help people experience a spiritual growth journey.

Reviewed by David Redden

Preview: https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Next_American_Spirituality.html?id=c02nyqbnW20C

Note from the editor: this review originally appeared on the Pneuma Foundation website in January 2004. The Pneuma Foundation is the parent organization of PneumaReview.com.

In this guest article by David Redden, he discusses what an integrated paradigm of worship and discipleship might look like for today’s Pentecostal/charismatic.

There is much talk about today as to what is Postmodern. You can read books and articles from Leonard Sweet to Peter Wagner and get as many variations on that theme as you read. To suffice for this article, a “post-modern” approach to ministry is one that is anything but what you have been accustomed to. Unfortunately, many of our traditions keep us from even being able to conceive of a variation to our own repetitious themes. The church has strived for so long to become “modern” that our identity has become lost in two areas. First, our identity becomes lost in the things which we have brought into our beliefs merely for the sake of seeking acceptance from the world. Secondly, our identity becomes lost in things which we hold on to that do not help us progress forwards with our mission. What we need today is a “Post” modern approach that will enable us to let go of poor traditions, cling to what is vital to keeping us on course, and adaptable enough to allow new methodologies into our practices that will enable us to reach a more diverse culture.