I’ve been asked the question, “What is it that a pastor does all day?” enough times that it has led me to ask myself what exactly I am doing.
Well, I read a lot. And it seems that most of my reading just leads to more questions and thus more books. But is reading the end of what a pastor does? Ok, I write sermons and practice preaching them. But are sermons the end of what a pastor does? I visit people in their homes and in the hospital and in funeral visitation lines. Maybe I’m just a professional “kind person” and listening ear who reads a lot and talks about what he has learned.
And then there is the Great Commission to “make disciples”. Ok, maybe I’m a disciple maker. But have you ever really tried that? The problem with having your product be disciples is that disciples are persons. It is really hard, dare I say impossible, to make people do much of anything.
I can tell you a few other things that I do: I lead Bible studies, I pray with people, I meet a lot of people for breakfast or lunch, I have people over to my home, I meet with a lot of people in my office … Really, it seems that most of what I do is either with people or in preparation for being with people.
But again, people can’t possibly be my product because I just don’t have that kind of control over the shape and decisions of people. It sure would be nice sometimes if I could say that I’m in the book business … I make books. Or, I’m in the carpentry business … I make houses. But I can’t say I’m in the people business because I can’t make people do or become much of anything.
And then it hit me. While it may seem like I’m in the people business I really am simply in the obedience business. I’m in the business of obeying God by creating opportunity. The Bible and Christian tradition calls this proclamation. Proclamation is my product. I study the truth so that I can present the truth to people, thus creating opportunity for the person to respond.
Let me explain what I mean by proclaiming, as you might have the image of my suddenly jumping up on a chair and starting to shout the Romans Road.
I can’t make any person do anything. But I can understand the purpose for which each person is made; that is, to glorify their God by reflecting back to Him the beauty of His own image in increasing holiness. My final product isn’t a Holy Image Reflector or even a disciple. The pastor’s final product is simply an opportunity. I open up doors of invitation. I speak the truth in love and wait knowing that I’ve done my job. I am completely ignorant of what the Holy Spirit is doing in this sacred moment in the heart of a friend, or a congregant, or a stranger after he has heard the gospel, but I know when the opportunity is well-received because it is met with repentance and belief. I can’t see the inner workings of the Holy Spirit in sanctification, but I know when my efforts at providing opportunity for discipleship are met with the Holy Spirit’s work when the believer begins to bear the fruit of holy living.
Again, I don’t make repentance. Repentance is not my product. I don’t create belief. And I don’t grow believers even when they show their first signs of new life. I simply study the truth, speak the truth, and hold before persons and myself the call of holiness.
“So, pastor, what do you do all day? Are you in the people business?”
No, not really. I’m more in the business of obedience. I obey God by studying His truth, knowing His truth, practicing His truth, and holding up His truth. What people do with my business isn’t my business (though I admit that it is my great concern). It’s their business to be taken up between the Holy Spirit and their eternal soul.
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