I don’t think anyone who has studied the New Testament would argue that Paul was a premier pastor, evangelist and missionary. In his farewell address to the elders from Ephesus, Paul used his life as an example—“you know how I lived the whole time I was with you” (Acts 20:18).
Here are 10 things Paul demonstrated as a pastor:
- Great humility (v. 19)
- Preached the “hard messages” they needed to hear (v. 20a)
- Preached publicly and house to house (v. 20b)
- Made our Lord Jesus the central message of his sermons (v. 21)
- In constant contact with the Holy Spirit (vv. 22-23)
- Desired to finish the race and complete the task God had given him (v. 24)
- Lived innocently (v. 26)
- Always proclaimed the whole will of God, not just select topics (v. 27)
- Didn’t covet a luxurious lifestyle, but supplied my own needs by working as a tentmaker (vv. 33-34)
- Worked hard to be charitable to everyone (v. 35)
Because Paul lived like this, he had the moral authority to call these elders to live a similar lifestyle. He challenged the Ephesian pastors to:
- Keep watch over yourselves
- Keep watch over the flock
- Stay in tune with the Holy Spirit’s oversight
- Shepherd the Church
- Remember the Church is the Bride of Christ (v. 28)
- Be on your guard! (v. 31)
If you are a pastor, pay attention to these words!
If you love your pastor, help him or her stay true to these words!
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