Tuesday, February 19, 2019
What is a Community Pastor?
A few days ago my beloved pastor proclaimed someone, “Community Pastor.” I’d never heard this term before. It was both intriguing and, quite frankly, a little puzzling.
What exactly is a community pastor?
As I write this, I trust the wisdom within me as a guide to open up whatever God wants to reveal about this call and how it manifests itself.
Wisdom reveals that call is broader than a local congregation. How much broader depends on a number of factors. Surely the call of a community pastor is interdenominational and perhaps even interfaith. Cool! That means religious affiliation would mean little to a community pastor. She would be as comfortable with an Assemblies of God pastor as she is with an Episcopal priest. She would be at home worshipping in any type of church, from Baptist to Church of God. She would also be comfortable with Jewish, as well as Muslim believers and find common ground with each of them.
To this kind of love, my heart opens with a great big, "YES!"
A community pastor could gather people for prayer across denominational lines. How cool is that?
What specific ministry might a community pastor do?
Understanding the power of interdenominational prayer, she organizes regular prayer gatherings for all believers. She prays for the people in her community, all pastors, all churches, all people of faith, and all who are hurting. She cares deeply for the homeless and poor in her community. She also cares about the land itself and all the animals who live on it. They are all daily in her prayers.
A community pastor provides the opportunity weekly for interdenominational believers to come together to pray. She has experienced firsthand the miracles that flow from these times of prayer so she is intentional about holding this space even when others don't show up to pray with her.
When storms are approaching, a community pastor goes into action, praying for the protection of the entire area: the land, buildings, trees, shrubs, animals, and people. She cares deeply about the health and well being of the entire community.
What ministry of presence might God anoint a community pastor?
During the stressful period between Thanksgiving and Christmas, God sends her out on a “smile ministry.” Calm and prayerful she ventures forth empowered by the Holy Spirit to comfort troubled souls. Everywhere she goes she looks each person in the eye, nods, and smiles. She experiences firsthand how the simplicity of a look and smile ministers deeply to people. When people want to talk, she takes the time to listen. She understands that people will sometimes empty out all their troubles on a compassionate stranger. It is cathartic and healing. She listens without judgement.
A community pastor has a vibrant neighborhood ministry. She loves her neighbors as herself. She regularly checks in with her neighbors to find out how they are doing. She organizes regular neighborhood prayer gatherings so her neighbors can come together to share their burdens and to pray for each other. She herself prays for the sick with the laying on of hands. She takes food and gifts to her neighbors as a way to bring encouragement and comfort.
In every word she utters in her neighborhood and in her community, she points the way to the One who created us all and who loves us with an abiding, unconditional love. All her conversations are centered in her love of and deep trust in God. Every conversation points the way to Him.
This is work I’ve been doing for many years, but without specific intent or purpose. This seems to be the time God wants to deepen the call in me. I can’t wait to see how this ministry unfolds in the years ahead!
Thanks to all who read these words and know that God calls each of us to work that can only be done by yielding to the Holy Spirit and that our work is deepened over time and accomplishes more than we can dream or imagine. This is God at work through yielded vessels bringing light to darkness. None of us deserve the blessed privilege of carrying God's light. It is shocking and wonderful and bigger than we are!
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6 comments:
With tears of joy, I weep at the anointing that I feel as I read this.
This can grow into "not" something new, but the underlying truth of the ministry of the Gospel that has always been but has been lost in the diversity of beliefs. God's Kingdom works this way. Apostle, the administrator with the vision, Prophet, the prayer warrior that guides the vision, the Evangelist that recruits the workers to do the work of the vision, the Pastor who guards the vision from division with love, and the teacher who teaches "How" to accomplish the vision. Start to gather these gifts around you. You already have the mix of Apostle and Pastor. I am excited to see how this plays out. As you share the vision, there are hearts out there who already are awaiting their destiny in the Community!!
What shall you name this "Treasure found in a field"? Just as you showed up at the girl who needed someone to be with her family during giving birth, so many others await the Messenger Angel to show up in their time of need! God is birthing something here and definitely there are angels all around awaiting your command!!
God bless you!
Pastor Pope
Thank you, Pastor. It means a lot to know that you are praying and will guide me as I say, "yes" more deeply to this call. This is WAY bigger than I am! I'm so glad God has given me others to speak into my life and ministry who will provide leadership and guidance and discernment. "Yes, Lord, here am I. If you can use a broken clay pot, use me to shine Your light into the world. And to You be the glory!"
Han. 2:2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
Yes, you are recognized as commu ity pastor. Fits you all around. Ministry extends through Facebook and blog.
Jesus is a friend of sinners. They went him because He loved them. I believe that there are many more with that heart and they need to be connected and mobilized to reach the ones who never would think of entering the door of an organized church. One shall put a thousand to flight, two shall put ten thousand to flight! Pastor Pope
I’m so aware that Jesus walked the dusty roads around his hometown of Nazareth ministering to people right where they were. He took nothing with him, choosing instead to depend on the generosity of people to provide for his and his disciples needs. He was a person among persons, very humble and loving. He met people right where they were on the road, asking, “What do you want?” Then he amazed them by giving them exactly what they asked for. Material things never mattered to him, not even the comfort of a home. His food was to do the will of God. He knew that the true riches are spiritual and that heaven can be lived now. He was the true community pastor, our role model!
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