THE PASTOR’S APPOINTED AUDIENCE

 

A pastor is a man appointed by God. It is not a vocational choice, but a Divine call. He does not seek the position, but is selected for it. This call is affirmed by the church and confirmed by his works.  He is appointed to a threefold audience, as Paul described himself in 2 Timothy 1:11.

There is PUBLIC EXHORTATION as “a preacher.”  The Greek word is used of a herald. The herald went before the king and summoned those in the city to prepare to meet their sovereign. The pastor lifts his voice and passionately proclaims the coming of the King of kings!  He summons them to readiness to receive Him. The message is not the herald’s, but one appointed for him. The audienc is not of his choosing, but of the King’s sending. Thus, we have the anointed Word of God, and are sent to the appointed people of God to preach in light of eternity. We will give account for our faithfulness to the assignment and our congregation to their faithfulness in responding to the truth.

We are also called to PERVASIVE EVANGELIZATION as “an apostle.”  In the strictest sense of the word, there are no apostles like those of the first century. The Twelve were the pillars of the church erected on the foundation of Christ, the Rock of Ages. Beware any man that claims apostolic authority today. Demand that he meets the criteria of having been with Jesus, heard Him teach, and seen Jesus alive from the dead, (Acts 1:21-26).  Paul was an apostle in a special sense having been personally called, instructed by Christ, having heard Him and seen Him as the glorified, risen and ascended Savior. When these men died, there is no indication that others replaced them. They were unique in church history.

Yet, it is also apparent that that there were others whom I would call, “apostolic men.”  I think of Barnabas, Silas, Luke, Mark, Timothy, and Titus for example. The term literally means, “sent on a mission.” In that way, the pastor is an apostle for he has been sent on a mission. It is a global mission—the Great Commission of Matt. 28:16-20. Our appointed audience is those who are lost—wherever we find them. Paul told Timothy and all who are called to be pastors to “do the work of an evangelist,” (2 Tim. 4:5). 

Further, the pastor is called to do PERSONAL EDUCATION as “a teacher.”  Recall that while Jesus preached to the masses publicly, he was a teacher of the twelve personally—especially concentrating on the core of Peter, James, and John. Once we win people to Christ and they are born again, they need to grow up in Christ. This is often done in small groups—a more personal educational process.  One of the vital ways is mentoring men in leadership. By this our voice and ministry extends beyond our lifetime. As we reproduce biologically, so we ought to do spiritually—pastors producing more pastors.  

Thus, we preach to the congregation as we root them in the fertile soil of truth, are sent to the crowds as we scatter the Gospel seed far and wide, and teach the core in order to cultivate them to fruitfulness, whereby they may reproduce future harvests.