I’ve spent three years at Bible College, and then I did a Masters in Biblical Languages, and I am currently doing my Th. D. in Apostolic Ministry. But I have never done a course on how to pastor in the spirit! I’ve heard a lot of Bible teaching, a lot of great doctrinal teaching, a lot of very good practical teaching, but there is a dimension of pastoring that cannot come from a classroom, it can only come from experience.
I am very grateful the Bible College that I went to insisted I was part of a local church while I was there, as that is where the real learning takes place. In Jeremiah 3.15, God promises the people “pastors according to my heart which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding”, the only way to be that is through experience and doing. I want you all to be pastors who are after God’s heard, and feed the sheep, and do it skilfully!
While at Bible College, I would have lectures from 9am to 12noon, and then often listen to 8+ hours of sermons afterwards and be taking notes. The Word consumed me. That’s why I can do what I do now, preaching five to seven times a week, over and over, on different subjects to different audiences. This week I am preaching to our youth on Friday, Southampton Saturday, Watford Sunday morning, then Manchester Sunday morning. And it’s glorious, and I love it. I am also teaching Wednesday night on our live stream Bible study. But I put the preparation in. I still go to every meeting I can, I listen to as many sermons as I can, I study the Bible as often as I can.
Why? My priority, my top calling is to feed people. Jesus told Peter three times – feed my sheep. You see when you realize as a pastor your job is to feed people, you don’t get weird. If it doesn’t feed people, we leave it out. I have never started a pyramid scheme to raise money in the church, because I am too busy feeding people. I’ve never got into weird things that are passing through the church, because I am too busy feeding people. Our TV show within seconds of watching, you are straight into the Word of God. Our YouTube channel is all about feeding the sheep.
A while back a rather disgruntled and foolish couple made a video lying about me just before I went live. I didn’t watch it because I am not into watching foolishness, but some people told me it had happened and told me some of the lies told about me. When I went live, there was an exceptionally large audience, but I didn’t respond to the lies, I just opened my Bible and fed the sheep. I take the call of Jesus to feed people very seriously indeed, and every pastor should.
Pastors need to avoid getting distracted. You are not there to give people a book review, to sell a DVD, to give people your geo-political opinions – you have to feed people the Word of God. That is what will change their lives!
Inspiring and Challenging Dreamers 