What makes a good pastor? - Tuesday with Timothy #49

1 Timothy 4:6  If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.

What makes a good pastor? Everyone has an answer to that question, but I wonder how many would answer the question like Paul? Paul said in order to be a good minister, you need to preach the truth of God's Word and remind your hearers that the Spirit said that some will leave the faith. To remind them that there are seducing Spirits preaching false and devilish doctrines.

Paul doesn't say anything about his style of delivery. He doesn't say anything about his "vision casting" for the future of the church. It was a good thing Timothy wasn't required to be like a CEO of the church because CEOs hadn't been invented yet. Timothy, preach the truth and warn the people. Preach the positive truths and warn of the evil of heresy and apostasy. As we've studied this pastoral epistle, you see what is important. The only ministry skill that Paul said is a requirement is that he be apt to teach. Everything else is about the man's character. Do you want to be a good minister? Preach the truth. Always improve in the skill of teaching. Be a godly man.

A good pastor will remind you of what you already know. He won't be looking for the new novel. A good pastor will warn and will love you enough to tell you the truth, even – no, especially when it hurts. A good pastor will be nourished in the words of faith and good doctrine. He will be feeding himself from the Word of God and feeding on good doctrine and then dispensing that food out to the flock. A good pastor will be a man that studies and mines God's Word and feeds his own soul. He will be nourished himself by the Word and then give the church the fruit of his labors and study in the Word.