Good Pastors Still Exist

 

Titus 1:6-9

 



⁶ An elder must live a blameless life. He must be faithful to his wife, and his children must be believers who don’t have a reputation for being wild or rebellious.

⁷ An elder is a manager of God’s household, so he must live a blameless life. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered; he must not be a heavy drinker, violent, or dishonest with money.

⁸ Rather, he must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must love what is good. He must live wisely and be just. He must live a devout and disciplined life.

⁹ He must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong.

 

There use to be a time that being a Pastor was looked upon favorably by most people to include non-Christians. As indicated in Titus 1:6-9, the character of those who walk in this calling were without question.  They were people that finding fault in them was difficult or impossible. They were blameless (free of wrong-doing).

 

Fast forward to 2014, being a Pastor is looked upon unfavorable by most people to include Christians. It's true. Because of the few that have purposefully or deceitfully not lived up to the expectations set by Titus 1:6-9, the consensus is that there are no good Pastors. Here is why:

 

1. Bad Is Visible: The few Pastors that have turned out to be deceitful get the more publicity than the many Pastors living a righteous life and following the path that God has set before them.
2. All-Inclusive: Similar to #1, if one is wrong then all of them are wrong. I've had horrible managers and I've had some good ones. I've had great leaders and I've had some not so great leaders.
3. Broken Trust: Some Pastors have hurt some people in a very bad way. These individuals prefer to conceal the hurt than to let it heal. I hope and pray that they will find their healing.
4. High Pedestal Pastor: When we put Pastors (or they put themselves) on a high pedestal, their fall could damage our whole perception on Pastors as a whole. Pastors may fail to meet your expectations but God will not.

For whatever reason that we believe that there are no good Pastors, that belief is not factual. There are plenty of good Pastors out there. They care for your well-being. They are practicing what they preach. If/When they fall short, they are sincerely going to God in a state of true repentance. They preach the Word of God without compromise or fear because they care for your soul.

 

As I walk into this calling, I took the time to reflect on the individuals that have shepherded me. I have been blessed with quite a few good ones.

 

I thank God for the following Pastors:

• Pastor Frank Marshall (New Vision Revival Center)
• Apostle Virges Pearson (Charity Church)
• Pastor James Pitts (New Zion Tabernacle)
• Pastor Tom Bailey (Victory Temple Missionary Baptist Church)

Take time to reflect on your previous and current Pastors. Appreciate the good ones and pray God allows you to forgive the bad ones if you haven't done so already.